Harry Potter

[cherrie]

yep exactly. but if you've read the book, you will be more disappointed

[MeMyselfandI2000]

Watched it today and I loved it. Obviously, the book is better but the movie was not so good. Harry, Ron and Malfoy have all grown (hotter), and I think that they are going to out-grow their roles soon, so I won't be suprised if they decide to change the actors in the 5th movie (if there is one).

The Hermione punching Malfoy in the face was priceless..hehehe.. the kids in the movie were clapping after that scene. Effects and scenes are so much better. But I'm quite annoyed because they decided not to do quidditch scenes.

Anyway, it is kind of rushed, but I still love it. I'll give it 4 out of 5.

[Eliar Swiftfire]

Most of the complaints I hear are 'MY GOD! THIS MOVIE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE BOOK! SO MANY SCENES OMITTED!!!!!! THE SUBPLOTS, EVERYTHING!!'

Let's be realistic, some lengthy dialogue work better in books than in films. And if he really did a page by page adaptation, the film will be 4 hours long.

I don't see people complaining that much about LoTR... even when they completely omitted the House of Healing, Faramir/Eowyn subplot.

[CrazyLilAngel]

Originally posted by Eliar Swiftfire
I don't see people complaining that much about LoTR... even when they completely omitted the House of Healing, Faramir/Eowyn subplot.

I actually didn't like how it jumped from Eowyn pining over Aragorn to Faramir and Eowyn looking like they're together at the coronation. But since I read the book and I understood it, I didn't complain.

I'm seeing PoA tomorrow...I think I'll just walk in with as low of expectations as I can get them to be...so I won't be disappointed.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

So, I wasn't the only one who feels that HP3 was choppy and rushed. HP3 was not great as HP 1 or HP 2 movies. HP3 was confusing to those what had not read the book yet. The director seems to believe that almost everyone read the book but he should realize not everyone will jump off a bridge. The movie miss so many important elements. The way the student dressed in muggle clothing especially Draco and his gangs annoyed me. Draco and his friends are pure-blood plus they hated muggles. Why would they even wear muggle clothings that made me confused. The way the student dressed was not very tidy which in a UK school they would not let that happen. The cat and mouse should be better explain and suddenly Snape should up to rescue the Golden Trio was confusing for those who had not read the book. They should explain those parts. The ending was a great rush, I thought the beginning was fine but after that everything went downhill. The CGI of the werewolf sucked. Basically the movie was not that great because it was confusing, rushed, and choppy.

[Buffy_85]

i haven't had the chance to read all the post yet but I actually enjoy the movie a lot. Yes, it's very quick n it omit a lot of scenes but overall, i like it. Though i agree with Psycho Cat aka Cathy that they shouldn't dress in muggkle clothes, afterall, they are in school. Shouldn't they be wearing their uniforms?

The pace of this movie is faster. It cut right to the point.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

For me, before watching the movie. I was reading all these great review about HP3. However, after watching the movie I was greatly disappointed. Yes, the pace is fast and the move cut to the point. But cutting to the point had cause the lack of development in the plot and characters. Without the first two movies and books, HP 3 would be confusing as ever.

[Damsel]

Here is something I read in an article (by LOUIS B. HOBSON -- Calgary Sun) that discussed the issue of school uniforms in the movie.

Rowling asked (Alfonso) Cuaron to make adjustments to the characters' wardrobes, especially their school uniforms.

"She said students would never wear their uniforms exactly the same. They'd make adjustments that fit their personalities, and she asked me to allow them to wear street clothes for the scenes in which they visit the village."

Cuaron says the young actors were just as excited as he was with the idea they could personalize their uniforms.

"They wore their ties askew. Some kids chose to have their uniforms look more rumpled, and Rupert Grint -- who plays Ron Weasley -- made sure his shirt was always coming out of his pants."

[MeMyselfandI2000]

I guess comparing the movie with the book can't be helped. And people who actually complained about the Eowyn/Faramir scence were people who actually read the whole LotR trilogy.

I really did like PoA. I think that it's brilliant.

[kidd]

I've never read book 3. So, faithfulness is not an issue with me. But I'm still dissappointed with the movie. I like HP1 and 2 better.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

Beside the way the children dressed, the were many huh factors. There are many thing that were missing from the movie that fail to support and explain the plot. How is POA is brillant? Please explain because I see nothing brillant in this movie. I surprise Rowling did not terminated the contact the way this movie was done.

Then tell how was Snape able to find trio, Lupin and Black at the Womping Willow?
How was Lupin and Black able to use the map?
Why did the cat keep on chasing the mouse?
Who made the map?
How did Fred and George found the map?
Answer me those question base on the movie and not by reading the book or using the source from the previous HP's movie.

