The Previews

I generally try to arrive at movies slightly late (not difficult for me, as I tend to arrive everywhere slightly late), so as to miss the previews. But we had to get to the 7:00 showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix quite early, to wrestle the parents and kiddies for our seats. (I will say I was quite impressed with the group of kids sitting behind us. Thought it was going to be a nightmare, but I hardly heard a peep out of them once the movie started. Flashbacks to my camp counselor days when I was forced to chaperone my kids into some of the. worst. movies. ever.) So I had to watch the previews, and there turned out to be some interesting stuff there.

The Golden Compass was looking good (see trailer), with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Everyone British (or British sounding)-- check. Special effects not showing signs of crappiness-- check. I am worried, though, that they'll tone down the parts about "the Church." For me, the fact that the Church ends up having it all wrong is the most interesting part of the books. It's not so much an issue in the first book, but if they make movies of the second and third books (in particular the third), I can see it as being something they will water down to appease the Christian right. And I wouldn't be happy with that. Then again, Philip Pullman has apparently said he's happy with the movie. I want to see it, but I am feeling wary about its potential sequels.

I don't know why Christians get so uptight about stuff like this. It's a parallel fantasy universe, it's not even your Church. It's about people-- in particular, children-- thinking for themselves. It's just this "omigod something called a church is portrayed as bad quick ban the books!!!" attitude that scares me about our country. But there it is.

Also saw the trailer for Becoming Jane, which, as an English major, I will probably have to see too. But that does not mean I have to approve of it. Jane Austen would never sneak off and do improper things in the woods. She just wouldn't.