tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post8703778962800888134..comments2024-03-27T08:49:38.786-03:00Comments on Siskoid's Blog of Geekery: This Week in Geek (7-13/09/15)Siskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-73496426270804306212015-09-13T13:14:34.087-03:002015-09-13T13:14:34.087-03:00I just don't have as much time as I used to fo...I just don't have as much time as I used to for reading (what with all the writing and stuff), so I have to make choices. Some things I am content to experience in adapted form (you've heard me rant about how terrible I think Tolkien is as a writer, right?).<br /><br />Moving on - I would probably not have an animated feature in my top 10 films (although I can never create such a list, because I think various genres can't really be compared and would rather have several such lists), but off the top of my head, yes, I think I'd agree that Tangled is my favorite Disney animated feature, but that's either because I haven't seen most of the recent stuff, and haven't seen the classics (even the 90s wave classics) in a very long time. But off the top of my head, yes, certainly, though perhaps running side by side with Mulan.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-66960971547705239232015-09-13T12:47:22.172-03:002015-09-13T12:47:22.172-03:00Half-Blood Prince is one I'm less than fond of...Half-Blood Prince is one I'm less than fond of, and this time it's not because of the missing exposition (of which there is still plenty, such as everything Dumbledore knew or suspected about the remaining horcruxes), but a couple of terrific character moments. One comes during Harry's first meeting with Rufus Scrimgeour, who wants to use Harry as a mascot to rally support for the ministry. But Harry is having none of it, calling Scrimgeour out on a number if unethical tactics the ministry are using to look like they're more effective than they are (he points out that it's a repeat of Barty Crouch's actions when he was in charge of Magical Law Enforcement), as well as the crap they put him through the previous year, which he here learns Umbridge has gone unpunished for (he shows him the scar on his hand to hammer it home). All this carries over into their scene in Deathly Hallows, though Scrimgeour earns some gratitude from him after he dies while refusing to give up Harry's location under torture.<br /><br />The other is a conversation between Harry and Dumbledore after the explanation of the Horcruxes, dealing with Harry's fear of being forced into a final confrontation by the prophecy. Dumbledore makes it clear to him that not every prophecy in the Department has come true, and the only reason this one means anything is because Voldemort chose to act on it.<br />http://gfp.typepad.com/the_garden_of_forking_pat/2005/09/harry_potter_on.html<br /><br />There's also a good bit where Dumbledore gets to call the Dursleys out for their years of mistreatment, while giving them some backhanded praise for not turning Harry into a spoiled brat and a bully like Dudley.<br /><br />Both Deathly Hallows movies largely suffer from the damage to previous ones. If you were wondering at all about Dobby showing up randomly and knowing who Ron and Hermione were, he'd been a recurring character at Hogwarts since Goblet of Fire, in which he gets himself a minimum wage job from Dumbledore. (This also ties into a subplot where Hermione becomes obsessed with Elf Rights, which honestly I could do without). Dobby was the one who gave Harry the gillyweed for the underwater task (Neville was Crouch's first plan, so I can't complain about that change by Steve Kloves), told Harry where to find the room he used for Defence training, and spied on Malfoy with Kreacher (the Black family's elf, who also played a role in the trap that led to Sirius's death).<br /><br />Even without the previous movies, there were a number of annoying and avoidable changes that just made me facepalm. Harry destroying the Elder Wand without first using it to repair his Holly one, for example (though I do have to give Kloves some credit for moving the wandlore exposition to after the fight was over).<br /><br />In conclusion, even if all this ranting over the last couple of months hasn't swayed you on Rowling as a writer, I'd still argue the books worth your time, for the frequently hilarious banter and narration in their downtime. <br /><br /><br />Moving on - loved Tangled a lot more than I was expecting, even as a lifelong Disney fan. The lantern scene and "I See the Light" was what really won me over (well, that and the frying pan gags), and on subsequent rewatches, it's actually jumped into my top ten films of all time (though only third favourite animated movie).Toby'chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01298458468488781568noreply@blogger.com