The kids are getting better. Really. I was even impressed with a few of the moments of real acting they squeezed out. I don’t mean this in a condescending way. I’m no actor and have no real right to criticise those who have the balls to go up on a movie set and put their skills before Man and God to scrutinize. But, the kids are getting better. Progress is a good thing and it showed. Especially in the girl who plays Hermenemonemenaenanene.

The director does an amazing job. I’m glad they dumped Steven Spielburg, Jr. I’ve never been a fan of his work, never really liked any movie he’s done and don’t really understand why they gave him this project. There’s actual style in the way the camera moves and I think at least half the reason the kids are as good as they are is the director (who is responsible for the actors, after all).

The special effects show us, once again, that it’s The Age of Cinematic Fantasy. This is OUR TIME. When all the great works we’ve loved for so long can finally be visualized on the screen.

Miss Dowling’s plotting suffers. Characters show up at crucial scenes for no reason at all… other than they need to be there for the plot to move along. Stuff happens that has nothing to do with anything. Just a bit of “Look what I did!” from the renowned author who stole most of what she’s written from better people and claimed it as her own. And, for the love of C.S. Lewis, can someone please explain to me why a SCHOOL FULL OF THE WORLD’S BEST WIZARDS CAN’T SOLVE A PROBLEM BUT THIRTEEN YEAR OLD KIDS CAN??? At least Professor Lewis had a REASON in his novels. Here, it’s just to appeal to a young audience that they really are special, that their parents aren’t really their parents and one day, someone will come and take them away from this mundane muggle world and prove that you really are THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE WORLD!

But I digress…

I liked the movie. My friends who have read the book tell me it’s because I haven’t read the book. Now, I finally know how that feels. I’ve NEVER known how that feels. Now, I do.