Harry Potter

[Evangeline]

Same here Pink. I use to hate Harry Potter, I finally gave in and read all the books and decided I liked them. I then watched all the movies. I really like how the first few stayed true to the series. Though at Goblet of Fire thing started to go a little too wrong...if they had stayed totally true I would have been much happier with the movies. Part 2 was pretty good. It left me smiling which is rare for a movie.

[lightbird]

I didn't like the books either.

 

I can understand why the books were satisfying to children, but how did it become so massively popular?

 

I mean, I can understand some movies that make it popular, like Lord of the Rings (even though I'm not a fan of that either) because they had a certain quality but...

 

I think the thing with Harry Potter is people grew up with it. Even if the quality isn't there, they go out of habit. I think I'm cynical about it cause I didn't read the Harry Potter books as a kid. Actually, I read them just a few summers ago, as a teenager, when I was older. Because I was older and hadn't developed the habit from a younger age, it didn't click.

I remember that I used to be a fan when I was younger, not so much now (because along the way I've met several franchises that appeal to me more), although I still have fond memories about the series.

 

The reason why I like HP is because, while the series isn't really high literature, the characters and the overall writing are quite funny for the most part, and J. K. knows how to pull the emotional strings in the drama parts.

So - for me it's that, high-entertainment with quirky characters.

 

I agree about the movies, most except 7.1. have been mediocre - way too rushed, no time for any character introspection except when it's completely obvious (cue shots of Harry sitting on the windowsill at night), changing of important events like, for example, how in the 3rd movie the broom was sent to Harry at the end of it, while in the book Harry receiving a broom from Sirius for Christmas, without knowing it was from him and thinking that he was out to get Harry, played a part in the growing drama between Harry/Ron and Hermione. And from what I've read about 7.2. (I also read similar things on IMDb reviews as in Sockie's post), I'll probably be disappointed.

Edited July 16, 2011 by lightbird

[crazywargod]

I'm kinda with sock. I really didn't like the final battle at all. They changed WAY too much tying to draw it out. And that was the only thing I looked forward to about the movie.

 

Spoilers in white.

First off Voldy is supposed to try to kill Nevil who he put the sorting hat on. Nevil pulls out the sword and decapitates the snake.

 

Second Harry is supposed to sneak away not start running like an idiot.

 

Third when Harry confronts Voldy they duel through a crowd of battle, not alone together.

 

Fourth they stop in a crowd who watch the battle. They are not alone.

 

Fifth there is a dome that Harry creates to stop outside interference.

 

Sixth Harry taunts Voldy with an explanation of everything Vody did wrong.

 

Seventh Voldy doesn't just vapourize and it is explained he died from his own curse that rebounded on him because of trying to use the elder wand against its master.

 

 

As I said. Way too different. Creative Licence is fine but don't butcher the product.

[nekoinu525]

It's been so long since I read Deathly Hallows (it's the only book I don't own. I read it right after it came out when a friend let me borrow it) that I didn't really notice anything different. The Battle of Hogwarts seemed a bit off to me, but other than that, I did enjoy the film. I went to the midnight premiere yesterday, and it was amazing. There was a gang of Death Eaters there who just made the whole thing amazing. One of them had a Winnie the Pooh blanket across his back. x3 Another looked so much like a Malfoy. There was a guy (a friend of a friend of my friend) with a Dark Mark tattoo (real tattoo, not drawn on) who was sort of dressed as Snape. There were people in robes and cloaks. I wore my Slytherin shirt because going to the midnight premiere was sort of a last minute decision for my friend and I. He wore his Bellatrix wanted poster shirt. There were a lot of "I believe Do You?" Deathly Hallows shirts. Took me a while to figure out what they were, but once I did I had a bit of a fangasm. We saw it in 3D so we got the special Harry Potter glasses, which are awesome. I thought I looked like a representation of Hogwarts with them. For Ravenclaw, I had Moaning Myrtle hair, (My hair is epically long and WonderBubbles told me to wear it in pigtails when I told her I couldn't decide what to do with it) my Slytherin shirt, my Harry Potter glasses, and my friend who looks like Robert Pattinson was my Hufflepuff. (Though with his hair dyed red and the Harry Potter glasses, he ended up looking a bit more like Elton John... x3) Overall, I really enjoyed myself, though it may have been more just all of the fans there in all of their Harry Potter nerddom than the actual film...

 

Now, I think I'm going to go watch Goblet of Fire for the 4th time this month... (I borrowed it from my friend and have been watching it obsessively since... I <3 David Tennant...)

[Darth Krande]

I liked the film, it was just as good as the earlier HP films. A bit too dark to watch at home when it comes out on DVD, you will need a home theater or you'll just watch black figures against black background. Not what I call athmosphere.

