Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

[Bourne101]

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/harry_potter_and_the_order_of_the_phoenix/harrypotterandtheorderofthephoenix_bigposter.jpg

Directed by David Yates

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Tagline: The Rebellion Begins!

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/harry_potter_and_the_order_of_the_phoenix/_group_photos/rupert_grint29.jpg

Plot Outline: After a lonely summer on Privet Drive, Harry returns to a Hogwarts full of ill-fortune. Few of students and parents believe him or Dumbledore that Voldemort is really back. The ministry had decided to step in by appointing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher that proves to be the nastiest person Harry has ever encountered. Harry also can't help stealing glances with the beautiful Cho Chang. To top it off are dreams that Harry can't explain, and a mystery behind something Voldemort is searching for. With these many things Harry begins one of his toughest years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (imdb)

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Timothy Bateson, Bonnie Wright, Jason Isaacs, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Alfie Enoch and Katie Leung.

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/harry_potter_and_the_order_of_the_phoenix/ralph_fiennes/phoenix3.jpg

Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images.

Runtime: 138 minutes

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/harry_potter_and_the_order_of_the_phoenix/kreacher.jpg


One of the best books in the series, and by far the most disturbing. I'm glad it is PG-13 too, because it is such a dark book that a PG would just not be able to fulfill the plot requirments. The trailers are looking good so far and I will definitely be seeing this opening day.

[athf1980]

I have like the last two so I will probably check it out

[LordSimen]

The last two were great, the first two were good. This one looks great as well, I can't wait.

[starcat]

this one is the 5th movie... am totally psyched for it... then the final book comes out like 10 days later.... awesome times

[Moviefan1234]

The HARRY POTTER movies are not material that is very interesting. Not to mention, I don't find the film quality to be all that. I'll pass.

[ScaryFreak1827]

Being a huge Potter fan I am definetly PSYCHED!!!:D Order of the Phoenix is my favorite book in the series and from everything I've seen/heard about this movie it sounds excellent! It'll be great to see Gary Oldman return as Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather, along with Prof. Lupin. Plus there's plenty of great new characters such as Dolores Umbridge (the evil new DADA teacher which I hear Staunton is excellent as), Tonks, Kingsley, and Luna Lovegood (a truly hilarious character.) This is probably going to be the darkest so far in the series and the end (spoilers......Dumbledore vs. Voldemort...end spoilers) should be incredible! Harry getting possessed by Voldemort I hear is a truly disturbing scene (along with the Umbridge detention scenes of course:) ). Can't wait!

[Jim Colyer]

How much Harry Potter can people stand?

[mutesaint]

Originally posted by Jim Colyer
How much Harry Potter can people stand?

I believe I can stand one more book and two more movies.:)

[ScaryFreak1827]

Originally posted by Jim Colyer
How much Harry Potter can people stand?

Um... Just like Star Wars it's a series of films that tell a single story. If they stopped now (5/7ths of the way done), the story wouldn't be complete. So why stop?:confused: Not to mention the films have earned well over a billion dollars at the box office.

[Lazy Boy]

The films have gotten better with each succeeding installment -- it's like night and day when watching Goblet and then going back to rewatch the rather hideously unimaginative rendering of Sorcerer's Stone.

This looks like it will continue that trend. Biggest hit of the summer? We shall see.

[SpikeDurden]

I can't wait. I"m a huge Potter fan. I'll be there at midnight, baby, IMAX 3D!

[zombievictim]

Holy Shit! This comes out next week? Wow. I guess it just goes to show how much I haven't been interested in this film. Will most likely see it since I've seen the rest in the theaters. Hell, I think I've actually seen them on opening day each release too. Fuck, I'm lame :D

[BorderEevilIII]

yes let the HP lovers rejoice and await till the movie shows up at the theater cuz I am sooooooo going to be there!



I am curious how the actress that plays Dolores Umbridge is goin to be interpeted in the film.

I SOOOOOOOO HATED THIS BITCH IN THE BOOK! :D

[Lazy Boy]

Originally posted by BorderEevilIII
I am curious how the actress that plays Dolores Umbridge is goin to be interpeted in the film.

I SOOOOOOOO HATED THIS BITCH IN THE BOOK! :D

I have an interest in how Imelda Staunton can interpret the role -- from dowdy, plain and sweet in Vera Drake to extremely hateful (and what a potential delight for an actor to soak up those villainous rays), I think she'll pull it off.

[Fisting Ackbar]

Originally posted by Bourne101
http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/harry_potter_and_the_order_of_the_phoenix/kreacher.jpg


Haha, YES.

[Lost in Space]

i am intrigued by this movie. I will see it for sure.

[movieme07]

I can't say I'm excited for this one, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I liked the book. Harry Potter just don't do much for me.

[Lemmywinks]

Seeing an advance screening on the 9th in IMAX. Can't wait. I really liked the last movie. This one seems too short, and I heard the book wasn't that great, so I'm a little worried. I'm sure it will be pretty good though.

[Monotreme]

Unfortunately, this is my least favourite book in the series. That said, I do have confidence that the filmmakers will keep out the less-satisfying parts and keep in the true important things, that is the frustration of the return of the Dark Lord and the lack of support from the community. Also, I thought that the last two installments were fantastic, particularly the last one, and I like this trend of directing the movies seriously and not like kids movies. And if that's not enough, I have three very good reasons to see this movie above all others:

http://www.leninimports.com/helena_bonham_carter_gallery_4.jpg

http://members.aol.com/SFSibley/RlphPic.jpg

http://www.dexigner.com/forum/uploads/post-1-1146071184_thumb.jpg

:)

[Moviefan02000]

I originally wasn't excited for this at all. I absolutely loved Azkaban but Goblet of Fire was absolutely awful and it was so dull and boring. I just saw a TV spot for this that looked excellent though. I'm seeing it at midnight with friends. I hope I'm not let down.

[EDsoulsurvive*]

This is my favorite book in the series, by far, so I have high hopes for the movie, the footage I've seen so far looks fantastic. And oh yeah, I need to see a big summer movie that hasn't sucked. (i havent seen die hard yet)

[NuclearMisfit]

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/harry_potter_and_the_order_of_the_phoenix/kreacher.jpg


One of the many reasons why Im hyped for this film.

[IronMonkey]

Very much looking forward! Great series! If there is room in cinema for Star Wars and LOTR, HP DESERVES the same!

[Backstabba]

I don't know who does the trailers and TV Spots for this but DAMN, do they know how to sell a movie!

I love all things Harry Potter, and I think this looks amazing.

[Kucha]

This is my least favourite book from the series but I am still VERY excited for the film adaptation. The trailers look awesome and I am sure with the smaller run time that they will cut out the extra stuff that made the book so excessively long. I got my advanced tickets for Wednesday so I am pumped :)

[CyclicNightmare]

It'll be interesting to see how the new screenwriter fares.

[Strider]

Thanks to the awesome trailer, I'm somewhat pumped up for Order of the Phoenix. It looks pretty damn good, and I can't wait to see Imelda Staunton make Harry Potter's life a living hell. The Harry Potter films are getting better indeed - Alfonso Cuaron's Prisoner of Azkaban was great and the best HP installment (thus far), and Goblet of Fire, though flawed, was solid entertainment and superior than the first two films.

Looking forward to Wednesday.

Strider

[Superplasmatron]

me love harry potter

[Criminal Rock]

I am going to make babies with Emma Watson.

...

She can't deny this face...

Not a chance.

[bourahioro]

Shit man, I've been hearing sooo much good about this; And I really want to see it opening night, but I'm waiting til the following weekend so I can stay at the mall after the movie, and wait for the last book (the stores open at 12:01 kids). DAMN MY STUPID IDEAS!

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by Tai Mai Jew
I am going to make babies with Emma Watson.

...

She can't deny this face...

Not a chance.


shes only a child you sicko

[gyro_44]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
shes only a child you sicko
So... it was wrong of me to start to thinking the same thing around the time Prisoner of Azkaban came out?

[CyclicNightmare]

Azkaban is clearly far and away the best of the first 4 films. I'm not sure how Yates has fared, but I think they really need to get Cuarón back.

[gyro_44]

Originally posted by CyclicNightmare
Azkaban is clearly far and away the best of the first 4 films. I'm not sure how Yates has fared, but I think they really need to get Cuarón back.
I agree with you about Azkaban. After a few rewatches I think it presents the richest fantasy world of the first four movies. However, it was also the most different from the book, so bringing Cuaron back would probably result in bomb threats to Warner Brothers from psychotic fans.

[Jig Saw 123]

This one looks to be the darkest yet. So I'll be there opening night...

[Lemmywinks]

Just got back from seeing it in IMAX. It was allright. The last 15-20 minutes were in 3-D, which was pretty cool. First off, I'll tell you right now that I only read the first 3 books. I never read the others, but I know most of the major plot points. I'm not going to bitch about what they left out of the book, because honestly, I don't know. What I will say is that this movie, with certain strengths, underwhelmed me. Some of my friends who have read the books say that this is their least favorite. I took that in mind when seeing the film. Even though this is the fifth entry in the series, it totally feels like the Two Towers of the Harry Potter franchise. Only though Two Towers was 100 times more awesome than this movie. Personally, I liked the fourth film the best. That one seemed to have the most substance and actually was a pretty good movie.

This one is only just a pretty good movie. It moves fast. Very fast actually. This one has the feel of Azkaban, which is my least favorite movie out of all of them. The cinematography is similar, and the way things moved along were also similar to Azkaban. A lot of the characters got shafted in this movie. I don't know if that's how it was in the book, but in the film, Ron is pretty much reduced to comedic relief. He was kind of like that in the other films, but in this one, he is in full blown sidekick mode. Emma Watson didn't have much to do either. This was also the only Harry Potter movie where I didn't care for her acting. There are so many characters in this movie, but none of them have enough screen time. I think the 4th movie balanced everything perfectly.

The Umbridge character was allright. If she wasn't in the movie or book, it would have been pretty boring. I also am starting to have a problem with Voldemort showing up only in the last 10-15 minutes of each movie, then disappearing. It happened in this one, except he actually fights Dumbledore. That was honestly the best part of the movie, but it wasn't that great. The movie just kind of fizzled out after that.

SPOILER****



Also, Sirius' "death" was pretty anti-climactic. I knew it was coming, but it just wasn't very convincing, and didn't really get any emotional response from me or the audience.



END SPOILER***

Overall, it was just ok. As of now, here's my best to worst list
Goblet of Fire
Chamber of Secrets
Sorcerer's Stone
Order of the Phoenix
Prisoner of Azkaban.

