Deathly Hallows Part 1

My attire in honor of the day

I finished the book. Had to stay up ridiculously late and get up earlier than I would have liked, but I made it through before my showing time started. Incidentally, I am now a huge fan of morning movies. The theater was only half-full, I'm assuming since most normal people work or go to school at 10:20 a.m.

I cried within the first three minutes, which surprised me, but then not again for the rest of the two+ hour film, which also surprised me. I think perhaps if I hadn't saturated my senses with Harry Potter the last few days I would have cried when Ron left, or when they tortured Hermione, or when Dobby died. But as I'd already cried for them reading it less than 24 hours before, I was emotionally spent.

They cut the story where I expected them too, and I think it makes for a good breaking point. They certainly make you want to come back and see the second part. The only downside for ending where it does is that you're at a bit of an emotional low---and while I fully agree with their scripting decisions, that is unfortunate. Although again, I could have been a little lower than most of the audience since I'd read the same scenes just hours before.

But overall I thought it was done very, very well. I've heard complaints that it was too dark. To you complainers I say, what did you expect? Of course it's dark; they spend the entire time worrying about their families and the Order, gathering news about the war, and chasing down bits of Voldemort's soul. How could that not be dark? But it was still very good. I would love to discuss the movie in detail when you've seen it. So call me and we'll chat.

Oh, and has anyone seen Emma Watson's new haircut? I like it very much.