 

I liked most changes, I only missed Hermione asking about the pale dragon after their swim. It was too cute and too typical for her to ask, I don't get it why it wasn't in the film. The snake thing at the end was only to give more hero-time to Ron and Hermione, it was so pointless. But it was kinda funny and ironic how Voldemort died because he ran out of horcruxes. In fact Harry has been killing him for more than two books /three films.

[Ramica]

I read all the Harry Potter books found them all right - fairly good stories, the usual good versus evil plot yada, yada,yada. Harry not quite a version of a Gary Stu but close to it. But a little boring.

 

The only book I liked paced to my liking kept my interest up was The Goblet of Fire.

 

I've seen all the movies up to Half Blood Prince the movies were much like theatrical versions of the book - interesting special effects, some good action but often tended to get bogged down in less important and more mundane bits (boring areas) of the book.

 

Like the books movie wise I enjoyed The Goblet of Fire the best out of all of them.

 

The Half Blood Prince, movie wise, ended on such a stupid note for me - kill and Dumbledore and Snape going off saying " I'm the half blood Prince" I'm going and wtf was that?

 

Needless to say due to Half Blood Prince being a let down I did not go see the Deathly Hallows Part one nor do I plan to see Part 2.

 

Plus I felt that by cutting the last book into 2 movies was just a way of drawing it out and getting more money off it. Yes, the Deathly Hallows was a big book lots of pages but the Lord of the Ring Series were big books lots of pages that played well in 3 hours and something. In spite of people saying " oh you can't get all the important stuff in the time zone of a movie".

 

I really believe it is just a way of making more money off the series.

[7Deadly$ins]

I'm actually quite glad it was split into two. I believe it's what allowed them to do a such a good job.

[soupnazi]

 

Harry's expressions in all the Part 2 advertisements are just so ridiculous and stupid. I cannot wait to see it, though.

[Kokay]

I'll have to side with Walker a bit on this. I loathed J.K. Rowling's writing. If I had been faced only with the books, I never would have liked them. The only reason I read the third book was because we owned it and the only reason I read the last one was to see how my favorite character died. He didn't even get more than 'Oh he and his wife looked peaceful'.

[TikindiDragon]

I think the thing with Harry Potter is people grew up with it. Even if the quality isn't there, they go out of habit. I think I'm cynical about it cause I didn't read the Harry Potter books as a kid. Actually, I read them just a few summers ago, as a teenager, when I was older. Because I was older and hadn't developed the habit from a younger age, it didn't click.

Not certain on that score. I was already in my late teens when I first started reading the books (bearing in mind this was before they'd made any movies - I'd left school by the time the first movie came out) and I still really enjoyed them.

 

Don't get me wrong, they're a very easy read, but it's nice now and again to read something that easy.

[Nectaris]

Not certain on that score. I was already in my late teens when I first started reading the books (bearing in mind this was before they'd made any movies - I'd left school by the time the first movie came out) and I still really enjoyed them.

 

Don't get me wrong, they're a very easy read, but it's nice now and again to read something that easy.

Me too. I read them in my teens as well, and I enjoyed all but the last book. The movies, I didn't care for as much, The Goblet of Fire ruined it for me, I watched and even mildly enjoyed the first three, and I haven't enjoyed any since, to the point that I haven't watched anything past the fifth.

[lightbird]

Me too.  I read them in my teens as well, and I enjoyed all but the last book.  The movies, I didn't care for as much, The Goblet of Fire ruined it for me, I watched and even mildly enjoyed the first three, and I haven't enjoyed any since, to the point that I haven't watched anything past the fifth.

Ugh, Goblet of Fire was a horrible movie. Especially since it's my favourite book in the series. For the movies, 3rd was OK-ish, even though they changed the ending and cut out a lot of the character drama, 5th was OK-ish, too, considering how condensed the story was. I also liked the 6th movie, although a lot of people seem to loathe it, but so far 7.1. was the best one. I'll be able to give an opinion on 7.2. on Monday.

 

And I agree with Tikindi, they're easy, fun books to reread from time to time, even though I generally prefer more complicated books.

Edited July 16, 2011 by lightbird

[potterwolf]

Just saw 7.2 and I really enjoyed it. I hadn't read the book in a while, so I wasn't obsessing over the differences between the book and the movie. I think they did a good job with the movie anyway, even if it was a little different.

[Kokay]

I think the main thing is that they covered what needed to be covered. And, they left out some parts that obviously mattered to the more... avid fans. But, I think that made it a better movie than it would have been. My only woe was the endless parts that were supposed to be funny.

[nuttymeg3]

I thought Part 2 was really good. They definitely covered everything important. I especially liked how they portrayed Snape in his memories. My only complaint is how unsatisfying the end was. Voldemort just died. No one celebrated. Nothing. I just wish they added a bit more drama to the conclusion. Other than that it was one of the better movies in the series.

