#126
Posted: 7/19/11 at 1:27pm
The one thing that I think the film did not make clear to those who haven't read the books is how/ why Draco became a stand-in for Harry in the Forbidden Forest.
Saw Harry Potter Part Two — Page 6
#127
Posted: 7/19/11 at 4:51pm
I think that is why the movie series is so great. Always differing opinions of favorites and least favorites. Something for everyone.
Re: The Half-Blood Prince. I did not mind the Ron and Hermione stuff. It was cute and funny whereas the Ginny and Harry relationship, that never really got proper footing in the movies, was awkward and funny for the wrong reasons (tying his shoe laces?). I would have taken out the Quidditch stuff, which I know was the source between a lot of the Ron-Hermione tension, and put more of Voldemort's memories too, and had just been a lot more subtle on the Harry-Ginny writing.
Re: The Half-Blood Prince. I did not mind the Ron and Hermione stuff. It was cute and funny whereas the Ginny and Harry relationship, that never really got proper footing in the movies, was awkward and funny for the wrong reasons (tying his shoe laces?). I would have taken out the Quidditch stuff, which I know was the source between a lot of the Ron-Hermione tension, and put more of Voldemort's memories too, and had just been a lot more subtle on the Harry-Ginny writing.
#128
Posted: 7/19/11 at 5:36pm
I loved Harry and Ginny in the books. In the movies, though, it's so, so awkward. It may have something to do with the fact that Bonnie Wright is incapable of showing emotions, but I'm not sure.
"I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land."
#129
Posted: 7/19/11 at 6:50pm
The film broke another record. After breaking the records for the highest midnight gross, opening day gross, and opening weekend gross the film has now achieved the highest four day total in the U.S. and Canada.
'Potter' Sets Four-Day Record
'Potter' Sets Four-Day Record
#130
Posted: 7/19/11 at 10:42pm
Yesterday, I saw it for the third time, and I still love it. Beat Order of the Phoenix for my favorite of the series. I think this one probably strayed the furthest from the book yet stayed unbelievably faithful to it at the same time in its emotions, which is exactly what it needs to do. I realized the thing that annoys me so much, though, in the dialogue of the movies--people always use their antecedents after the sentence. It's so annoying because I don't know anyone who speaks that way. "Does it hurt, dying?" "Is he alive, Draco?" and many more. It's such a strange speech pattern. But I'm glad I finally figured out what has been bugging me for a while.
On the subject of the quality of the other movies, I would rank them (from best to worst): 8, 5, 3, 6, 7, 1, 4, 2. Chamber of Secrets really suffered from staying too faithful to the book. By keeping almost everything from the book, it became really long and just boring. That one is also my least favorite book, as I think it really doesn't reach the depth in emotion that the other ones do. I also was quite disappointed by the fourth movie because I thought that the action sequences were way too long and everything else was way too short. It was a bad attempt at cutting down one of the longest books. Order of the Phoenix, on the other hand, did a great job at it with its use of montages to cover in a few minutes what took the book a lot more time.
On the subject of the quality of the other movies, I would rank them (from best to worst): 8, 5, 3, 6, 7, 1, 4, 2. Chamber of Secrets really suffered from staying too faithful to the book. By keeping almost everything from the book, it became really long and just boring. That one is also my least favorite book, as I think it really doesn't reach the depth in emotion that the other ones do. I also was quite disappointed by the fourth movie because I thought that the action sequences were way too long and everything else was way too short. It was a bad attempt at cutting down one of the longest books. Order of the Phoenix, on the other hand, did a great job at it with its use of montages to cover in a few minutes what took the book a lot more time.
#131
Posted: 7/20/11 at 12:25am
Order of the Phoenix was SUCH an enjoyable book, but the movie did not go nearly as deep as it should have. The film felt like calm before the storm but the book felt so dark. It's the book I remember the most vividly, because of Harry's dreams about the doors. The opening scene of OotP is my favorite out of all of them though.
"I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land."
#132
Posted: 7/20/11 at 11:02am
plotwise, I thought the screenwriters did a great job adapting pt 2. Loved the movie, cried hardest when the script stuck to the book nearly verbatim. Coupla things bothered me, so *****SPOILERS****
As mentioned, the glossing-over of Tonks and Lupin's baby
Hermione and her new ease of flying on dragons & brooms.
the quiet in the Hall post-voldemort death
the "mundane finality" of tom riddle displayed as a really bad case of post-mortem voldemort dandruff
but the biggest plot disconnect was Harry not repairing his wand prior to the end. I hope this was merely an editing oversight that will end up in a director's cut somewhere.
