Good book and good movie.

Last night we left E at our neighbours and took their son ( W's friend) with us to see Snape and the Order of the Phoenix. (hee hee, O.K, I mean Harry Potter...blah de blah, whatever) S had purchased tickets the night before and we still had to line up 45 minutes before the starting time but it was worth it. It turned out to be a good thing that I couldn't convince the boys to dress up with me and so didn't dress up myself as I would have roasted waiting in line. There were several people who were dressed up though and a few more sporting scars on their foreheads, all in good fun. The movie was a pretty good representation of the book, obviously all the details of the book could never be put into the movie but it was impressive nonetheless, and a big improvement over the Goblet of Fire ( in our opinions anyway).

The movies are definitely taking a turn for the dark side as do the books, unfortunately there isn't much room in the movies for all the fun little magical details of the books. If they did try to include all these fun bits there would be no room to include all the important details of the story line. I said to S that I didn't think there was enough in OotP to warrant E (only 7) to even watch any of it on DVD when it comes out. He normally watches some of each the movie on DVD so that we can just fast forward through all the parts that we think are not suitable for him, but I think that so much of this newest one is so unsuitable that it isn't even worth letting him watch at all.

Also, I must say that I was very disappointed with how small of a part Snape had in this movie, one would think that when one has such a superb actor available they would use him to his utmost. Right? That's alright, November 2008 and he will get his turn in the limelight. The woman playing Umbridge played her part perfectly and throughout the movie it just drove me crazy trying to remember what movie I have seen her in recently. Now I know that she played Charlotte Palmer in Sense and Sensibility and is almost equally annoying in that, another fantastic British actor.

(Um, seems like a good chance to post pic of Col. Brandon since I did mention S&S )

At any rate now that the much awaited movie screening is over with we are waiting with bated breath for the final book. Yes, we are that geeky! I imagine there will be a bit of a fight over who gets to read the book first and likely there will be some late nights for a few days as we read in shifts. ;-) W is concerned that we are back from Mt. Robson in time to get the book on its first day out. Hmmm, the highest point in the Canadian rockies or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on the first day....which to choose.

I am really enjoying this book, it has lots of handy tips and resources for a "green" way of living. It is also peppered with quotes that I like.

If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it. Lyndon B. Johnson

And Winston Churchill can always be relied upon for a bit of timely wit.

Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on. Winston Churchill

One more that I really like, as I try to convince myself to get more involved in writing letters to decision-makers.

Government is too big and too important to be left to the politicians. Chester Bowles.

Here is another bit that I like from the book. There is a question that "people displaying 'green living' preferences and behaviours can look cheap and eccentric." The author jokingly responds that "the manifestations of acute intelligence and enlightenment have always been perceived as a bit eccentric - right?" I love an author with a sense of humour. ;-)