Harry Potter films

We watched the middle films this weekend on the abc family channel. While I absolute love the books, I was surprised at how fond I am too of the films.

The first one (The Sorcer's Stone - like you needed to know that though!)really introduced me to the phenomenon when I promised to take my nephew and niece to them while I was in grad school. After seeing the film, I promptly devoured the first four books. Looking back now at the first film, the actors seem so young that I can't really give a fair review of the movie since I'm so fond of the franchise. Yes, it's flawed. But look at how young they all were! Overall, though, I think the film does a good job introducing us to Rowling's world.

The second film (The Chamber of Secrets) is another good film. I think the plot compares well to the book and it does justice to it. It does a particularly good job with Tom Riddle and his journal. A very good follow up to the initial film.

The third film (The Prisoner of Azkaban). I read in EW that the director wanted to make this the shortest Potter film yet. So that put me off to the film initially (I mean when did you ever hear Peter Jackson say that he was aiming to make The Two Towers the shortest film? He didn't care about length; he cared about quality and accuracy. Something later Potter directors need a good lesson in.)

When I first watched the film, I thought it was okay. I have to admit that the novel this film is based on has one of my favorite first chapters (with Harry riding the Knight bus, sure that he is going to be expelled for using magic outside of Hogwarts). And the film does a great job with this. But from there I just thought that too much was left out.

However, after re-watching it this weekend, I found myself liking it more than I thought I would. In fact, I find the last third of the film quite good. Still, it is the least profitable of the Potter films.

The fourth film (The Goblet of Fire) is by far the best in my opinion. From the very opening scene, you know this film is going into darker territory than the others. When Voldemort kills the ex-caretaker, you know where this film is headed. All the antics of Harry releasing a snake from the zoo, or Dalby playing pranks on Harry or Harry inflating his dreadful aunt Marge are gone. This novel/film has an entirely different tone. That is reinforced with the the World Cup of Quidditch and the great scene of the death eaters attacking. I don't think there is a dull moment in this film. And the final scene where Harry and Cedric land in the graveyard and Voldemort is resurrected are the best in any of the films. In fact, when we were watching the film, a little boy and his family were sitting behind us. When Harry dashes behind some gravestones and Voldemort challenges Harry to come out to die, the little guy behind us couldn't help but whisper, "Don't do it Harry!"

Now you know you've got an effective film when that happens. Each time I watch this film, I enjoy it more.

The fifth film (The Order of the Phoenix) is good but not on Goblet's level. The novel starts out with a great scene of Harry fighting of dementors. And then there's that great scene where Dumbledore must defend Harry from being expelled. Those scenes are done okay in the film, but the really don't live up to Rowling's words.

This is one of the longer novels - and it features the most vile character of all - Dolores Umbridge. I hated every page with her on it. And the film does a great job with her character. She is exactly how I pictured her in the novel.

The problem here is that the director leaves out too much. Again, take a page from Jackson's book.

Overall, this film is okay. Not on par with Goblet or even Azkaban. Just okay. And it's a shame too because Sirius' death scene is a pivotal moment - as is the big fight in the Ministry of Magic. But it just kind of falls flat on the screen.

The sixth film (The Half-Blood Prince) was one that I was really looking forward to. But it is awful. Lousy. Terrible. I won't waste my time watching this thing ever again.

The best thing I can say about it is that the director and script writers seemed to base this film off the CliffNotes version of the book and not the actual novel itself. Dumbledor's death scene is magnificent in the book, but in the film it plays like an after thought. By far the worst adaptation yet.

There is hope, though, for the final films. The director got wise and decided to split The Deathly Hallows into two films. You don't want to blow this entire series by botching the most pivotal part. Judging from the trailer, there is hope. Now we just have to wait it out for November and July.