117: My Two Cents

So, I'll assume, even though I'm going to make an "ass" out of "u" and "me," (har-har-har, NOT FUNNY), most of you, this weekend, have seen at least Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and perhaps Rent, too. If you haven't seen either, or both, then I'd advise you to "Hit the Road, Jack."

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Was it too long or too short? A dear friend of mine opined that the visually magnificient movie was too long, which to me suggests that she perhaps found the plot progression positively plodding. Well, my esteemed colleague, who by the way isn't a true Potterhead, is absolutely and resoundingly delusional. And I surmise if she were to be jumped by goodness, with goodness slapping her across the face yelling, "wake the fuck up, I'm Good, I'm Good, damn it," she'd still stingily keep the lights in her head switched off. In other words, she be trippin' y'all! (I tease.)

Granted the fourth book, known for its complexity with many subplots strewed throughout the story, is rather difficult to translate into film and certain omissions are a necessity. Nonetheless, I missed the little details of story.

What happened with Winkie being found stupified with Harry's wand in her hand at the Quidditch World Cup? How about Hagrid being spurned by Madame Maxime when he tries to confirm her giant heritage? Rita Skeeter finding out Hagrid is a half giant? Hermione discovering Rita Skeeter is an unregistered animagus? And what about the spat and the fall out between Dumbledore and the Minister for Magic that followed right after Barty Crouch Jr. had been snuffed by the Dementors? Oh, and not to mention, changing Harry's dream? Barty Crouch Jr. was never in it!

Sure, I'll echo with the fans around the world praising Mike Newell's superb endeavor. In fact, I'd go so far as to call for a fatwa, calling on the fanatics to assassinate any persons or groups who dared to speak disparagingly of the cinematic master piece that is The Goblet and of the man who helmed the project, Mike Newell. (Wait! Did I just call for my own assassination as well with the slight display of discontent? No matter), but my anal side really wanted, desired, longed after those little details... Sigh.

Anyways, Ralph Fiennes! Oh my Lord, he's just like the Dark Lord of my imagination. He rocks!

And people, how fucking hot was Krum?! Enough said.

So overall, The Goblet is a must see movie.

***

Rent

If you own the original Broadway cast recording and heard it over a gazillions of times as I have, I advise you to turn off that portion of your brain and let the movie tell its own version of the story to you; try to see it with a fresh set of eyes. And ignore the disjointed story telling in the last third of the movie. You know what though, even in the stage production, the second act is a little...disorderly. I guess the question Chris Columbus had to grapple with was: should the purity of the book Jonathan Larson wrote be left intact, or for the sake of story telling, should it be dramatically altered? Chris Columbus chose the middle road. Good effort though.

But you know, I love Rent. I nitpick, because I'm so attached to this musical. The pull it has on me won't ever change. I laughed and cried. Then I laughed some more and cried some more.

Go see it, peeps!