Half-Blood Prince
Went to see it Wednesday night with ziasudra, titti, amelia_eve and her fiance, and paranoidsistah on the big IMAX screen. I didn't even realize it was in 3D! That was pretty cool, though next time I'd rather sit a bit further away from the screen.
Overall, I loved it. It was visually stunning, and I really enjoyed it a lot, probably more than all the other films. I didn't mind the additions - some of them, particularly the dialogue and connecting scenes were terrific - and I thought it flowed well. Not as jumpy as GoF was.
And the actors - Rupert is always brilliant, but I think both Dan and Emma gave their best performances here. And Bonnie and Evanna were lovely. Tom Felton was fantastic, and Rickman was perfect as always. Even Gambon's Dumbledore was nicely done, which, well, let's just say that I haven't really been a fan of his portrayal. Particularly in GoF when he practically shakes Harry after his name came out of the cup. Um. The two Tom Riddles were fantastic, and I really enjoyed Jim Broadbent's Slughorn.
But I do have 'nitpicks' as they are. Not so much with the additions - except one thing there - but with what I thought was missing that was rather vital to the plot and purpose of the book.
Stuff w0t I will nitpick:
1) The Burrow burning down and nothing being said about it at all afterward. Even Ron and Ginny didn't react - like once they were back in school, it had never happened/didn't upset or affect them.
I don't know why they felt they had to burn it down. I mean, I didn't mind the addition of the attack - I thought that scene was really well done (well, except for them standing out in the open in that clearing waiting for a hex to come out of the cornfield tall plants. Hello? Sitting fucking ducks right there! Really poor defensive strategy!)
But the Burrow burning down was rather 'WTF?' Why? To show they're evil? They could have turned it into a better scene having only one part burn and Molly and Arthur and Remus and Tonks, repelling the flames, Aguamenti-ing the shit out of it, and THEN going after Harry (and Ginny). Burning it up like that was visually stunning - the silhouette and all - but it makes very little sense story-wise. (And the ghoul! In the attic! Poor thing.)
2) No mention at all of Hufflepuff's cup. Or Dumbledore telling Harry about Tom's penchant for collecting trinkets. I don't know how they're going to reconcile that for DH unless portrait-Dumbledore plays more of a role, or his bequest includes more than the deluminator, the Beedle book and the snitch. (and the sword) I didn't need the whole pensieve scene, but there wasn't even a hint. Not to mention Slytherin's locket - how are they supposed to know which locket to even look for?
I thought the pensieve scenes were visually stunning and perfectly creepy. I didn't mind that they shortened them and even cut many of them, but they cut too much, I think. Yes, the Slughorn memory was vital for obtaining information on the number of horcruxes, but it's pretty important to know what those (potential) horcruxes ARE.
3) No glimpse at all of the Ravenclaw tiara, which doesn't bode well for including the fiendfyre scene. So I don't know.
Like I said, I thought the movie was well done, and I really enjoyed it, but the main point of HBP, beyond the shippy rom-com and even beyond the Snape backstory/characterization 'Prince' reveal, was the introduction of the horcruxes, and on that front, it failed miserably.
The one horcruxy thing they added that was brilliant though, was when Harry touched the ring, had that flashback, and cracked his neck in that Voldemort-y manner. That was fantastic and subtle enough.
So I'm left wondering how they're going to write these things into DH. Yes, they'll have two movies, but it feels like there's going to be more retconning than necessary. But not having seen the screenplay, I have no idea what the hell Kloves is thinking. So I guess we wait and see.
Things I wish could have been in but understand why they were cut:
1) Luna's Quidditch commentary. Evanna would have been brilliant, too. Ah well.
2) Scrimgeour and Harry telling him off at Christmas. We'll get Scrimgeour next movie, but it won't be the same.
3) The DA + Remus, Tonks, Bill, McGonagall and Flitwick fighting the DE's. Would have been a brilliant scene.
