Just saw the trailer for it the first time last night before Corpse Bride. WOW!!!

Man, I just don't get the whole Harry Potter thing.

The whole thing seems a bit contrived and stale to me. The films especially. I remember sitting through the first installment and thinking to myself, "the only way this could get worse is if it has a 'Scooby Doo' ending." Then, of course, the mask does, indeed, get pulled off the old man.

I got tricked by the trailer into see The Prisoner Of Azkaban, the best thing about which I can is say is it was better than the first film. I still felt insulted by the gaping plot holes, deux a machina rescues, and the total and utter lack of self-realization in the characters. I mean, c'mon! Harry spends half the movie believing his father is alive and rescued him from certain death only to find out in the film's climax that, in fact, he must rescue himself though a handy-dandy bit of time travel. Let's leave for a moment that the introduction of the time travel talisman, contrary to Chekov's 'gun in the scene' rule, comes so late in the film that you spend half the movie utterly confused, but this whole issue with who did/will rescue him should have created some major inner conflict and turmoil... unresolved abandonment issues and longing for a home, a place to belong... themes that are supposed to be central to the HP series, but in the end, Harry is positively glib about the fact that in the end he had to actually save himself when you would expect he would have been crushed to have to finally accept that any hope of his parents' return is false, that in fact this hope almost caused him to hesitate when he needed to act, and that in the end he should somehow resolve that he drew his strength from a feeling he perceived, a memory he imagined rather than blithely state "I knew I could do it!" as he flies off on his broom. There was an excellent opportunity for the character to experience some self-examination and develop some emotional depth and complexity and this was swept neatly under the rug.

That said, I too saw the trailer for The Goblet Of Fire before Corpse Bride (which I loved) and TGOF looks positively dreadful to me. More stock characters going through stock situations with some magical filigree to try and somehow trick us into thinking this isn't just half-rate teen fiction.

Ok... I'm ready to get flamed by all the Harry Potter fans. But when you do, please, please explain to me how this whole affair isn't just total crap. Seriously, because I just don't get the fascination everyone else seems to have. What am I missing?

Brad C.

Nah, Brad, I won't flame yah. Obviously the Harry Potter movies just ain't your cuppa tea. I'm assuming you've read the books and like them. I'm very particular in what I like film wise as well. For me, the HP movies are a simple escape. I go in only wanting the pleasure of watching the kids interact. I love how they have kept the same cast and poo-poo those who 'worry' that they are aging too much. Seems to me they are progressing right along - just as they are in the books. And, I LOVE seeing Hogwarts come alive on screen.

I wouldn't say that you're missing anything; you just haven't liked the movie formula, and that's not a bad thing.

Cher

yeah, the trailer looks great. looking forward to it.