Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part I Finally
I don't think anyone would be spoiled by me thinking this was
Best HP movie to this date? You bet. It will probably stand as the best in the end, it just had so many great scenes AMAZINGLY executed. Splitting it in two films was ingenious! Cynical critics have no idea what they are talking about. Finally there was time for (almost) everything that's good.
Malfoy Manor in the beginning: This is a first in that the scene was better than I could have imagined, better than in canon, even though it was fantastic in the book. Witty Voldemort, desperate Lucius, distraught Draco, childish Bellatrix, silently suffering Snape ... even nervous Pius or what his name is. It was just beautiful!
For a second I was nervous if Charity would say "Severus, please", but of course she did and the added "We're friends" just turned the blade around in your, or Snape's, heart in the best possible way. I could immediately picture them drinking the night away at Hogwarts all "Oh, that's so interesting you grew up with Muggles!" "It sucked.". Then he would go on a rant that would include something like TV and she would would say "TELEVISION, how fascinating! Tell me about it!" and he would explain how it's lame and just there for his useless father to spend his pathetic life watching football and she would say "FOOTBALL OMG Muggles have so much patience watching a sport with one ball that hardly ever reaches its goal!" and Snape would answer "Yes, my father watching a football game is the very image of patience and virtue." and I should probably stop now.
Then she died and it was gruesome. Draco not fainting was another great decision, of course.
Also interesting how the movie made a point of Sev intently watching Lucius' humiliation. What exactly was he thinking or feeling? I need to watch the scene again before I can decide on an interpretation. Maybe it was just "Whoa, damn!"?
The 7 Potters: Loved DanRad as Hermione! Obviously the twins and Fleur were hilarious and everything was well done.
The Ministry: Epic. The adults were so great. I'm especially partial to wide eyed Hermione, but everyone I talk to has a different favorite in that trio. It was all so creepy, beautiful, amusing, I don't even know what to say about it but Epic.
The trio on the run: If muggle London or camping everything just ruled. Beautifully shot and well played. Especially Rupert Grint was giving an impressive performance again. In this movie, like in GoF and PS, he just shines.
Oh, Harry and Hermione dancing to Nick Cave was so cute. I could have cried. It was made a point in the book as well that Harry was trying to be there for her and be a good friend, I don't remember how exactly, but they couldn't have summed it up any cuter. Jesus Christ, people who think this scene was Steve Kloves was trying to be shippy....
Evil Harry/Hermione: Again something that was probably better than I could have imagined. Beautiful but unreal and scary... I couldn't really remember that part well until I saw it.
Godric's Hollow: Creepy shit, great scene. They were toning down the gore when the snake came out of Bathilda's body, weren't they, making it all magical? It was perfect either way.
Dumbledore/Grindelwald backstory:
Oh, hey there Gelly!
I think it was set up perfectly. Elphias, Muriel, Bathilda, Skeeter... everything was there and that is an accomplishment given the film-unfriendly way the information was presented in the book. I was a little irritated, perhaps, by Grindelwald just giving away the location of the wand, but for the movie that was the perfect solution. Voldemort needed to get that death stick already.
The Lovegoods <3 The Tale of the Three Brothers? Amazing! That part was a little boring to read, but of course a highlight in the movie. My heart belongs to David Yates, it really does.
Every character was treated so well. The twins were so adorable and, yes, hilarious. The way Lupin was all "PRETTY CLOSE TO A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN HERE, OKAY?!" I think the movie made me like him again. He just can't really deal, OKAY?!
Also, the Hogwarts Express bit. "Hey, losers!" <3 Well played, movie.
Sadly Ginny is just a hopeless case.
Malfoy Manor in end: What is there to say? The snatchers were amazing. Draco, LUCIUS, BELLATRIX? Better than ever. I never cried or much cared for Dobby in the book, but, holy shit, I got it in the film. "Dobby is a free elf!". I might be crying right now.
Disappointments?
* They didn't mention it was Snape who cut off George's ear, right? I think they should have.
* So they didn't show bb Regulus or go into the gruesomeness and tragedy of his death and Kreacher's life, but they gave the important info and everything about the scene was well done and interesting, especially Kreacher and Dobby(!) just being adorable, I can't be mad.
* Implying that Harry meets Bill for the first time was dumb. "Hey, how are you?" "Fine, just maimed by a werewolf a bit." would not only have worked as well, it would have worked better.
* Dudley reconciliation. I get that they wanted Harry, Hermione and Ron to be mostly silent for pacing reasons, but it would have just been very nice and easy to do.
All in all the movie still gets an O+.
So much for my two cents, or 200!
