Who's Got a Harry Potter Review? (BIG TIME SPOILERS HERE!)

[Fairy]

We started discussing in the Happy Harry Potter Day thread, and by popular demand, here's a new thread for reviews, complete with spoilers! If you have not seen the movie, vamoose! If you have, then come on in! Did you see it? Have a reveiw? I'm obsessed with Potter and did see it this morning.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. :heartbeat:

Will post a review later. In the meantime, post yours! Must say, tho, Ron & Hermione were outstandingly awesome. Both of them. In so many ways. And Luna? Best thing ever.

[Emmas Mom]

I'm going tonight, I'm SOOOO excited! Bring on the spoilers. Was it ALL that different from the book?

[scmama]

Lovely, lovely MIL is watching my baby Friday morning and I'm going to see it then! I can't wait. I love HP too and am taking myself to lunch and a movie :)

[kijip]

We are geeks. My dad spent the night and I topped off F, then pumped and we went to the midnight showing. The theater was really cool, they have 1/2 as many rows, with a little bar table in front of you and they serve food, beer and wine and are 21+ venue exclusively! So no tiny children, which always irks me at scary movies and at night showings.

We thoroughly enjoyed the movie, as well as the pitchers of Guinness and Sangria (we went with my brother and his husband).

Some things I would have liked to have seen were not included but I thought they did a good job of making the book watchable in a movie length. I wish they had fleshed out Snape a little more and I was kinda disappointed they dropped the bit with the Muggle prime minister and Dumbledore's funeral. But they can't make it 4 hours long and I preferred this to the first two movies, though I liked PoA and OOTP better than this one.

I noted on a preview for a different movie that Chris Columbus is being billed as "From the Director of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Happy Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" with no mention of his name. I really don't like him as a director much, and I guess I am not alone.

Ron was PERFECT and Luna is hilarious!

[Sillygirl]

Just got back and my first stop is here.

Overall, probably my second-favorite Potter movie to date, after OOTP. The visuals are great.

Loved:
Luna (always - why can't she end up with Harry?)
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (that's gonna be sad)
Bellatrix trashing the dining hall
Lavender (poor actress, she did a great job humiliating herself)
Erasing the Dark Mark with a 1000 points of light

Missed:
Bill and Fleur, especially the scene at the hospital
The Muggle Prime Minister briefing
Snippy jealous Hermione (as opposed to the weepy movie version)
Dumbledore's manners lecture before he dies

WTH?
The Weasley house explodes?
Harry seriously would just stand there as Dumbledore is killed? And his little interlude with Snape?

More thoughts later. Worth a trip to the theaters, but not made of flaming awesome the way Star Trek was.

I looked like crazy for the Diadem in all the RoR scenes but couldn't find it - did anyone see it?

[Laurel]

Loved everything but the last 20 minutes or so. I feel like so much was taken out from the ending. Really, I would have preferred a PG-13 rating and a darker film.


Oh, and the Harry-Ginny kiss was too chaste and too quick.

[kijip]

Missed:
Bill and Fleur, especially the scene at the hospital


I looked like crazy for the Diadem in all the RoR scenes but couldn't find it - did anyone see it?

YES! I so wanted to see Fleur and Bill. It seems that Bill and Charlie have not been in the movies at all. Him being attacked by Greyback and the subsequent mending between Molly and Fleur was on of my favorite parts of the book.

And also yes, I was looking for Ravenclaw's Diadem in the RoR and did not spot it.

[randomkid]

No Fair!!! I'm not reading this as I haven't seen it yet. I would love to read some reviews, but don't want to stumble on any spoilers. I'm having nightmares that I won't be able to get in tomorrow even though I know that is not likely. When I was in the mall today and went by the theater, the place was practically empty. They have HP on 3 screens, so I'm sure I'll be ok, but still... I didn't buy tickets in advance because I'm not sure what time I will get out of work tomorrow - as early as possible, that's for sure! Will come back to this thread after I've seen it.

