Elliott’s Blog

(This post contains spoilers!!)

We also saw the Woody Allen movie Match Point this weekend.  I really hated the first 100 minutes of this move–I hate watching a person self-destruct in a stupid way.  And the main character really blows it badly!  The murder scene, which is cricual to the plot, was almost impossible for me to watch.

But the last 25 minutes, as soon as the murder is out of the way, is really excellent.  The guy is awful, but Allen portrays this guy a  supremely lucky (this is the point of the movie).  As the saying goes, “I’d rather be lucky than good.”  Allen explores this truism with this character.  The opening scene of the tennis ball hitting the net, bouncing up and then falling backwards is exactly copied by the stolen wedding ring hitting the railing to the river, bouncing up and then falling back (on the ground).  But this action, which is supremely UNlucky in tennis, ends up being supremely LUCKY for this fellow.

Overall: 4 stars (out of 5).

It is so much fun to see the fine young actors playing Harry, Ron and Hermione grow up. The feeling I had throughout the movie was, basically, a deep sense of belonging and friendship. It seems clear to me (and to others in my family) that the key to this series (which will conclude in less than 103 hours) will be the friendships that Harry has and that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named cannot understand.

So, I really liked the movie the first time I saw it on Wednesday. The characters are quite likeable and nicely developed. I wish that this movie (and the others in the series) could capture more of the magic that Rowling puts in the books. I have felt that each of these movies should be two or three smaller movies.

Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

I have no idea what this blog will contain. It will depend strongly on when I have the time and the inclination to post to it.

These days/weeks before leaving for CERN are very hectic. Doctor’s appointments, rental cars, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, travel arrangements, and then there is my work at Fermilab. SDA for the Tevatron, LHC@FNAL, Purell dispensers, Linac data acquisition work that is undone, starting the Wire Scanner Application for LHC, etc.

It looks like I am never going to find the time to use my rain check from Arrowhead Golf course, or to play at Orchard Valley with Sterling, or to play at Tamarack with Marty.