Order gets a 6/10 from me.

[chinton]

If its similiar to Azkaban then I will love it. Cuaron made the best film in the series.


Why all the hate for the fith book? Its the best in the series.

The worst film in the series is easily Chamber Of Secrets which went nowhere.

Oh and Two Towers talk about massively overrated.

[Lemmywinks]

Well, I personally don't hate the fifth book. I've just heard it from other people. Also, if you have an issue with Chamber of Secrets going nowhere, I actually think that about the same amount of plot advancement happened in this movie.

[BorderEevilIII]

Alfonso opted OUT of doing GOF schmoes
so if he was thrown $$$ i think he would have still said thanks but no thanks.....

Was interesting that he threw in a few things that was NOT in the book w/ Rowlings approval of course blended nicely well into the movie.

I am goin next week hopefully the crowds is not gonna be that crazy and its gonna be on IMAX in SF.

[franky4fingerz]

Going into this movie last night I had never seen a movie or read a book.So with that said I would have to call it one of the biggest boringest pieces of shit I've ever seen. But I also had no fucknig Idea of who was who and what was going on.I saw it with a fan of the series and she said it was good and stayed true to the book so there you go.

[ilovemovies]

Anyone see Daniel Radcliffe on Jay Leno last night? He's actually turned into a pretty funny and cool guy.

[Scarfather]

I'm seeing this tomorrow afternoon, and I have high hopes, it looks like David Yates finally did a HP movie right.

Originally posted by ilovemovies
Anyone see Daniel Radcliffe on Jay Leno last night? He's actually turned into a pretty funny and cool guy.

Yeah, but if I were him, I would have punched Patton Oswald in the face, he was so annoying.

[ilovemovies]

Originally posted by Scarfather
Yeah, but if I were him, I would have punched Patton Oswald in the face, he was so annoying.

Awe, you didn't laugh when he tried to make Harry Potter look and sound un-American and called it a British movie even though his movie, Ratatouille, is set in Paris and supposedly some critics have said the movie has a French flavor. Leno even tried to point this out and Oswald, hilariously, told him shutup. In a funny way of coarse!

That was hilarious.


Roger Ebert didn't like The Order of the Pheonix. I don't think he likes that the series are becoming more and more darker.

Oh well.

[Scarfather]

God, I wonder how Ebert's going to react to Dumblerdore's fate in the next film.

I just think he doesn't 'get' it, it does start out family friendly, but the series is about growing up, and growing up doesn't involve sunshine and fuzzy bunnies when you're battling pure evil.

Ebert disliked it for being darker, I suspect I'll like it for the exact same reason.

[Fergus]

I got to see it without a crowd last night and overall I liked Order of the Phoenix to a degree, but it lacks the focus of the previous two Potters. I consider Cuaron's Azkaban to be the best of the Potter's thus far because of his vision, creativity and willingness to drop a few plot points to make a more rounded movie. Newell's Potter didn't have Cuaron's visual creativity, but as far as the story went, I don't remember any holes or needless scenes, unlike Order of the Phoenix.

It seems the screenwriter wrote a draft and didn't bother to stand back, read his work and edit some things. It didn't really have a structure and seemed to be all over the place; very choppy, storywise. I think with a more experienced director and writer, this could've been avoided. I did like the set design of the ministry of magic, that was imaginitive. Imelda Staunton and Helena Bonham-Carter were both deliciously evil as their resepected characters.

*********SPOILERS ************


I wish the fight scene was longer, I remember them going into many more rooms than they did, and the relationship between Sirius and Harry wasn't developed very well, and when the death comes, it was just a jolt not a heartbreaker. Also, HOW did everyone get to ride those dragon-like creatures (I forget the name), when only those who have seen death could see them. And it took them a whole 20 seconds to get to the Ministry of Magic and inside department of mysteries, didn't make sense.


**************END SPOILERS **********************

Overall, it was a good movie but it doesn't reach the heights of the other two. 7/10

[Ender]

I almost never utter this phrase, but I happen to agree with Roger Ebert. The Harry Potter series, both books and films, have done themselves a great disservice by striving to become so "dark". In "darkening" the tone, Rowling and her cinematic compatriots have sacrificed most of the charm and whimsy that made the first Potter outing so likable. These days everything is "dark". PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN got "dark" (and boring, and lousy), SPIDER-MAN got "dark" and put out the weakest of the films in the series, hell even SUPERMAN RETURNS tried to go "dark" by filming practically the entire freaking movie at night. "Dark" does not automatically equal mature or intelligent, and it is not appropriate for all subject matter.

Of course, being as ORDER OF THE PHOENIX is one of the worst books in the series (beat out in the stinker department only by THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, which has so little story to it that it should barely qualify as a book at all), the tone is probably going to be the least of our worries here. I'm glad it's got a good cast, because the script is surely not going to carry this one.

[ElderPredator]

Hey everybody,

I just got back from the midnight screening and I have two things to say. First off, it's the BEST "HARRY POTTER" FILM YET! Secondly, it's the best sequel of the whole summer. It was absolutely fantastic and I can't wait for "The Half Blood Prince".

My vote: 10/10

[Criminal Rock]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
shes only a child you sicko

there are always exceptions...

[the_sneaker]

I must say that I was incredibly pleased with this film. I always go into these movies with a bit of apprehension due to the fact that I love the books so much, yet they did a great job with this one.

Sure, there were changes made from the book (which should be expected) and the one thing that is annoying me the most is the fact that people can't get over those changes.

All-in-all, great movie. Daniel Radcliffe has finally started to grasp Harry's character and the darker overtones showing up in the movies now are making it even more enjoyable.

The final battle at the Ministry was a tad disappointing because of some of the changes, however, that was made up for by the battles themselves.

Great fun and great adaptation of the book.

9/10

[Abuckley89]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix... 9/10
This is the first Potter film where my level of criticism is extremely low. The direction was great with some new and gutsy stuff (hand held cameras, long shots, whimsical transitions, BRILLIANT framing... just fantastic.) Also, the new screenwriter is much more capable at book adaptation than the other guy, I felt like the film didn't maintain frivolous dialogue and unnecessary scenes from the book just because they were in the book, and when he had to add stuff and delete stuff he did it with great integrity and creativity. The acting is slowly getting better from the trio, and the adult cast is excellent. I've been up for almost 24 hours so this may not be structured well... anyway... i truly loved it.

SS... 5/10
CS... 6/10
PoA... 8/10
GoF... 4/10
OotP... 9/10

[Quigles]

It was pretty good. I enjoyed it. The one thing I noticed though was that the whole film seemed to just be exposition and build-up, to a payoff that's yet to come. According to others, this is mostly due to the book. I wouldn't know, having gotten 50 pages in and then never finishing. I just lost interest.

Luckily, I didn't lose interest in the film. It was entertaining all the way through, and kept me smiling. That said, it doesn't come close to reaching the greatness of PRISONER OF AZKABAN (or even GOBLET OF FIRE).

One of my favorite traits of the past films (and books as well) is the looking back on them and thinking about certain plot points that were just awesome. For example, when I think about AZKABAN, I think of the Marauder's Map, the Knight Bus, etc. Each of the movies has things like these, but with ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, those specific plot points feel much more standard. They still add up to entertaining film, but it's not as, well, magical.

According to my friends, the amount they changed from the book is baffling. They seemed really irritated. The whole experience gave me deja vu, since I've been hearing the same tired argument since book one. Listen: I don't want a three to four movie. They have a hard enough time transitioning from one sequence to the next in these films (thanks to overload of unnecessary storyline from the books), so I'd rather they cut some shit out and keep the pacing of the film reasonable. My friends seemed to have a lot of complaints, but when I asked them how they could possibly fix the problems when it's clearly an issue with trying to faithfully adapt a 900 page book into a 2 and a half hour film, their response was, "I dunno, they just could have done it better."

Ugh. If you're going to bitch about something, at least try to consider if there's a reasonable solution. Otherwise, you're just complaining for the sake of complaining.

Whatever. Good movie.

7/10

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by gyro_44
So... it was wrong of me to start to thinking the same thing around the time Prisoner of Azkaban came out?

your wern't the stalker who broke into her college and attended her lectuers were you?

[adamjohnson]

Awesome,.

8.5/10

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by Scarfather
God, I wonder how Ebert's going to react to Dumblerdore's fate in the next film.



dude, come on.

Thanks, really, for THAT.

[adamjohnson]

And GOD DAMN Helena was hot.

[ScaryFreak1827]

Saw it at the midnight showing last night and I LOVED it!! Best of the series so far IMO. It was VERY dark but at the same time there were sooo many laughs (Luna and Ron got most of the audience's laughs.) Speaking of Luna, her character was excellent (with lots of funny and at times emotional lines. I loved the bit with her and Harry at the end.) Snape was also great in this film, particularly during the Occlumency scenes (which, along with Umbridge's detentions) were really intense! The casting for this movie couldn't have been better and neither could the special effects. The battle at the MoM really is a sight to see! I can only imagine seeing it on IMAX (because it's not playing in my area ) Sure there are cuts, but this is the first film that I feel they didn't cut out anything really important. I didn't miss Quidditch and scenes I felt dragged on too long in the book were greatly shortened. I saw the movie with three people who had never read the books and they all understood it great (my GF (who never read the books) at one point looked at me and said "Ron really loves and Hermione, doesn't she?" and "Is Ginny jealous?"). At least Goldenberg did a fine job at hinting on future romances. Anyway, highly recommended! I definetly plan on seeing it again.

10/10

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by Ender
[B]I almost never utter this phrase, but I happen to agree with Roger Ebert. The Harry Potter series, both books and films, have done themselves a great disservice by striving to become so "dark". In "darkening" the tone, Rowling and her cinematic compatriots have sacrificed most of the charm and whimsy that made the first Potter outing so likable. These days everything is "dark". PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN got "dark" (and boring, and lousy), SPIDER-MAN got "dark" and put out the weakest of the films in the series, hell even SUPERMAN RETURNS tried to go "dark" by filming practically the entire freaking movie at night. "Dark" does not automatically equal mature or intelligent, and it is not appropriate for all subject matter.

I don't think that HP is dark for the sake of being dark.

You have to understand that they're not 11 anymore. You have to understand that the characters are growing up and so are the themes. Even when looking at the first movie, you still have the basic understanding that "Voldemort is going to be a bad ass someday". Part 5 is when we start to see it.

More importantly, I do think that Rowling does have many legitimate themes that are worth looking at. It isn't only about storylines. Books 5 and 6 raise many interesting questions about the themes of the film and the development of Harry and Voldemort.