[rlu]

Inspired by the book or loosely based on, either description works. I realize they had to cut major chunks and sometimes you switch dialogue from one character to another, but I was disappointed. I just reread the book last week and that was probably a mistake as it made the deletions/changes/additions(Burrow - WTF?) glaringly apparant. I guess it's ok to blow up the Burrow since we aren't going to have the Bill/Fleur wedding? Thought the ending lacked punch. I was anticipating the fighting at the end. As my sis pointed out, with all that security noone tried to stop the deatheaters between the RoR and the Astronomy Tower?

Also - yes Harry you are going to "need" Hermoine and Ron since according to the movie you haven't a clue what the other horcruxes are. Maybe he'll find a notebook or some clues to guide him? Dive into the pensieve without Dumbledore?

We'll see how I feel after a few days to mellow.

We were at the noon showing - maybe 200 people. We saw it on the big screen - not sure that was completely necessary. Maybe would have been better to see it at the midnight showing with all the hoopla, even if on a smaller screen.

Gah, I'll mellow after a few days.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Loved everything but the last 20 minutes or so. I feel like so much was taken out from the ending. Really, I would have preferred a PG-13 rating and a darker film.


Oh, and the Harry-Ginny kiss was too chaste and too quick.

:yeahthat: I was enjoying the movie, even though I had a WTF?! moment with the whole Burrow scene, but was not at all feeling the love for the last part of the movie. Disappointed, as were many people around me.

I thought it was a funny movie with some good parts. I thought when it was at it's best when it was like the book though. :)

Beth

[rlu]

My sister sent me this link for an interview that explains some of the deletions/changes. But no word on the Burrow. It appears the director felt he had to "defer" to the last book and, my interpretation, this is not a stand-alone film but a character development episode.

eta: link would help http://movies.ign.com/articles/100/1003769p1.html

[hellokitty]

WTH?
The Weasley house explodes?


OK, so it wasn't just me. I started to regret not having re-read the book after their house exploded, b/c for the life of me, I didn't remember that happening in the book... but I thought it was preggo brain. I basically went to the movie by myself (which was a good thing, b/c even though I showed up 30 min early, it was almost impossible to find a seat, I ended up sitting in the handicap seat which was all by itself), to distract me from my prodromal labor. Of course I had contrax throughout the entire movie and then two hrs after I get home, the pitter off again... UGH!

[Fairy]

OK, so it wasn't just me. I started to regret not having re-read the book after their house exploded, b/c for the life of me, I didn't remember that happening in the book... but I thought it was preggo brain. I basically went to the movie by myself (which was a good thing, b/c even though I showed up 30 min early, it was almost impossible to find a seat, I ended up sitting in the handicap seat which was all by itself), to distract me from my prodromal labor. Of course I had contrax throughout the entire movie and then two hrs after I get home, the pitter off again... UGH!

I was wondering if you went. I'm glad you did!

I guess I'm just easier to please. The only film I did not love soooo much was Azkaban. It always astounds me how many people loved that and how it's one of the most well-reviewed of the films. For me, the first one will always always be my favorite. The magic that was captured there, the book opening up right there onto film was just emotionally beautiful and wonderful and joyful. "Yer a wizerd, Harry." "I'm a whot?" And Diagon Alley and Olivanders -- it's exactly as I imagined. So, anyway, countless more examples, Sorcerer's Stone is still my favorite.

But Half Blood Prince was up there. Maybe 2nd. I dunno, I'd have to watch Goblet again. Anyway, I, too, wondered if I'd forgotten about the Burrow. I didn't re-read the book, tho it was in the plan. To many things crammed into my life. So, I thought, man, WTF, here? When did the Burrow burn down?! Made a mental note to go re-read the book in august.

I thought the introduction of Tonks was a little odd. The two of them just show up, no real explanation as to who they are and why they're there. I mean, we know Lupin, but that he's with Tonks and who their purpose at the moment? Didn't seem to connect.

I forgot about Bill and Fleur. Oops. However, thinking about it, I think since we haven't seen Fleur in the movie since Goblet (and it wasn't a fleshed out role, right? I think?), I'm ok with dropping that part of it. From a story integration perspective, it seems for the sake of length, it's ok.

Harry and the Liquid Luck? Daniel did SO good there. I giggled the whole time. BEAUTIFUL.

