Harry Potter is the story of a generation's childhood. Watching the final installment in the franchise on this ordinary, muggy evening, I was taken back to just how enraptured I was with Philosopher's Stone when I first read it. Enamoured with the idea of Quidditch, I would sit on the back of my parent's two-piece sofa (which required quite a bit of balance and, thus, made it more realistic in my mind that I was really on a broomstick) and pretend to catch the golden snitch. Like many children around the world, I deliberated over which house I would belong to and what my favourite Hogwarts class would be. Even the holidays I went on whilst growing up were defined by what Potter book I was reading at the time: Goblet of Fire in the Isle of Man; Order of the Phoenix in Crete; Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows in Portugal.
Transforming the books into films was never going to be an easy task but the later films in particular have been very strong, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was a complete triumph in my opinion. I feel privileged that this series was written directly at my generation, with the books progressing in both style and subject matter as readers have got older.
Finally, imagine putting yourself in J. K. Rowling's shoes and carrying that weight of responsibility when crafting a fitting conclusion to such a well-loved story. I do not believe the best stories ever leave you, which is why I'm so glad Hogwarts will always be there to welcome me home.
Albus Dumbledore: "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?"
(Watch from the four minute mark)
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Sunday, Sunday
Sunday's are so often a day of reflection for the week that's been and gone, and preparation for the week that is to come. This would explain why I often have such difficulty in understanding whether Sunday should be the first or the last day of the week on the calendar. I also wonder that if we dressed Sunday up as another day - maybe Tuesday? Or perhaps Friday? - then the usual descriptions we associate with the day would pop like bubbles. It would no longer be "grey", or "boring", or "pyjama-day" (although apparantly that's now any day of the week), but all manner of other 'doing' and 'describing' words (for the more educated among you, verbs and adjectives).
There's a lot to be excited about in 2010. Why, there's a lot to be excited about this month. In fact, even this week. Or this day. Actually, why not just click on the links below and start getting excited right about... now.
Goldfrapp - Rocket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF8-eIL5WZM
If I told you that the first thought that popped into my head upon hearing this was The Pointer Sisters' 'Jump', I'd worry about how many would click on that there link. So ignore what I just said. I can only diagnose this track as a serious case of the 80s, full of euphoric synth jabs, and like all great songs grows into this deliriously giddy chorus. It's more in vein with what they produced back in 2005 with their Supernature album, but there's something about 'Rocket' that is less 'try-hard'. Supernature, as much as I love it, came across as Alison and Will saying "we can do commercial just as well as ANYONE", following the success they had with 'Strict Machine'. And whilst 'Rocket' suggests the band's forthcoming LP will be more in-line with that album's sound, rather than the pastoral elegance of Seventh Tree, this time around it seems somewhat less... contrived? Nonetheless, I'm happy to witness the return of Goldfrapp.
A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aypyJtHzC70
The fact that Tom Ford has directed this shouldn't be an indication of quality, but - let's face it - it's an indication of quality. I've not read the book, so the film will be brand new to me, and with a promising cast led by Colin Firth, it's bound to be pretty good isn't it? A Single Man opens with Firth's character mourning the loss of his male lover in a car accident. So... not really Avatar then? Looking set to be a whole load of melancholy, wrapped up in Ford's stunning cinematic flair, A Single Man is due to be released this Friday in the UK; just in time for Valentine's day. Althogether now, "ahhhhhhhh!"
Williams British Handmade
http://www.williams-handmade.com/
Why wax lyrical about something when you might as well just see what all the fuss is about for yourselves? Has the phrase 'thinking outside the box' ever been more appropriate? Ho ho, how many more clichés can I fit in...! Regardless, the designer Sarah Williams has inventively managed to weld together a streamlined look that is completely contemporary, with a design that harks back to those vintage values that we're all so fond of nowadays. I suddenly want to bully my farcical notion of a suitcase with its silly wheels. What does it think it is, A CAR?!
There's a lot to be excited about in 2010. Why, there's a lot to be excited about this month. In fact, even this week. Or this day. Actually, why not just click on the links below and start getting excited right about... now.
Goldfrapp - Rocket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF8-eIL5WZM
If I told you that the first thought that popped into my head upon hearing this was The Pointer Sisters' 'Jump', I'd worry about how many would click on that there link. So ignore what I just said. I can only diagnose this track as a serious case of the 80s, full of euphoric synth jabs, and like all great songs grows into this deliriously giddy chorus. It's more in vein with what they produced back in 2005 with their Supernature album, but there's something about 'Rocket' that is less 'try-hard'. Supernature, as much as I love it, came across as Alison and Will saying "we can do commercial just as well as ANYONE", following the success they had with 'Strict Machine'. And whilst 'Rocket' suggests the band's forthcoming LP will be more in-line with that album's sound, rather than the pastoral elegance of Seventh Tree, this time around it seems somewhat less... contrived? Nonetheless, I'm happy to witness the return of Goldfrapp.
A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aypyJtHzC70
The fact that Tom Ford has directed this shouldn't be an indication of quality, but - let's face it - it's an indication of quality. I've not read the book, so the film will be brand new to me, and with a promising cast led by Colin Firth, it's bound to be pretty good isn't it? A Single Man opens with Firth's character mourning the loss of his male lover in a car accident. So... not really Avatar then? Looking set to be a whole load of melancholy, wrapped up in Ford's stunning cinematic flair, A Single Man is due to be released this Friday in the UK; just in time for Valentine's day. Althogether now, "ahhhhhhhh!"
Williams British Handmade
http://www.williams-handmade.com/
Why wax lyrical about something when you might as well just see what all the fuss is about for yourselves? Has the phrase 'thinking outside the box' ever been more appropriate? Ho ho, how many more clichés can I fit in...! Regardless, the designer Sarah Williams has inventively managed to weld together a streamlined look that is completely contemporary, with a design that harks back to those vintage values that we're all so fond of nowadays. I suddenly want to bully my farcical notion of a suitcase with its silly wheels. What does it think it is, A CAR?!
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