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by ScaryFreak1827
he battle at the MoM really is a sight to see! I can only imagine seeing it on IMAX (because it's not playing in my area ) Sure there are cuts, but this is the first film that I feel they didn't cut out anything really important.

I happened to catch it at the IMAX this morning and I had a good time with it. Like you, I agreed that they did a great job at fitting in the relevant plotlines. More importantly, I didn't really feel that they missed anything important. This was a definite concern of mine -- I *really* felt that I was missing something in the 2nd and 3rd movies of the series.

The best thing about the IMAX was that the action scenes that were at the end of the film were in 3D.

[NuclearMisfit]

I really dug the flick, it just makes me wish book 7 was here already, it should have been released yesterday and JKR would have been rolling in the dough.

8/10

Goblet is still my favorite so far, even though it was cool to see Tonks and company.Did anyone else notice Big D has lost alot of weight.

[Bourne101]

12 million off of midnight showings! That is so crazy! Looks like it might be the top grosser of the summer after all.

[ElderPredator]

SPOILER......SPOILER......SPOILER.....SPOILER..... .



I have to ask you all this cause I keep thinking about it. Did any of you get really creeped out when they had the shot of Voldemort standing off in the distance at the train station and staring at the camera in the suit. In all honesty, that shot sent shivers down my spine. Anyone else?

[ElderPredator]

Originally posted by adamjohnson
And GOD DAMN Helena was hot.

Amen to that my friend. You're absolutely right. :D

[NuclearMisfit]

Originally posted by ElderPredator
SPOILER......SPOILER......SPOILER.....SPOILER..... .



I have to ask you all this cause I keep thinking about it. Did any of you get really creeped out when they had the shot of Voldemort standing off in the distance at the train station and staring at the camera in the suit. In all honesty, that shot sent shivers down my spine. Anyone else?




My favorite scene in the trailer.. That Voldemort is one slick sob! Gotta get me a suit like that.

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by ElderPredator
Amen to that my friend. You're absolutely right. :D

That ... turn she gave at one point, I about fainted.

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by NuclearMisfit
My favorite scene in the trailer.. That Voldemort is one slick sob! Gotta get me a suit like that.

The one that stuck with me was the "Look at me!" line. Dumbledore looked so surprised.

[ScaryFreak1827]

Originally posted by ElderPredator
SPOILER......SPOILER......SPOILER.....SPOILER..... .



I have to ask you all this cause I keep thinking about it. Did any of you get really creeped out when they had the shot of Voldemort standing off in the distance at the train station and staring at the camera in the suit. In all honesty, that shot sent shivers down my spine. Anyone else?

That scene was VERY creepy (as were most of Harry's nightmares). Also in the ending where Harry hears Voldemort's voice in his head and suddenly he is standing right behind him.

[ViviPR]

I saw it tonight, It was really Magnificent!!! Great book, great film. 10/10:D

[athf1980]

4.5/5

First of all I have not read any of the books and probably will not. I'm not much of reader of books never have been or never will be. I perfer last two. This was the funniest of the all the Potters. Staunton was great as the evil teacher. It's also nice to see Goldman play good guy.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by adamjohnson
The one that stuck with me was the "Look at me!" line. Dumbledore looked so surprised.

That was the turning point for me; when I finally realized that Chris Columbus made the right decision in casting Radcliffe. I never really liked him that much before. He always seemed so damn stiff in the other movies, but in this one, he embraced the new Harry so damn well. That line was chilling.

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
That was the turning point for me; when I finally realized that Chris Columbus made the right decision in casting Radcliffe. I never really liked him that much before. He always seemed so damn stiff in the other movies, but in this one, he embraced the new Harry so damn well. That line was chilling.

I agree with this.

[inglourious basterd]

I just finished watching Goblet of Fire again. Radcliffe has improved a ridiculous amount since his last effort. Acting on stage has definitely allowed him to improve his acting chops.

[CyclicNightmare]

Just saw it.

Please bring back Cuarón.

[daddiefatsacks]

what a boring piece of shit, no i havent read the books, and no i dont want to, im approaching the series as a film, and this one shit the bed. Even the end, which reaked of awesomeness ended too soon

4/10

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by adamjohnson
I agree with this.

Now that Radcliffe has got the role down so well, I am so fucking excited to see where he goes with it. I don't want to ruin book 6 for those that have read it (or those who are actually interested in reading it) but if he pulls off what he did in Order of the Phoenix in The Half-Blood Prince, then I know that the next movie will be phenomenal.

[Superplasmatron]

i've never been to an imax or seen a film in 3d and i have never seen a potter film in a cinema i'm pretty exhited

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
i've never been to an imax or seen a film in 3d and i have never seen a potter film in a cinema i'm pretty exhited

Hopefully, you'll enjoy it. I like hearing that people who are new to the Potter universe enjoy the books/movies.

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by Quigles

According to my friends, the amount they changed from the book is baffling. They seemed really irritated. The whole experience gave me deja vu, since I've been hearing the same tired argument since book one. Listen: I don't want a three to four movie. They have a hard enough time transitioning from one sequence to the next in these films (thanks to overload of unnecessary storyline from the books), so I'd rather they cut some shit out and keep the pacing of the film reasonable. My friends seemed to have a lot of complaints, but when I asked them how they could possibly fix the problems when it's clearly an issue with trying to faithfully adapt a 900 page book into a 2 and a half hour film, their response was, "I dunno, they just could have done it better."


Honestly -- they did a great job with adapting the film. Yes -- there were scenes that were lost.


**minor spoilers**

The books had more about why Cho and Harry's relationship is a "puppy love" type of infatuation when they have their first date.

And you see more of them studying for their OWL exam.

It develops Kreacher, the house elf more.

It develops the Weasley twins more. You see more of their pranks, you see more of their frustration, and you see what they do after that first day of OWLs (when they completely unloaded on Umbridge).

There isn't a whole lot of the actual "Order of the Phoenix".


Sure -- these things tell a little more about the characters. But they're side stories for the main plot. In my opinion, the worst adaptation to date was the 3rd one. Prior to that film, I had not picked up any of the books. But I felt that part 3 was so incomplete that I decided to read the book to get a better idea of the 'big picture'.

[Bourne101]

Possibly going to see it tonight.

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
Hopefully, you'll enjoy it. I like hearing that people who are new to the Potter universe enjoy the books/movies. I got into potter about a year ago after years of resistance i finally gave in.the odly enough i had some of the lego.

i'm a big fan of brad neelys wizard people

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TvSu4pvQh2w

HP and Ronnie the Bear destroy an evil Troll who threatens Harmony, using their magic strong enough to level mountains. From Wizard People, Dear Readers

[Superplasmatron]

i'm off to the odean to see if i can get tickets for the midnight showing tonight another things to cross of my list midnight movie yay!

[chinton]

Not only do I not agree with Ebert's review but I find anyone who says the series is too dark baffling. Harry has almost died four times, he's seen other people die, and at the beggining of the movie a mass murdering wizard may be on the rise and nobody will believe him. To somehow inject happiness and whimsy into a situation like this is both retarded and makes no sense whatsoever. You right it's happy times cause Voldermort's back. Harry's growing up and the wizarding world is facing large upheavels. Things can't always stay the same.

[optimus1]

I have never read the books or seen any of the movies..if I started watching from the first movie would it be worth my while? Is it too childish for a 30 year old? I just figured I would ask before I went out and picked up the dvds

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by chinton
Not only do I not agree with Ebert's review but I find anyone who says the series is too dark baffling. Harry has almost died four times, he's seen other people die, and at the beggining of the movie a mass murdering wizard may be on the rise and nobody will believe him. To somehow inject happiness and whimsy into a situation like this is both retarded and makes no sense whatsoever. You right it's happy times cause Voldermort's back. Harry's growing up and the wizarding world is facing large upheavels. Things can't always stay the same.

I completely agree. The whole series revolves around a dark core and each novel gets darker and darker. Half-Blood Prince is 100 times darker than Order of the Pheonix, and I expect The Deathly Hollows to be just as dark or darker than Half-Blood Prince.

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by optimus1
I have never read the books or seen any of the movies..if I started watching from the first movie would it be worth my while? Is it too childish for a 30 year old? I just figured I would ask before I went out and picked up the dvds

Go pick up all four! The first two are a little bit childish, but not too bad, but 3 and 4 are very dark and have many mature elements and very few childish moments.

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
i'm off to the odean to see if i can get tickets for the midnight showing tonight another things to cross of my list midnight movie yay!

Dude, no offense, but you really need to lay down some periods and commas because it took me like 2 minutes to figure out what you were trying to say. Just a suggestion.

[chinton]

Oh I really really liked the film by the way.

I do find it interesting that I've read numerous reviews that mention the ending as the weakest part. I would have to disagree. I found the ending the best part. I thought the design of the Ministry of Magic and Dept. of Mysteries to be extremely impressive. I find the entire ending sequences to be well paced with some phenomenal special effects. I particuraly liked the how the battle was designed between Voldermort and Dumbledore. I was afraid it was just going to be two wizard flinging red and blue bolts at each other but I liked how they each had distinctive spells to use.

I also thought Luna Lovegood was well done who along with Neville is my other favorite secondary character.

[m_burlock]

I just saw it last night.

Found it to be like the 3rd film in terms of how much happened.

Good special effects.

The actress who played Luna Lovegood stood out from the rest acting wise.

Would've liked more advancement of the plot/more of the main plot. Not much happened in this installment.

Would like to see Dame Judy Dench and or Patrick Stewart and or Peter O'Toole and or Jeremy Irons and or Michael Caine in a role before they wrap things up. (If they haven't already)

This was the first film I've gone to where the theater security guard asked people who were waiting in line and had backpacks to open them and show/prove that they weren't carrying a "camcorder" in them. And it was also the first time I've ever seen a anti-piracy text statement put up on screen just before the film.

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by Bourne101
Dude, no offense, but you really need to lay down some periods and commas because it took me like 2 minutes to figure out what you were trying to say. Just a suggestion. I hardly think what I wrote was hard to comprehend, why did you bother readiong it, just to pick me up on my lack of puntuation? Anyone writting no offensive, is coming off as a condesending and nobody wants to be condecended. are you a literary genuis?

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
I hardly think what I wrote was hard to comprehend, why did you bother readiong it, just to pick me up on my lack of puntuation? Anyone writting no offensive, is coming off as a condesending and nobody wants to be condecended. are you a literary genuis?

