Friday night, waiting on mascarpone cupcakes

[cleolinda]

So I saw OOTP again on Thursday, because I am just that big a loser. My mother wanted to--well, she wanted to see Transformers, but my sister wanted to take a friend of hers to see OOTP, and obviously she can't drive while she's on painkillers, so my mother got shanghai'd into seeing Harry Potter instead. Fortunately she liked it, although she said she wished she'd known she was going to end up seeing it in the theater, since she would have rewatched GOF in that case. She's a casual DVD viewer of the series, really; never touched the books in her life. Anyway, I did notice that, when you first see Kreacher muttering to himself, after Harry walks up the staircase and away, he turns to the wall... where he starts talking to the covered portrait of Sirius's mother. Moreover, you can actually hear her muttering back, so she did make it in, in some small form. Also, I listened to the music a bit more carefully this time, and while I still don't know that it's as memorable as anything from the third or fourth movies, I do think I like the music to the all-out battle in the veil room.

God, I hope I'm not coming down with something. I've been chilly and achy and tired the last couple of days.

Linkspam:

Via newsong: Blogathon 2007, for charitable causes. It sounds like the kind of thing I'd love to do in theory, but--somewhat ironically, given that I don't get out of the house enough--I'm not sure that I could guarantee that I could be there all 24 hours.

Via notashamed: 1_18_08, for all the known facts about Cloverfield, as opposed to 011808, which is for discussion and speculation. Speaking of which, there's a strange new picture up at the 1-18-08 official site.

Catching up on a comment from tzikeh: "J. Alfred Lolfrock - Rip-off. Not cleverly thought up by the poster, but massively, massively ripped off, and with no attribution."

Lady Bird Johnson dies at 94.

Police: Fake cop pulls over real cop.

Miss NJ reveals alleged blackmail photos... which were obtained from her Facebook. I'm telling you, people, once you put it on the internet, you cannot take it off. ETA: Pageant rules Miss N.J. can keep crown; Miss NJ releases Facebook photos; World says "Wait, that's it?"

FBI: Collar-bomb victim a plotter; Bomb plot suspect's alibi: Body in freezer.

Mom says she, toddler kicked off plane "after she refused a flight attendant's request to medicate her son to get him to quiet down and stop saying 'Bye bye, plane.' [...] Penland said other passengers began speaking up on her behalf, and the flight attendant announced they were turning around and that Penland and Garren were going to be taken off the plane."

"Fewer high school students are having sex these days, and more are using condoms. The teen birth rate has hit a record low."

New search begins in Earhart mystery.

Report: Pirate attacks up sharply.

Bus-sized squid washes up on beach. NOOOO NOT MY KRAKEN!

Prince CD giveaway angers industry.

Gunman tastes wine, cheese, then leaves, "request[ing] a group hug before departing."

Oh hi. You need new socks.

From lezopez: 11 movies saved by historical inaccuracy.

Book chain pulls Tintin from children's sections.

The 20 best and worst celebrity blogs.

'Xanadu': A flop on screen, a waste on stage.

Okay, I had long enjoyed "EAT SHIT, JESSICA, IT'S CARROT!" as one of the great fandom lines, but I hadn't realized until now that it comes from a video. Watch Graham Norton read fangirl message board posts aloud (in appropriate Valley Girl tones) while Orlando Bloom giggles helplessly, and see if it does not make your entire day.

Latest 'Potter' sets box office record. Well, duh. A little Harry Potter minispam for you:

Entertainment Weekly articles: Bonham Carter: ''I took my sadism a bit too literally'' (or, of perforated eardrums and duels that got cut); Daniel Radcliffe bares his...thoughts; On-set secrets from darkest ''Harry'' yet; scans from the new issue itself.

Interviews: ComingSoon.net interview with the kids: If you've ever wondered how a director affects an actor's performance, Daniel Radcliffe gives a couple of fairly good examples. Also includes the surreal exchange, "Who do you think's going to die?" "I think it could be you actually." Also, the three kids doing Moviefone's Unscripted interview, where they ask each other questions sent in from readers. ("What was the most extreme thing a fan has ever done?" "Oh, the girl in the towel!" "No, no, no, we're way past that now.")

Fun: HP Spoiler Generator ("Severus Snape burns down Hogwarts, and everybody celebrates after signing a massive advertising contract with McDonalds"; "Ron Weasley is killed by a crazed fan in the lounge, with the candlestick"; "Voldemort kills Hedwig the Owl with the help of a small zombie cat"); new wand replicas at Noble Collection (if nothing else, you get a closer look at what the movie prop wands look like); Daniel Radcliffe visits a Japanese all-girls' Hogwarts; 'Hogwarts' school to open in India. Also, of all the Harry Potter tribute bands, I have to say that "Weasleys Tore My Flesh" probably wins on name alone.

