June 2002 – Page 4 – Priscilla Spencer

Spontaneously saw Scooby Doo with Chungy last night. Saw the HP trailer. Good stuff. I think I’ll double post this is Sgt. Pepper, as this will probably end up being rather reviewish.

The Trailer:

Dan’s voice amuses me so much. For those that weren’t aware, his voice dropped as they were finishing up Philosopher’s Stone, so now we have Pubescent!Harry cavorting about Hogwarts, seeking serpents and snitches and demon diaries. Another pleasantly surprising aspect was Dobby. From the stills released by Entertainment Weekly, he looked like a posessed ceramic figurine. Sure, he still looks like a demented mutant Gungan (and that pillowcase? Ha!), but at least he doesn’t look as bad as I expected. Of course, he would be a lot more fitting with my mental image if his voice were an octave higher, but you can’t have everything. Just give Chris Rankin some horn-rim glasses and I’ll be a happy girl. That and more screentime for Rupert Grint. He’s an excellent Ron, despite not looking like my Ever-Dominating Mental ImageTM (“of Doom” optional). His “Can we panic now?” had me squealing in my seat. I heart Rupert Grint. Also, Dan seems like he’s more comfortable in his character, so it’s all good. ::nods:: Now, the shorts:

The Ford Anglia stuff looked like fun. I can’t wait to see the twins’ scenes! Of course, I remind myself of how Mrs. Silly Casting Director pictures the twins, and I wince at their non-FredandGeorge-ness. Meh.
Was it just me, or did Riddle sound disturbingly like Percy? I had flashes of “Watch out for the staircases, they like to change”. Disturbing stuff, yo.
And yes, Tanja. I’d love to see Dobby take on Voldie with a lightsaber.
Malfoy’s kung fu is best.

Scooby Dooby Doo!

First off, I’d like to say that I had fun. Some may complain that it was corny, but DUH. It’s a Scooby Doo movie. The corniness is deliberate! In sum, it was everything the doctor ordered. It was silly and fun and amusingly mindless, with enough Rowan Atkinson to ensure a pleasant moviegoing experience. Scooby’s initially disappointing lack in CGI realism became part of the fun. It laughed at the old TV show, and now it laughs at itself. I reiterate my love for Velma (and yes, that question remains unanswered, if you know what I mean), but I especially loved Shaggy. It must have been so much fun to the actor, running those twitchy, constant-eye-contact, cheesily serious lines with nothing but air as his foil. I always find it amusing to think of movies with CGI characters, mentally subtracting the animation and envisioning how it must have been for the actor. All in all, a very convinging job. Well done, oh actor who I’m too lazy to look up the name of on IMDB.

They could have found a better Fred than Freddy Jr., over there, but oh well. I also didn’t much like Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, but you can’t win ’em all. I must say I loved the line “…and I’ll go look up cults on the internet!” I secretly hoped she’d run across Cult of Lincoln. Still, Velma and Shaggy were amusing, so it all balances out. They got away with it, with the help of the meddling kids.