As mentioned, the glossing-over of Tonks and Lupin's baby
Hermione and her new ease of flying on dragons & brooms.
the quiet in the Hall post-voldemort death
the "mundane finality" of tom riddle displayed as a really bad case of post-mortem voldemort dandruff
but the biggest plot disconnect was Harry not repairing his wand prior to the end. I hope this was merely an editing oversight that will end up in a director's cut somewhere.
#133
Posted: 7/20/11 at 11:36am
Yeah, definitely agree about Bonnie Right's acting -- I think she's one of the only bad ones.
Re: straying from the book, I thought it was the one that stuck closest to the book since Chamber of Secrets, mainly because in being 2 parts, it only had to cover a third of the book. Of course, it strayed--
SPOILERS for those who haven't read the book--
no repair of the wand as you mentioned, much less about Dumbledore's life, not mentioning the blood thing as to why Voldy couldn't kill Harry (and speaking of Voldy, no quote from Peeves about Voldy going Moldy...darn), no return of Percy (which I can't remember if the movies showed how bad Percy got and if they did, that's bad that they didn't redeem him), no seeing Fred's death, and having the ghost reveal where the diadem is rather than Harry remembering, and the lack of Teddy...but otherwise it stuck pretty close I think. Much closer than the others, there wasn't any moment maybe aside from Peeves where I was like I can't believe they left that out, or made it more confusing to the movie watcher (I guess the movie made it seem like Voldy couldn't kill Harry because of the wand?), R&H's kiss didn't take place after Ron said the house elves shouldn't die (and Harry didn't get to be all awkward during it, boo) yeah...okay, that may seem like a lot but compare it to HBP and GOF and forget it...there were so much left out of those that made it confusing. Of course most of these I remembered after rereading the book right after the movie, the only ones I noticed in the movie were the diadem and less about Dumbledore, so they def covered the important points.
Littlegreen, funny, I loved the Phoenix movie because I didn't think it was quite so dark Different strokes I guess.
Re: straying from the book, I thought it was the one that stuck closest to the book since Chamber of Secrets, mainly because in being 2 parts, it only had to cover a third of the book. Of course, it strayed--
SPOILERS for those who haven't read the book--
no repair of the wand as you mentioned, much less about Dumbledore's life, not mentioning the blood thing as to why Voldy couldn't kill Harry (and speaking of Voldy, no quote from Peeves about Voldy going Moldy...darn), no return of Percy (which I can't remember if the movies showed how bad Percy got and if they did, that's bad that they didn't redeem him), no seeing Fred's death, and having the ghost reveal where the diadem is rather than Harry remembering, and the lack of Teddy...but otherwise it stuck pretty close I think. Much closer than the others, there wasn't any moment maybe aside from Peeves where I was like I can't believe they left that out, or made it more confusing to the movie watcher (I guess the movie made it seem like Voldy couldn't kill Harry because of the wand?), R&H's kiss didn't take place after Ron said the house elves shouldn't die (and Harry didn't get to be all awkward during it, boo) yeah...okay, that may seem like a lot but compare it to HBP and GOF and forget it...there were so much left out of those that made it confusing. Of course most of these I remembered after rereading the book right after the movie, the only ones I noticed in the movie were the diadem and less about Dumbledore, so they def covered the important points.
Littlegreen, funny, I loved the Phoenix movie because I didn't think it was quite so dark
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
#134
Posted: 7/20/11 at 6:52pm
After seeing it twice, and talking with some people, here's my qualm. Do I really have to say spoilers?
SPOILERS!
In the film, are the rules of the horcruxes supposed to be different? it seems that Voldermort just vanished into thin air after the Nagini was killed. Because Harry's spell did not touch him. he just kind of.......flaked away.
In the books, Harry uses Expelliarmus and Voldy uses Avada Kadavra, and Harry's spell knocks Voldy's wand out of his hand, and the curse rebounds back on Voldy, killing him. I don't understand why the film needed the difference. I would understand if it needed to be more cinematic, which is why it's find that the climax included the "Let's finish this the was we started....TOGETHA" scene where they both fly around Hogwarts one last time.....that is effective. But I think David Yates or Steve Kloves' decision to end it the new way actually made it LESS cinematic.
I just didn't get it. Am I missing something?
SPOILERS!
In the film, are the rules of the horcruxes supposed to be different? it seems that Voldermort just vanished into thin air after the Nagini was killed. Because Harry's spell did not touch him. he just kind of.......flaked away.
