The Golden Compass

Though my grandmother would look at me with concern and say an extra prayer for me (I'm sure I'm a fixture on the prayer list) for saying this (I'm also sure it will come up...and I will still say it because it's true): I loved this movie. I loved the books, and of course they outshine, but even so, I loved this movie.

Of course Ian McKellen
Of course Sam Elliott (with Kathy Bates, of course)
Of course Nicole Kidman
Eva Green? Perfect.
Dakota Blue Richards? Perfect.
Ben Walker? Perfect.
Jim Carter and Tom Courtenay? Perfect and perfect.
Daniel Craig? Meh.

Such strong characters and so well played. The initial scenes with Iorek and Lyra put a lump in my throat, and it just got better and better. Three syllable words kept popping in my head like triumphant and majestic. I typically have a very low tolerance for computer generated images, but even these didn't distract.

Phooey to all the nay sayers. Phooey, I say. I can't wait for the next one. How could there not be a next one?

I'm not certain how the movie will be received by those who haven't read the book. Hopefully, they will give it a try regardless. I initially chose to read The Golden Compass for a class assignment. I was a skeptical reader of fantasy/scifi, and had a tough time at the start, but about a quarter of the way into it, I was hooked through to the end of the trilogy. The audio book by Random House-Listening Library is phenomenal for anyone, and if you're not a big reader, it's a great way to go. Pullman reads along with a full cast:


I'm totally geeking out on this. Check out my kick ass dæmon: