Why is all media so boring right now

[lucymonster]

I was rewatching a Harry Potter movie yesterday, because I was having one of those bleh days when new or remotely challenging content was just too hard and because the Inescapable Discourse from Hell keeps putting Potterverse back on my brain every time I come online, does anyone know a blocker that works on mobile, asking for a friend. I knew I wouldn’t like it, because I’ve never liked the movies, but apparently my single viewing of HBP all those years ago wasn’t enough to impress on me just how incoherent it is both as an adaptation of the book and as a film in its own right. Why does the Weasley house catch fire? Why do all the characters act like weakly characterised fanfic versions of their book selves? Why is Snape completely fine with Harry slicing Malfoy to bloody ribbons? Why does the whole bezoar thing get reduced to Harry just magically knowing how to save Ron with a rare potions ingredient he’s never used before that Slughorn just happens to have on his person? It’s so dumb. I have no idea how movie-only fans even know what’s going on. There’s so much I can only follow because I have the books memorised - all this essential detail that they just slashed, without any corresponding adjustment to the major plot points that depend on it.

Anyway, this video essay does a pretty good job articulating a lot of what’s wrong with the characterisation, specifically with the trio, specifically with Ron. Critical post-mortems are always fun, but not as fun as an actually decent adaptation would have been.

In general I’m still not having a lot of luck finding media that holds my attention. Currently on the backburner are a book about women in the French Resistance during WWII and a grand thematic overview of WWI, which are both excellent from what I’ve read so far, but I just don’t have the energy to keep going at the moment. I started Francis Kilvert’s journals expecting a relaxing meander through the life of a Victorian country clergyman, but I failed to osmose beforehand that the guy is a creep with brazen paedophilic leanings. I’d love to go back in time and unread those first few pages on the charms of breastfeeding mothers and little girls from Sunday school, but I’ll have to settle for DNFing the rest with prejudice.

I think I might try rereading The Silmarillion next. It’s been ages, and since I have Rings of Power on the brain anyway, I might as well refresh myself on Tolkien lore.

Comments

[rachelmanija]

I failed to osmose beforehand that the guy is a creep with brazen paedophilic leanings.

Aieeeeee!

[lucymonster]

Not enough D: in the world.

[snickfic]

Ugh, those sound like disappointing media (esp the journals, ew ew ew). I think rereading sounds like a good plan. It's all I've really had the energy for the last couple of months, and it's been so pleasant and relaxing. I'm really enjoying myself. Usually I get impatient with rereads and stop, but no, right now all I want is to read something I've read before.

[lucymonster]

I’ve been reading fic again for the first time in a while, too, and it has the same vibe - at least, once I’ve cleared the first hurdle of finding something finished, well written and RTMI. I just want to wallow in worlds I already know and love, basically.

[walgesang]

I feel like the only HP movie I can watch again that gives me decently good nostalgia feels is Prisoner of Azkaban. The only discourse I can manage is the video game spoiler drama because hey, nostalgia for HP spoiler drama!

When does Shadow and Bone start up again? I'm forgetting all those sorts of things. :/ What kind of thematic things are you looking for in media?

[lucymonster]

I have stroooooong opinions on all things Marauders era and didn't vibe with the Sirius and Remus casting, so even PoA doesn't do much for me, haha. Oh, man, I remember the days of Snape Killed Dumbledore wank! It seemed so intense at the time, but compared to what we have now it looks practically chill in retrospect.

What kind of thematic things are you looking for in media?

I spent so long trying to figure out how to answer this that I think I inadvertantly lit on the crux of the whole issue: I don't know! I know I want something specific, based on the disappointment I keep feeling when I fail to find it - but damned if I know what it is. Familiar properties are always a safe fallback though, if not exactly thrilling. Shadow and Bone starts up again mid-March, and I think we've got more Mandalorian coming as well, so those are two things to look forward to.

[rhoda_rants]

There is soooo much in the latter half of the Potter films that doesn't make sense, or is impossible to follow if you haven't read the books. I think they call that Continuity Lockout. However, I have a friend who watched the movies first, still hasn't read the books (and probably won't at this point), and I've always wondered how she was able to keep track of everything. I still generally like the movies, but with the understanding that my brain is either filling in a lot of gaps or rewriting it slightly pretty much every time.

I don't use mobile that much, but I think if you download the FireFox browser you can install a lot of blockers that don't normally work on whatever your default is.

[lucymonster]

Your friend is much stronger than me. There are a couple of points in the movies where even I'm not sure what they're trying to imply, and I have all seven books memorised. I like your approach to the movies, though - I wonder if I'd enjoy them better, if I just gave my brain permission to fill in the gaps instead of getting annoyed with the filmmakers for not doing it.

I'll look into the Firefox blocker, thanks so much! <3