3rd time's a charm- I've finally got some questions

[laurenmcoakley]

Ok, now that I've seen the film for a 3rd time, and my "puppy love" of 
the film is finally beginning to wear off a bit, I have gained a bit 
of a more objective view.  Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE this film, 
and will be getting it the very first day it comes out on DVD, but I'm 
not going to see it in the theatres again this go round. (Yes, I've 
finally had enough GoF!)

Some questions, and I would appreciate help if you've got it: 

Maybe this is a stupid one, but I was wondering, for the Priori 
Incantatem, why were Harry's parents older than they have been when we 
have seen them in earlier films?  In the Mirror of Erised (CoS), his 
parents were youthful, as if they were the age that they were when 
they died. Maybe I'm missing what the Priori Incantatem is?

What was the deal with the mermaid in the stained glass window that 
was animated in the prefects bathroom?  Was there a purpose to her in 
the book that I have forgotten?  Or was she just a piece of obligatory 
CGI, like it seems to me?  She bugged me because she was distracting 
from the cuteness of Myrtle teasing Harry, and him discovering the 
clue.

And to make a comment- I loved the second task, my only quibble with 
it is the "precious things" to be saved.  They looked a little scary, 
like they were dead or something.  I didn't even recognize Hermione, 
or Cho.  When I read the book, I imagined them to be sweetly sleeping-
like, heads lolled to the side, gently bobbing in the currents, 
dribbles of bubbles escaping their mouths like itty snores.  (I think 
it was described pretty closely to that!) This scene gave me a bit of 
a jolt.

I think I had some more questions, but I've forgotten them, I guess.  
I'll post them if I remember.

-Lauren