Movie Thoughts--Spoilers!

[bruinfan1988]

Spoiler Space

Go see the movie!

Spoiler Space

Go see the movie!

Spoiler Space

Go see the movie!

Spoiler Space

Go see the movie!

Spoiler Space

Go see the movie!

Spoiler Space

Saw it late last night in a huge packed theater--and really liked 
it.  I thought the acting was great--much improved from the kids, 
with very few instances of stilted line readings.  The adults were 
amazing--especially Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs and Alan Rickman.  
The scary scenes were startling and fun-scary, and the pace was much 
better than the first movie.  The whole audience (all college aged 
and above, about half male, half female) were hooting and hollering 
and laughing and clapping throughout.  

Small nits:

I agree with those that say that some of the feeling of wonder in the 
first movie was lost--but I think that might have been intentional.  
After all, this is Harry's world now, and we're seeing it through 
Harry's eyes--and he HAS seen it all before.

I thought Snape was a little nicer and Draco was a little snarkier 
but not as mean as portrayed in the books.  But, again, I'm not sure 
that wasn't intentional and perhaps an instance of Chris Columbus's 
penchant for foreshadowing.

Only three scenes stood out as not quite right--and each of these 
scenes prompted inappropriate laughter from the audience:  

1) First, in the Chamber when Harry is healed by phoenix tears and 
explains to Ginny that, hey, that's right, phoenix tears heal wounds, 
so he's not going to die after all--seemed too pat, too convenient, 
and cracked up the audience.  I think this is a writing/directing 
problem--it would have worked better if the scene played out like in 
the book, with Riddle taunting Harry while the phoenix cried, then 
realizing that Harry was being healed, and then getting his due when 
Harry drove the fang through the book.  The movie order (fang/book 
then phoenix) made Harry seem more heroic, but made the scene seem a 
little less plausible.

2) Second, in Dumbledore's office, when Dumbledore told Harry to pick 
up the sword, and Harry picked it up with both hands by its bloody 
BLADE, rather than using the hilt.  Hmm, not such a sharp blade, 
huh?  Made the audience laugh.  Obviously a directing problem.

3) Third, the infamous Hermione returns to the Great Hall scene.  
When Ron saw Hermione and smiled so big, the audience hooted and whoo-
ed.  And then when Harry did the same, they started to laugh--like, 
do they BOTH like her, jeez?  And it sort of continued through the 
hug/handshake part.  I'm not sure Chris Columbus's idea for that 
scene worked out as well as he intended.

But, really, that's it!  Everyone I know who has seen it liked it.

Leeanna

P.S.  When Oliver Wood first came on screen, the audience's shrieks 
overwhelmed several lines of dialog.  :  )