It would have been nice to see Trelawney up there at the head table, even if she didn't have much to do. On the other hand, Professor Sprout got lines!

I thoguht Ron & Hermione kissed here? The junkets all make reference to it. Myabe that's next movie ...

I think Bonnie Wright was great. I really loved that interaction. And the girl playing Lavender, Jessie Cave. Wow. Yes, I agree with a PP that she really did a great, brave job making an ass of her character. The drawn heart thing. She just owned it! So admire that perforamnce.

The think I absolutely did not like was the last of Dumbledore's funeral. That was a very important scene, and that it wasn't in this movie boggles my mind. It has to be there. I hope *hope* it is just going to be the beginnin of the next one. I think it would be a fitting beginning, actually. But him saying goodbye to Ginny and all that? Leaving that out is a huge mistake, IMO.

BUT. Overall, I was very happy with this movie and really loved it. That the Funeral wasn't in there bothers me, but the content we DID get in this movie, I really loved. I'll be seeing it at least two more times.

[kijip]

I thoguht Ron & Hermione kissed here? The junkets all make reference to it. Myabe that's next movie ...

Nah, R and H don't get a kiss in until nearly the end of the Deathly Hallows in the book, when R worries about the Hogwarts House Elves as the battle is about to start. :wink2:

[hellokitty]

I was wondering if you went. I'm glad you did!

For me, the first one will always always be my favorite. The magic that was captured there, the book opening up right there onto film was just emotionally beautiful and wonderful and joyful.

Lol, that's funny that you were wondering. I am now starting to challenge myself to see if this baby will come. Maybe I will drive 2 hrs away over this wknd, just to challenge the baby out. This morning, my oldest DS got hit close to the eye with a tree branch and some of my friends joked that maybe the baby will come if I have to take my other kid to the ER... you know murphy's law. I'm sick of being pregnant... and prodromal labor SUCKS. I had it bad last time, but not this bad. I can now understand why some women agree to get induced!

I too agree, out of all of the HP movies, #1 will forever be my favorite. I just found it so enchanting and exactly what I envisioned it to be, esp the great hall scene when they are welcomed to the school and do the whole sorting hat thing, etc.. LOVED it, and whenever I see it on tv (even though we have the dvd), I HAVE to watch it. My DH always rolls his eyes and says, "You know, we have this movie on dvd..."

[randomkid]

I dunno...I was kind of disappointed. I know the books are long and they can't put everything in there, but there just didn't seem to be much story or character development. I felt like it was choppy, rushed and lacking content.

Still, I was quite happy to have an excuse to go somewhere after work all by myself. I got worried when I got to work as it was very busy today, but I pushed through and got out on time. Mom picked DD up from school, took her swimming, gave her a bath, fed her dinner, put cream on her bug bites and brought her home to DH. I went and picked up Asian food to go after the movie, came home where DD was in her PJs and had already had her snack. All I had to do was take her potty, brush her teeth, read a book and tuck her in - AWESOME!:yay: I think I enjoyed that part of the evening even more than the movie - lol!

I've been wanting to go back and read the whole series again, so I think this may be my motivation. I think Goblet of Fire was my favorite. That scene at the end where Volemort is reborn using Harry's blood was very intense in the book and the movie. It was such a pivotal point in the whole series.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I've been wanting to go back and read the whole series again, so I think this may be my motivation. I think Goblet of Fire was my favorite. That scene at the end where Volemort is reborn using Harry's blood was very intense in the book and the movie. It was such a pivotal point in the whole series.

I agree with the cemetery scene in GOF. That would have been a really great movie if they had just included "The Parting of the Ways" part from the book! That is one of my favorite chapters in all the books and I was so let down when it wasn't in there.


Fairy- ITA about the Felix part. He was phenomenal in that scene! Loved it!

Beth

[arivecchi]

I just watched it. I have not read any of the books. I was totally dissapointed and bored. DH, who has read the books, was really dissapointed as well. Still, I am sure it will make tons of money.

[citymama]

My DH pointed out that it felt like a mini-series episode - one for which you have to wait a whole year to watch the next episode! We were both entertained (heck, we'll take any kind of date night without complaints!) but then we are easily entertained.