Oh I tried to read it, I just couldn't make out anything that was being written. I love to give opinions and arguments, but it is kind of hard when you have to read someone's post 5 times before figuring out what they meant. I had to read the post that I am quoting a few times before I figured out what you were trying to say.

No I'm not a literary genius, but I am pretty good when it comes to literacy.

Back to Potter talk!

[Scarfather]

I'm a literary genius!

*tap dances*

But really, they finally did a Potter movie right, or, at least as right as you can when you're adapting a 700+ page book.

I was still disappointed in it as an adaptation, but I loved it as a film.

8/10

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by ScaryFreak1827

10/10



That's what i like to see, all these 8 and 9's i wanna see 10's.
10's Damn it!

I see this film in two hours!

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by Scarfather
I'm a literary genius! :D

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by optimus1
I have never read the books or seen any of the movies..if I started watching from the first movie would it be worth my while? Is it too childish for a 30 year old? I just figured I would ask before I went out and picked up the dvds

The first two probably will seem a bit childish and whimsical if you've never read the books. However, they are all still very good films, and three and four are excellent. I'd say, if you got the time, watch them all.

[therealjohng]

This was disappointing. 7/10.

[ilovemovies]

SPOILERS!







Hagrid didn't have nearly enough screen time. He's one of my favorite characters so I was actually a bit disappointed with his lack of screen time.


Imelda Staunton is wonderfully, delightfully nasty here. I loved her performance. I hated her character so much. She's such a bitch. And I'd say she's just as bad as Voldemort. Sure, she doesn't kill people, she just treats everyone like slaves.

The entire climax is amazing. The fight mini fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort was awesome!

Sirius Black's death might have been a tad rushed but it was still a great scene and great acting by Daniel Radcliffe in that scene too.

The movie also might have benefited from having more screen time between Harry and Sirius. It would have made Sirius's death more poignant. Still, it was pretty powerful nonetheless.

Overall, it's really good. I'd rank it either second or third of all the Potter flicks. I'm not sure. I'd have to see Goblet of Fire again. I haven't seen it since it was movie theaters.


A couple of notes:


Did this movie really need to be PG-13? It's no more darker or violent than the PG rated Chamber of Secrets. Seems to me that this is incredilby light for a PG-13.


Another thing, am I the only one who was kind of reminded of Nightmare on Elm Street 3, especially during the end? Think about it. A bunch of kids with super powers facing an evil that they are really not quite ready for. There is even a tragic death. Just like Nancy died in Nightmare 3, Sirius Black dies here. The only difference is here none of the kids die. It's just one of the major adult characters who die. Still, there were definitely times where it brought memories of Nightmare 3 for me.

[jord2006]

The best film and best apation so far: 9/10\

Yates is back for the Half-Blood Prince and hopefully that will kick even more ass!

[CreeperBEATNGU]

Rivals 300 as the best Hollywood film of the year.

This is definitely the best Potter film yet. It has a great social commentary on uber-conservativism to the point of fascim, one of the greatest casts ever assembled (Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Helena Bonam-Carter, Ralph Feinnes, Jason Isaac...a host of very talented up and coming young actors), and it's the most emotionally powerful of the series by far.

SPOILER

Harry's confrontation with Voldemort, what brings him back from Voldemort's temptation, and his sympathy for how empty and malicious Voldemort is is the best scene of the franchise.

This has restored my faith in the summer blockbuster that Transformers nearly killed, I can't wait to see it again.

My only problem was that I would've liked some of the supporting characters to be better fleshed out. I felt really bad for Cho, and I hope they give her some closure in the next film(s).

[Superplasmatron]

*SPOILERS*


The bit where they fly over the Thames was breathtaking and i felt that harry was coming straight for me, oh yeah it was in 3d. I thought the film was wonderful, I thought it was very tense, and personally kept me glued throughout. I was glad to see Neville getting a lot more lines, though I think by favorite secondary character in this one was Luna Lovegood, who I think would fit into the cast with ease, I loved the bit in the wood were she explains about her mother (the creatures in this bit were superb) I was a bit sad at the lack of Hagrid and Lupin and as always the sight of Filius Flitwick made me smile. I believe the effects were fantastic particularly in the last bit at the ministry, with all that flying glass and the trippy bit inside Harry's mind bits. Snape was as awesome as ever and the flash back sequence of his bullied past was particularly cool.
Sirius was fantastic as ever and the scenes in the phoenix head courters were they save Harry from his muggles were they reintroduce him was well good. But yeah it was a great film and full of exiting shit, the whole conspiracy by Fudge and the prophet and the torturing cat loving bitch Minerva McGonagall was brilliantly played against Harry's spells master classes,
All the cast were fucking fantastic and as for Sirius's death as Luna love good hints at things coming back in ways you least expect them.

Oh and as I hoped Ron does even better than Piss Off in this one, and Hermione better than outstanding. Also Helena Bonham Carter was great I looked forward to more from her with her Amy Winehouse hair.


Even though at times the Imax experience made my retiners bleed, I loved it all, the only problem I had on leaving te cinema is that I wanted more.

so 9.57/10

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
*SPOILERS*


The bit where they fly over the Thames was breathtaking and i felt that harry was coming straight for me, oh yeah it was in 3d. I thought the film was wonderful, I thought it was very tense, and personally kept me glued throughout. I was glad to see Neville getting a lot more lines, though I think by favorite secondary character in this one was Luna Lovegood, who I think would fit into the cast with ease, I loved the bit in the wood were she explains about her mother (the creatures in this bit were superb) I was a bit sad at the lack of Hagrid and Lupin and as always the sight of Filius Flitwick made me smile. I believe the effects were fantastic particularly in the last bit at the ministry, with all that flying glass and the trippy bit inside Harry's mind bits. Snape was as awesome as ever and the flash back sequence of his bullied past was particularly cool.
Sirius was fantastic as ever and the scenes in the phoenix head courters were they save Harry from his muggles were they reintroduce him was well good. But yeah it was a great film and full of exiting shit, the whole conspiracy by Fudge and the prophet and the torturing cat loving bitch Minerva McGonagall was brilliantly played against Harry's spells master classes,
All the cast were fucking fantastic and as for Sirius's death as Luna love good hints at things coming back in ways you least expect them.

Oh and as I hoped Ron does even better than Piss Off in this one, and Hermione better than outstanding. Also Helena Bonham Carter was great I looked forward to more from her with her Amy Winehouse hair.


Even though at times the Imax experience made my retiners bleed, I loved it all, the only problem I had on leaving te cinema is that I wanted more.

so 9.57/10

"Wow. You guys are on a completely different level of swearing here."

Sorry, I had to quote EuroTrip here. While I got the gist of what you were saying, most of what was said went right over my head.

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
"Wow. You guys are on a completely different level of swearing here."

Sorry, I had to quote EuroTrip here. While I got the gist of what you were saying, most of what was said went right over my head.
I basically said I liked it and thought Lovegood was a good character.
Was It my lack of punctuation, or just general inability to get across my opinions?

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
I basically said I liked it and thought Lovegood was a good character.
Was It my lack of punctuation, or just general inability to get across my opinions?

Lol, neither to be honest. I hope I didn't offend you any way...I just didn't seem to really grasp some of the word usage you used; I felt like you used a different dialect or something...am I wrong? Are you from the US?

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
Lol, neither to be honest. I hope I didn't offend you any way...I just didn't seem to really grasp some of the word usage you used; I felt like you used a different dialect or something...am I wrong? Are you from the US?


I'm from England, but maybe I've invented my own dialect, opps!

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
I'm from England, but maybe I've invented my own dialect, opps!

Ha ha. Probably not. I'm just not up to date with the lingo from over the pond. :p

[BadCoverVersion]

***Spoilers***





I saw HP at the Imax last night...and it was absolutely magnificent. I though Imelda Staunton was super eeevil as the feline-friendly disciplinarian Delores, and I really want her meowing kitty cat plates :). I love, love, LOVE Oldman as Sirius and felt quite teary of eye when that beehived bitch Bellatrix offed him. But like Roy, I would like to believe that Luna's parting words to Harry suggest a return for Black.

I think Neville is really coming into his own in these later installments. His backstory is mondo interesting and I find he's just a likeable actor AND character...and he'll be as tall and lanky as George and Fred Weasley in no time at the rate he's sprouting!

Daniel Radcliffe is just getting better and better with every flick. He has flourished into a really natural young performer, and it's a great treat to see him in more emotional scenes...the demise of Sirius for example, or when he asked Dumbledore to look at him :o.





***Spoilers End***





Top marks for Radcliffe...an utterly likeable and down-to-earth young man to boot.

Anyway, there's so much to say and SO, SO many great actors to mention. David Thewlis, Brendon Gleeson, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Julie Walters, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes ...all turning in FINE performances regardless of screen time. + Grint and Watson as per usual.

All in all, this made for a fantastic cinema experience. I saw it just before midnight in all it's super duper huge screen 3-dimensional glory...and boy am I glad I did.

Spellbinding!!!

10/10 :D

[Superplasmatron]

*spoiler*


Originally posted by BadCoverVersion





But like Roy, I would like to believe that Luna's parting words to Harry suggest a return for Black.






Your the one who pointed this out to me, I admit it, umm maybe you should read the half blood prince and find out, didn't someone buy it for you?

[BadCoverVersion]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
Your the one who pointed this out to me, I admit it, umm maybe you should read the half blood prince and find out, didn't someone buy it for you?

Yes I did...I was merely speculating ratbag. I will read the book, promise...since somebody with great big curly Sirius hair bought it for me, and I would like to read it anyway :). Reading is good.

[inglourious basterd]

Roy -- please add a "spoiler" warning to your last post.


*SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*


I love, love, LOVE Oldman as Sirius and felt quite teary of eye when that beehived bitch Bellatrix offed him. But like Roy, I would like to believe that Luna's parting words to Harry suggest a return for Black.

It isn't going to happen. One of the main points that Rowling is trying to make throughout this series is that "there are things that are worse than death". This becomes particularly transparent in the sixth book, but there is clear evidence of this theme throughout the series.

By the way -- if you haven't read 6 already, you should. It is an excellent book that gives a lot of development regarding Voldemort and it sets the plot up perfectly for the final book. The final book is definitely going to have a lot of action from start to finish.

[BadCoverVersion]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
That was the turning point for me; when I finally realized that Chris Columbus made the right decision in casting Radcliffe. I never really liked him that much before. He always seemed so damn stiff in the other movies, but in this one, he embraced the new Harry so damn well. That line was chilling.

Agreed.

I think Columbus judged it just right in selecting an underexperienced charismatic little fella in favour of a precocious, 'trained' tween. Radcliffe has made Potter his own.

