(no subject)

[heidi]

I'm sitting in a departure lounge at LAX and I'm exhausted.

It's been a wonderful weekend and I can't even begin to figure out where to start in writing it up. So I'll start with the bizarre, move to the overwhelming, sum up OotP, wibble, squee and finish charging my iPod for the flight home.

I miss robertstandring, zorb and mudblood428 so much - we made for a terrific team this weekend and they were brilliant with questions and setup and we had a great time seeing so many fellow fans. The people at WB said this was one of the largest premiere crowds at Mann's Chinese ever, which is amazing.

SpellCast video from the red carpet will be up sometime tomorrow - we had uploading issues in the hotel today - but look for questions to the cast about wizarding rock, Rupert's t-shirt, and amusement park rides.

I freaked Dan out very badly.

Greg Grunberg is probably the friendliest person in the universe, and was giddy about taking his sons to the film - and watching them play on the games at the party afterward.

And Rupert Grint totally bested me at *hit the phoenix into the cauldron*. Six tries and I couldn't get it in, but he tries once and in it flew. Magic, I guess?

The bartenders in LA aren't particularly proficient at mojitos, but they make great cosmos - and longtimegone, jlh, slytherincess and wordplay would be amused to know that I had one cigarette with a cosmo last night. They will not be surprised to know that it was my fifth cosmo.

Masi Oka really is a big a capella geek and fanboyed my ex-roommate when I mentioned Penn's offthebeat to him - priscillie, are they still around?

Robert Pattison was there last night and just as, er, enlightened as reportedly he'd been at GoF activities.

sue_tlc and I had a lovely chat with Michael Goldenberg about predictions for Book 7. While he and some of the others involved have hints about Book 7, none of them have read it, so it was amazing to hear their thoughts about what they want to see, and where they think she'll go. And gah, we can count on two hands now the number of days until we go of to the book parties. Meep.

And the lead theorizer on the red carpet was definitely Jeff Foxworthy, who's obviously read the books a tonne, and who had a lot to say regarding Snape and horcruxes. The guy who plays Lloyd on Entourage was also very into predictions. Rachel Harris, otoh? Notsomuch.

Along with Spellcast's Rob, bekkio, Spinnserscast's Kim and Jeff & Geri from HPANA, we had a lovely time tonight at the Imax debut - along with Chris Rankin, who's continually one of the nicest guys I know (and he's also an excellent baby-minder and Crowded House fan). I had to head to the airport so I didn't get to see the IMAX 3D bits but it's sure to be amazing.

And my thoughts on the film?

Ok. PoA is still my favorite, but this is a wonderful film, although I'm not sure it works as a standalone. You need to have seen at least either 1 or 2, plus 3 and 4 - or read them (ideally) - for it to make sense, imho. They (thankfully) don't spend any time making sure you know who any of the characters are. If you don't, you need to be with someone who does.

I loved Imelda as Umbridge. She was brilliant and phenomenal and absolutely spot on throughout. And I thought Evanna Lynch was an adorable Luna. She was born to play this part. Natalie Teena was adorable as Tonks and they do great things with her hair!



They changed the framing for the flashback scene, but the import is the same in terms of Harry's relationship with Snape. But the end with the Order showing up at the Ministry seems to imply that Snape went to tell them what had happend but took a strangely long time to do so, so unless you know the book you won't understand in HBP: The Movie why Harry's angry at Snape about it.

The Dueling Club scenes are brilliant, and they've made Matthew Lewis's Neville absolutely brilliant.

Iirc, the Voldemort-In-Armani bits are only in dream sequences.

The fight between the Order and the Death Eaters is brilliant, and as Dan said on the junket today, they made the adults' wand-and-magic movements so much more polished than the kids. We don't see the rooms in the Dept of Mysteries other than the prophecy room, which disapointed me, as I wanted to see Ron Attacked By Brains and the Baby-Headed Death Eater.

The relationship between Sirius and Harry is wonderful, and the Black Family Tree is brill (although I didn't see the mention of Ickle Regulus, alas).