I didn't go back and re-read the book so I can't remember the good bits that were left out. But the exploding Weasley house and Harry/Ginny running into wheat fields was totally puzzling. I was disappointed in Helena Bonham Carter's Bellatrix because a) HBC is a terrific actress b) Bellatrix is a terrific character. I thought HBC's Bellatrix was a loopy sorcerer doing crazy thing, not a cold, hard portrait of calculated evil. She was a bit batty.

I liked Luna as well and thought the main characters had grown into their roles well. I guess my big disappointment is I can't point to anything about the movie that really wowed me. Every single other movie had some scene that made my jaw drop (night bus, Harry flying on Buckbeak's back), or a memorable character depiction (Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh). But not this one. Hmm.

ETA for Fairy - yes, my fave book and movie was Azkaban.

[Sillygirl]

Nah, R and H don't get a kiss in until nearly the end of the Deathly Hallows in the book, when R worries about the Hogwarts House Elves as the battle is about to start. :wink2:

I think the confusion is that the R&H kiss was intitially in this movie script, but they then deicded to push it back to the 7th or 8th movie. Also, the stars are currently filming those two movies, so on the press junket for HBP, Rupert and Emma have given interviews about how weird it is to have to kiss for the cameras.

[Fairy]

Lol, that's funny that you were wondering. I am now starting to challenge myself to see if this baby will come. Maybe I will drive 2 hrs away over this wknd, just to challenge the baby out. This morning, my oldest DS got hit close to the eye with a tree branch and some of my friends joked that maybe the baby will come if I have to take my other kid to the ER... you know murphy's law. I'm sick of being pregnant... and prodromal labor SUCKS. I had it bad last time, but not this bad. I can now understand why some women agree to get induced!

I too agree, out of all of the HP movies, #1 will forever be my favorite. I just found it so enchanting and exactly what I envisioned it to be, esp the great hall scene when they are welcomed to the school and do the whole sorting hat thing, etc.. LOVED it, and whenever I see it on tv (even though we have the dvd), I HAVE to watch it. My DH always rolls his eyes and says, "You know, we have this movie on dvd..."

I know it's terribly trite and cliche, but I really DID eat Mexican food the night before my water broke, which was at 7:35am. Just a thought :-)

[Fairy]

I dunno...I was kind of disappointed. I know the books are long and they can't put everything in there, but there just didn't seem to be much story or character development. I felt like it was choppy, rushed and lacking content.

Still, I was quite happy to have an excuse to go somewhere after work all by myself. I got worried when I got to work as it was very busy today, but I pushed through and got out on time. Mom picked DD up from school, took her swimming, gave her a bath, fed her dinner, put cream on her bug bites and brought her home to DH. I went and picked up Asian food to go after the movie, came home where DD was in her PJs and had already had her snack. All I had to do was take her potty, brush her teeth, read a book and tuck her in - AWESOME!:yay: I think I enjoyed that part of the evening even more than the movie - lol!

I've been wanting to go back and read the whole series again, so I think this may be my motivation. I think Goblet of Fire was my favorite. That scene at the end where Volemort is reborn using Harry's blood was very intense in the book and the movie. It was such a pivotal point in the whole series.

Wow, you had a great day!

Ya know, I also think Goblet of Fire was a great movie, great book, and you're right by saying "pivotal." It really was. That part where Harry is crying over Cedric's body, wracked with guilt and the weight of the world and the terror. It's so important to the entire series. I always cry at that point in the book and movie, cuz Cedric really WAS a good guy in all ways, making his death even more awful. What a difference between Goblet's Harry and Half-Blood's Harry. By the time of this book/movie, he's kind of beyond the teenage angst, and he's certainly beyond the horrified weight of the world and has accepted that he's the Chosen One and that's jsut the way it is, so let's get down to the business of getting down to business. I really think Daniel's donea beautiful job with Harry thru the years. He says in one of his junket interviews that he's grown with Harry so much, for example X, Y, and Z, and "hopefully I'm a far better actor!" And I really think he is. I'm proud of the boy.

