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Dorm Room Critic
20/11/01 16:37I've just read this strange, and disturbing, and wonderful book, Anatomies, by Anndee Hochman. I had to read it for writing class. Most of the stuff we've been reading is okay - not really what I like to read, but good stuff with beautiful writing. So, I was expecting to like this for the writing and not much else. Instead, I like it for the characters, which disturbs me. None of them are particularly nice people. They're all so real. But I really like them anyway. They remind me too much of myself, I think. It's been a damn long time since a book did that to me.
And in other, less serious news: in last Friday's New York Times I read this review of the Harry Potter movie, by Elvis Mitchell.
(It's on the front page of the "Weekend" section of Nov. 16th at the New York Times website. You can search for it there. I would link to it but my internet connection has decided to be slow again and I want to get to dinner.)
Maybe I just hadn't got enough sleep, but I thought it was hilarious. If you need to laugh, read it.
First off, he doesn't like the movie. That's a valid opinion. (I happen to think I'll be disagreeing with it shortly, but that's another matter).
However, the only reason why he doesn't like the movie, as far as I can tell, is because he doesn't like the book it was based on. I wish Mr. Mitchell could remember that he was doing a review of the movie, not the book. That doesn't seem to happen, especially since he keeps talking about Rowling for the last few paragraphs of the interview.
Secondly, the language is utterly hilarious. When talking about the child actor who plays Harry, there's this line: "He also posesses a watchful gravity and, shockingly, the large, authoritative hands of a real wizard." What? Run that by me again. Is that added to the movie? Because that's not really a plot point that I can remember seeing in the book.
My favorite, though, is this, in reference to the actor who plays Harry's Uncle. "...delivers his monologues with a hint of mint; his nostrils flare so athletically that he seems to be doing tantric yoga with his sinuses."
Wow.
However, I think poor Mr. Mitchell isn't trying to be funny here. That's a problem. He's trying so hard, and falls flat on his face.
I say, go out and see the movie for yourselves. I'm hoping to get to it sometime within the next two weeks, and then I can write my own review. We'll see how this whole thing turns out.
I'm off on vacation until Sunday. Good food, pets, friends and family await at home. And we're going to one of my aunt's homes for the weekend, where (I assume) the whole family will be gathered, instead of bothering with all the fuss of turkey and last-minute squash preparation at home. Thank goodness...less mess, less stress. I might be able to enjoy my family instead of hearing rants about people forgetting to unfreeze the cranberry-orange relish. Although I will miss polishing the silver and washing the antique dishes. (Yes, I'm a bit odd. How long have you been reading this journal, that you haven't figured it out?) ;)
And in other, less serious news: in last Friday's New York Times I read this review of the Harry Potter movie, by Elvis Mitchell.
(It's on the front page of the "Weekend" section of Nov. 16th at the New York Times website. You can search for it there. I would link to it but my internet connection has decided to be slow again and I want to get to dinner.)
Maybe I just hadn't got enough sleep, but I thought it was hilarious. If you need to laugh, read it.
First off, he doesn't like the movie. That's a valid opinion. (I happen to think I'll be disagreeing with it shortly, but that's another matter).
However, the only reason why he doesn't like the movie, as far as I can tell, is because he doesn't like the book it was based on. I wish Mr. Mitchell could remember that he was doing a review of the movie, not the book. That doesn't seem to happen, especially since he keeps talking about Rowling for the last few paragraphs of the interview.
Secondly, the language is utterly hilarious. When talking about the child actor who plays Harry, there's this line: "He also posesses a watchful gravity and, shockingly, the large, authoritative hands of a real wizard." What? Run that by me again. Is that added to the movie? Because that's not really a plot point that I can remember seeing in the book.
My favorite, though, is this, in reference to the actor who plays Harry's Uncle. "...delivers his monologues with a hint of mint; his nostrils flare so athletically that he seems to be doing tantric yoga with his sinuses."
Wow.
However, I think poor Mr. Mitchell isn't trying to be funny here. That's a problem. He's trying so hard, and falls flat on his face.
I say, go out and see the movie for yourselves. I'm hoping to get to it sometime within the next two weeks, and then I can write my own review. We'll see how this whole thing turns out.
I'm off on vacation until Sunday. Good food, pets, friends and family await at home. And we're going to one of my aunt's homes for the weekend, where (I assume) the whole family will be gathered, instead of bothering with all the fuss of turkey and last-minute squash preparation at home. Thank goodness...less mess, less stress. I might be able to enjoy my family instead of hearing rants about people forgetting to unfreeze the cranberry-orange relish. Although I will miss polishing the silver and washing the antique dishes. (Yes, I'm a bit odd. How long have you been reading this journal, that you haven't figured it out?) ;)
