No discussion yet? Surely SOMEONE'S seen it already. Oh, and I saw the preview for "The Golden Compass" tonight. Damn did it look awesome on the big screen! Waiting for December.

Cher

I saw it once, and tonight we're going to the IMAX 3D thingy.

this one doesn't seem to move along as swimmingly as goblet, but that's the story/book issue too.

it was darker like so many of the participants said. one thing that was GREAT: it was much easier to relate to harry's attitude/situation in the film (vs. the book). maybe it's just me, but it sort of dawned on me that not only was he going through enormous change/difficulty, but the boy wasn't sleeping. if i had nightmares or mind issues all night, i'd be quite a beeyotch too...

I got that a lot better in the movie too Jaem. I remember bitching about Harry's teen attitude after reading Order, but seeing the interaction on screen helped solidify (for me) what he was going through. I do think that they toned down the ALL CAPS LOCK Harry that Jo wrote too though.

I loved the movie (seen it twice now, cause I'm a big drok.) Obviously I wished that there could be more to the story, like expanding the Snape's Worst Memory scene and adding back in St. Mungo's, but I understand that there are time/budget restraints. Since the third film, I've been enjoying the movies as a supplimental material to the books. It's really allowed me to enjoy them in their own right without comparing every little change with what's going on in the real story. The only serious beef for me, and one that I think really affected the story as a whole, is the way they wrapped the movie up. I really needed to see Harry smashing all DD's shit and being pissed off before the whole explanation of the prophecy. IMO, it really detracted from the end of this film.

Highlights for me were Fred and George through out the entire film. Not only their leaving scene (which was awesome,) but also the way they presented the skiving snackboxes. Also how they comforted the younger (maybe 1st year) after a detention with Umbridge. I think it did a lot for their characters. Also, the Dept. of Mysteries scene (in it's entirety) was fantastic. I wasn't upset at all about them taking out the circular room or anything like that. It may have been nice to see the DA fight a bit more, but Ginny's Reductor curse was flippin' sweet, as was the fight between DD and LV. And my favorite scene throughout the entire film was probably in the Gryffendor Common Room after Harry/Cho's make-out. I thought the trio seemed their most natural in this scene, and the way they interracted just plain gave me the warm and fuzzies.

<----too excited for Friday night. heh.

I liked that scene as well. It really, really seemed so very natural to me as well. I hate to say it, but it was almost sweet.

I also liked Luna A LOT. I thought they did a wonderful job casting her.

Neville, I thought, kicked ass this time around as well.

I'm currently rereading the book, and I was disappointed that they left the Mrs. D's owl letter out. Still dying to see where that pop's up in book 7. It's just gotta!! Or, did it come up in book 6, and I've simply forgotten?

Cher

Yes, how could I not mention. . . .the casting in this movie (and all the movies, really) has been absolutely wonderful. Evanna Lynch just is Luna Lovegood. I also like the woman who played Tonks, and of course, Bellatrix could be played by no one else after seeing Helena Bohnam in the role.

Agreed all the way around. The one thing I didn't like was Hagrid's half-brother. I thought they could have done that part better.

It was ok. Everything was pretty good--but for the script. For the first half of the film, they were getting most of it right--esp. the feel. But then it all fell apart...super disappointing.

Unforgivable:
* no shot of the parchment during detention so the audience can see he's writing lines in his own blood
* Cho as D.A. traitor and Harry coldly walking past her
* Harry seeing a hackneyed version of Snape's worst memory--on his own! (Such a lack of respect for Snape...)
* the prophesy heard at Harry's touch
* no explanation at the end as to Kreacher's role in Sirius' death
* the virtually nonexistent talk between Dumbledore and Harry at the end
* no mention of Neville as the possible subject of the prophesy

The shot of Aberforth and the goat did make me smile, though.

They came so close to having a great film on their hands, but I guess I should be grateful that Kreacher stayed--supposedly Jo had to fight to make sure he was kept in.

Yeah - that bothered me about Cho as well.

Cher

Meh. It's a film and stuff tends to get cut from a novel. Personally, I think 3+ hours should have been provided. Too much editing.

Personally, I found some of that stuff forgivable with the arrival of Natalia Tena as Tonks:

she ain't ugly.

Sure--which is why I didn't list how the trip to St. Mungo's was cut, etc. But most of these things--like the camera not even moving over three inches to show Harry writing in his own blood--were simply bad calls on the part of the director. I just felt like the depth of the mystery and grim tone of the book was missing from the movie. And sure, cut out Harry and Cho's first date--but don't have him coldly walking past her when she wasn't even guilty.

The Snape thing was pretty bad. Harry is *never* able to get into Snape's head--he's a failure at the classes Dumbledore set him, and his procrastination is one of the key factors that led to Sirius' death. He accidentally sees the memory via the Pensieve--not a freak moment of being skilled enough to break into Snape's mind. (And I bet Yates is feeling pretty stupid now that he didn't include the other main player in that memory...)

But my main problem is how they gutted the entire Prophesy plot. It's the whole point of the novel--and to barely even mention how it came to be Dumbledore's and what it meant that Neville could've been the true intended subject...it was so simplistic as to be meaningless.

I'll stop complaining, though. It was much better than the fourth film!

And she's Spanish (although born in England) and her dream is to work for Almodóvar someday...

Ok, good things: the cast. Many good things with the cast. (And so glad that Hermione calmed down for this one!) Of course, I still have yet to hear what Evanna Lynch's voice sounds like, as I've only been able to see the film dubbed in Spanish...but I am looking forward to seeing it again in the original English.

No, she's not!




I still think a story as complicated as this should have warranted a 3-hour film (at least). It's not like people wouldn't sit through it.

hm, I remember seeing the parchent though. it had been a while since I had read the book and I remember thinking "hm, does the ink look like blood?...wasn't that what it was?" and then the camera showed the writing appear on his hand and I concluded that yes, they're saying that the ink was his blood.

I had seen Natalia Tena in the movie About A Boy and knew she'd make a great Tonks. I just wish they had given her short, spiky hair like she's has in the book. and more scenes and lines! gosh.

(pic from About A Boy)

I didn't remember liking Luna that much when I read the book but I loved her in the movie. and Umbridge and Bellatrix were perfect.

I didn't like Cho in the book or the movie and it didn't bother me that in the movie she was the traitor.

... double posted ... sorry. See below.

I began rereading OotP with the plan of finishing the reread before seeing the movie but ended up seeing it before finishing. Well, I finished the reread last night. Yeah, leaving out the Prophesy part was more than a bit silly. There was so much I had forgotten since first reading the book. Perhaps that's why I prefer NOT to reread them before viewing the movie version?

Cher