By the same token, Rupert Grint is also outstanding. He really is. I think Emma was always highly talented and has grown the least. Not a negative thing on her, just that she's always seemed to be the same strong character for me. Rupert has had some tough stuff to do, and while I think he had more acting talent than Daniel (who was the weakest link between the three of them in the beginning, maybe?), he's REALLY come into his own in this movie. I loved when he had the love spell. Fine stuff, there.

[Fairy]

To both Katies, I think that defintiely explains the lack of the HR kiss, thank you!

Ya know, talking about stand out performances, there's one person I can't believe I forgot to mention. Tom Felton's Malfoy was great. He's so conflicted. He doesn't want to be a Deatheater, he doesn't want to kill Dumbledore, and he clearly will not be able to do it, as Snape is aware. I loved how Tom did this. I think he was fabulous. I think one of the defining moments for him was when he sent the white lovebird thru the box, and it came back dead. Which upset him, even while he was trying to be truly evil ... and failing.

[Sillygirl]

Both DanRad and Rupert seem to do well portraying, um, altered states of consciousness. And they must have hired Emma a speech coach, because she's FINALLY stopped with the WEIRD emphasis POINTS in her LINES. I actually suspected they made her jealousy of Lavender (and confiding same in Harry) more explicit in the movie in part because Emma might have trouble with depicting nuance, and the scenes with Harry might otherwise seem a bit romantic. Truthfully, I enjoy the movies more for their special effects and scenery, because I think none of the Trio give great performances.

What happened to the actor who played Tom Riddle in CoS? Did he grow too old for the part?

And although GoF is probably my favorite book, I seriously can't watch the movie because of The Hair. I had a huge sigh of relief when the previews for OOTP came out and saw they had finally trimmed down DanRad's moptop. Worst hair ever, even surpassing Tom Hanks in The DaVinci Code.

[codex57]

Here's a spoiler for those who want it:

http://www.themoviespoiler.com/Spoilers/harrypotterhalfblood.html

[Fairy]

Yes, the original 16yo Tom Riddle became too old for the part; he's 30 (per IMDB). And honestly, I think this new 16yo is much darker and true to character.

[southern_kali_gurl]

And although GoF is probably my favorite book, I seriously can't watch the movie because of The Hair. I had a huge sigh of relief when the previews for OOTP came out and saw they had finally trimmed down DanRad's moptop. Worst hair ever, even surpassing Tom Hanks in The DaVinci Code.

I think the same thing about The Hair! Was watching OOTP last night and kept thinking how good his hair looked as opposed to GOF.

[citymama]

Also, did any one think there was too much high school romance and not enough magic in this movie? Fred and George's joke shop - now I could have spent 10 more minutes on that scene and 10 fewer on the Ron/Lav/Herm triangle. Not the best editing job on this film.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Yes, the original 16yo Tom Riddle became too old for the part; he's 30 (per IMDB). And honestly, I think this new 16yo is much darker and true to character.

I did not like that actor at all. I had reread the book a few days before watching the movie and they described how handsome and charming Tom Riddle was at Hogwarts. That actor and/ or his performance just gave me the creeps. People weren't really supposed to suspect him of being evil in school. I sure would have had suspicions about the Riddle in the movie though. He wasn't handsome to me either. Eta- I thought that the TR from CoS was spot on though.

Beth

[hellokitty]

Also, did any one think there was too much high school romance and not enough magic in this movie? Fred and George's joke shop - now I could have spent 10 more minutes on that scene and 10 fewer on the Ron/Lav/Herm triangle. Not the best editing job on this film.

:yeahthat: One reason this was my least favorite book, was that I was sooo not digging the whole mushy teenage hormone thing and the broodiness (Harry) either. Now, I admit that the movie made it all very funny, esp regarding Lavendar, but I found it annoying in the book. I did try to remember though that the book is written for kids that age, and as an adult, that is why I probably found it irritating. Yeah, F&G's joke shop, I would have been very happy seeing much more footage on it. It seems a waste that they only showed a few minutes of it. You're right, more magic would have been great. I loved the scene in potions class where everyone (except for Harry) screwed up their potion, I always found those scenes in the prior movies great too.