But the actual Through the Veil scene isn't what I expected, although Remus holding Harry to keep him from following Sirius is *brilliant*. I think I wanted something as gut-punching as the Shrieking Shack scene, and it wasn't quite. I don't know how to explain why it didn't break me, but it didn't and I wanted it to.

The sets for all the scenes were amazing and evocative, and some of the changes for the film, like making Umbriedge's punishments more widely imposed, are things you wouldn't necessarily think would work because they're so different from the books - especially a scene where Fred & George are talking with, iirc, "Nigel", but in the context, they work.

And the way they've done the occlumancy and legilimency is perfect - and Daniel does some excellent acting in the Ministry scene.

The film has something for every shipper, btw. Well, other than the Michael Corner/Ginny fans, because they *totally cut out Ginny dating other boys* and have her mooning over Harry in an almost CoS fashion, which was just *huh*? They said they wanted to drop hints of her future romance with Harry, but honestly, there was more Harry/Luna. And there's a hint of one-sided Grawp-Hermione, but I'll leave it to you to guess who's crushing on whom.

Oh, and speaking of shipping.... can someone watch particularly for the scene at Grimmauld Place when Sirius first speaks to Harry? Was Remus's arm around Sirius's shoulder? Looked like it to me.....

Comments

[casirafics.livejournal.com]

Masi Oka really is a big a capella geek and fanboyed my ex-roommate when I mentioned Penn's offthebeat to him

Haha -- oh, I wish I could meet this guy. I suspect (well, know for a fact, come to think of it) we've got more than a few mutual acquaintances, and for exactly this reason.... ;)

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

He wasn't and it wasn't, at least not in words. I couldn't see the whole of it from my angle, so it's possible he's on there but while the sistership between Andromeda and Bellatrix is mentioned, nowhere does it say Andromeda is Tonks's mum or that their third sister is Narcissa.

And yeah, I hope they did, too. It wasn't *bad bad*. But it couldve been *more*...

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

You met Greg Grunberg and Masi Oka? I'm so jealous.

It seems strangely appropriate that I've been Sorting the Heroes characters, here and here. :-)

[gorgeousnerd]

I'm not sure which I'm more jealous of; the fact that you were at a Harry Potter premiere, or the fact that you got to talk to Masi Oka. Either way, it sounds like massive amounts of fun!

[slytherincesss.livejournal.com]

YAY FOR SMOKING!HEIDI!!!! :D

[moony]

Oh, and speaking of shipping.... can someone watch particularly for the scene at Grimmauld Place when Sirius first speaks to Harry? Was Remus's arm around Sirius's shoulder? Looked like it to me.....

I was told on the phone last night by someone else who was at the premiere that yes, Remus was practically curled around Sirius.

I CANNOT WAIT.

[mariannec.livejournal.com]

Was Draco on the Family Tree?
He is.

[mariannec.livejournal.com]

there was more Harry/Luna.
So I wasn't imagining it. In fact, thought it was quite blatant.

[moony]

THAT IS WHAT I SAID.

THEIRLOVEISSOMOVIECANON.

[scoreboard.livejournal.com]

Trying to wrap my brain around Foxworthy theorizing about Snape.

Nope, my head bluescreens every time.

"If your Nimbus 2000 is covered in primer and has a sticker of Calvin peeing on a #24 on it, you might be a redneck wizard..."

[stephanometra.livejournal.com]

Harry/Luna FTW! :D

[elements.livejournal.com]

You *did* meet Masi Oka. You did! Eeeee! :D :D

Oh, and um, totally yay on all Potter related stuff too, I just have a masive fangirl crush on Masi.

Voldemort in Armani?! Even in dreams!?!

Yay Neville getting shown off well.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

I actually preferred the movie way of the flash-back scene (if you're talking about Harry getting into Snape's head that is. If it's something else entirely, disregard this comment ;) ). I always thought that Harry going into Snape's pensieve was too sneaky and intrusive, and that Snape had every right to be angry. In the movie it was more of an accident, which made me feel a lot better about Harry.

[aome.livejournal.com]

How did you freak him out?

