The Golden Compass - UPDATED

Finally I got to see The Golden Compass tonight. It was really well done! I think the consensus was that we'd have loved it to last another 1/2 hour or so, so we could have had more detail from the book included. Dakota Blue Richards was perfect as the young heroine Lyra: feisty and endearing. The cast was scattered with cameos from wonderful actors such as Derek Jacobi and Christopher Plummer. Ian McKellan voiced Iorek Byrnison, the armed bear, and Eva Green was ravishingly beautiful as the witch Serafina Pekkala. Nicole Kidman was a creepily beautiful and ice-cold Mrs. Coulter and Daniel "rrrrRRRRRrrrr" Craig just wasn't present enough on screen as Lord Asriel. I have it on good authority he'll be around a lot more in the second film, hoping there is one. Although I've just finished the book, I'm tempted to read it again. I certainly need to read the rest of the trilogy - stat.

*SPOILER ALERT!* There was also this feeling that they might have done some chopping around of the story line at the last minute. In fact, if you see the full-length trailer, there are definitely scenes filmed that belong to the end of the novel that do not appear in the final movie. Unlike the novel, Lyra visits the bear's palace before Bolvangar and Iorek takes her there. But... as he's already become King of the bears, why doesn't he bring his army with him? It just doesn't make sense. The very last scene of the movie felt added on too... as though they had decided to suddenly cut it short but needed to wrap things up. I'm sure that's what happened. I still enjoyed it and recommend it. And I'll probably see it again at the theatre some time.

I did my daemon test on the official Golden Compass site, and his name is Thalius and he's a tiger. Tibby got a bit jealous I think.

Here's one of my favourite Christmas tree ornaments, it's a little sparkly as you can see. And... not only am I a human hot water bottle, but I'm also a human magpie... just love things that sparkle!



The Tibmeister continues to sleep...