Link works for me on laptop and phone.

It's really astounding. The opening at least is shot-for-shot, line-for-line identical. This isn't something you can pass off as accidental after having read the original several years ago.

It's quite a good film, tho; the acting and cinematography (Matthew Irving) are terrific, and the music is good, if a bit obtrusive. If anything, it's the source material that's weak. A film critic is fed up with art-house directors and the critics who like them? Meh.

This event was the gift that keeps on giving. MICHAEL.

*coughs*
*takes cold medicine*

Super shout-out to Eddie, too, who cooked amazing meals on the fly. His pork tenderloin is to die for!

Awesome to meet him and Brian, Kyle, Spork, Paul, Seth, and others. It was an amazing crew! And double thanks to Cloe who had her new apartment invaded by strangers (and strangests) at the last minute when the AT&T Internet let us down.

EDIT: let the record show that I left them unconscious but alive.

/hopping the red-eye to the east coast

I don't know how to define pornography, but I know what I like.

Let me be clear:

I like Ron just fine, but the books and movies would be better if he was more capable and had more to contribute.

I like Hermione just fine, but the books and movies would be better if Harry did more of the spellcasting (and she wasn't so much of a scold).

I don't hold Ron to any standard. I'm just clarifying the definition of "loyal".

I say he's a kind of lifeless character who is mainly there to make Harry look less stupid (he and Harry cheat off Hermione, and he got the worst grades of the three of them). But others claim that Ron's role is loyal friend despite the fact that he leaves Harry flat at two of the most important times of his life.

I agree that Ron's behavior is realistic and forgivable, and it makes him more interesting. But you can't look at the times he abandoned Harry and claim that his primary trait is loyalty. The best you can say about Ron is that Harry likes him and that's enough.

And I'll refer you to Harry's own views on excusing 17-year-olds for being immature regarding his father's behavior and Dumbledore's relationship with Grindelwald.

SS: She (misguidedly) sets Snape's robes on fire. She figures out most of the mystery. She immobilizes Neville. She beats the plant guardian and the potions challenge.

CoS: She creates the polyjuice potion. She solves the mystery despite being paralyzed for months.

PoA: She punches Draco in the nose. She fights by Harry's side in the Shrieking Shack. She fixes everything with the time turner.

GoF: She helps Harry with the challenges. She keeps Victor Krum from winning the tournament that he is clearly best suited for by distracting him with--one assumes--blowjobs.

OotP: She starts Dumbledore's Army. She arranges the Quibbler interview that changes people's minds. She tricks Umbridge into going into the forest. She fights by Harry's side in the Ministry of Magic.

HBP: She mostly gives Harry bad advice but does help fight off the Death Eaters in the school at the end.

DH: She does all the prep and most of the advanced spell-casting. She makes the polyjuice potion to get them into the Ministry of Magic. She helps find the locket and destroy the diadem. She fights by Harry's side repeatedly.