The Cozy Chicks | Cozy Up To Some Killer Books

Movietime: Stories of Real Life, Shoot ‘Em Up, and Wizards

Okay, I’ve started catching up on the movies that I’ve missed while traveling. Those of you who read this blog regulary know that I am a Certifified Flic Freak. I love movies, mainly because I love sitting in a darkened theatre and losing myself in some other writer’s story.

Last weekend I saw two movies that couldn’t be farther apart on the spectrum. First, I indulged my recuperating-from-the-road self in a fun “shoot-em up” action romp complete with campy humor and lots of scenes “blowing stuff up.” And, surprisingly, there were some occasional flashes of wit. Which one? You won’t believe me. “Live Free or Die Hard.”

Yep, the aging John McLain, NYPD detective, who has spent a lifetime falling into one terrorist plot after another and somehow managing to survive—and—save the world at the same time. Played by the. . . ahem. . . more mature Bruce Willis (bald in this version). One would think there was nothing left for this character to save, after all those other adventures. Not so. This time, he takes on Cyber-Terrorism, which is unsettling to watch. Traffic infastructures, all transportation systems, all power companies, all the financial institutions all go down. Kind of funny to watch all the stock brokers and money guys go quiet as the Big Board goes dark. It does make you think, though.

I did get a start at the beginning when I saw the actor playing the young computer genius whose brilliant software algorithms unwittingly help the terrorists. I kept wondering where I’d seen this actor before. His face was so familiar. He was good, too. Funny, ingratiating, a perfect foil for “not computer literate” McLain, who came out with a great line of dialogue. When computer geek marvels that McLain just “took out” a helicopter by launching an auto up and over. Blam! McLain’s reply: “I was out of bullets.” Gotta love Hollywood.

Anyway—I digress—bear with me, I’ve only been home a few days. It finally hit me that the young actor playing opposite Willis was none other than “Mac” from the “PC and Macintosh” television commercials. Very clever and very witty writing, by the way. Tell me if you think so too. If he isn’t, he’s a dead ringer for the Mac guy.

Last night, I indulged in the other end of the spectrum and saw the real life tragic docudrama “A Mighty Heart” w/Angelina Jolie. It’s the story of Daniel Pearl, the Wall St. Journal reporter who was captured by terrorists in Pakistan and brutally executed after many days captivity. His wife was pregnant at the time, and frankly, I don’t know how she got thru everything required of her. The movie was very moving and extremely well-acted by all players. I can heartily recommend it.

Now—we’ve done the shoot ‘em ups and the tragic tales, that leads us to wizards. And there is only one wizard that immediately pops to mind. Harry Potter, of course. The next movie (Phoenix) will be out this week. Most of us will see the move. But…..the Harry Potter story that’s on everyone’s mind is the one which will be released July 21st. The Last Harry Potter story. The last in the series. And what a series is has been. I take my hat off to J.K. Rowling for her storytelling, her writing, her wonderful imagination, and her passion to keep creative control over how “her stories” appeared. Brava.

Now—I’m going to throw out a question to all of you because I’m curious as to your responses. I’ve had a “feeling” that came to me about two years ago concerning what happens in the last book. I believe that Harry will make the Heroic Sacrifice. I truly feel Harry will sacrifice himself in order to save his friends and will die so that his friends may live. And it will be a true battle of Good against Evil. A truly satisfying end to this epic journey.

What do you folks think? I’d love to know.

26 Responses to “Movietime: Stories of Real Life, Shoot ‘Em Up, and Wizards”

Hi Maggie,
I am so torn on what to think…will Harry die, won’t he. I hope he doesn’t. There has always been the thing about how Harry and Lord Voldermort (sorry on the spelling, I know it is probably wrong) can’t both live. I don’t think she would let Lord V. live and Harry die. I think that perhaps Snape will end up saving Harry….that Harry was about to make the ultimate sacrifice for all his friends, but that Snape will save him. In any case, we know that there are at least two deaths. Another thought I had was that Jenny will be killed…it would hurt Harry and then lead to the ultimate confrontation between Harry and Lord V. We’ll find out soon though! Can’t wait till the book comes out!

by Linda on July 10th, 2007 at 10:22 am
Maggie,
I just read my response….sorry, I think her name is spelled Ginny.
Oh, and on another note, I saw Angelina Jolie interviewed on Larry King regarding Marianne Pearl. She sounds like an incredible woman. I for sure plan to see that movie.

