Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 - A Review

Beware spoilers!  (Although I suspect everyone has seen this film by now!!)

Of course we were looking forward to seeing this film as it seemed such a long time since the last film.  Jamie and I were reading the books together and have got up to Azkheban and I think Goblet of Fire will make it onto my next reading list.  We really enjoyed the film - possibly the best so far for me.  Jamie was slightly disconcerted if not outraged and embarassed but more of that later - but other than that he loved the film too.

The story exists entirely outside of Hogwarts and with Voldemort much more in the ascendency.  We have moved into a very dark and bleak part of their stories now and as Harry, Ron and Hermione are all grown up and searching for the Horcruxes to finally destroy Voldemort, a real darkness and menace has been allowed to creep into the tale.  Whilst not being at Hogwarts has all of the main characters the viciously evil Bellatrix LeStrange, Malfoy Snr and Jnr, Snape, the Weasley family, Luna etc etc.

The story is bleak and has the 3 main characters out alone and searching for answers and trying to survive.  There are all of the usual upsets, perhaps even worse now as the characters themselves are older and therefore have all of the 'teenage angst and growing up matters' to think about and deal with too as well as the necklace which is having psychological effects on them when the each take their turn in wearing it.  We also loose some more characters here although I won't say which ones, and characters who have been mentioned in passing make appearances. 

The action is set in the Ministry of Magic, in woods and snowy mountains as well as in Godrics Hollow where Harry and Hermione go to find the Sword of Gryffindor.  This was interesting to see as we had been to the place where those scenes were filmed earlier last year so it was intriguing to see how they appeared on the screen.  Photos from our trip there can be found here and below is the Guildhall in all its glory, couldn't find a photo of the scene but it's easy to spot in the film once you've seen the building.

Jamie was appalled with me as during the film Dobby appears and I said (rather too loudly for the cinema) "Oh look it's Dobby", one very embarassed Jamie urged me to shush!!  Overall a brilliant film and we are eagerly awaiting part 2, although it will mean saying goodbye to Harry and friends on screen, I'm rather glad I still have some of the books still to read.

Ciao
Sue
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Reading challenge 15/16 - I was reading Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell (not off my reading challenge)

Suffolk Short Break

We had a short break in Suffolk and here are some pictures of our time away in random order! Not too much chat on this one!!

A Martello Tower in the mist at Aldeburgh - it was bitterly cold here, but it looked lovely and we have earmarked a return visit for when there is some lovely weather in the summer!!
Sizewell Nuclear Power Station!

Some interesting looking fishing huts at Sizewell village beach - kind of remind me a bit of fishing huts on the South Gare just outside Redcar back up near my home village!!

A platform off Sizewell Beach, not sure what this was there for, checking the water quality and the fish weren't dayglo orange probably!!!

Jamie on Aldeburgh beach, a stony one - he wanted me to play too, but it was bitterly cold and I was staying in the car where it was a little warmer - he is still having fun!!

An 'arty shot' of waves crashing into rocks on Felixstowe beach, again a possible return for a sunny summers day!

Jamie on Felixstowe beach - we'd just had a fantastic breakfast, the BEST EVER scrambled eggs I have ever tasted and we weren't even supposed to be there - I had got terribly confused about the directions and where everywhere was.

Jamie is itching to have a paddle in this photo!! He is playing dare with the waves!!

And he's lost!! We had some spare clothes in the care, fortunately!!He's having lots of fun .......
The Guildhall at Lavenham on our first day - it's an amazing building .... check out the new Harry Potter film when it comes out some of it was filmed here .....

Mike and Jamie outside the Guildhall

A true rock star - Steve Harley

Mike presenting Steve Harley with his Friars Heroes Award

Jamie was as good as gold waiting and reading quietly whilst we had coffee with Steve and his wife .....

Ipswich and a visit to Portman Road, Ipswich FC Ground and a stop to pay tribute to Sir Bobby Robson, a great hero in Ipswich, in Football in general and of course the North East ....

One of the many rabbits outside our hotel ....

One of the Crooked Houses in Lavenham, a very pretty village ......

Jamie being nosey the way only a 10 year old can .......

Mike wandering around Lavenham, so pretty Lavenham that is .....

Ciao

Sue

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Reading challenge 10/16 - currently reading Songbird by Josephine Cox