7 Best Harry Potter Casting Choices

Happy birthday, Harry Potter! In honor of the famed Chosen One turning forty-four this year and in honor of the anticipated Harry Potter series coming to Max, I’ve been thinking about the casting choices we saw in the initial adaptation of the series. I’ve heard many Potterheads comment on how perfect the casting was for the movies. We haven’t heard casting news for the Max series yet, so I wanted to reflect on some of the best casting decisions of the movie series.

Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall 

I’ve never met anyone who had a bad thing to say about Maggie Smith’s portrayal of the strict, gold-hearted Professor McGonagall. She pulls off the stern deputy headmistress perfectly, but also manages to display plenty of warmth as the motherly head of Gryffindor.

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape

While I’ve said my piece about Snape as a hero (multiple times), I’ve also admitted that his character is complexly and masterfully written. As such, only a masterful actor could bring him to life. Alan Rickman’s death from cancer hit hard to any of us who are fans of his works. So while I despise Snape as a person, I can’t imagine anyone but Alan Rickman portraying this character.

Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood

Who could anyone hate our lovable misfit Luna? Evanna Lynch brought her wonderfully to life in the second half of the Harry Potter movies. Her soft-spoken dreamy voice matches perfectly for how Luna would react throughout the series. Much better than the impression of Luna in the audiobooks (sorry).

Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore 

Of the three main Dumbledore actors, the first is my favorite. Before his unfortunate passing, Richard Harris was the level-headed, calm, and collected headmaster that always seemed to know more than he was letting on. I love the meme that goes around occasionally with Richard Harris saying “Harry, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?” It brings peace to my soul as I imagine the book-accurate portrayal of Dumbledore.

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger

I feel like it’s well known that Emma Watson took time while filming Harry Potter to attend Oxford and Brown. Who could be better to play our dear Hermione? And then she went on to play Belle afterwards! I love that Emma is just as much a bookworm and intellectual as Hermione. Makes her fit the role even better.

Emma Thompson as Sybill Trelawney

Professor Trelawney is meant to be a complete nutcase and Emma Thompson with her giant glasses does an amazing job being aloof and intense at the same time. Also her prophecy/trance voice is chilling (though that may have been editing software). But despite being awkward and crazy, she also made us emotional when Umbridge tried to eject her from Hogwarts.

HONORABLE MENTION:
Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander

Obviously there isn’t source material in the Harry Potter books to say what kind of character Newt was, but I couldn’t help but include him on this list because I love how Eddie Redmayne plays the character. He’s quirky and awkward and lovable–like me, hopefully. Newt has a good heart and Eddie portrays that perfectly.

Now I’ll sit quietly and anxiously wait for news about the Harry Potter series coming to Max. I can’t imagine these actors and actresses being topped, but I hope I’ll be pleasantly surprised. For now, mischief managed.

Emotional Investments

    I remember being in a class during my undergraduate studies where the professor mentioned that there were some in the class who did not want to turn in assignments because they did not feel the writing was good enough yet. This was a fairly new idea to me as I tend to be a procrastinator. Give me when the assignment is due and I will complete it by the time it needs to be turned in, even if it takes until the wee hours of the morning to complete it. So, to think of someone not completing a project, paper, or assignment was pretty foreign to me. However, I think I can better understand this concept because of some of my favorite movies. I love 2 movies in particular, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Greatest Showman.” 

    George Bailey is a hero of mine and I love to imitate Jimmy Stewart when the occasion arises, like when the moon needs to be lassoed.

     I love singing every song from “The Greatest Showman” and have on occasion said that “From Now On” is my favorite song. “Tightrope” is an unsung hero, and I have lip synced “Never Enough” with my niece while babysitting her.

    

    But I wouldn’t say that I can just turn either one on and have it running in the background while I am making dinner or even if I have to be focused on something else. There are plenty of movies or TV shows that I can do that with. In fact, I would say that most movies or shows I can simply have on and I can pay close enough attention to understand the plot and be doing something else, like laundry or typing up another blog post. However, when it comes to the 2 movies listed above, I enjoy them so much, that I feel the need and desire to be present for the entirety of the film. Sure, I may have much of the dialogue or music memorized, but that is not the point. I feel such an emotional attachment that if I can’t give my full attention, I won’t watch them.