Therefore, HP3 was not all that brillant at all. Just some sloppy work put together within minutes for some cash.

[kidd]

I'll try. I've never read the book. So, I get the answers all from the movie.

Then tell how was Snape able to find trio, Lupin and Black at the Womping Willow?
No answer

How was Lupin and Black able to use the map?
From the movie, Lupin confiscate the map from HP. Lupin know the spell to make the writings on the map visible.

Why did the cat keep on chasing the mouse?
It's natural for cats to chase mice.

Who made the map?
No answer.

How did Fred and George found the map?
They stole it from Filch (that hogwarts caretaker who hates students)

When I'm watching the movie, I actually never thought of questions u asked. Since in HP world, there are so many magical thing, I just assume the map is one of them. As for how Snape knew Lupin and Black is at the Whomping Willow, haha, I just don't care. Maybe Snape follow Lupin there.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

I mean was how was Lupin and Black know that the map never lie? Or just by looking at it that they know how to use it. On the other hand, Snape was not able to. That Cat keep on chasing on the same mouse, I think there are plenty of other things to chase at Hogwarts.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

First of all, Dudley is suppose to be huge but he is not.

The knight bus scene annoyed me. Where did the Jamaican little head come from? Plus Harry was the only one got slam back and forth in the bus while everyone else was not. Instead of making Harry getting slam back and forth, the director could used that time to talk about Sirius Black. Then came along Tom, since when is he a hunchback of “Notre Dame?” Even thought, those scenes provided humor but it failed to development the plot and characters.

The Leaky Cauldron look like Knockturn Alley and very horrible looking.

The Hogwarts’s choir since when does the world of Harry Potter have time to learn how to sing when Voldemort is still alive? Plus Hogwarts is suppose to be a happy and safe place why would they even sing Double Double Toil and Trouble. I think when the cast and crew said the movie is going be darker, I think they meant the color is darker. In the book, Harry said he loves to be at Hogwarts since he is a place of happiness but I don’t see it anymore.


Dumbledore’s clothing looks strange plus he looks like a hippie more than a headmaster.

The student wearing muggle clothing especially Draco and his friends is strange and does not look right. Draco and his friends pride in themselves for being pure-blood why would Draco even wear muggle’s clothing? What happen to his body guard? They are suppose to be big and fat. Draco suppose to be mean but instead of be meaner than usual he is wimpier than usual. Again, with the muggle clothing students are not to be wore except on holiday. Clearly the director, Cuaron did not read the book at all.

Not only that annoyed me but the fact that Hermione and Ron’s foreshadowing. That is a total dead giveaway. I want the coupling to be a total surprise and shock. However, the director decided to add in early which is not the point of this movie at all.

Dementors they fly? When? How? What? Now they are going to tell me a fat lady is going to sing? Wait, they have already done that in the movie. Maybe they will make Werewolves flies? Might as well do that too.

Crookshanks and Scabbers should be better explain. Just because Crookshanks is a cat and Sabbers is a mouse does justify that Crookshanks keep on chasing Scabbers. Yes, it is a nature thing but I believed at Hogwarts there are plenty of things to chase. It should be better explain why the cat keeps on chasing the same mouse most of the time.

Why is Hagrid’s cabin filled with pumpkins when Halloween is over a look time ago in the movie confuses me. Plus his cabin is place the middle of nowhere instead of near Hogwarts like in the two movies. I think the director did not even watch the movie either.

Where the Wolfbane Potion? And what wrong with Lupin choice of music and the thing he is using to listen to on? I thought in the Harry Potter’s world is more magical and are not to modern at all. Whomping Willow is it that small? I remember in HP2 the Willow was a lot bigger than this one. What about the reason for planting the Whomping Willow? Plus how can not be tame so easily with one wave of a wand? Why does Snape hate Lupin and Black? Please give an explanation to those who have not read the book for a long time or to those who have not read the book at all.

Do not get me started with the ending, the Director should have make the movie longer to explain how Lupin knows how to use the map.

Who is Moony, Warmtail, Padfoot, and Prongs is, and the scene where Snape comes in? How does he know they are all here? Even thought, most of the people already read the book but not everyone read the book.

Not to mention the CGI of the werewolf. Is the werewolf suppose to be scary? Because it does not looks like a werewolf, it looks like a hairless dog trying to walk on two feet and howl. Peter Pettigrew’s scene was a rush, they failed to explain him too.

Hermione may be a Know-It-All but she certainly does not know everything. One of the scene that truly bother me when she said, “Any minute now they will perform the Kiss.” That would be Dumbledore job to explain to Harry. And where is Fudge? They need to explain his character? Toward the end when Harry and Hermione successfully retrieve Black didn’t someone have any problems with that especially Snape?