4) Moaning Myrtle in the Sectumsempra scene.
5) MOAR NEVILLE!
Things I loved in particular, in no particular order:
1) LUNA!
2) Harry and Ron lying in their beds talking about Hermione and Ginny's skin. Hee! Awkward conversation is love! (And all the while Harry looking at Draco on the map!)
3) Draco. The cabinet scenes, the Sectumsempra scene, and the scene with Dumbledore in the tower. His best performance yet.
4) PINCERS! *clack* *clack* *clack* Really, so many humourous moments in this film, which were all well done, but Harry on Felix was fantastic!
5) The potions lesson. Harry and Ron fighting over the book, Harry making his perfect potion, and Hermione all frantic.
6) QUIDDITCH! Yeah, I know lots of people hate quidditch, but I love it, and Ron was awesome!
6a) The Quidditch tryouts. Oh, Cormac, you arrogant, gorgeous, arse.
7) The Slug Club. Pudding! And Cormac flirting with Hermione. :-P
8) The Christmas party scene. And after Draco gets thrown out, Harry eavesdropping on Snape and Draco.
9) The creepiness of the pensieve scenes. Cinematically, they were gorgeous, but I really wanted to see Dumbledore's pimp suit! :-P
10) Ron under the influence of the love potion. God, I love Rupert!
11) Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes - the shop was perfect, except for the lack of the U No Poo sign. And the trio sneaking out after Draco - that scene at Borgin and Burke's was nicely done!
12) Spinner's End. Shortened, but they left in enough of the substance. The unbreakable vow was cool. As was Snape slamming the door in Wormtail's face. Hee!
13) The canary scene.
14) Harry/Ginny. They did a really nice job building it up.
15) The students lighting their wands to banish the dark mark. That was a lovely touch, very moving, and made the lack of the funeral acceptable.
I'm sure I can think of many more, but that's enough for now. Oh! 16) Damn - Blaise was HAWT!
I'm going to see it again tomorrow with my sis and kids. (This way, when they have to go to the bathroom ten times during the movie, I can take them so my sis doesn't have to miss any of it! *g*)
Overall, I loved it. It was visually stunning, and I really enjoyed it a lot, probably more than all the other films. I didn't mind the additions - some of them, particularly the dialogue and connecting scenes were terrific - and I thought it flowed well. Not as jumpy as GoF was.
And the actors - Rupert is always brilliant, but I think both Dan and Emma gave their best performances here. And Bonnie and Evanna were lovely. Tom Felton was fantastic, and Rickman was perfect as always. Even Gambon's Dumbledore was nicely done, which, well, let's just say that I haven't really been a fan of his portrayal. Particularly in GoF when he practically shakes Harry after his name came out of the cup. Um. The two Tom Riddles were fantastic, and I really enjoyed Jim Broadbent's Slughorn.
But I do have 'nitpicks' as they are. Not so much with the additions - except one thing there - but with what I thought was missing that was rather vital to the plot and purpose of the book.
Stuff w0t I will nitpick:
1) The Burrow burning down and nothing being said about it at all afterward. Even Ron and Ginny didn't react - like once they were back in school, it had never happened/didn't upset or affect them.
I don't know why they felt they had to burn it down. I mean, I didn't mind the addition of the attack - I thought that scene was really well done (well, except for them standing out in the open in that clearing waiting for a hex to come out of the cornfield tall plants. Hello? Sitting fucking ducks right there! Really poor defensive strategy!)
But the Burrow burning down was rather 'WTF?' Why? To show they're evil? They could have turned it into a better scene having only one part burn and Molly and Arthur and Remus and Tonks, repelling the flames, Aguamenti-ing the shit out of it, and THEN going after Harry (and Ginny). Burning it up like that was visually stunning - the silhouette and all - but it makes very little sense story-wise. (And the ghoul! In the attic! Poor thing.)