    I guess the main reason is that I feel George Bailey is a very relatable character for me. Who hasn't wondered what life would be like if you weren't there? The build to George being able to glimpse that is a sweet story and his interaction with Clarence allows George to see what an impact his life has had on others. My favorite line from the movie is what Clarence writes in the copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: "No man is a failure who has friends."

    Likewise, Phineas T. Barnum seem to resonate with me. No, I am not a circus performer or able to buy the kinds of things that he does for his family, but at his core, he is trying to make his mark in the world and provide for his family. I want to be able to see that play out in it's entirety from his humble beginnings to his humbling loss of the circus to the tent down by the riverfront.

    Perhaps there is a lesson on being present with people for me to learn from my desire to “be present” during these 2 movies. I can definitely be better about listening to what people say rather than thinking about what I am going to say. In that vein, what movies or shows do you feel the need to be “present” during when you watch them?

Friday Creature Feature - Tribbles

Back in the 1960s, Doctor Who and Star Trek had some of the funniest low-tech ideas for aliens (see also unicorn doggo). Because special effects were limited compared to today, it’s funny to look back and see some of the things that passed for dangerous extraterrestrials back in the day. Besides Star Trek’s unicorn doggo, one of my favorites while watching The Original Series was showcased in “The Trouble with Tribbles”. 

Stardate 4523.3: While the Enterprise’s crew was at Station K-7, a seemingly harmless tribble (literally a chittering furball) was sold to Uhura. Within a day it had multiplied. Meanwhile, Captain Kirk was trying to deal with Klingons. Tribbles, usually a calming creature while encountering other species, like humans and Vulcans, were agitated by Klingons. At least that discontent helped Captain Kirk find an undercover Klingon agent.

Since the days of Captain Kirk and the Enterprise, Tribbles have appeared periodically throughout Star Trek, usually as pets or referenced as a joke. In fact, on Big Bang Theory, Sheldon viewed Raj’s dog as an “attack tribble”. What better way to classify the yappy little dogs? 

Overall, the little creature is pretty harmless. A tribble will lull other species into this tranquilizing calmness. Call it pheromones or incredible cuteness (honestly, if it is something chemical, I could use a tribble at work sometimes) the exact mechanism of lulling creatures in is somewhat unknown. The danger in a tribble lies in their ability to reproduce faster than rabbits. In a matter of days, they’d deplete a ship’s food supply, given the chance.

But at least they’re cute, right?

Best Anime Opening Throughout the Years

 

Recently, I've been watching an anime and was inspired to write this post by its opening (OP) music. The challenging part of this post is that there is so much great music in shows especially anime. This will be the first in a series on the best opening music. I also plan to write about good ending (ED) music write on different time periods in future posts. However, in this post, I'll cover my favorite OPs from the last 15 years.

I'll keep this post short and won't go into details because I'm not the best at explaining why this music is notable, but I'm happy to share the songs I've enjoyed while watching anime. Of course, I've included a link to each song so you can enjoy them for yourself!

Note: I tried my best linking the source video this post, but I wasn't able to upload some of them from the source.

2009 Full Metal Alchemist: Again by Yendorami

2010 Bleach: Ranbu no Melody by SID

2011 Steins;gate: Hacking to the Gate by Kanako Itō

2012 Sword Art Online: Crossing field by LiSA

2013 Attack on Titan: Crimson Bow and Arrow by Linked Horizon

2014 Tokyo Ghoul: Unravel by Toru Kitajima

2015 One Punch Man: The Hero by Okoreru Kobushi ni Hi wo Tsukero

2016 Mob Psycho 100: 99 by MOB CHOIR

2017 My Hero Academia: Peace Sign by Kenshi Yonezu

2018 Darling in the Franxx: Kiss of Death by Mika Nakashima X Hyde

2019 Fire Force: Inferno by Mrs. Green Apple

2020 Tower of God: TOP by Stray Kids

2021 Jujutsu Kaisen: Vivid Vice by Who-ya Extended

2022 Ranking of Kings: Naked Hero by Vaundy

2023 Spy x Family: Kura Kura by Ado

2024 Kaiju No. 8: Abyss by Yungblud 

Enjoying "How to Train Your Dragon"

    How to Train Your Dragon was the first and most memorable 3D movie experience I’ve had. I had no idea what the movie was and I walked in late with my uncle. I had no expectations and when I finished, it was an awesome experience. To this day, I still recall fondly the experience of figuratively flying together with Toothless and Hiccup through the skies above Berk.