Sounds like a good weekend, overall!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Oh, good because I looked and didn't see it. I totes need to see it all the way through again. In IMAX.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I didn't actually talk to Greg, although some of the other SpellCasters did briefly. But I eavesdropped on him a bit. ;)

And I'm loving your sorting process!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

It was overwhelming fun and omgwtfcool. And now I must flump over to sleepppppppp

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Cheers!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I think? I need to watch it again...

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

BEcause he is a sensible and amazing teen-type!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I really thought it was. And the director said they were trying to foreshadow Harry/Ginny, but if they did so, it was by having Ginny moon over Harry which is totally noncanonical and didn't actually work - she was a lot more subdued than she was in GoF, and I thought that was an odd choice, especially when contrasted with Luna, who, with Harry, was so adorable.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I know! It was totally unexpected but he was grand!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

They really *could* win as a couple.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I did! And he was nice - he made a point of introducing himself to me when I walked over to chat about a capella-y things, which was really disarming and adorable.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

It definitely mitigated his responsibility and made Snape's reaction a lot more understandable yet over-the-top, but on the flip side, I like when Harry isn't perfectly behaved, and his Acting Against The Rules is important to his character and I liked the contrast between this (as it is in the book) and his breaking of Umbridge's rules, and I'm kind of sorry that got removed/atered.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I asked him about wizarding rock. It'll be on the SpellCast clips...

[jellybellys.livejournal.com]

I didn't read the spoilers, but I had to comment to the rest of the post anyway. ;o)

Heidi that is so AWESOME I am jealous but happy for you! Inquiring minds want to know what you did to terrify Dan, as that sounds like an amusing story.

Robert Pattison was there last night and just as, er, enlightened as reportedly he'd been at GoF activities.

Er, enlightened? What am I missing?

Chris Rankin, from everything I've read, sounds like a total sweetheart.

The fact that Jeff Foxworthy was discussing theories is absolutely awesome and hilarous to me, for some reason.

[12-12-12.livejournal.com]

When fandoms collide...:-)

[kimmyblair.livejournal.com]

Ohhh... hanging out with sue! Glad you had a fantastic time!!!

[stephanometra.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I hoped so hard for Harry/Luna in HBP that it's frankly ridiculous.

AT LEAST WE WILL HAVE MOVIE ICONNAGE NOW.

[hathorx.livejournal.com]

OMG I forgot you went to the after-party, I'm so jealous!!! I hope you did some major SpellCast pimpage there, lol! You'll have to tell me all about it :)

I have no idea when I'll get to see the movie over there and I must go see it in English though, don't want none of that french translation, its simply awful!

Can't wait to see the videos, checked V's LJ, looked like you guys had a blast!

[wildfyre.livejournal.com]

I totally agree about the Pensieve (minus the pensieve) scene - I found that really disappointing. The whole Snape/Harry dynamic is so wrong in the films, and I dread to think how they're going to manage HBP.

I LOVED the Harry/Luna moments, but then I loved absolutely everything about Luna. I have started reading Snape/Luna, which is scary.

[noblerot.livejournal.com]

I was totally into this film. It was... I dunno... dark and stately. And Ralph Fiennes is PURE SEX SANS NOSE.

Sounds like y'all had a grand time at the premiere. Party down, mah bitchez, party down!

[jocelyncs.livejournal.com]

Spill it, woman! What did you do to the poor, impressionable lad! Did you importune him? Have you scarred him for life? (Er...no pun intended.)

And can it possibly top the legendary encounter wendywoowho had at the Witching Hour two years ago when her dog Puck licked Chris Rankin's crotch?

(And, according to Wendy, "And he LIKED it!")

[slinkhard.livejournal.com]

Didn't they do a similiar thing with him peeking into Dumbledore's pensieve vs. it accidentally falling open in GoF, too? I wouldn't mind, but it does seem to be a pattern that when Harry (or his friends) are remotely culpable for almost any kind of misbehaviour that it becomes altered, which is a little irritating.

[musikologie.livejournal.com]

A bit late, and a bit off topic, but I wanted to let you know that UPenn's Off the Beat is still going strong -- they even had a song on the last BOCA compiliation. In case anyone wants it, here it is -- it's a cover of Fall Out Boy's 'Sugar, We're Going Down.'

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Oh, excellent! Thanks so much!