Some reasonsI liked POA and some why I did not.

[Nicole]

Ok this one is going to be long....but since I rarely post :)

On the positive side:
1. I felt that the cinematography of this film compared to to the 
first two was much more engaging. For example....Chris Columbus is 
excellent at the "broad strokes" introducing us to the world of 
Harry and Hogwarts. Alfonso Cuaron brings you right next to the 
characters, and for those of us completely engaged in the world of 
Harry Potter moved right along instead of using beauty shots to 
establish something we are already familiar with.

2. The acting of all of the teen leads has improved. Tom Felton has 
settled into the simperingly nasty Malfoy like a natural. Rupert, 
Emma and especially have obviously been getting into their roles.

3. Even though it was a short scene I loved the Quidditch match. The 
visuals created by Cuaron were exquisite. It was dark and dreary and 
had a frantic pace only matched by the special effects.

4. The dementors. They were exactly as I had envisioned them (even 
though I try to keep my book experiences seperate from the movies.) 
They were just creepy and dark enough to scare the bejeezus out of 
me.

5. The knight bus. The knight bus would have been completely 
uneccesary except for the fact that I enjoyed the fact that it 
emphasized that there is magic in our "muggle" world every day. (and 
every time I hear a car alarm now I imagine a wizard wanding it away)


On the negative side:
1. I missed professor McGonagall. She is one of my favorite 
characters in the books and I loved her in the movies.

2. Michael Gambon. Ok I understand that he is not Richard Harris, 
and I probably would have been offended if he had tried to be. 
However I still couldn't get an emotional grip on his character. 
(Maybe I have seen the first two movie too many times)

3. As far as things being left out. Yes I would have liked to see 
more content from the books. I would have liked to see more of 
Sirius, I feel that Harry and Sirius didn't develop a sufficient 
relationship in this film that can be sustained in the next movie. 
(unless they leave Sirius out) And on this point I should say if I 
had only seen the movie and not read the books a bout three dozen 
times this would not have been an issue.



Overall I enjoyed the movie. In fact I think I like it the best 
because of its pace. I still hold the first two films in high regard 
and they will always be my favorite movies of all time (Harry Potter 
movies that is....all three and the remaining to come.)

SO here is someone who loved the movie but still has issues.


Nicole
Who has seen the movie 12 times and counting.