    For those who were like me, How to Train Your Dragon was a 2010 Dreamworks film that pits the Vikings from the fictional village of Berk against the fictional dragons who burn buildings, steal food, and cause mayhem for the inhabitants of Berk. Leader of the town is Stoick the Vast, a hearty and sturdy Viking who loves killing dragons and protecting his village. His son, Hiccup, is not hearty, nor sturdy, and does not have killing dragons at the top of his favorite things to do list. During the course of the movie, Hiccup befriends a dragon whom he names Toothless and together they inspire a change that eventually leads to two additional movies, but for now, we will focus on the first movie and some takeaways I had.

    First of all, the music is excellent. John Powell wrote the score and it fits the movie well. I particularly loved the scene where Hiccup and Toothless first fly together. The drama of the flight is made that much more intense by the music that accompanies the scene. 

    Second, there is a message of change and repentance.. The most recent time I watched the movie, I recalled these words from President Nelson about repentance from 2019: 

“The word for repentance in the Greek New Testament is metanoeo. The prefix meta- means ‘change.’ The suffix -noeo is related to Greek words that mean ‘mind,’ ‘knowledge,’ ‘spirit,’ and ‘breath.’

"Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to ‘repent,’ He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies.”

  Just such a change occurs to Stoick during this movie. As I mentioned before, dragon killing is at the top of Stoick’s list of things to do, but by the end of the movie, he not only allows dragons to take up residence in Berk, but becomes a dragon rider himself. This change is a central point of the movie and becomes the means by which a father and a son become reconciled. 

  

 Lastly, dragons seem like they would be wonderful pets so long as they don’t burn down the house. My wife and I are raising chickens and one of them is black and so we named her Toothless as an homage to the dragon that Hiccup tames and trains. This chicken does not breathe fire and can’t fly as well as Toothless, the dragon, but it is fun to think about such a pet every time I see this chicken.

Third Doctor Revisited: "The Time Monster"

As of writing this blog post, I'm still working my way through the Third Doctor era (got slowed down by a couple other projects, like re-watching Wolverine). Regardless, I plough through the classic era, as TJ and I try to figure out when we have time to podcast together and to finish discussing the Second Doctor. In the meantime, I had some random thoughts as I watched "The Time Monster". It didn't make my "top stories" when I watched the Third Doctor years ago, but I definitely enjoyed it this time. So here we go!

This story is one of many that take a myth and make them relatable for me. "The Daemons" was another like this, as was the recent appearance of Sutehk against the Fifteenth Doctor (see also "Pyramid of Mars" with the Fourth Doctor). These are the kinds of stories that still pull me into Doctor Who. Human myth understood in a sense of science and/or aliens. 

This story was especially intriguing after watching/reading Percy Jackson. Like most kids I've learned bits and pieces of Greek mythology through my childhood (if you can count Disney's Hercules). Stories like this make me wish I'd understood more from my Classic Civilization at BYU (it was the only class I failed during my bachelor's degree--Let's just say The Odyssey and The Iliad went over my head). But between Doctor Who stories like this and being pulled into Percy Jackson, it makes me want to learn more about classic mythology. 

While I'm already referencing Percy Jackson, I was surprised by the ending of this story (even though I'd seen it before). Unlike what's portrayed in "The Lightning Thief" (I still need to read "Sea of Monsters"--I've only seen the movie), Kronos wasn't all evil in this story. Go figure. Just in Doctor Who fashion, taking a known creature or entity and flipping your expectations upside-down. 

It was an interesting twist to see different twists on time travel. The Doctor and the Master both had a TARDIS present, but there was also Crystal of Kronos that pulled the Master to Atlantis. To make it even weirder, the Doctor even managed to trap a TARDIS within a TARDIS within a TARDIS...). Time travel's crazy right?

According to IMDB this story is one of the lowest rated among the Third Doctor's adventures. Between the Master, Atlantis, and Kronos, I felt it was engaging and well paced. So why the low ratings? Maybe someone else has watched this tory and can give their review.

