Movie review

[Brian]

I discovered that I didn't HAVE to boycott the first week of Half Blood 
Prince here in Argentina, the government did it for me! 
We are in the middle of a declared medical emergency with swine flu and 
they are so scared of masses of people congregating to see it that they 
delayed the release until NEXT Thursday.  Personally I can't see that 
delaying it a week or so is going to make much difference.
Having heard so much about it, I did manage to procure a pirate copy 
(they sell pirate movies openly in the streets here) without having to 
pay for it.  (I don't have kids so I don't have to worry about what I'm 
teaching them as Warner Brothers says I should.  Even if I did have 
kids, as Warner Brothers thinks dishonesty is okay when it suits them, 
why should I worry about them?) - Their actions changed my mind about 
pirate movies - I never used to buy them on moral grounds, I do now.

ANYHOW - MOVIE REVIEW
I have to be honest, I was so disappointed by the movie that I wouldn't 
even bother seeing it if it was for the fact that I want to see the 
Millenium Bridge destroyed in 3D.
To be fair to Warner Brothers, I found the sixth book boring and 
pedestrian, so to me, it seems like that Warner Brothers have made it 
like the book in that respect.
It was amusing in places, but there was too much which didn't make sense 
or I just didn't like.
The attack on the bridge (years before it was built), didn't look that 
great (which is why I want to see it in 3D)
Harry using sectumsempra on Draco without Draco attempting the Crucio first.
The attack on the Burrow
Dumbledore not petrifying Harry to stop him trying to save him
Pointless entry of deatheaters into Hogwarts for a non-existent final battle
Missing the attack on Bill and Fleur's declaration of love for him - 
Molly coming to terms with Fleur was a great moment in the book
Missing Dumbledore's funeral and the attempt to make Harry into a 
Ministry puppet.
Hey!  They even missed U-NO-POO!

Emma Watson claims that she's a "book purest" and stood up to WB when 
they wanted Hermione to say things she felt were out of character.  All 
I can say is that she must be alone.  Harry's action in the bathroom 
with Draco and not trying to help as DD is murdered are so Out Of 
Character that I wonder if Dan read or understood the book!

And the romance?  The Ron and Lavender bit was done okay, though nowhere 
near as funny as reviews had led me to expect.
The scenes to establish that Harry is with Ginny before he gets together 
with her were clumsy, the questions by Dumbledore and Hermione comparing 
her hurt seeing Ron (with Lavender) with how Harry feels seeing Ginny 
comes across as forced and spoils what otherwise is a very nice original 
scene.
We hardly see Harry with Ginny at all once they are supposedly together 
and the less said about the kiss the better.  Less is more?
While they (mainly Emma) captured some of the angst of teenage 
relationships, I'd have to say WHAT romance?

Up to now, with the exception of POA, I've enjoyed each movie more than 
the last.  In fact I thought the movies did more to make the characters 
human and emotionally real than JKR ever did. After the drama of 
Phoenix, I hoped for something better, but, like the book, this movie 
seems like a filler.
Up to now, I've bought all the double DVDs.  If I buy this one at all, 
it will be simply to make the collection complete and for no other reason

Brian