Oscar campaigns crop up in summer's heat.

trailer_spot: 10,000 B.C., Sleuth, Bee Movie, 11th Hour, Golden Age, Feast of Love; Lust Caution, Dark Is Rising, December Boys, Death Sentence, Get Smart, In the Valley of Elah.

Dark Is Rising official site.

Golden Compass Posters: Exclusive First Look.

Say It Ain't So -- Daniel Craig Says 'Bond 22' Will Contain Roger Moore-Style Comedy. WELL AT LEAST MY MOTHER WILL BE HAPPY.

Dark Knight Teaser Debuts in Two Weeks.

Movie Pics: 'The Night Watchman,' 'The Dark Knight,' 'Cloverfield,' and Woody's 'Midnight in Barcelona.'

Naomi Watts Joins Clive Owen in Tom Tykwer's 'The International.'

James Marsden Gets ‘Enchanted’ For Real-World Disney Fairy Tale. Another trailer I saw at Midnight Harry Potter (and which our audience loved).

A casting breakdown for four Watchmen roles.

Pajiba's scathing review of Captivity, " I Am Pissed the Fuck Off": "But, more than anything, I don’t want anyone to see this film — I want it to fail spectacularly. I want the filmgoers of this nation to prove that we’re above this sort of contempt and hate of the female sex. That we’re not actually a nation of sick, twisted frat-boy fuckers who’d get off on this sort of deprivation. That there is a line, and that we, collectively, recognize that it’s been crossed, and we won’t subsidize it anymore. That we can reluctantly accept the insulting comedies, the drab thrillers, and the tiresome, lifeless romantic comedies, but that this sort of noxious cinematic poison is not only deplorable, but morally criminal."

Sam Rockwell Confirmed to Star in 'Choke.'

Ronan To Star In Lovely Bones. Saoirse Ronan--"Seersha" is the pronunciation I'm hearing?--is also young Briony in Atonement.

Potential Artemis Fowl cast?

Warner Bros. Acquires Septimus Heap.

Spielberg Eyes Chicago 7.

Cheadle and Pearce Sign to Star in Steve Martin Espionage Thriller.

Proyas Counts on Dracula Year Zero.

'Young Indiana Jones Chronicles' Finally Coming to DVD.

Alec Baldwin: Please Don't Go See My New Movie. Well, "new," but it was made in 2001 and shelved since then, so...

Comments

[lafemmezilla.livejournal.com]

That Graham Norton / Orlando Bloom bit is hysterical! It DID totally make my day, thank you miz cleo. :)

As for Roger Moore, well, he's fun too!

[flamingtoilet.livejournal.com]

Prince is fucking brilliant. We need more musicians to take a stand against the idiots running the music industry. It's the only way to get any change made.

[ambiguousreason.livejournal.com]

the "eat shit, jessica, it's carrot" video is one of the greatest things i've ever seen. i love it.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

You know, really, he's just ensuring that people hear his music, which somehow, the actual record companies aren't managing to do. I'm just sorry it's not included in *my* newspaper.

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

Re The Dark is Rising trailer: yes, I've waited more than twenty years to hear a generic, American-accented Will Stanton say "Awesome!"

There is no containing the hate.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I kind of want this movie to bomb so hard that it will stand as a warning to all other movie adaptations: it's only the reasonably faithful ones that make the money.

[flamingtoilet.livejournal.com]

Hear music! The bastards!

[cosette-esk.livejournal.com]

I have been waiting for an Artemis Fowl movie since I was 12! They better start working on it. I haven't even read the Last Colony yet I got to depressed after codename Vegetable died. Helena Bonham Carter goes down in history as one actress that I will like in anything I see.

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

The Graham Norton interview cracks me up EVERY time I watch it, and I've watched it countless times. It's THAT good.

[elina.livejournal.com]

The most awesome thing about "Weasleys Tore My Flesh" is that it's a beautiful rip-off of the most perfect haiku-ender ever. Like so:

The night is so dark
I am alone...as ever
Weasels rend my flesh

[leucocrystal]

Hey, if seeing it twice makes you a loser, well then so am I, because after walking out from seeing it today (for the first time, I'm afraid), I was compelled to turn right back around, go in and watch it again. :)

Also, I just had to let you know that your review has been a great source of shorter, much more articulate versions of my own thoughts on many aspects of the film, so thank you very much for that.  I linked to you a few times in my own review (which I just posted, since I guess I couldn't wait), in fact.  Because, as usual, your thoughts on things are pretty damn awesome. :)

[this-quiet.livejournal.com]

If I recall correctly, the towel incident was something that was also mentioned in previous interviews.... there was a girl in a towel who just randomly turned up and started chasing the car DanRad was in down the street, right?

[jennnk.livejournal.com]

steve martin espionage thriller? bwuh? am I thinking of the wrong steve martin? father of the bride steve martin?

