order of the pheonix

[-Elise-]

but I'd have to say my favorite characters this time around were Neville and Luna.

True dat!

[Midsummer]

I liked POA the most too. but we all need to have a favourite one, right? Chris was great in this one looking very much smarmy and prat-like, which is how Percy is in the books. So thumbs way up. Wish they let him speak.

[sabby]

OOTP has definately been my favorite so far.
Contrary to most people seem to be saying, I absolutely despised GOF. I did enjoy the final scene, but the whole movie kind of felt like it was a slow lead up to that one scene. I felt like they kind of skipped out on any plot besides the absolute essentials, which was basically OH NOES MOODY ISNT MOODY OH LOOK CEDRIC. People were talking about not being able to afford or not having the time for more storyline, and yet there's a fifteen minute long dragon chase scene. I did however, enjoy the casting of the triwizard trio and wish they did more with them than what they managed.
I didn't end up seeing POA at the cinema, dad got it for me on dvd from a lady who had been in thailand. It was good quality, with a few funny moments of people coughing to boot. For some reason, until OOTP, I really just didn't buy the casting of Remus or Sirius for purely cosmetic reasons, and it's always in the facial hair. Remus reminded me of a blonder Hitler, and Sirius reminded me of a porn star. Either that, or I'm starting to get pergonaphobia.
My favorite after OOTP is Chamber. I don't know why, I just enjoyed watching it the first few hundred times I saw it, and it just sits well with me. It's also my favorite of the books, though both the movie and the book of PS always has a very special place in my heart.

[-Elise-]

For some reason, until OOTP, I really just didn't buy the casting of Remus or Sirius for purely cosmetic reasons, and it's always in the facial hair. Remus reminded me of a blonder Hitler, and Sirius reminded me of a porn star. Either that, or I'm starting to get pergonaphobia.

Yeah, I liked Lupin alright. I hated Lupin's facial hair in PoA as well. But I dunno, seeing him this time was really great. Like seeing a good friend after a long time, which is exactly how it's supposed to be. If he just didn't have that weird mustache in PoA it would have been fine. I don't think I liked how they made him as a werewolf either. I just didn't picture a werewolf to look like that. Not in HP anyways.

I think another big problem I had with PoA is they changed things (and I don't like change!). Like Hagrid's Hut location. The Whomping Willow looked different. Richard Harris was gone , and nothing against Michael Gambon, because he does a very good job and the best possible replacement, but ya know, Richard had that twinkle in the eye thing down pat. The fat lady in the portrait was different (and a different location I believe too). The uniforms changed (which ok, i can give ya that one, but it still changed).

[sabby]

I think another big problem I had with PoA is they changed things (and I don't like change!). Like Hagrid's Hut location. The Whomping Willow looked different. Richard Harris was gone , and nothing against Michael Gambon, because he does a very good job and the best possible replacement, but ya know, Richard had that twinkle in the eye thing down pat. The fat lady in the portrait was different (and a different location I believe too). The uniforms changed (which ok, i can give ya that one, but it still changed).

I know a few people who are watching the movie instead of reading the books (I know, I'm ashamed to know them as well) and I've had more than one person ask me who the marauders were and what the deal was with them.
I certainly don't mind some of the new Hogwarts (mostly after playing it on the wii) but I always pictured a nice slightly sloping field going to Hagrid's hut, and not a hill, just a nice large area for students to enjoy the outdoors without being near the forest.
I loved Dawn French as the fat lady, but it's mostly because I love Dawn French.
As for the uniforms, I keep getting the impression that they were only changed because the director of POA wanted to go for a darker feel. And I have to say, as a schoolgirl who went to a private school with a very english uniform (straw boater hats included) I was absolutely appauled to see Ginny wearing pants. I suffered enough wearing tights and skirts in the middle of winter, and there was so much variety of what you could choose with the uniform that I mean it was okay visually, but when you're putting together a uniform that's supposed to make the students look the same, it ends up just looking messy when there's three or four different kinds of jumpers you can wear. I also miss the geeky hats. They were cute.

I too prefer Richard Harris, but I'd much rather Michael Gabon to a reanimated corpse. So far, I've put it down to scripting, but Michael seems so harsh. To support this I link you to the following:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/51395716/

I rest my case.

[-Elise-]

Hahaha. That link is PERFECT! It's so true. I definately agree with you on all you said.

[Azure]

I got to see it last week in 3D, and very much enjoyed it. I didn't think I'd be too big on some of the casting, such as Umbridge, after viewing the trailer, but the acting more than made up for anything that messed up my mental images of characters. I wish it'd been a bit longer though, since I feel so many parts lacked explanation and I would LOVE to be glued to a screen watching my favorite stories for a ridiculously long time. I think this is my second favorite Harry Potter movie regardless (CoS will always have a special place with me), and I was blown away by how well the casting was done (Tonks was my favorite new cast, I believe). And special recognition to Chris Rankin for portraying Percy so well, even if I was highly disappointed that there were no speaking lines from him.

[Alby]

*Contains spoilers*

I enjoyed every minute of the film. I saw it in the West End Odeon where all the premieres take place, and couldn't help wondering whose famous arse had been sitting on my seat a few days earlier.

I think the main problem is that the books get longer and more intricate (even if OotP is a bit chaotic and incoherent) but the films try to stay within the 2-3 hour threshold, which they really can't help, cause they don't want kids taking four trips to the loo and parents snoring loudly.

ANYWAY, I'm rambling already. What I meant to say is that there isn't enough time in the films to explain all that's going on in the books, which since PoA have got quite chunky. I got the impression with the OotP film that there's just too much rushing around and too little attention to detail. (Couldn't they do an extended edition version of every film when they've all come out? Or even better... a Harry Potter TV series? Wa-hey!)

My favourite things about this film were... Imelda. I HATE HER. She's soooo good. And I agree with you, guys, I think Neville and Luna are quite good. Dan is maturing nicely, too, although Rupert's comic spark is going because of the general darkness of the films. Emma is less posing and more natural.... It's sad to see Hagrid being relegated to the margins, though, but I guess the ending of the second film was enough of a highlight. *Winks at Lynn*

Anyway, yeah. That's it.

[Lynn]

THERE'S NO HOGWARTS WITHOUT YOU HAGRID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[-Elise-]

THERE'S NO HOGWARTS WITHOUT YOU HAGRID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

::GROAN::