Since my husband was working tonight.....I went to see OotP!
It was really good. I read on another board how it was somewhat like a Cliffs Notes version of the book and in a way it was. IMO they got the gist of the book captured very well, however if you really want to feel all the emotion you need to take that next step and read the book.
The acting in this was superb.
I really have no major complaints - I watch the movies b/c a. I like them and b. to give my imagination even more of a vivid picture of the wizarding world. Compared to GoF - this movie was IMO about 1,000,000 times better (and I really enjoyed the GoF movie). What I really liked about this film is it followed the plot chronologicaly. One of my big gripes about PoA is how they took bits and pieces of the film and moved them around. It's just some things or some actions are somewhat glossed over as to the why they happened or why people reacted the way they did to said actions. As I am going to see this w/ my HP virgin husband on Sunday at the IMAX I KNOW he will have questions.
That being said, the characters in this movie were as close to book perfect as they could get. I loved it. Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Snape, Bellatrix (she was exceptionally book perfect), Dumbledore, Hagrid, Umbridge, McGonagal, Tonks, Sirius, Remus, Molly, the twins, Seamus, Trelawney - they were all just perfection. Hermione in the movies doesn't match up as well w/ my take on the book Hermione, and neither does Cho - but it's not so much that it is an issue. Oh and Kingsley Shackelbolt was totally cool and Kreatcher was spot on EXACTLY how I imagined.
I LOVED the flashbacks! Fantastic additions to the movie.
Snape is always a little more "human" in the movies IMO. I kind of like that about movie Snape. I really hate book Snape, but at the same time I don't think he is on Voldemort's side. I just think he's a pretty crappy person. Oh - also Draco and his pals - I kind of felt sad this would be the last time Draco would really be so happy go lucky. Things change so much for him in HBP. I hate the guy but still felt bad for what comes next for him.
This movie FLEW by. I can't believe it was over 2 hours. I suppose that is why some of my favorite OotP moments were left out. Moments like:
1. Rita Skeeter's article
2. The Swamp
3. The visit to St. Mungos where the kids saw Lockhart and met Neville's grandmother and parents.
4. McGonagal getting stunned (not that I am happy about it - but it was just so dramatic).
Voldemort and Dumbledore's fight was fantastic. It was also fun to watch Harry and Sirius fight together and so bittersweet to hear Sirius complement James (yes, he says James) on a stunner right before Bellatrix kills him. I am still devestated that Sirius died, but the movie didn't have me sobbing on the floor in the fetal position like the book did. Harry's possession by Voldemort was amazing. Dan has really become a good actor - the whole thing was so creepy and they actually did a good job of showing Harry's motivation for throwing Voldemort out of his body.
I loved how powerful Ginny was in this movie and especially loved Ron and the twins awe of the fact. She was so cute and proud of her spellwork.
I said it above but in terms of the Harry character and the Ron character - this was the best movie to showcase them since the first two films (which IMO were very close to the book characters).
Oh and lastly - Harry and Big D meeting the dementors was great. The part that followed w/ the Dursley's was a fairly decent Cliffs Notes of thier reaction too.
My complaints are few. I really liked the movie. I am looking very forward to seeing it again. It was nice to see a good bit of Crookshanks too!
The acting in this was superb.
I really have no major complaints - I watch the movies b/c a. I like them and b. to give my imagination even more of a vivid picture of the wizarding world. Compared to GoF - this movie was IMO about 1,000,000 times better (and I really enjoyed the GoF movie). What I really liked about this film is it followed the plot chronologicaly. One of my big gripes about PoA is how they took bits and pieces of the film and moved them around. It's just some things or some actions are somewhat glossed over as to the why they happened or why people reacted the way they did to said actions. As I am going to see this w/ my HP virgin husband on Sunday at the IMAX I KNOW he will have questions.
That being said, the characters in this movie were as close to book perfect as they could get. I loved it. Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Snape, Bellatrix (she was exceptionally book perfect), Dumbledore, Hagrid, Umbridge, McGonagal, Tonks, Sirius, Remus, Molly, the twins, Seamus, Trelawney - they were all just perfection. Hermione in the movies doesn't match up as well w/ my take on the book Hermione, and neither does Cho - but it's not so much that it is an issue. Oh and Kingsley Shackelbolt was totally cool and Kreatcher was spot on EXACTLY how I imagined.
I LOVED the flashbacks! Fantastic additions to the movie.
Snape is always a little more "human" in the movies IMO. I kind of like that about movie Snape. I really hate book Snape, but at the same time I don't think he is on Voldemort's side. I just think he's a pretty crappy person. Oh - also Draco and his pals - I kind of felt sad this would be the last time Draco would really be so happy go lucky. Things change so much for him in HBP. I hate the guy but still felt bad for what comes next for him.
This movie FLEW by. I can't believe it was over 2 hours. I suppose that is why some of my favorite OotP moments were left out. Moments like:
1. Rita Skeeter's article
2. The Swamp
3. The visit to St. Mungos where the kids saw Lockhart and met Neville's grandmother and parents.
4. McGonagal getting stunned (not that I am happy about it - but it was just so dramatic).
Voldemort and Dumbledore's fight was fantastic. It was also fun to watch Harry and Sirius fight together and so bittersweet to hear Sirius complement James (yes, he says James) on a stunner right before Bellatrix kills him. I am still devestated that Sirius died, but the movie didn't have me sobbing on the floor in the fetal position like the book did. Harry's possession by Voldemort was amazing. Dan has really become a good actor - the whole thing was so creepy and they actually did a good job of showing Harry's motivation for throwing Voldemort out of his body.
I loved how powerful Ginny was in this movie and especially loved Ron and the twins awe of the fact. She was so cute and proud of her spellwork.
I said it above but in terms of the Harry character and the Ron character - this was the best movie to showcase them since the first two films (which IMO were very close to the book characters).
Oh and lastly - Harry and Big D meeting the dementors was great. The part that followed w/ the Dursley's was a fairly decent Cliffs Notes of thier reaction too.
My complaints are few. I really liked the movie. I am looking very forward to seeing it again. It was nice to see a good bit of Crookshanks too!