[jaded-lady.livejournal.com]

nice linkspam! the cast(?) for artemis fowl would be perfect -- jason statham is exactly who i picture for butler, and of course, kiera knightly = <3

the hbc article reminded me of all the reasons why her bellatrix just did not work for me.

[sennical.livejournal.com]

Okay, I just cried with laughter over the "EAT SHIT JESSICA, IT'S CARROT" video. How have I not seen that before?

[lyrainverse.livejournal.com]

YES YOUNG INDIANA JONES!!! This is how I fell madly in love with Sean Patrick Flanery. Except at the time I called him "Seen."

Also, I'm guessing that "Weasleys Tore My Flesh" is a ripoff/homage to "Jaguars Ripped My Flesh," a collection of Tim Cahill's travel writings. (I wouldn't know that except I have that book on my shelf right next to me.) Or else it could be related to a number of other things that I'm too lazy to Google right now.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I want to say the towel had something written/printed on it, and then she opened it and flashed him. And he was way young at the time--this was maybe circa Chamber of Secrets?

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I want to say he's done a couple of straight roles--The Spanish Prisoner? And I haven't seen it, but I think Shopgirl was more seriousish.

[sapphires13.livejournal.com]

As I recall, she had on a Harry Potter towel and was carrying a sign reading "Nothing comes between me and my Harry Potter!" I don't recall any flashing though.

[dives.livejournal.com]

Oh maaaaaaaan I remember the towel girl. In fact, I think I used to post at a forum she was on.

I feel old now.

Re: Fowl casting, I maintain Theodore Chester (http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0cwBsGw4jGTvqKj5EfIhY76Djmbq2VNq6ctpCFcGgeFpF*BCuvu2Vjbq8U8eEIJiI4xfhEXH8!6wlNRwxJs7jaFzJDZdwExE77JKHO2igZxHBXY4fInF!Xs*XbwKism3C41fhGJqFhOL!UV522abXmQZJLLfzObj!gaVOcUC9q9Q/Slightly%20says%20brace%20yourselves%20lads.BMP?dc=4675517363788869890) (he was in that new Peter Pan, and apparently nothing else?) would be great as Artemis-- I think he might be a touch old now (16, I think), and he doesn't seem to be Making A Career or anything, but whatever.

[ter369.livejournal.com]

So I saw OOTP again on Thursday, because I am just that big a loser.

I lose bigger. I saw it 3 times in 48 hours.

It can sound a bit rude or oneupmanship-y when folks do this, which I don't intend at all, but I'll go ahead and say that I did hear Kreacher and Mrs. Black complaining together on my first viewing. I like that a bit of dialog from the book is going on among the Order when the kids are trying to listen in on the extendable ears, and I'm pretty sure Sirius calls Snape "Snivellus". That scene-stealing cat gets the laughs at that point.

This last viewing, I realized that Harry wears the same T-shirt in the final scene (walking to the train) as he did in the opening. It looks whiter and brighter in the final scene. I also thought more about the scene where he's packing his trunk to leave at the end of the year. He seems to be picking out a lingering piece of glass in his hoodie.

This viewing, I realized it's like he's packing away part of childhood, which is why he's in the more formal jacket at the end, the one he wore to his hearing. Alas, this may be the end of the Potter hoodie.


Also, I listened to the music a bit more carefully this time, and while I still don't know that it's as memorable as anything from the third or fourth movies, I do think I like the music to the all-out battle in the veil room.

The music during the battle in the veil room, all those bass strings, is great. Much of the score is twee and annoyed me. Whatever is playing during the Twins' departure from Hogwarts sounds like something out of River Dance. And there's a big lift from the opening of Les Miz when Harry and Arthur step out of the phone booth into the Ministry's foyer.

[ninepointfivemm.livejournal.com]

After some of these horrendous-sounding book adaptations, I think Choke will be awesome. Anjelica Huston is EXACTLY who I pictured as Victor's mom. That alone makes me extremely excited.

At first I thought that

[xander77.livejournal.com]

Girl in the towel seemed like a Girl in the Tower riff, and we'd have some news about a KQ6 remake/movie/parody (which would rock)

A link of minor interest:
http://www.truthandbeautybombs.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4997&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Turns out that removing Garfield's remarks in "Garfield" improves the quality of the strip (well, duh, any change would) and turns it surreal/pathetic/hilarious. Some of the essays linked (and TVTropes) will probably have a major effect on my writing.

[caersidi.livejournal.com]

Me too. I was cringing throughout that trailer and mentally saying - no, no, no.

*chimes in*

[dramedy.livejournal.com]

Shopgirl was def. a serious role. not to mention he WROTE it. He's a very capable actor, it's just that he's more well known and more frequently does comedic roles, because that's what he's famous for.