Thanks again to Sharon for the passes to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It was just swell. As I figured, since I hadn't read it recently, I had no idea what was missing and I thought the movie worked very well. Michael, the Potter maven in our house, thought as a movie it was fine but as an adaptation it was dreadful. He does get caught up in minutia sometimes, but he made a few points about things which are kind of important in the overall series. I do have one question, which I keep forgetting to ask him to explain but asking it here would require a spoiler warning, so I won't.

Michael didn't think that Imelda Staunton looked toad-like enough to be Dolores Umbridge. I thought she was absolutely the scariest villianess since Cruella de Ville (or maybe the character Glen Close played in Fatal Attraction.) Imelda Staunton played Hugh Laurie's post-partum, depressed, and grieving wife in Peter's Friends, which I cannot believe was released almost 15 years ago.

All in all, a fine night at the movies. My McGonagall hat was a hit (although hard to handle when I had to take it off for the film--I didn't want to break the feathers) and many people wanted the Hogwarts denim jacket I bought at the Warner Store in Times Square in 2001.

The screening was sponsored by a couple of radio stations, so there was a round of contests and give aways. Michael got a t-shirt by pointing out that they gave credit for a wrong answer about something in book six, and then managed to catch a second shirt. One's a tank-top, which I think he should wear to my birthday party. It will be just the thing poolside.

OOP!

Thanks to a generous co-worker, my son and I are off to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix tonight at 7:30 in Westwood. It's been a while since that book was released and I'm not sure how well I remember it, which probably means I'll enjoy the film more.

Michael called to say he's situated under the marquis and he's found a plug for his computer. He's way at the front of the line, so we should get good seats (first come, first served according to the tickets.) I'll have to collect his computer and his phone and put mine in the car as well, since they won't let electronic devices in the theatre. All that worry about piracy is well founded, but who really wants to watch a movie which has been recorded on mpeg? Why would anyone want to see a special effects film that small?

It's nice to know that we are only a few days behind the head of DC Comics catching the flick in London.

I'm wearing my Gryffindor shirt, my Hogwarts jacket, and my Minerva McMonagall witch's hat. You won't be able to miss seeing me.