Linda

by Linda on July 10th, 2007 at 10:25 am
I love movies, I just don’t get to see them often. I used to go all the time, but there’s no movie theater in our town now and I’m just too busy. So my best friend, who lives 1.5 hours away, meets me at the theater halfway between us every once in a while and goes to the movies with me. Sadly, I will have to go see Live Free myself–she won’t want to go and my husband thinks I am out of my mind for wanting to see it. Lydia and I have been trying to find a time to go see the last Pirates movie since it came out, and we have to do so before the next Harry Potter comes out.

For serious movies, I tend to wait until they come out on DVD. It’s not as good as going to the movies, but it works.

by Laura Kramarsky on July 10th, 2007 at 10:53 am
I honestly don’t think Harry will die. I also think someone else (maybe Snape) will save him. I am concerned about Ginny, though…especially after what Harry told her at the end of HBP. His weakness is his ability to love and I think poor Harry is going to be put through the ringer over & over in the last book.

I haven’t made it to Live Free yet, but I really enjoyed Ocean’s 13 and absolutely loved Transformers!

by Julie on July 10th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I hope Harry doesn’t die. I don’t believe he will. But I do believe he will give sacrifice his witch-craftery to save his friends and the world. He loves magic. He has said that so many times. And he will give it up.

And, it also give Rowling an out in ten years when she writes the return of Harry Potter!

by Mary Lynn in Cleveland on July 10th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Linda—-I really hope I’m wrong. I would be so happy if Harry lives.

by Maggie Sefton on July 10th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Laura—Boy, you really have to work at going to the movies, girl. Good for you. I hope you enjoy it. I love action flics. Watching them is relaxing in a funny way. Maybe it’s catharsis.

by Maggie Sefton on July 10th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Yes, Oceans 13 and Transformers. Lots of fun and laughs in one and crazy action in the other. I remember when my two younger daughters watched Transformer cartoons on tv. Wow. That’s a while ago.

by Maggie Sefton on July 10th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Mary Lynn—let’s keep our fingers crossed. If Harry survives, you know there will be a “return.”

by Maggie Sefton on July 10th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Given that JKR is pretty well adamant that book seven is positively the end of the series, I am not sure how she will structure things so that sequels would not follow - because you can pretty well bet that there will be plenty of other people who would love to try their hands at writing sequels if she does not.
Therefore, I suspect that Harry may well die in the book - but only two deaths puzzles me. I rather imagine that if Harry dies, so will Voldemort. Or maybe Voldemort and one of the other main characters like Ginny or Hermione. She has to structure it in such a way that the writing of a sequel is next to impossible…

by Rudolf on July 11th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
I love the Harry Potter books and I hope, along with many others, Harry does not die. Maggie, I have to let you know about your books. I just love them. I just started your last book, number 4, this past Monday and finished it in record time for me of two days. I just couldn’t put it down (even at work!). You have done such a beautiful job of telling these stories. I even began to think that I, like Kelly, could learn to knit. To my disappointment, the first yarn store I entered did not have that same Lambspun feel. I hope to find one in my area. Fortunately, I have a wonderful co-worker who loves to knit and read. She has read all your books and has helped me to learn to knit.

Thank you so much for your wonderful stories. I can’t wait for the next one.

Regenea

by Regenea Gibson on July 12th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I agree, Rudolf. I think that Harry and Voldemort will die. And I don’t believe she’ll write a sequel. She created a modern epic fantasy with Harry Potter. She can rest on her laurels. Quite comfortably, too.

by Maggie on July 12th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
I hope Harry doesn’t die. I think Voldemort and Dumbledore will go. The headmaster may have to sacrifice himself for Harry and the other students. I just don’t think that a story directed at kids will kill off a kid, but boy, it would make for some serious talk around the water coolers (and water fountains!)

by JB on July 12th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Regenea—I posted this reply yesterday and don’t understand why it didn’t show up today. I could have sworn I saw it posted yesterday. oh, well….software.