After that, suddenly a firebolt broom is delivered to Harry. Geez, wouldn’t some like Snape and Fudge be suspicious? Where the firebolt should have been delivered a lot time ago.

Plus I do not get why the movie is only 2 hours and 18 minutes short. The third book is longer than two books yet the third movie is shorter than the first two books. What is the point of making it shorter.

[Eliar Swiftfire]

As I've mentioned before, a completely faithful adaptation will make this too insanely long for kiddies with short attention span. Don't forget that most from the fanbase are kids.

Seems that the director's not too appreciated for taking creative liberties. I believe that's why he's getting good reviews, instead of doing a page-by-page adaptation like the less skillful Chris Columbus (which might usually satisfy more book readers), he was trying to make a MOVIE, not a MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK, but a MOVIE. I mean, sheesh... blaming a director for trying to be creative of his own?

Maybe I should do the same and blame Peter Jackson for making Boromir's death so dramatic and also waste the time developing this character when it was never done in the book, or extending the Helm's Deep battle into more than an hour long (as compared to the few pages of description), I'll also complain that Gimli wasn't supposed to be funny, same goes with Legolas, and what's with the counting game? They didn't do it in the book. Etc etc etc.

P.S. Draco had always been a whiny little biyatch in HP movies, compared to his fanfic counterparts.

[spooks]

I totally agree with Eliar. It's absurd to expect EVERY detail in the book to be in the movie.

Most of the gripes that you (Psycho Cat aka Cathy) had seem to be more nitpicking then actual complaints.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

I am not asking for a faithful adaptation to the book or every single detail or else I would rather be reading the book than going to the movies.

I am not worry about how faithful the is adaptation. What I am saying that this movie is not able to survive on two feet without going back to the book to find explaination of many of the parts in the movie. The problem is developing a good and stable plot which he is not doing. He is not tying all the ends together. There are loose ends here and there. Where he fails to explain the plot.

The movies is disappointing nothing could not erased the fact as in my mind. It was chopped up, confusing, speedy, and most kids will not go for it either. They are not as stupid and not all kids will have short attention spans.

[kidd]

Here's the opinion of someone who has never read the book.

I partly agree with Psycho Cat aka Cathy.

I prefer HP1 and HP2 more than HP3 because I felt that the first 2 movies are more packed. It has more plot. HP3 has quite a number of scenes that looks great but a waste of time and does not further the plot. I agree with her opinion on the bus scenes. HP3 seems to have less substance than the 1st 2 movies. I also prefers the scenery and setting of the 1st to movie. The Hogwarts and ministry of Magic seems very crowded and uncomfortable.
As for the muggle clothing and the modern looking Quidditch uniform, although JK Rowling approved of it, it still doesn't feel right, because the magical world is still very old fashion in other areas of living. People there are still using quills and parchment for writing and owls for courrier service.

But the other complains of Psycho Cat aka Cathy, I have no problem with it. The size of Crabbe and Goyle and Dudley, whether the dementors can fly or not, Hogwarts having a choir team, the Jamaican head on the bus, Lupin know how to use a mauraders map, Hagrid's house having pumpkins, the size of the whomping Willow, to a person who has not read the book, these thing don't matter at all. Without reading the book, I do not know that a dementer cannot fly. So, the dementer's flying is not a problem. I also do not know that the Jamaican head is not in the book. So, no problem there either. Same case with the choir team. I also do not know that Halloween has past long ago. So, the pumpkin scene is also ok with me. Same for the forshadowing of Hermione and Ron relationship. I do not know this was suppose to be a surprise. As for the size of Crabbe, Goyle and Dudley, I know they are suppose to be big, but what to do when the actors are not that size? Find other actors to play them? Then there will be other complains to come.
As for Lupin knowing how to use the map, I just assume he has use it or seen it before while Snape didn't. Mischievious and adventurous Fred and George know how to use the map, but not other students. So, why must I be surprise that Lupin know about the map?

Come to think of it, I must commend the director for making me forget to ask so many questions when I watch the movie. The only confusing part is the travelling back in time part. But time travel stories are all very confusing because of the paradoxes.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

Thank you Kidd for explaining what I have been trying to say. As a great fan of the books, I have different views from that is why I am very nitpicky. Other movies I don't have problems like LOTR.

[cherrie]

for me, i only complain abt how they did not explain more on prongs, padfoot, moony, & wormtail. they could have explained more of them. and also the the cat vs mouse scenes. i was hoping that they lengthen the ending parts a bit. after all that's the climax. as for the others parts, i guess im okay.