Not a particularly productive weekend, but that’s OK. Friday night we met folks at Remington Grill at Crossroads for dinner (oof – bad idea), then went to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Arizona. One of the better HP movies, I think, and Cuaron’s directing was a vast improvement over Chris Columbus’ soft touch. There were many, many nice touches with the camerawork (the mirror in the first session with the boggart, Hedwig’s flight showing the passing of time) that made this movie so much of an improvement. Plus, there necessary condensation of plot was handled reasonably well, with only a few clunkers (like it would have been nice to actually explain who Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were). Oy, but that werewolf. Ugh. Anyway, it was good overall, and I look forward to see what Mike Newell can make of Goblet of Fire.
On Saturday we bummed around the house a bit and watched some Tivo, then went over to me_not_you and wildmouse‘s place for dinner with friends. Much fun, grillables, and champagne were had. Sunday was even less motivated, though we got some work done on MFF-related stuff.
I’ve got a bunch of phone calls to make today in preparation to my drive up to Chicago this week. I need to make contact with some other temp agencies and see what else I can get going. One nice possibility: meeting the plant manager with the Ringwood job for lunch, outside of the rigid interview environment. That would be really cool, if the recruiter can actually set it up. I had originally planned on coming up Wednesday, but I just got a phone call from the recruiter with the Kernersville job; they want to meet with me at 11 AM on Thursday. Quick change of plans – I’ll be leaving from that meeting and driving part of the way to Chicago that day. Not sure where I’ll crash for the night just yet, but there is no way I could leave by 1 PM and get to Chicago at a reasonable hour. Hmm, work to be done there…
So while we’re up in Chicago, we’ll definitely be there for the LAFF softball game, and of course the staff meeting. I’ll have to work out exactly how long I’ll be staying up there, possibly through Thursday. Hmm, if I came down to Chambana Thursday, think you could put me up for the night, mirkowuff? After all, I need to see how the new waitron is working out for y’all at Happy Hour…
I wasn’t as totally blown away by Harry Potter film this time. Some of the cinematography was very good, but there were art-house touches that kinda popped me out of the nice fantasy I was in.
One was the overexposed, undersaturated, grainy forest scene with Harry and Lupin. I looked at it, and lost my suspension of disbelief. Did they totally botch that shot? Damage the negative? No chance of a re-take? Bad print? Oh, I had to remind myself, this is a technique the director is using. Ok.
I’d also just reread the book on impulse, on my trip, and the plot cuts were jarring. They could have let it run a little longer, and explained just exactly why Prongs, Wormtail, and Padfoot were what they were.
The effects work was amazing, and Michael Gambon did a good job as Dumbledore.
I’ll have to work out exactly how long I’ll be staying up there, possibly through Thursday.
Or you could stay through sunday and go to the CL show in chicago on saturday 😀