Eh. Sorceror's Stone was sufficiently mechanical that I never bothered to see this til now. CoS has the same flaws--it's not a horrible movie, just relentlessly uninspired. Director Columbus has a remarkable skill for blunting the impact of any notable moment; he somehow manages to film it at just the wrong angle, or from too far out, or with a flat delivery from the actor, or with poorly-chosen soundtrack.
A few notable points: Kenneth Branagh is hysterical as Gilderoy Lockhart. Dan Radcliffe shows some real flashes of talent--or at least good inhabitation of the character--at various points. And, of course, Alan Rickman's Snape continues to be a delight, if not the Sex God of Slytherin that fanfic mysteriously turns him into.
The class and race implications of the books are even more painful on the screen. Like The Talented Mr. Ripley, CoS comes across as mostly a cautionary tale about the failure of the upper class to properly assimilate the most talented members of the lower classes, only, as Livia points out, "with less gay sex." And how tone-deaf do you have to be to name a race of slaves house-anythings?
Posted by Sarah T. at June 1, 2004 01:23 AM | TrackBack