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments. They felt so good. And I’m so glad you’ve got a nurturing co-worker who can guide you along your knitting journey. As for the knitting shop, I would start asking around and finding names of other shops with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. I’ve been visiting lots of knitting shops these last two years since the books came out, and I can tell at the door if a shop has a “welcoming” atmosphere or not. You can feel it. It invites you inside, sit down, knit. Where do you live?

by Maggie on July 13th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
I hope you’re right, JB. But remember—-by book #7, Harry is no longer a kid. I believe he’s turning 18. Age of maturity. Eighteen year olds go to war. Societies have been sending eighteen year olds off to war to fight and die since the beginning of time. So, Harry’s “fair game.”

That cute little boy with the glasses we all fell in love with years ago is long gone. He’s maturing before our eyes (thanks to the movies) into a teeenager with “teen stress.” That’s one thing the movie version has been able to “add” to the series. You can actually see Harry grow up, see him age. Reading the books, it’s far too easy to keep picturing Harry as that cute little lad.

by Maggie on July 13th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I agree with Maggie about Harry being visualised as a cute kid. Too many people do that!
And I agree about the knitting shops/groups. Some are remarkably friendly, others less so. Once I approached a group who looked at me (a perfect stranger etc etc, male, beard, etc etc) with suspicion. Was this a knitting group for everyone, I asked. It was, they replied dubiously, almost ready to make exceptions there and then. Oh good, I replied, and fished out my knitting…smiles all round, and the next hour was great fun… I was not wearing work (ie clerical) clothes then, which may have helped too!

by Rudolf on July 13th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
That’s funny, Rudolf. What do you think w0uld have happened had you been wearing clerical garb?

by Maggie Sefton on July 15th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Rather more reserve, to begin with (I suspect). However, it all depends on what people’s concepts of ‘priests + what their interests are likely to be’ as to how they react both initially and later on. I’ve never had too much trouble with that, mind you - just once, there was one person who found the image of a priest who knits hard to take; and even she came round after a while!

by Rudolf on July 15th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I am holding out hope that Harry survives, and I think that I am right. Remember also, these are books written in the Young Adult catagory. I don’t think that it would fit in with JKR’s style to kill off the hero at the end. But that is just my humble opinion.

Another thing, there will definitely be more than two deaths. JKR has said that she gave someone a reprieve from death in exchange for killing off two others. Recently, she was on a BBC talk show and indicated that while it is not a “bloodbath”, there are definitely more than two deaths of key/important characters.

We are going to a book release party Friday the 20th. I will probably be up all night reading it. I am sure I will have exert great willpower not to skip to the back and see what happens in the epilogue.

by Cathy on July 16th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
More than two deaths? Well, that’s befitting an epic battle between Good and Evil. And a great way to close a blockbuster series. My hat stays off permanently to JK Rowling. She’s a wonderful storyteller and writer.

by Maggie Sefton on July 16th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Maggie
I love the “die hard” action movies. I don’t know why . Maybe because you can’t really see all of that kind of action in a book? My hubby took me to see this last one and I loved it - he said “it was ok” I too love the campy humor. Willis has some great one liners. Some stuff that comes out of Hollywood is worth watching. But for the most part I am a book gal all the way - so you gals keep on keeping on with the books.

by Ealasaid Cameron on July 17th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Thanks, Ealasaid. We’re doing our best. Who knows? One of the Chicks might write a “shoot ‘em up.” That would be fun.

by Maggie on July 18th, 2007 at 12:26 am
Well Maggie…the time is almost here. Tonight at midnight is the night for HP! My husband and I plan to go to the bookstore and the Harry Potter party there tonight. The hubby will start reading it tonight and he is a fast reader so he will finish it quickly. Then it will be my turn. It will be hard to not ask him what happens, but I’ll try not too!

by Linda on July 20th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Have a great time, Linda. Those parties sound like fun. Tell us all about it.

by Maggie on July 21st, 2007 at 12:09 am
Maggie,
We ended up going to Walmart that night to get the book. It was not nearly the zoo that the bookstores were. At Walmart they started selling it at midnight and we were out of the store in less than 15 minutes. My husband read it until 3:00am, slept, and then finished it later on that day. I started it last night and am only at chapter seven, but really enjoying it so far!

by Linda on July 23rd, 2007 at 11:13 am
Boy, are you smart, Linda. Tell me how you like it.

by Maggie Sefton on July 24th, 2007 at 11:43 am

Movietime: Stories of Real Life, Shoot ‘Em Up, and Wizards

26 Responses to “Movietime: Stories of Real Life, Shoot ‘Em Up, and Wizards”

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