2) No mention at all of Hufflepuff's cup. Or Dumbledore telling Harry about Tom's penchant for collecting trinkets. I don't know how they're going to reconcile that for DH unless portrait-Dumbledore plays more of a role, or his bequest includes more than the deluminator, the Beedle book and the snitch. (and the sword) I didn't need the whole pensieve scene, but there wasn't even a hint. Not to mention Slytherin's locket - how are they supposed to know which locket to even look for?
I thought the pensieve scenes were visually stunning and perfectly creepy. I didn't mind that they shortened them and even cut many of them, but they cut too much, I think. Yes, the Slughorn memory was vital for obtaining information on the number of horcruxes, but it's pretty important to know what those (potential) horcruxes ARE.
3) No glimpse at all of the Ravenclaw tiara, which doesn't bode well for including the fiendfyre scene. So I don't know.
Like I said, I thought the movie was well done, and I really enjoyed it, but the main point of HBP, beyond the shippy rom-com and even beyond the Snape backstory/characterization 'Prince' reveal, was the introduction of the horcruxes, and on that front, it failed miserably.
The one horcruxy thing they added that was brilliant though, was when Harry touched the ring, had that flashback, and cracked his neck in that Voldemort-y manner. That was fantastic and subtle enough.
So I'm left wondering how they're going to write these things into DH. Yes, they'll have two movies, but it feels like there's going to be more retconning than necessary. But not having seen the screenplay, I have no idea what the hell Kloves is thinking. So I guess we wait and see.
Things I wish could have been in but understand why they were cut:
1) Luna's Quidditch commentary. Evanna would have been brilliant, too. Ah well.
2) Scrimgeour and Harry telling him off at Christmas. We'll get Scrimgeour next movie, but it won't be the same.
3) The DA + Remus, Tonks, Bill, McGonagall and Flitwick fighting the DE's. Would have been a brilliant scene.
4) Moaning Myrtle in the Sectumsempra scene.
5) MOAR NEVILLE!
Things I loved in particular, in no particular order:
1) LUNA!
2) Harry and Ron lying in their beds talking about Hermione and Ginny's skin. Hee! Awkward conversation is love! (And all the while Harry looking at Draco on the map!)
3) Draco. The cabinet scenes, the Sectumsempra scene, and the scene with Dumbledore in the tower. His best performance yet.
4) PINCERS! *clack* *clack* *clack* Really, so many humourous moments in this film, which were all well done, but Harry on Felix was fantastic!
5) The potions lesson. Harry and Ron fighting over the book, Harry making his perfect potion, and Hermione all frantic.
6) QUIDDITCH! Yeah, I know lots of people hate quidditch, but I love it, and Ron was awesome!
6a) The Quidditch tryouts. Oh, Cormac, you arrogant, gorgeous, arse.
7) The Slug Club. Pudding! And Cormac flirting with Hermione. :-P
8) The Christmas party scene. And after Draco gets thrown out, Harry eavesdropping on Snape and Draco.
9) The creepiness of the pensieve scenes. Cinematically, they were gorgeous, but I really wanted to see Dumbledore's pimp suit! :-P
10) Ron under the influence of the love potion. God, I love Rupert!
11) Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes - the shop was perfect, except for the lack of the U No Poo sign. And the trio sneaking out after Draco - that scene at Borgin and Burke's was nicely done!
12) Spinner's End. Shortened, but they left in enough of the substance. The unbreakable vow was cool. As was Snape slamming the door in Wormtail's face. Hee!
13) The canary scene.
14) Harry/Ginny. They did a really nice job building it up.
15) The students lighting their wands to banish the dark mark. That was a lovely touch, very moving, and made the lack of the funeral acceptable.
I'm sure I can think of many more, but that's enough for now. Oh! 16) Damn - Blaise was HAWT!
I'm going to see it again tomorrow with my sis and kids. (This way, when they have to go to the bathroom ten times during the movie, I can take them so my sis doesn't have to miss any of it! *g*)