Originally posted by ilovemovies
Anyone see Daniel Radcliffe on Jay Leno last night? He's actually turned into a pretty funny and cool guy.

He's been on the Jonathan Ross chat show in the UK a couple of times, and he always comes across VERY well indeed. So grounded and normal despite the fame and fortune. It's very refreshing, and liking him as a normal kid makes you appreciate his performance and progression as an actor all the more.

[EDsoulsurvive*]

Originally posted by CreeperBEATNGU

This has restored my faith in the summer blockbuster that Transformers nearly killed, I can't wait to see it again.


I couldn't agree more.

OotP is by far my favorite book in the series, so I went into this film incredible excited with high expectations, and left completely satisfied. The movie perfectly captured the dark tone and Harry angst transcribed so expertly in the book. At the same time, I agree with whatever schmoe said this was the funniest of the Potters as well. I think director David Yates did a great job in the first two hours of the movie, as I've never been so interested in the non action scenes at Hogwarts. Majority of the kids scenes were so subtly brilliant, knowing where things were going in the next novel really helped me enjoy these scenes even more. (Great job to the girl who plays Ginny). The performances keep getting better, Imelda Staunton was the best minor Potter villain committed to screen, and Evanna Lynch as Luna was the best addition to the young cast since the casting of Ginny Weasley. Rickman as Snape, Oldman as Sirius, Smith as McGonagall, and Gambon as Dumbledore stole their scenes, I would have loved more of them. The talent that goes into these movies is unbelievable, and I am thankful for the experience.

On the short list of things I didn't like, I read that alot of reviewers complained about the editing. If I hadn't read those reviews, I might not have noticed anything off, but the knowledge of said criticism made me pick up on the movies jumpiness and drastic changes from scene to scene with little transition. Also - and this complaint stems solely from my love of the book - I thought the ending felt rushed, the fighting could've lasted longer, and SPOILER the death of Sirius Black was handed poorly. In the book this was the most upsetting thing to happen in any of the Potters up to this point. In the movies, I thought the death of Cedric in GoF was alot more effective.

All in all, I am going to see this in theaters again (haven't said that in a while) in order to decide on my rating of 8 or 9 out of 10.

[adamjohnson]

I do have a question for someone whos read all the books and what not, this may include SPOILERS

The Adara Kadavra curse (the Death curse) if theres no blocking it, no counter curse, why dont the bad guys just walk around all day throwing that thing around? If I were a bad guy it pretty much would be the only spell I knew.

I understand however, that Harry and Big V have a shield against it now, but why not use it on everybody else, ALL THE TIME?

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by BadCoverVersion
Agreed.

I think Columbus judged it just right in selecting an underexperienced charismatic little fella in favour of a precocious, 'trained' tween. Radcliffe has made Potter his own.

Yeah, thank God they didn't go with Haley Joel Osmond.

[RandalGraves]

Enjoyed it, but it seemed slopily put together and they left out A LOT of stuff

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by RandalGraves
Enjoyed it, but it seemed slopily put together and they left out A LOT of stuff

Really? from the 900 page book?

DAMN THEM!

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by adamjohnson
Really? from the 900 page book?

DAMN THEM!

Lol. That gave me a good laugh!

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by adamjohnson
I do have a question for someone whos read all the books and what not, this may include SPOILERS

The Adara Kadavra curse (the Death curse) if theres no blocking it, no counter curse, why dont the bad guys just walk around all day throwing that thing around? If I were a bad guy it pretty much would be the only spell I knew.

I understand however, that Harry and Big V have a shield against it now, but why not use it on everybody else, ALL THE TIME?

Very good question.

The reason is that killing people isn't always the best way to get what you want. If power is what you crave, killing only acheives a certain type of effect. They also had other tools in their arsenal. For example, the death eaters were equally feared for their use of the "Imperius curse" to enslave people. By controlling people's minds, they were able to get people to do incriminating things in order to acheive some end. Or they could have used the cruciatus curse to torcher the hell out of someone. They briefly mentioned in OOTP (the movie) that Neville's parents got brutally torchered by Bellatrix Lestrange and his parent's had permanent damage as a result of that brutal torcher.

Furthermore, we don't know how frequently they used the Avada Kedavra curse before Harry's birth. For all we know, they could have used it all the time. From the books, we know that half of the people in the original "Order of the Phoenix" (including Harry and Neville's parents) were taken out by Death Eaters. Furthermore, the Death Eaters were feared so much that they were feared by wizards and (to an extent) Muggles as well.

In book 5, the big reason that we don't see him shooting green flames at every direction is because of the fact that he's milking the fact that no one believes Harry and Dumbledore. While the world lived in paradise and refused to believe the truth, he was laying low and was reassembling his death-eaters, he was re-establishing his political ties, and he was trying to strengthen his position by recruiting other species (this is why Hagrid's half-brother, the giant, was relevant to the storyline). Incidentally, page 1 of book 6 details Voldemort and the Death Eaters on a killing spree -- they were destroying bridges full of cars, cursing government officials, and destroying cities in 'battles' that resembled hurricanes. This is the type of dark stuff that they'll only briefly allude to in the next film.

That being said, I really really look forward to book 7. I look forward to seeing the bad ass action and I look forward to seeing whether Harry will live or die. (I don't consider this a spoiler because I have not mentioned any meaningful specifics). The books are ridiculously easy reads if you have the time. The themes are better fleshed out in the books and, if you feel inclined, you could hear about Harry's fate with the rest of the world.


If I were a bad guy it pretty much would be the only spell I knew.

You have to remember that this is advanced, dark magic. Not every wizard was able to do these curses. Nor would they want to.

[Scarfather]

Okay.

After seeing the film twice now, I've gotten over my qualms with the Voldemort/Dumbledore fight, now that I know what's coming I see that it is without a doubt the best set piece of the past several years.

[FilmKing2000]

http://www.themovieblog.com/archives/Order-Phoenix-Poster.jpg

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (David Yates, 2007)

Now that the Harry Potter franchise has grown out of its rugged childhood robes and has fit into a much more adult wardrobe, it would be fair to say that the ever expanding boundaries of its story has made enormous room for a grand amount of much darker themes, symbolism, mythology, and all-out magic that is just begging to be explored. With The Order of the Phoenix, the fifth installment of the seven part franchise, Potter’s story is taken to the next progressive level and proves that we are just one tiny step closer to reaching those grim times that are yet to come…that is, as Harry receives his first kiss and battles the epitome of all evil, at the same time.

The fact that the largest book in the series has been carved into the shortest film of the lot can be seen as quite an asset. The screenplay does a wonderful job in finding various shortcuts throughout the massive book and trimming off most of the outweighing fat and blotching subplots in order to maintain a particular focus towards the juicier meat of the bone. And yet, the meat we are left with can still be considered as, dare I say, slightly unsatisfying. The story itself is dull, uneventful, dry, and borderline turgid, and most characters, specifically Sirius Black, are left far too underdeveloped for us to have any feelings for. But on the brighter side, The Order of the Phoenix can, in many ways, be seen as the climax or turning point of the franchise. The prophecies are acknowledged, the opposing conflicts are mashed with a scorching friction, and that thick line between good and evil is finally whetted to its broadest, most symbolic extent.

I have come to hear a few complaints regarding the film’s lacking of its predecessor’s sense of magic, and this can be completely understandable. While there’s no doubt that The Order of the Phoenix is an admirably crafted entry to the franchise, the hordes of starkness and melancholy that it consumes just leads to this solemn sense of dryness. Now, that’s not to say that this particular sense of somberness isn’t utilized to its given extent. This stark sense of style was masterfully balanced by Alfonso Cauron in The Prisoner of Azkaban, and this installment’s grimly quaint style works beautifully during the first and third acts of the film, as emotional bowels are unraveled (while to a sadly limited extent) and the glories of good and evil are depicted. But it’s that turgid middle act that becomes that daunting weight that drags the film and prevents it from reaching its potential. If there had only been a more balanced storytelling dynamic, more time spent with some specific characters, and not to mention the blooming and looming of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s growing pains as wonderfully seen in much more vibrant predecessor, The Goblet of Fire, then we would have been in for a real treat.

Director David Yates proves himself to be a splendid addition to the franchise. Firstl the visuals. The film is suffused with plenty of inspired photography and cinematography, and the computer work utilized for the final battle sequence is quite a feat. Then, more importantly, there’s the far more impressive acting. When Yates first joined the project, I knew he was going to bring something refreshingly new acting wise, judging from his work on much more smaller projects such as The Girl in the Café. Daniel Radcliffe has flagrantly sharpened his acting abilities much more than the last time we saw him as the boy wizard, going from merely being able to carry the film on solely his own shoulders, to an actor who can now easily fill in the massive shoes of the titular pop icon. His deliverance is simultaneously demanding, fierce, and even subtle at the same time. But, as much as Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint have improved with each subsequent film, the true show stealers this time around are Imelda Staunton and Ralph Fiennes. Staunton is an absolutely brilliant addition to the highly established ensemble. Here sweet, objectively genial smile perfectly establishes a façade that hides the banality and wickedness of her character. Fiennes might as well be crowned as the king of evil roles. He proved himself to be the vilest incarnation of evil as Amon Goeth with his masterful performance in Schindler’s List and his role as Lord Voldemort proves him to be no different. He’s raw, sinister, serpentine, and a spine-tingling joy to watch. It’s a shame that the rest of the masterful talent behind the Potter ensemble (Gary Oldman, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, and Helena Bonham Carter, just to name a few) are kept under such limited spotlight due only to the film’s running-time, because there’s no doubt in my mind that, like Staunton and finds, they would have brought their Shakesperian talents to the table and aced them to their full fledged extents.

This is a flawed film, if not a curiously quaint and well crafted one. The character development doesn’t always work and the middle act can be painfully blunt, but the film rarely looses our attention. And in all, while The Order of the Phoenix may not be the best or most memorable installment of the franchise, it is certainly an important stepping stone for what is yet to come in the final two chapters.

RATING: 6.5/10

[AndrewDB]

^-- Couldn't agree more with what he said.

[CyclicNightmare]

Why did the Dementors look different?

Why did Sirius look different when he appeared in the fireplace?

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by CyclicNightmare
Why did the Dementors look different?

They had their hoods lowered to perform the Dementor's Kiss. One thing the movie left out, that I thought was kind of important, was when Umbridge reveals to Harry that she was the one who sent the dementors after him to shut him up for good.

Originally posted by CyclicNightmare
Why did Sirius look different when he appeared in the fireplace?

