or think I'm hating.

But that movie bored me to tears.

I could see how kids would like it. It's a nice kids movie.

But the story is bland, predictable (even in its "surprises"), and uninspiring. But without trying to argue that (because a lot of it - but not all - is subjective), I'd say that the story itself is not why the movie is bad.

The direction is pedestrian at best. Chris Columbus killed this movie with a mish-mash of trite, overused camera angles and tricks. He and the writer fall back on too many storytelling clichés. But it's worse than that. The whole thing, from the first frame, looks muddy. Bad lighting all around.

And in this day and age, when you can pull off a scene like the quidditch scene or having interesting stuff like the living paintings, why have low-tech ghosts coming out of the table? Why not at least take the time to line up the sight lines so that it at least LOOKS like the people are looking at the ghosts, instead of over their heads or off to the side. Sloppy.

A friend of mine pointed out that the movie is hampered by an over-abundance of exposition; they spend so much time explaining stuff to you that they don't have time for much of a story. I'd say, while that is problematic, it could be fine if they found clever, interesting ways to explain stuff to you. I mean, come on, ghosts flying in to tell you what just happened in the last scene? Wow that's bad.

The quidditch scene was easily the best part of the movie. But even that went along predictably.

I never had any interest in reading any of the Harry Potter books, though I understand why they are popular. If the movie is as faithful to the source as people tell it is, I'm sure the books provide imaginative, though not challenging, entertainment. But it's children's material.

Before the movie, they showed a new trailer for Fellowship of the Rings. All in the news this week, there's been reports about how Tolkien wouldn't have cared for the movie. I don't care. If this movie is half as faithful to the source as the Potter movie is to its source, it will provide a wondrous movie-going experience far beyond that of Harry Potter.

Why?

Better source material, certainly. But more than that.

Much, much better director.

Regardless of how much money either eventually makes, Fellowship will be a much better movie. It won't even be close.

RED
"Oooh! A fresh batch of America Balls!" © Homer