[Evangeline]

Seventh Voldy doesn't just vapourize and it is explained he died from his own curse that rebounded on him because of trying to use the elder wand against its master.

Well, that and the forgot the love sacrifice bit.

[LadyNightshade]

So my opinion. I definitely enjoyed 7.2 way more than 7.1 (which for 7.1 I often found myself breaking to find other things to do).

 

They covered everything important and had some great graphics (Looking at the Gringotts dragon and the fiendfyre, also the baskalisk skeleton).

 

There were a few things I was a little upset they didn't cover but I understand for the sake of time they had to cut some things (Like going to the Ravenclaw common room). Though a few things I didn't. I noticed Hagrid's half brother Grawp wasn't included at all, which would have only taken a minute or two to show him, considering every other character got a little blip of screen time.

 

 

I agree it was a little odd that when Harry won against voldemort no one really said anything. It was a little anti-climatic.

 

He didn't even fix his wand with the elder wand like he does in the book. Was also a little disappointing because I felt that was a good detail.

Edited July 17, 2011 by Lady_Nightfox

[Bonjourno!]

Not really a fan of the series, but I did enjoy movie number 3 a lot . Not sure why . I've also seen number 4, but it was less memorable than the 3rd one . To me, at least .

[FireAngel73]

So my opinion. I definitely enjoyed 7.2 way more than 7.1 (which for 7.1 I often found myself breaking to find other things to do).

 

They covered everything important and had some great graphics (Looking at the Gringotts dragon and the fiendfyre, also the baskalisk skeleton).

 

There were a few things I was a little upset they didn't cover but I understand for the sake of time they had to cut some things (Like going to the Ravenclaw common room). Though a few things I didn't. I noticed Hagrid's half brother Grawp wasn't included at all, which would have only taken a minute or two to show him, considering every other character got a little blip of screen time.

 

 

I agree it was a little odd that when Harry won against voldemort no one really said anything. It was a little anti-climatic.

 

He didn't even fix his wand with the elder wand like he does in the book. Was also a little disappointing because I felt that was a good detail.

I agree. The fact that he totally killed Voldy and everyone was just like..."kay, cool" was weird. I mean, I get that they were all trying to take care of the dead and wounded, but still.

 

The whole Voldy disintegrating thing was quite obnoxious, as well as the fact that the whole Harry vs Voldy final scene was like, completely alone. And the cliff diving thing.

 

But overall, I was quite pleased with the final movie. I'm glad it ended on a positive note.

[LuckyFreckle]

Honestly, what I can't get over are the couple Voldy scenes that had us cracking up in the theater.

 

- His laugh - "Ye hehe!"

- His awkward hug

 

[lightbird]

Going to see the movie in an hour!

Will give a review when I'm back. Reading about all those changes, especially after rereading the second half of Deathly Hallows makes me feel apprehensive about it. :T

[FireAngel73]

Honestly, what I can't get over are the couple Voldy scenes that had us cracking up in the theater.

 

- His laugh - "Ye hehe!"

- His awkward hug

Hahaha, the hug!! That was crazy. Plus, that scene made it look like the Malfoys...I don't know. In the book they seemed to pull away from Voldy completely, and sort of hover between the armies. That scene made it look like Draco went back to the dark side, so to speak, even if they did keep walking away from Hogwarts.

[DarkPanther]

I agree. The fact that he totally killed Voldy and everyone was just like..."kay, cool" was weird. I mean, I get that they were all trying to take care of the dead and wounded, but still.

 

The whole Voldy disintegrating thing was quite obnoxious, as well as the fact that the whole Harry vs Voldy final scene was like, completely alone. And the cliff diving thing.

 

But overall, I was quite pleased with the final movie. I'm glad it ended on a positive note.

Yeah, i wish they had included the part where the whole Hogwarts school comes rushing over and celebrating

[Alpha Gryph]

That scene made it look like Draco went back to the dark side, so to speak, even if they did keep walking away from Hogwarts.

I'm no fan of Malfoy, but I agree with this. I think they could've made it a little clearer in the movie that he and his family were all finished with Voldemort. And why did they change the scene with Snape's death from the Shrieking Shack to some boathouse? I don't understand~

 

But anyways, overall, the movie was fantastic. Like all the other movies, they did a wonderful, wonderful job sticking to the book. I felt that nothing major was left out and I'll surely be seeing it again once my girlfriend gets home from band camp. :>

 

(Edited for messy grammar )

Edited July 18, 2011 by Alpha Gryph

[Dragonhatchling]

Never liked Harry Potter (I read halfway through the first book and hated it- never touched the rest of them) and the only reason I went to see the movies is thanks to my family. I'm the black sheep in the family it seems... everyone else is going nutts about it and I'm like 'eh, do we have to?' thinking that this will be the last movie in the theater to see. I'm glad it will be over though that doesn't save me from the dvds...