Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Updates, updates, updates!

I must point out that my last post was my 100th one, and a rather spiteful 100th post at that. In all seriousness, I just posted some song lyrics that had been spiraling around in my cranium for awhile and didn't even notice it would be my 100th post. But, wow! 100 posts on this little blog of mine, how quaint. All my mumbo jumbo and random tidbits have finally compiled into something somewhat impressive. Since I've never been able to keep a diary - this being the closest thing I have to one, I am very proud of myself. A good pat on the back for Grace.

Now, moving on...

I saw the midnight show of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 with my best friend and posse and let me tell you: HUGE disappointment. I can't believe Harry Potter fans actually accepted it let alone liked it. They barely kept to the book and changed things around for no apparent reason, not to mention changing the climax of the entire book series. I must rant and for that reason I alert those who aren't familiar with the books to leave straight away.

First of all, I was fine with the first half of the movie, up until after Gringotts. I thought the part when Harry and gang were staying with Bill and Fleur pretty good, minus the talk they had with Ollivander. He never tells Harry that he won't succeed! But I digress, I could overlook that little interesting bit they decided to include.

Then, when Harry meets Aberforth. A part in the book that is highly amazing and awesome and shocking and interesting because you've been reading up until this point how little about Dumbledore Harry (and essentially you) knew in reality. Aberforth is horribly introduced and the story about how Ariana was actually killed not even told! How could you not include that? It adds such depth to the story. When Harry arrives back to Hogwarts, it only gets worse. The director decides to make Harry look like a complete idiot. Harry's the one who's supposed to realize who to find to figure out where the Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw is, not Luna! I don't want to even get into the whole scene in the Room of Requirement either...

Also, we miss the whole battle of Hogwarts pretty much. We get the beginning (where Neville stupidly taunts snatchers which doesn't happen and for some reason he is still there when the barrier is brought down), Fred's horribly shot death (I wasn't even aware that he was dying in that scene) - and the end where everyone is super jolly, laughing, having a cup of Jo, oh, and Percy is randomly seen in the background (guess he must have returned, then?) I mean, there was so much material in the book the director could have gotten to make the battle of Hogwarts the epic battle it truly was meant to be! From including Grawp and the house elves and Peeves battling to showing the individuals we Harry Potter fans are so fond of fighting it out with our most hated Death Eaters.

Then there's the part when Snape dies and Harry finds out the truth, shot not in the Shrieking Shack (which would have made perfect sense!) but in a random glasshouse! Why?! When so much history happened in the Shrieking Shack? Harry's dive into the pensieve is another issue I have but I'll gloss over it and move on: It was awful.

Then the part with the Resurrection Stone. I felt no emotional pull at all during that scene when it was supposed to be the most heart-wrenching feeling I was supposed to be experiencing. Harry accepts his death. I open at the close. And I feel nothing. Then of course there's King's Cross. Dumbledore says some heavy and very Dumbledore-y things in that discourse but it came across as simply strange and confusing.

Finally, the climax. Harry and Voldemort start dueling...and the entire time Harry says nothing to him while battling when in the book he is saying the best lines in the entire book, calling him Tom Riddle instead of Voldemort, explaining to him that Snape had actually betrayed him and how he, Harry, actually holds the Elder Wand and how it came to be the Elder wand, defending Dumbledore, telling him this was his last chance, etc. But, no. Instead they fly through the air, clutching onto each others faces (what?) and playing jedi mind tricks until Voldemort turns into gray tissue paper.

Once the "finale" is over everything just turns back to normal. It wasn't like Harry just defeated the Dark Lord or anything. And then Harry, Ron, and Hermione are on the bridge instead of Dumbledore's office (stupid!) figuring out what to do with the Elder Wand. Harry doesn't snap it like in the movie. He uses it to fix his own broken wand "Reparo" and then says he's going to put it back where it came from, looking at Dumbledore's smiling portrait in his office.

Anyway, that was my rant. I'm sure I missed a few things, but one last thing I didn't like about the movie was how comical they made it seem, there were way too many jokes flying around at some of the most pinnacle points in the movie. Not that it would have made a difference since they butchered it anyway. But come on.

It received a big fat F in my opinion.

Moving on from Harry Potter...

I went to Universal Studios on Saturday and it was really fun! I haven't been there since I was probably seven or eight. So much of it has changed! We went on every single ride and attended every single show in one day. My friend Guido and I even participated in one of the shows: Special Effects. It was pretty embarrassing to be honest but we were pressured to get involved (we even had to sign waivers). My friend Guido had to dress up in an astronaut costume and get attached to some wires and I was going to control him with a remote (imagine my anxiety). What I didn't know was that he'd be switched out of the costume and replaced with a double and that my remote control actually wasn't the one controlling "Guido." I caught on eventually but I looked pretty stupid up there freaking out that my friend was doing back-flips and supposedly flipping out on some wires. And of course the lady kept asking us if we were dating, etc. how much more embarrassing could it get?! Still, it was a fun time : )

Then on Sunday my shift got cancelled (praise Jesus!) and I took full advantage of it and dragged my BGF to see a free Pacific Dub concert with me at The Slidebar in Fullerton. It was my first time ordering drinks at a bar. I freaked out when the bartender asked me if I was going to order more drinks to which I said I was and then held hostage my driver's license and card. Now I know what opening a tab means at least. Pacific Dub were amazing! And we got to meet the guys! They were all so cool and super friendly! All of them are twenty except the drummer who's my age, which was weird to find out. They signed their newest EP for us and a cool poster Josh and I agreed we'd have shared custody of (they only accepted cash). It was a super fun Sunday and made me depressed to think I was back to my boring work days come Monday.

I've also been working on a DIY project for my best friend Caitie's birthday (this Friday) - I know it will come out cool. I'll post pictures when I find the time.

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