The only thing I can think of is better graphics. I always thought that the way he looked in the fireplace in The Goblet of Fire was a little ridiculous. I liked this version much better.

[jolanar]

As a book adaptation it does its job very well, but as a movie it struggles in many areas. Overall well done though. Better than the first 2 but not as good as 3 and 4.

Order of the Pheonix: 7/10



Goblet of Fire: 9/10
Prisoner of Azkhaban: 8/10
Sorcerers Stone: 6/10
Chamber of Secrets: 5/10

[Crazy Dud]

Originally posted by FilmKing2000
http://www.themovieblog.com/archives/Order-Phoenix-Poster.jpg

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (David Yates, 2007)

Now that the Harry Potter franchise has grown out of its rugged childhood robes and has fit into a much more adult wardrobe, it would be fair to say that the ever expanding boundaries of its story has made enormous room for a grand amount of much darker themes, symbolism, mythology, and all-out magic that is just begging to be explored. With The Order of the Phoenix, the fifth installment of the seven part franchise, Potter’s story is taken to the next progressive level and proves that we are just one tiny step closer to reaching those grim times that are yet to come…that is, as Harry receives his first kiss and battles the epitome of all evil, at the same time.

The fact that the largest book in the series has been carved into the shortest film of the lot can be seen as quite an asset. The screenplay does a wonderful job in finding various shortcuts throughout the massive book and trimming off most of the outweighing fat and blotching subplots in order to maintain a particular focus towards the juicier meat of the bone. And yet, the meat we are left with can still be considered as, dare I say, slightly unsatisfying. The story itself is dull, uneventful, dry, and borderline turgid, and most characters, specifically Sirius Black, are left far too underdeveloped for us to have any feelings for. But on the brighter side, The Order of the Phoenix can, in many ways, be seen as the climax or turning point of the franchise. The prophecies are acknowledged, the opposing conflicts are mashed with a scorching friction, and that thick line between good and evil is finally whetted to its broadest, most symbolic extent.

I have come to hear a few complaints regarding the film’s lacking of its predecessor’s sense of magic, and this can be completely understandable. While there’s no doubt that The Order of the Phoenix is an admirably crafted entry to the franchise, the hordes of starkness and melancholy that it consumes just leads to this solemn sense of dryness. Now, that’s not to say that this particular sense of somberness isn’t utilized to its given extent. This stark sense of style was masterfully balanced by Alfonso Cauron in The Prisoner of Azkaban, and this installment’s grimly quaint style works beautifully during the first and third acts of the film, as emotional bowels are unraveled (while to a sadly limited extent) and the glories of good and evil are depicted. But it’s that turgid middle act that becomes that daunting weight that drags the film and prevents it from reaching its potential. If there had only been a more balanced storytelling dynamic, more time spent with some specific characters, and not to mention the blooming and looming of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s growing pains as wonderfully seen in much more vibrant predecessor, The Goblet of Fire, then we would have been in for a real treat.

Director David Yates proves himself to be a splendid addition to the franchise. Firstl the visuals. The film is suffused with plenty of inspired photography and cinematography, and the computer work utilized for the final battle sequence is quite a feat. Then, more importantly, there’s the far more impressive acting. When Yates first joined the project, I knew he was going to bring something refreshingly new acting wise, judging from his work on much more smaller projects such as The Girl in the Café. Daniel Radcliffe has flagrantly sharpened his acting abilities much more than the last time we saw him as the boy wizard, going from merely being able to carry the film on solely his own shoulders, to an actor who can now easily fill in the massive shoes of the titular pop icon. His deliverance is simultaneously demanding, fierce, and even subtle at the same time. But, as much as Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint have improved with each subsequent film, the true show stealers this time around are Imelda Staunton and Ralph Fiennes. Staunton is an absolutely brilliant addition to the highly established ensemble. Here sweet, objectively genial smile perfectly establishes a façade that hides the banality and wickedness of her character. Fiennes might as well be crowned as the king of evil roles. He proved himself to be the vilest incarnation of evil as Amon Goeth with his masterful performance in Schindler’s List and his role as Lord Voldemort proves him to be no different. He’s raw, sinister, serpentine, and a spine-tingling joy to watch. It’s a shame that the rest of the masterful talent behind the Potter ensemble (Gary Oldman, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, and Helena Bonham Carter, just to name a few) are kept under such limited spotlight due only to the film’s running-time, because there’s no doubt in my mind that, like Staunton and finds, they would have brought their Shakesperian talents to the table and aced them to their full fledged extents.

This is a flawed film, if not a curiously quaint and well crafted one. The character development doesn’t always work and the middle act can be painfully blunt, but the film rarely looses our attention. And in all, while The Order of the Phoenix may not be the best or most memorable installment of the franchise, it is certainly an important stepping stone for what is yet to come in the final two chapters.

RATING: 6.5/10

That pretty much sums it up for me. It brought in new things that its predecessors were sadly missing, but in the process almost completely abandoned what made Goblet of Fire so successful. Still, this movie has the best isolated moments in the series by far, so I will rank it the same as Goblet of Fire, though I liked Goblet more.

8/10

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by Crazy Dud
...but in the process almost completely abandoned what made Goblet of Fire so successful.

What was that, in your opinion. I don't mean to sound sarcastic or like I'm questioning you in any way, I'm just curious as to what you meant. :D

[bourahioro]

Ho-ly shit....Imelda Staunton is one creepy fuckin' bitch in this flick.


9/10

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
They had their hoods lowered to perform the Dementor's Kiss. One thing the movie left out, that I thought was kind of important, was when Umbridge reveals to Harry that she was the one who sent the dementors after him to shut him up for good.


I don't remember that. Do you remember where in OOTP that it said that? I'd like to look it up. If this were the case, then she would be in Azkaban now.

[Scarfather]

Originally posted by psudoazn
I don't remember that. Do you remember where in OOTP that it said that? I'd like to look it up. If this were the case, then she would be in Azkaban now.

Pg. 746 - 747 in the American copy, it's at the very end of "Out of the Fire".

Now that I think about it, that IS a gigantic oversight on the part of the screenwriter.

[SpikeDurden]

Originally posted by Scarfather
Pg. 746 - 747 in the American copy, it's at the very end of "Out of the Fire".

Now that I think about it, that IS a gigantic oversight on the part of the screenwriter.

You have to remember that J.K. Rowling approves all of the scripts, so she obviously didn't think it was very important, particularly because she makes no mention of it in HBP and Umbridge is sitting there towards the end of the novel.

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by SpikeDurden
You have to remember that J.K. Rowling approves all of the scripts, so she obviously didn't think it was very important, particularly because she makes no mention of it in HBP and Umbridge is sitting there towards the end of the novel.

It certainly is important; however, it is a relatively minor point in the "big picture" of Harry's destiny to fight Voldemort. All of the movies have cut out "important" details. But this was done in order to keep the storylines focused on the "big picture" and less than 3.5 hours.

[the_sneaker]

Edit...okay, looks like they answered your question already, lol...that's what I get for not reading down the thread. :D

[SpikeDurden]

Originally posted by psudoazn
It certainly is important; however, it is a relatively minor point in the "big picture" of Harry's destiny to fight Voldemort. All of the movies have cut out "important" details. But this was done in order to keep the storylines focused on the "big picture" and less than 3.5 hours.

Yeah. What I meant is that its not important in regards to the overall arc, just perhaps in the dramatic development of the particular novel. I don't think it hurt the film at all.


By the way, I absolutely loved the film, and I'll write a review soon.

[anakinsrise]

I have never gone to a theatre to watch any of the
Harry Potter films.In the past i felt the books and
movies were "kid stuff" But my feelings changed
after reading 2 of the novels and watching the films on
DVD.I must admit i still fast forward through the
Quidditch matches.The mystical creatures and Harry's
back story pulled me in and now that Harry and the
gang are more mature,i find the films more involving
so for the first time i actually watched a Potter
film in the theatre.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,things turn considerably and literally darker.This is by far one of the best in the series so far.Though some scenes felt a bit repetitive,nothing is drawn out and its never dull.Next week with the release of the final Harry Potter novel we will learn his fate I wonder if i will be able to hold out until the final film hits theatres...Who am i kidding like any Potter fan i will be reading the book next weekend.
Scale of 1-10 a 9

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by anakinsrise
I have never gone to a theatre to watch any of the
Harry Potter films.In the past i felt the books and
movies were "kid stuff"

Oh man, do I know how you felt. Back in 2001 (a few months before Sorcerer's Stone hit theaters here in the US) my friend practically forced me to read the first two books. Before that, I thought that they were, like you put, "kids' stuff," but I was sucked in so fast, and two days after he lent me the first two books, I was begging him to lend me the third! :D

[Bourne101]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - 9/10

I am a big Harry Potter fan to say the least. I have read all the books and loved them all. The first film was great, and was quite faithful to the book. The second one blew me away and was my favorite of the series. Prisoner of Azkaban was OK, but I felt Cuaron was trying to make the movie look good, rather than make a good, faithful adaptation with the magic that the other films in the series had. Goblet of Fire was second to Chamber of Secrets, but inability to include major book subplots was a big fault. Then Order of Phoenix comes along... AND IT FUCKING ROCKS! Not only is it a faithful adaptation, but it also captures the magic and darkness that Harry Potter is all about. The acting is the best yet and directing excellent. Imelda Staunton does a great job as Umbridge who is a character you love to hate and is such a hardcore bitch that seeing bad things happen to her makes the film so entertaining. The best film in the series so far!

[Rick-James]

Not a Potter fan. I only seen the last two films and never read any of the books.

I liked this one. Great action at the end. Oldman is a bad ass and the Voldemort/Dumbledore fight was neato!

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by Bourne101
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - 9/10

I am a big Harry Potter fan to say the least. I have read all the books and loved them all. The first film was great, and was quite faithful to the book. The second one blew me away and was my favorite of the series. Prisoner of Azkaban was OK, but I felt Cuaron was trying to make the movie look good, rather than make a good, faithful adaptation with the magic that the other films in the series had. Goblet of Fire was second to Chamber of Secrets, but inability to include major book subplots was a big fault. Then Order of Phoenix comes along... AND IT FUCKING ROCKS! Not only is it a faithful adaptation, but it also captures the magic and darkness that Harry Potter is all about. The acting is the best yet and directing excellent. Imelda Staunton does a great job as Umbridge who is a character you love to hate and is such a hardcore bitch that seeing bad things happen to her makes the film so entertaining. The best film in the series so far!