In the books, Harry uses Expelliarmus and Voldy uses Avada Kadavra, and Harry's spell knocks Voldy's wand out of his hand, and the curse rebounds back on Voldy, killing him. I don't understand why the film needed the difference. I would understand if it needed to be more cinematic, which is why it's find that the climax included the "Let's finish this the was we started....TOGETHA" scene where they both fly around Hogwarts one last time.....that is effective. But I think David Yates or Steve Kloves' decision to end it the new way actually made it LESS cinematic.
I just didn't get it. Am I missing something?
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
#135
Posted: 7/20/11 at 6:53pm
Also, what happened to the kid playing Crabbe, or Goyle, whichever one it was? why the random replacement kid during the Fiend fire scene?
Odd.
Odd.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
#136
Posted: 7/20/11 at 6:55pm
A few years, ago, the actor who plays Crabbe was arrested for growing Marijuana and hasn't been in the movies since, so this one decided to use Blaise Zabini (who had a small role in Half Blood Prince) in his place.
#137
Posted: 7/20/11 at 6:57pm
was that his decision or the production's decision?
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
#138
Posted: 7/20/11 at 8:34pm
Saw it today and loved it.
The first two films were okay but weak so I was very glad they changed directors. Loved all the films and directing after that.
Love all the characters but the actor who plays Draco has always been my favorite. I was so sad in the first movie that they had cast him as the "bad boy." Loved the scene with him on the broom with Harry in this film. Always thought Draco's parents were ferociously terrific actors and, like Draco, the best lookers in the films.
I read the books long ago, so the text may be different, but my interpretation when Harry is informed that Draco's wand has changed allegiance was that not just the wand but also we find Draco has been changing allegiance to Harry (he didn't tell Bellatrix Harry was there back when). And it seemed implied that Draco's mother also had changed allegiance in Draco's comment that her wand (which he was using) wasn't acting quite right. And then she protects the resurrected Harry from Voldemort. I felt the Malfoy family was ditching Voldemort at the end and they had to talk to Draco to learn that Harry had saved him. Loved seeing Draco with a child in the epilogue, but I didn't catch who he had married? Anybody see?
Was there a marriage and a child between Luna and Longbottom in the epilogue or did they just forget them?
I liked it so much I want to see it again, may even spring for 3D this time to see the difference.
The first two films were okay but weak so I was very glad they changed directors. Loved all the films and directing after that.
Love all the characters but the actor who plays Draco has always been my favorite. I was so sad in the first movie that they had cast him as the "bad boy." Loved the scene with him on the broom with Harry in this film. Always thought Draco's parents were ferociously terrific actors and, like Draco, the best lookers in the films.
I read the books long ago, so the text may be different, but my interpretation when Harry is informed that Draco's wand has changed allegiance was that not just the wand but also we find Draco has been changing allegiance to Harry (he didn't tell Bellatrix Harry was there back when). And it seemed implied that Draco's mother also had changed allegiance in Draco's comment that her wand (which he was using) wasn't acting quite right. And then she protects the resurrected Harry from Voldemort. I felt the Malfoy family was ditching Voldemort at the end and they had to talk to Draco to learn that Harry had saved him. Loved seeing Draco with a child in the epilogue, but I didn't catch who he had married? Anybody see?
Was there a marriage and a child between Luna and Longbottom in the epilogue or did they just forget them?
I liked it so much I want to see it again, may even spring for 3D this time to see the difference.
#139
Posted: 7/20/11 at 9:22pm
In a 2007 interview, JK Rowling related the fates of several characters:
Draco married Astoria Greengrass, the younger sister of his Slytherin housemate Daphne Greengrass. They had a son, Scorpius Hyperion (it was a Black family tradition to name males after constellations).
Luna married later in life than her Hogwarts friends. She became the wizardry equivalent of a naturalist and married a fellow naturalist named Rolf Scamander. Luna and Rolf had twin boys, Lorcan and Lysander.
Neville returned to Hogwarts as a professor of Herbology. He married fellow Hogwarts student Hannah Abbott, who then became the new landlady of the Leaky Cauldron. Rowling doesn't know if they had any children. If she doesn't know, then who would?
Draco married Astoria Greengrass, the younger sister of his Slytherin housemate Daphne Greengrass. They had a son, Scorpius Hyperion (it was a Black family tradition to name males after constellations).