The Master's fate in this story demonstrated some of the Doctor's most undeserved compassion, like when the Tenth Doctor tried to keep the Master from dying. But it offers a soul-searching question, which I'll end on, would you wish eternal torment on your worst enemy?

Remembering "Angels in the Outfield"

I was recently asked to speak in a sacrament meeting about the ministry of angels. This led me to many wonderful talks and scriptures and experiences that I have had in being ministered to by angels. But it also led me to reflect on a favorite childhood movie of mine, “Angels in the Outfield.” So, I thought I’d use this post to share some things that stood out to me from the movie and who knows, maybe it will inspire a host of people to watch or rewatch it at some point in the next 10 years. 

First of all, it has a pretty star studded cast! I’m pretty sure I remember reading or hearing somewhere that it was Matthew McConaughey’s first movie (feel free to fact check me on that, I’m okay with that). Also, a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt, like before 3rd Rock from the Sun Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I remember learning that sometime after The Dark Knight Rises came out and my mind was blown. Danny Glover, Tony Danza, Brenda Fricker, Adrien Brody, Neil McDonough and Christopher Lloyd to name a few. It is always amazing to me to see what actors and actresses have done over the course of their careers and this was an introduction, for me, to many of these people. 

Secondly, it deals with some much deeper topics than just baseball. There is foster care, adoption, prayer, upcoming death, and believing in something that only you cane see. Foster care and adoption hit close to home as both have been a part of family members’ lives. 

Lastly, does have to do with baseball. I grew up in southern California and while I consider myself a Dodger fan, I did go to Angels games as well. I recall going with my late grandfather and having ice cream served in a small plastic baseball hat. I went to one of the world series games that the Angels eventually won. And I knew someone who housed the guy who Mike Trout replaced in the minors, so practically relatives.

I love going down memory lane. I love remembering movies of my childhood and Angels in the Outfield will forever be one of those films that I remember with fondness.

LDS Geeks Podcast #22: Disney Parks (Part One)

Joe and I are both Disney lovers; that much as always been clear on the blog. Recently we decided to do a four-part series about the Disney Parks, particularly Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. Part one of the four is now available for listening.

--Spencer

How Big is Your God?

(Guest post by Spencer's dad)

Thirty-nine years ago, just after we were married, we had a High Councilman share a message that has stayed with me.   He asked three short questions.   It must have been amazing to others as well because a few months later, this brother came back and did a fireside on the same topic.    

For nearly four decades I have thought of these questions.  

Initially I was going to share in this blog post what I thought each question might mean or look like to each of us.   I won’t do that because I don’t want to limit where these questions might take you.  I will add question four, which I believe moves from theoretical to practical.

1.   How big is your God?

2.   How powerful is your God?

3.   How much do you know about Him?

4.   What difference does this God make in your life today?

Every time I ask myself these questions my pondering leads to new possibilities that I had not previously supposed.

Artist Spotlight: Rebecca Johnston

I knew her as Becca when we were freshmen together at BYU. She's still one of my best, most trusted friends with inside jokes about Narnia, Pocahontas, and her love of band. When she's not wrangling her kids, she's a pro artist, known by her full name. So without further ado, I wanted spotlight Rebecca Johnston.

Where are you from and how does that affect your work?

I’m from northern Utah. I know that many people associate Utah with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And while the gospel of Jesus Christ is the biggest influence on my work, I don’t think that’s entirely because of my physical location. I think the people living here, like my family, friends, and others, have had more of an effect on me and my work than Utah itself. 

However, the art community here has helped me grow and share my work, and it is comforting to have an audience close by that appreciates the kind of work I am most passionate about. 

Tell me about your favorite medium.

My favorite mediums are oil paint and drawing. I didn’t paint until college, so drawing was my first medium. There’s something about the way a pencil moves across the paper that I love. I also love that drawing is more portable than paint. 

I also love oil paint. I love that you can create so many interesting textures and marks, that it’s easy to push and pull her paint, and that it’s the most forgiving paint medium (in my experience). I love what you can create and convey using color! 

Where do you find inspiration?

Most everything I paint or draw has roots in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Plan of Salvation, and the doctrines of the family. These subjects are what bring purpose and meaning to my life. I particularly feel inspired after attending the temple, participating in a spiritual discussion, or receiving personal revelation. Even when drawing portraits, I know every individual has infinite worth and potential, and that each person has a story perfectly designed by God to become the best they can be. I also get a lot of inspiration from gospel artwork done by other artists. 