I get frustrated with all this talk of faithfully adapting the books, nobody reads a book the same way, the books are getting increasingly longer, and the films are getting if anything shorter. I agree that oder of the phoneix is outstanding, but I think Azkaban rules too. But as for faithfull adaptations of books for example, if American Psycho had been faithfully adapted we would have had a very long and unratable films, consiting of sexual violence so disgusting it would be seen as torture porn, offset, by bale, as bateman listing huge lists of his favorite designers and deconstruting his faveorite genesis and huey lewis songs.

[Bourne101]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
I get frustrated with all this talk of faithfully adapting the books, nobody reads a book the same way, the books are getting increasingly longer, and the films are getting if anything shorter. I agree that oder of the phoneix is outstanding, but I think Azkaban rules too. But as for faithfull adaptations of books for example, if American Psycho had been faithfully adapted we would have had a very long and unratable films, consiting of sexual violence so disgusting it would be seen as torture porn, offset, by bale, as bateman listing huge lists of his favorite designers and deconstruting his faveorite genesis and huey lewis songs.

There is no arguing here so get over it. Order of the Phoenix is a faithful adaptation. Every plot and subplot that was interesting and necessary was put into the movie. Little things like Harry having more sessions with Snape in the book than the movie, mean nothing. The sessions with Snape in the book are pretty much all the same, with the most important being in the movie. Faithful doesn't mean that every little detail has to be fulfilled, it means to be accurate.

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by psudoazn
Roy -- please add a "spoiler" warning to your last post.


*SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*




It isn't going to happen. One of the main points that Rowling is trying to make throughout this series is that "there are things that are worse than death". This becomes particularly transparent in the sixth book, but there is clear evidence of this theme throughout the series.

By the way -- if you haven't read 6 already, you should. It is an excellent book that gives a lot of development regarding Voldemort and it sets the plot up perfectly for the final book. The final book is definitely going to have a lot of action from start to finish.


what was with the comunication mirror and why was the spell used on him not a killing spell? Just wondered what your thoughts were, on those issues?

[SpikeDurden]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
what was with the comunication mirror and why was the spell used on him not a killing spell? Just wondered what your thoughts were, on those issues?


***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***

As far as the communication mirror is concerned, at the end of the novel OOTP, after Sirius is dead, Harry remembers about the mirror and tries to see if it works beyond the grave. Harry has no luck and he smashes the mirror into pieces. If I were a betting man, I would guess that Harry fixes the mirror in the 7th novel and is somehow able to use that to contact Sirius. Or perhaps Sirius somehow left a message on the mirror.

In the novel OOTP, a greater mystery was developed surrounding the veil and the voices. Many have assumed that it was a direct passageway to the "underworld," if you will, and perhaps Harry himself will travel through the veil in the 7th novel, though about this I'm not too sure.
In the novel, Sirius is merely hit with, I believe, a red jet of light out of Bellatrix's wand, which then forces him back into the veil. Instead of dying, per se, he simply falls into the veil, taking him directly into the underworld. So perhaps there is some chance of a reprieve for Sirius, though again, I doubt it.

***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS***

[Mr.HyDe807]

Ive seen all the movies, and although a little disappointed, but always pleased with the adaptations, i have a feeling im gonna throughly enjoy this movie! Also, im checking it Imax 3d style, so ill let you schmoes on how that was too!

[ozinoz]

I had the opportunity to see the movie last night. On the whole, I thought, very hit and miss. Major characters relegated to cameo's, I dont think David Thewlis had more than about 6 lines and Dame Maggie Smith not much more . Just another instance of movies being released to fill a time slot, not tell a story. I thought even the major battle within the MoM at the climax was way too short and the much hyped "first kiss" so out of place because of editing constraints for time, it just didn't make sense nor fitfit. You cant fit a 700 page book in 120 mins!

Movies need to be released that tell the story, with less emphasis on screening turns per day. If you cant sit and watch a 150-180 minute movie, give up going and watch tv. Can only hope that at some point in the not too distant future, Warners decide to put out a full blown extended cut of the whole series so it can be enjoyed as intended. The book series has great affinity with mental imagery and imagination and this needs to be embraced in the movies. Hope the last 2 are given better treatment...

Cheers

[JackassFan]

Although it was a pretty cool experience considering I saw it in 3D at the Imax, the movie itself was just okay. Better than Goblet, but still very flawed.

8/10

[miguel_montes]

Meh... Pretty average: 6/10

Yawned a lot of times... Gary Oldman still rules, though...

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by SpikeDurden
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***

As far as the communication mirror is concerned, at the end of the novel OOTP, after Sirius is dead, Harry remembers about the mirror and tries to see if it works beyond the grave. Harry has no luck and he smashes the mirror into pieces. If I were a betting man, I would guess that Harry fixes the mirror in the 7th novel and is somehow able to use that to contact Sirius. Or perhaps Sirius somehow left a message on

***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS***

OR, Regulus Black, Sirius' relative (brother, is it?)

R. A.(?) B., perhaps?

Those who havent read book six will know nothing of whatI speak.

[Superplasmatron]

*spoilers*


Just saw it again at Imax and was just as good, ron says git and toss pot, instead of cheerios they have cheeriowls for breakfast oh and as for Umbridge going to Azkaban, she gets taken off by Centaurs it seems.

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
*spoilers*


Just saw it again at Imax and was just as good, ron says git and toss pot, instead of cheerios they have cheeriowls for breakfast oh and as for Umbridge going to Azkaban, she gets taken off by Centaurs it seems.

(She is still at the Ministry in book six)

[Superplasmatron]

Originally posted by adamjohnson
(She is still at the Ministry in book six)

thats crazy, i'm gonna read it asap.

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by Roy L Dennis
thats crazy, i'm gonna read it asap.

Better flip to the last 5 pages.

[Jig Saw 123]

This movie kicked so much ass. I loved the battle at the end. Cant wait until book 7..

[fabxxx]

OK... So I never read HP books and so far didn't like the movies ,although I'm going to give #3 and #4 a second chance on DVD with subtitles... after not liking #1 and #2 I watched #3 and #4 not paying much attention and in one of them I even felt asleep... I had just flown for the whole day!! Anyway... This last one KICKS ASS!!

I LOVED IT!! If you can, go see it in IMAX 3D!!!

[adamjohnson]

Saw it again tonight. God, I love Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort.

Shame he wont even be in the next one.

[dannywalker17]

I enjoyed it, but not as much as the previous two installments. The fight at the end was just too much of a rip off Star Wars, and it didn't feel like much happened until the final 30 minutes. It's my understanding that this is the shortest film and longest book, and it shows.

7/10 or B


1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (8/10 or B+)
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (7/10 or B)
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (7/10 or B)
4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (6/10 or C+)
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (6/10 or C)

[Monotreme]

http://blog.cleveland.com/entertainment/2007/07/large_voldemort.jpg

(David Yates, 2007)

This series started out on such a bad note, looking back on the first two films it is almost surprising how utterly and starkly different they are than the last three. Ever since removing the kid-friendly Chris Columbus from the helm and bringing on directors mostly with a background of gritty dramas, the films have gotten better and better. The series reached a peak with The Goblet of Fire, which was my favourite of the books and also of the movies. Order of the Phoenix continues down the same path paved by Alfonso Cuaron and Mike Newell, and although it doesn’t quite reach their greatness, it is still a fantastic film and a wonderful entertainment.

It irks me to read all the criticism this film has been bombarded with that the “magic is gone”. What magic? The last two films, Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire, weren’t any more magical than Order of the Phoenix, and they were just as dark, brooding, adult and gritty. What I love so much about the new direction the series has taken is how it throws the “magic” aside, putting it as a background, a setting, a mythology to the true focus of the series, and that is the story and the characters. In fact, this film more than any of the others – including Goblet of Fire – keeps much of its focus on the characters, even though there are so many that some of them get lost in the shuffle and appear mostly in the background. Their turn will come, though.

The Harry Potter series has always excelled at compiling the most exquisite array of high-profile English actors any other film has since Robert Altman’s Gosford Park. Indeed many of them appear for so little, the full effect of it all can be felt only when viewing the closing credits. Seeing all those names one after the other made me grin. Indeed the actors that get the biggest chance to shine are Gary Oldman, whose character finally comes in full-fledged force and reaches his dramatic and development peak in this installment. Other actors that get similar opportunities but to a lesser extent are Alan Rickman, who has been in the series since the beginning; and newcomer Imelda Staunton. This role is such a polar opposite to the pure good that was her Oscar-nominated turn in Vera Drake; it certainly shows what superb range the woman has. It must also be said that the three stars, in particular Daniel Radcliffe, have grown and evolved immensely as actors: both in Goblet of Fire and now in Order of the Phoenix the three actors show a wonderful emotional range and knack for drama; they have done what most actors aim to do and that is completely embody their characters. Other very talented cast members that appeared so briefly it was quite a pity were Brendan Gleeson, Emma Thompson, and newcomer Helena Bonham Carter – fans of Marla don’t fret; she has a substantially larger role in the 6th installment (unless it is cut in the adaptation, which I certainly hope not). But the biggest misfire is definitely Ralph Fiennes. His appearance in Goblet of Fire was nothing short of a novelty; I was blown away by how he (and the director) managed to take a rather poorly crafted character on Rowling’s part and make him into something far more frightening than the embodiment of all evil: They made him human. Fiennes absolutely glowed in Goblet of Fire, but his appearance in this installment was so brief he never quite got his chance to shine and equal his dominance in the fourth film. Hopefully much more will be waiting for him in the seventh book/movie, we’ll have to wait until then to see.

Which brings me to the film’s single, major flaw, the flaw that makes it ever so slightly lesser than the previous two installments. I felt that the ending was unnecessarily and confusingly rushed. I usually hate making book-to-film comparisons as I like to view both as strictly separate entities, but when the film is outbalanced as much as it was in this, I must make the connection. In the book, the sequence in the Department of Mysteries is substantially longer, and rightfully so. As the movie’s dramatic peak, one would expect it not to feel so rushed and for the film to take its time, building the tension, so that when the final showdown does arrive, it’s impact is far more felt. In the film, it seemed like Dumbledore was duking it out with Voldemort so suddenly, the only thing more sudden was how abruptly it was all over. Looking at the runtime of the film (2 hours and 20 minutes), I really don’t see why the filmmakers couldn’t have taken the liberty of drawing out the final sequence by about 20 more minutes, to increase the suspense and the drama, and to not have it feel so rushed and just plain under whelming.