AND BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH A POLL:
Poll
Best HP movie to this date? You bet. It will probably stand as the best in the end, it just had so many great scenes AMAZINGLY executed. Splitting it in two films was ingenious! Cynical critics have no idea what they are talking about. Finally there was time for (almost) everything that's good.
Malfoy Manor in the beginning: This is a first in that the scene was better than I could have imagined, better than in canon, even though it was fantastic in the book. Witty Voldemort, desperate Lucius, distraught Draco, childish Bellatrix, silently suffering Snape ... even nervous Pius or what his name is. It was just beautiful!
For a second I was nervous if Charity would say "Severus, please", but of course she did and the added "We're friends" just turned the blade around in your, or Snape's, heart in the best possible way. I could immediately picture them drinking the night away at Hogwarts all "Oh, that's so interesting you grew up with Muggles!" "It sucked.". Then he would go on a rant that would include something like TV and she would would say "TELEVISION, how fascinating! Tell me about it!" and he would explain how it's lame and just there for his useless father to spend his pathetic life watching football and she would say "FOOTBALL OMG Muggles have so much patience watching a sport with one ball that hardly ever reaches its goal!" and Snape would answer "Yes, my father watching a football game is the very image of patience and virtue." and I should probably stop now.
Then she died and it was gruesome. Draco not fainting was another great decision, of course.
Also interesting how the movie made a point of Sev intently watching Lucius' humiliation. What exactly was he thinking or feeling? I need to watch the scene again before I can decide on an interpretation. Maybe it was just "Whoa, damn!"?
The 7 Potters: Loved DanRad as Hermione! Obviously the twins and Fleur were hilarious and everything was well done.
The Ministry: Epic. The adults were so great. I'm especially partial to wide eyed Hermione, but everyone I talk to has a different favorite in that trio. It was all so creepy, beautiful, amusing, I don't even know what to say about it but Epic.
The trio on the run: If muggle London or camping everything just ruled. Beautifully shot and well played. Especially Rupert Grint was giving an impressive performance again. In this movie, like in GoF and PS, he just shines.
Oh, Harry and Hermione dancing to Nick Cave was so cute. I could have cried. It was made a point in the book as well that Harry was trying to be there for her and be a good friend, I don't remember how exactly, but they couldn't have summed it up any cuter. Jesus Christ, people who think this scene was Steve Kloves was trying to be shippy....
Evil Harry/Hermione: Again something that was probably better than I could have imagined. Beautiful but unreal and scary... I couldn't really remember that part well until I saw it.
Godric's Hollow: Creepy shit, great scene. They were toning down the gore when the snake came out of Bathilda's body, weren't they, making it all magical? It was perfect either way.
Dumbledore/Grindelwald backstory:
Oh, hey there Gelly!
I think it was set up perfectly. Elphias, Muriel, Bathilda, Skeeter... everything was there and that is an accomplishment given the film-unfriendly way the information was presented in the book. I was a little irritated, perhaps, by Grindelwald just giving away the location of the wand, but for the movie that was the perfect solution. Voldemort needed to get that death stick already.
The Lovegoods <3 The Tale of the Three Brothers? Amazing! That part was a little boring to read, but of course a highlight in the movie. My heart belongs to David Yates, it really does.
Every character was treated so well. The twins were so adorable and, yes, hilarious. The way Lupin was all "PRETTY CLOSE TO A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN HERE, OKAY?!" I think the movie made me like him again. He just can't really deal, OKAY?!
Also, the Hogwarts Express bit. "Hey, losers!" <3 Well played, movie.
Sadly Ginny is just a hopeless case.
Malfoy Manor in end: What is there to say? The snatchers were amazing. Draco, LUCIUS, BELLATRIX? Better than ever. I never cried or much cared for Dobby in the book, but, holy shit, I got it in the film. "Dobby is a free elf!". I might be crying right now.
Disappointments?
* They didn't mention it was Snape who cut off George's ear, right? I think they should have.
* So they didn't show bb Regulus or go into the gruesomeness and tragedy of his death and Kreacher's life, but they gave the important info and everything about the scene was well done and interesting, especially Kreacher and Dobby(!) just being adorable, I can't be mad.
* Implying that Harry meets Bill for the first time was dumb. "Hey, how are you?" "Fine, just maimed by a werewolf a bit." would not only have worked as well, it would have worked better.
* Dudley reconciliation. I get that they wanted Harry, Hermione and Ron to be mostly silent for pacing reasons, but it would have just been very nice and easy to do.
All in all the movie still gets an O+.
So much for my two cents, or 200!
AND BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH A POLL:
Poll