Wasted time in a tight movie

[norsecode]

Obviously, there were major time constraints on the movie.  As a 
result, many things were cut that we all wanted to see.  Hmmm... I 
think I shall post a poll to see which scenes we are most disgruntled 
over seeing deleted.  But first...

Okay, there are two scenes that I thought were a waste of time in a 
movie where time is EVERYTHING.  

1) Dumbledore using the Put-Outer in the opening sequence.  What an 
idiotic waste of time!  Even when I read the book I thought to 
myself, well that's something that could be deleted for the movie.  
And what bothers me furthermore, is the fact that even after he uses 
the stupid thing, there are still lights on in the street (on houses, 
granted, but light nonetheless)!  When I read the book, I totally got 
the impression that it got completely dark, and it was akin to 
stopping time.  But in the movie, it has no effect whatsoever.  
Grrr.  And to think of all the scenes that could have been added in 
place of that one!!

2) And I know most of you will disagree: the scene where Harry takes 
Hedwig out to the courtyard and sets her loose.  I know, it's a nice 
scene, a pretty scene, and some even say that it shows Harry "letting 
go" after the Mirror of Erised scene, but really, nothing was 
established.  I suppose you can argue that we see Harry bonding with 
Hedwig, but we saw that in the night scene the first night at 
Hogwarts.  And granted, I like the bird's eye view of Hogwarts and 
all, but there are scene's I'd rather have seen.

Okay, so what scenes could have been added in those short time 
spans?  Well how about....

1) Hagrid blowing up at the Dursleys for not telling Harry about his 
parents being wizards and all.  I know someone else mentioned wanting 
to see that scene.  And it is just me, or does it seem like that was 
originally IN the movie?  I don't know, it just seems really choppy 
the way Harry says, "Learned what all?" and then Hagrid says, "You're 
a wizard, Harry."  It just seems to me like there were lines deleted 
there.

2) The sorting hat song.

3) Dumbledore's nonsensical words at the first feast: "Nitwit! 
Blubber! Oddment!  Tweak!"  Haha.. I loved that part in the book 
because it just really conveyed what kind of a man Dumbledore is.  
>From the movie, I so did not get any vibe that Dumbledore was nice, 
quirky, funny guy, even if he is the most powerful wizard ever.

4) Dumbledore telling Harry that his father once saved Snape's life 
(although I assume that will come out in the third movie).

There are tons of other scenes I'd loved to have scene (Harry's first 
meeting with Malfoy, the second quidditch match, Peeves, more of 
Norbert, Hermione solving the potions riddle, the students angry at H 
H & R for losing 150 points for Gryffindor, etc), but they'd be much 
longer sequences than the few minutes afforded by the two useless 
scenes I mentioned.  

Just my opinion.

Dawn