But there are so many other fields in which to praise the film, one is almost willing to forgive its pacing problems in the third act. If anything can be said about these fantasy franchises it’s that they are a designer’s dream, and indeed, both the costume and especially the production design in this film have reached a new peak: the production and set design in particular are outstanding and definitely the best in the series, with such absolutely brilliant and gorgeous sets such as the Department of Mysteries or the Ministry of Magic atrium. Like in Goblet of Fire, he special effects and CGI imagery blend seamlessly into the action and drama in the foreground, and creations that would have been considered novelties when the first films came out (such as the cave troll in the first film or Dobby the house elf in the second) are interweaved and integrated wonderfully without ever serving as a distraction and always remaining convincing. Another creator who deserves much praise is composer Nicholas Hooper. While it was sad to see John Williams leave the franchise, it is refreshing to see a composer bring something new to the table: aside from the theme that appears in the beginning and end of the film, the score is an entirely new entity and sound quite unlike anything that has been heard before in the series – this is in total contrast to Patrick Doyle who, in Goblet of Fire, seemingly attempted (and quite feebly so) to imitate John Williams’ original score.

This is in all a solid film and an excellent entertainment. The Harry Potter series has already elevated itself above the level of simple novelty and entered the territory of full-fledged and strongly rooted mythology, that lets the characters and the actors roam free in its realm. Yates does a solid job directing and everything – from the acting to the score to the production design to the visual effects and CGI – all fits together quite nicely, although the film does acquire somewhat of a hasty limp in its third act, nothing that can’t be ironed over in Yates’ second jab at the series directing The Half-Blood Prince, slated for release November of next year. Still good, but not quite as good as Prisoner of Azkaban or Goblet of Fire. Although perhaps I’m biased, as the fifth book was and still remains my least favourite of the entire series – although credit must be given to the filmmakers for giving a logical solution, that it is Voldemort filling Harry’s head with anger, that is the cause of what in the book came across as annoying teenage angst.

Goblet of Fire: 8/10.
Prisoner of Azkaban: 8/10.

Order of the Phoenix: 7.5/10.

Chamber of Secrets: 5/10.
Sorcerer's Stone: 4/10.

[Mr.HyDe807]

Great review Monotreme! I completely agree with you, although i may increase the review to an 8. The ending was definitely rushed, and while i was feeling impact at certain scenes, i felt it was there and gone in a second. I also felt that the movie shouldve extended.....

:POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

Harry's talk with Dumbledore, and how fustrated and angry he was with Dumbledore ignoring him, and Dumbledore's reaction.

:END SPOILERS


However, i enjoyed how the director tried to give the fans of the book soem support with certain scenes, although they were somewhat vague to other people who havent read the book.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by adamjohnson
OR, Regulus Black, Sirius' relative (brother, is it?)

R. A.(?) B., perhaps?

Those who havent read book six will know nothing of whatI speak.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!!










I'm glad that someone else caught on to that. My friends have called me crazy for the past two years to even suggest that it be Regulus, but it seems to me that there is no other option. Rowling always has a way of introducing characters that are important to the series, waaay before they actually come into play, like Sirious for example. Hagrid mentions him in the first few pages of The Sorcerer's Stone. Regulus was mentioned at least once in OOTP and a couple of times in HBP, so I would not be surprised at all to see that he is the infamous R.A.B., and that he either A) Was not a Death Eater at all and only "joined" the ranks of them to find out Voldermort's weakness, or B) he was a true Death Eater but lost the heart for it sometime on, and once he realized what Voldermort was up to, he decided to take the Horcrux, destroy it, and fake his death, OR he really was killed after destroying the Horcrux. However, I won't know for another few hours! I'm about to go pick up my copy of Deathly Hallows at midnight! :D








End Spoilers

[inglourious basterd]

Originally posted by the_sneaker
POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!!










I'm glad that someone else caught on to that. My friends have called me crazy for the past two years to even suggest that it be Regulus, but it seems to me that there is no other option. Rowling always has a way of introducing characters that are important to the series, waaay before they actually come into play, like Sirious for example.
End Spoilers

I thought it was really obvious. It isn't only the initials that match up. His back story as a Death Eater that wanted out fits perfectly. The readers that missed out on R.A.B. just weren't paying attention closely enough.

[the_sneaker]

Originally posted by psudoazn
I thought it was really obvious. It isn't only the initials that match up. His back story as a Death Eater that wanted out fits perfectly. The readers that missed out on R.A.B. just weren't paying attention closely enough.

I remember the feeling I had after read HBP two years ago: "WHO THE FUCK IS R.A.B.?" God, it only took two years to figure out that question ;)

[InvaderZim]

Harry Potter and the order of the Pheonix - 7/10 - This was more like a horror movie than a potter film.. everyone always says that the potter movies are DARK but this was the first one that really was dark.. it started off evil then never made me smile.. always dreadful and sad.. Good movie but least favorite of all the films

[Mentiroso]

Loved this one. In my opinion this series gets better every film in one way or another. I would give this one a 8/10. Best of the bunch but I need to watch it a couple of more times to make sure.

HP1 - 7/10
HP2 - 7.5/10
HP3 - 7.5/10
HP4 - 8/10
HP5 - 8/10

[bourahioro]

Originally posted by Mentiroso
Loved this one. In my opinion this series gets better every film in one way or another. I would give this one a 8/10. Best of the bunch but I need to watch it a couple of more times to make sure.

HP1 - 7/10
HP2 - 7.5/10
HP3 - 7.5/10
HP4 - 8/10
HP5 - 8/10

My sentiments exactly, though I gove the whole series a perfect 10 with the exception of HP3, which I'd give a 7/10 (because Cuaron sucks).

[Mentiroso]

Originally posted by bourahioro
My sentiments exactly, though I gove the whole series a perfect 10 with the exception of HP3, which I'd give a 7/10 (because Cuaron sucks).

I rewatched HP1 last night because my fiance had not seen it and I realized how much the acting, writing, and fx have gotten better each movie. The actors and the movies themselves actually grow and improve as the series continues. Out of all the movies out there in trilogy or greater form this is now my fav series, taking the place of Star Wars.

[TheKingofComedy]

Is it just me or is all this middle class, upper aristocracy, public school shit pissing anyone else off. Self rightous moral fibre bullshit. I say fuck em. I love you all dearly,but not nearly enough to keep quiet. Visually ok but reading this, come on read something with a bit a substance. And you lord of ring knobheads can eat shit and die. Terry pratchet all the way. No one can touch the JEDI...............

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by TheKingofComedy
Is it just me or is all this middle class, upper aristocracy, public school shit pissing anyone else off. Self rightous moral fibre bullshit. I say fuck em. I love you all dearly,but not nearly enough to keep quiet. Visually ok but reading this, come on read something with a bit a substance. And you lord of ring knobheads can eat shit and die. Terry pratchet all the way. No one can touch the JEDI...............

BAHAHAHAHAHA.

[TheKingofComedy]

bahahahahaha what sort of articulated response is that, how about this one FUCK YOU. LMAO. Unbreakable your fav film, ok it's really good but fav, you were obviously deprived of some conversation in previous years or oxygen as a child, possibly breast milk. I dnt want to speculate. Oh and by the way Ron ends up with that Heiminy chick and alls well surprise surprise. So FUCK YOU FRANK. GO watch some woody allen and read a little more, other wise you children may suffer from the disease that is eating you alive. A lack of real taste or character. ha ha ha or should I say bahahahahahahahahahahahaha harry potter zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ihiefiirghirhkhgwhrghwroghrogho;rhgk;thl;b;mn;';.n .,'.[o hi everyone I love you. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzfhhrghtightnhgkrnbnvlk;fm/. g. b'.n'u#j.l'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

[Dom Shady]

what's with this guy?

[LordSimen]

Originally posted by TheKingofComedy
bahahahahaha what sort of articulated response is that, how about this one FUCK YOU. LMAO. Unbreakable your fav film, ok it's really good but fav, you were obviously deprived of some conversation in previous years or oxygen as a child, possibly breast milk. I dnt want to speculate. Oh and by the way Ron ends up with that Heiminy chick and alls well surprise surprise. So FUCK YOU FRANK. GO watch some woody allen and read a little more, other wise you children may suffer from the disease that is eating you alive. A lack of real taste or character. ha ha ha or should I say bahahahahahahahahahahahaha harry potter zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ihiefiirghirhkhgwhrghwroghrogho;rhgk;thl;b;mn;';.n .,'.[o hi everyone I love you. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzfhhrghtightnhgkrnbnvlk;fm/. g. b'.n'u#j.l'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''



My spider-senses tell me someone isn't going to last here very long.

[Crazy Dud]

Originally posted by LordSimen
My spider-senses tell me someone isn't going to last here very long.

I've seen other new schmoes who you can tell aren't going to last very long, but this is on a whole new level.

[fabxxx]

Originally posted by TheKingofComedy
bahahahahaha what sort of articulated response is that, how about this one FUCK YOU. LMAO. Unbreakable your fav film, ok it's really good but fav, you were obviously deprived of some conversation in previous years or oxygen as a child, possibly breast milk. I dnt want to speculate. Oh and by the way Ron ends up with that Heiminy chick and alls well surprise surprise. So FUCK YOU FRANK. GO watch some woody allen and read a little more, other wise you children may suffer from the disease that is eating you alive. A lack of real taste or character. ha ha ha or should I say bahahahahahahahahahahahaha harry potter zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ihiefiirghirhkhgwhrghwroghrogho;rhgk;thl;b;mn;';.n .,'.[o hi everyone I love you. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzfhhrghtightnhgkrnbnvlk;fm/. g. b'.n'u#j.l'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Someone forgot to take his meds!! LOL!! :D

[zombievictim]

Jeese the mods really need to spruce up and start banning the idiots quickly. Not waiting it out a week.

[TheKingofComedy]

"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" NO this is a actually happening. Anyway i'll get to the point, I Undoubtedly have my critcs to say the least, but on some level think a few fireworks here and there are quite interesting. I'm not a crazed nutta i'm a happy individual not on meds by the way. I just find it quite amusing to be inappropriate on accasion. I tell lies.I'm truly sorry. lol

bye now, you all really like me don't ya, hahahahahaha I'm guna go eat some caramels while listening to Elliot Smith.

[starcat]

dude, it probably wouldnt be so bad if anyone knew what the hell you were talking about.... and you give away book spoilers too... dont claim to act so mature and high and mighty when you do shit like that... it makes you out to be a big joke

[TheKingofComedy]

thank you may the army of the twelve monkeys follow you into the dark.

[starcat]

pity the 12 monkeys

[TheKingofComedy]

i pity only eleven of them