Thursday was the final night that the University Theaters were showing 'The Golden Compass' and thus likely* my last chance to see this in the theater.
I LOVED it. They had to work fast to cram so complex a book into one movie, and (I have to check this) I think they ended it on a very different note and in a very different place than the first book ended. But I think that had to do with how they had been dealing with the subject of Dust and the scientific exploration that Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter were engaged in.
I thought the casting was by and large marvelous, and the conceptions of the locations, the costuming, the whole story was wonderfully translated into film. I found it terrifically moving; for my money they built suspense well and provided excellent action. My only sorrow is that, given how poorly I gather the film did, I imagine they may not make the sequels. :-( I was really pleased by how well they portrayed the daemons; even the alietheometer itself was just how I had imagined it.
Neta didn't feel much like trekking out to VA to see it, so I stayed a little late at work, drove to the theater and saw it by myself, and had dinner on the way. I meant to stop at Temel for dinner, scene of many delicious meals with my former housemates, but in the end I didn't have time, and so stopped at Five Guys for a burger. The theater is perfectly agreeable, and you can't beat the prices ($4 a ticket, $2 on Tuesdays), so I imagine I will be back.