Luna married later in life than her Hogwarts friends. She became the wizardry equivalent of a naturalist and married a fellow naturalist named Rolf Scamander. Luna and Rolf had twin boys, Lorcan and Lysander.
Neville returned to Hogwarts as a professor of Herbology. He married fellow Hogwarts student Hannah Abbott, who then became the new landlady of the Leaky Cauldron. Rowling doesn't know if they had any children. If she doesn't know, then who would?
#140
Posted: 7/20/11 at 9:28pm
I'm obsessed with JK Rowling's brain.
"I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land."
#141
Posted: 7/20/11 at 9:35pm
Littlegreen - me, too - and her heart. I'm actually somewhat obsessed with her, and what she's given to the planet.
#143
Posted: 7/20/11 at 10:12pm
Q - Yes, me too. I believe she is personally responsible for a generation of children who love to read, because of Harry Potter. I'm 17, so the lessons she instilled in me as a child are ones that I will carry with me forever. So grateful.
"I will not cease from mental fight, nor shall my sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land."
#144
Posted: 7/20/11 at 10:37pm
Little - I agree about the reading thing - I'm an unabashed bibliophile! - but what has struck me the most is her gift of unity. We live in increasingly fractious times, with people more and more being asked to confront each other on a worldwide basis. And the results are often the repeat of history - dissension and chaos.
But her little offering became a flashpoint of unity, an increasingly difficult (if not impossible) experience.
I treasure the thought of people, of all ages and locales, joining together in the experience of joy and rapture. It gives me hope, where hope is sometimes hard to find.
But her little offering became a flashpoint of unity, an increasingly difficult (if not impossible) experience.
I treasure the thought of people, of all ages and locales, joining together in the experience of joy and rapture. It gives me hope, where hope is sometimes hard to find.
#145
Posted: 7/21/11 at 12:42am
I couldn't agree more--I find JK Rowling and her personal story fascinating and deeply inspiring. She created something truly brilliant and mesmerizing.
#146
Posted: 7/21/11 at 12:53am
Saw it today and enjoyed it. The 2 hours fly by.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#147
Posted: 7/21/11 at 10:07am
Professor McGonagall was the best part of the film for me. Dame Maggie Smith is a bad ass. I love the Boom line.
"Yes BOOM"
"Yes BOOM"
#148
Posted: 7/21/11 at 4:21pm
Short vid of a happy Tom Felton. Can't wait to see him in more films.
Draco speaks!
Draco speaks!
#149
Posted: 7/23/11 at 11:23pm
I went back to see the film for a second time and it was just as amazing as the first time I saw it. I also enjoyed Daniel, Rupert, and Emma's acting more this time.
#150
Posted: 7/23/11 at 11:39pm
Saw it again today, this time in IMAX 3D. Loved it even more this time...though I still have a couple of quibbles, mainly with the ending.
I thought that it was important for the Harry/Voldemort faceoff (and Voldemort's ultimate death) to take place in the Great Hall, in front of everyone, as it's done in the book. The moment had much more finality that way, since EVERYONE (not just Harry) saw Voldemort die.
I also wish the epilogue had included the tidbit from the novel about Neville going on to become Hogwarts' Herbology Professor. Speaking of the epilogue, I have no idea why they didn't show all of Harry's children. My friend, who didn't read the books said, "How come Harry didn't name his son James? That's kind of obnoxious." And it would be, but in the novel's epilogue, Harry has 5 kids, one of which is named James, another of which is named Lily, so it makes sense to name his next son after Dumbledore and Snape.
Other than minor things like that, I still loved it. Rickman and Smith were both outstanding, and I still got teary-eyed when Neville had his moment of triumph.
I thought that it was important for the Harry/Voldemort faceoff (and Voldemort's ultimate death) to take place in the Great Hall, in front of everyone, as it's done in the book. The moment had much more finality that way, since EVERYONE (not just Harry) saw Voldemort die.
I also wish the epilogue had included the tidbit from the novel about Neville going on to become Hogwarts' Herbology Professor. Speaking of the epilogue, I have no idea why they didn't show all of Harry's children. My friend, who didn't read the books said, "How come Harry didn't name his son James? That's kind of obnoxious." And it would be, but in the novel's epilogue, Harry has 5 kids, one of which is named James, another of which is named Lily, so it makes sense to name his next son after Dumbledore and Snape.
Other than minor things like that, I still loved it. Rickman and Smith were both outstanding, and I still got teary-eyed when Neville had his moment of triumph.
Updated On: 7/23/11 at 11:39 PM
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