Though not as big of an influence, I’m also inspired by cute or beautiful things. I love soft materials, I love cute illustrations, glitter, lots of color, abstract art, etc. Even if I don’t have an interest in learning a particular skill, I admire and I’m inspired by the creativity of others.

When is your favorite time of day to create?

The best time of day for me to create is usually between 10 AM-1 PM. I’ve had to learn that through trial and error. That’s when I feel my best and when I’m most creative and productive. 

Describe how art is important to society.

Art is important to society because it can teach and share ideas and perspectives in a way that many people can relate to and understand. There are things that can’t be described with words but that can be described through art. It’s a language! 

Not only that, but the beauty and wonder we can experience with art helps provide hope, peace, and joy. It helps us notice the beauty and blessings around us. Even the act of making the art can relieve stress and allow someone to express themselves in a healthy way. It has the power to brighten our dark days. 

On a spiritual level, I love that art can help me feel closer to my Savior and feel His love for me. It has the power to connect people and help them feel less alone. 

What motivates you to create?

Honestly, creativity is a natural instinct for me. I’m ALWAYS wanting to make something. That desire isn’t limited to art either. I love crocheting, playing music, making cards, occasionally doing origami, or other crafts. 

How do you define success as an artist?

Currently, I would first define success as being happy in the process of creating, having fun just doing it. Secondarily, but not necessarily required, success means being able to create art that’s both meaningful to the artist but also connects with and helps others. And, you know, having the funds to keep creating is a good thing too. 😉

Does art help you in other areas of your life?

It definitely helps with my spirituality, which then flows into my family and other relationships. Creating art is often not mentally easy for me. It requires me to lean on the Savior, to turn to Him more than I otherwise would. He has made Himself known to me through many personal blessings related to my art and my goals. Through art, my personal testimony has been strengthened. I’ve only made it this far because of Him. 

Art also provides opportunities for me to meet people and help others in unique ways. 

How do you develop your art skills?

I have to practice and do the work. Many people think art is something that just comes naturally, but any art skills I possess have had to be honed and developed just like any other skill. In addition to painting when I can, I also continue to learn about techniques, tools, and art principles. I like the Strada Easel challenge, timed sketches, life studies, and studying the work of artists I admire. I’m grateful that whenever I experiment and practice, no effort is wasted because I always learn something. 

What’s integral to the work of an artist?

I think an integral part of the work of the artist is being authentically you instead of trying to create what and how everyone else wants you to do it. I actually wrote “paint” instead of “create” in the last sentence, but I had to learn the hard way that there are many ways of being an artist. It’s not limited to painting and drawing. If you have something creative you love, do it your way. Your mental health will thank you, and I think you’d be surprised how many people will appreciate your ideas. 

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

One of my favorite things to see is the touched response someone has when I ask to draw or paint them, or when they see the finished piece. Their smiles make me so happy. Someone once said that they’d cherish the portrait I did of them for the rest of their life. It’s exciting, humbling, and very gratifying. 

What do you dislike about the art world?

I dislike that there’s so much competition. I understand that it’s good to have others that are more skilled so that you can keep pushing yourself to learn and become better. I also understand that there is a place for excellence and that, logistically, not everyone can be celebrated all the time. But I also think the external pressure to create amazing things all the time can be suffocating and stifle creativity. 

What superpower would you have and why?

If I had a super power, it would be to apparate like they do in Harry Potter. I’m perpetually late because I underestimate the time it takes to get somewhere. Plus, if I need groceries? I can apparate. Need to take them in from the car? Apparate. Need to escape a disaster or go on vacation? Apparate! So much of my life would be easier if I could have that ability! 

Your top 3 fandoms of all time

Bluey, hands down, is my first favorite fandom. But I also enjoy Avatar: the Last Airbender (the cartoon, not as much the new stuff) and Psych. 

She did this beautiful sketch of my wife and firstborn, which I absolute adore.
--Spencer

If you're an artist (even if you're not a Latter-day Saint) and would like to be featured on our blog, send us an email to mormongeeks@gmail.com or message us on Facebook/Instagram. 

Follow Rebecca's art on Instagram and Facebook. You can also follow her crochet work on Instagram.