Favorite Harry Potter Movie?

[flickchick85]

I love PoA the most because while the others adapted the events of the books pretty faithfully, that was the first one to really capture the spirit of the books faithfully, imo. Watching that film, I got the same dark-yet-whimsically magical feeling I had when reading the book, and that was the only film in the series to really effectively recapture that vibe for me.

It was also the first one to actually feel like a legit film - with its gorgeous cinematography, atmosphere and epic cinematic moments (basically anything that involved Buckbeak flying or the Dementors) - rather than a slavish reproduction of the page, imo. And it had my favorite score of the series, so there's that.

 

[Victarion]

Sincerely, what do you guys like about PoA?

I don't hate it, but numerous things bug me:

Plot holes, like how Sirius knew about the Marauders map
The "grim" sign in the sky when the grim never really existed
The out-of-context singing of "something wicked this way comes" at the grand feast. Why would the school sing that???
Flitwick's sudden Hitler haircut
Michael Gambon's lack of cool demeanor (he did bring it in HBP)
The lack of explanation about the stag patronus

I liked the visual style that Cuaron brought to the film. The song, I think, was intended as foreshadowing, possibly a bit of worldbuilding in that it could tie back to something in the history of witchcraft and wizardry within the world (and since it wasn't important to the story being told, that's why I figured it wasn't elaborated on. If what I said is even correct). Alternatively, it establishes that Hogwarts isn't your normal school.

Gambon still had Dumbledore's sense of whimsy in this one. But he was acting pretty weird in Goblet of Fire.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I love PoA the most because while the others adapted the events of the books pretty faithfully, that was the first one to really capture the spirit of the books faithfully, imo. Watching that film, I got the same dark-yet-whimsically magical feeling I had when reading the book, and that was the only film in the series to really effectively recapture that vibe for me.

It was also the first one to actually feel like a legit film - with its gorgeous cinematography, atmosphere and epic cinematic moments (basically anything that involved Buckbeak flying or the Dementors) - rather than a slavish reproduction of the page, imo. And it had my favorite score of the series, so there's that.

Well put. It is one thing to put the material from the books on film, but it is another to actually capture the spirit of the story. PoA did that brilliantly imo. Also completely agree on the cinematic qualities of PoA.

The funny thing is, the first time I saw PoA I wasn't sure how to feel about it. Whether I dug it or not. It was so different.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

It is a great adaptation of the story and by far the most visually interesting of the series. The cinematography, editing, and pacing are all top notch and the best of the series. It also contains some rather strong performances and the best score in the series by quite a margin. Which is saying something because Williams topped himself after the incredible quality he brought in the first film.

It doesn't hurt that it is adaptation of the best book.

I'm sorry but I barely agree. It was a horrible book to film translation, I felt Dan overracted, and Dumbledore sucked. Michael Gambon himself said he didn't even act; they just stuck a beard on him and he read his lines.

I hated the score as well. I was shocked to hear it was Williams who did it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I'm sorry but I barely agree. It was a horrible book to film translation, I felt Dan overracted, and Dumbledore sucked. Michael Gambon himself said he didn't even act; they just stuck a beard on him and he read his lines.

I hated the score as well. I was shocked to hear it was Williams who did it.

Well that is how you feel, which is your right. You are definitely in the minority though.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

Well that is how you feel, which is your right. You are definitely in the minority though.

I know I am dude, I know I am.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Love the name by the way. Every time I see it, I recite Bane's line from the film in my head.

 

[lime]

Azkaban was the best film. It had it's own personality.

 

[flickchick85]

I'm sorry but I barely agree. It was a horrible book to film translation, I felt Dan overracted, and Dumbledore sucked. Michael Gambon himself said he didn't even act; they just stuck a beard on him and he read his lines.

I hated the score as well. I was shocked to hear it was Williams who did it.

Well the only thing we'll agree on there is Dan's overacting...but then I felt he overacted in all except maybe the last 2. He was never the strongest actor, but bless his heart, he tries. And he is getting better, I think.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

Well the only thing we'll agree on there is Dan's overacting...but then I felt he overacted in all except maybe the last 2. He was never the strongest actor, but bless his heart, he tries. And he is getting better, I think.

He was a kid who blew up into fame because of the juggernaut that the Harry Potter series is/was, so with PS and CoS being pretty much his first acting jobs and them being adaptations of, even at the time, one of the biggest book series ever, his performances didn't bother me. but... his acting (and pretty much everything) really put me off while watching PoA.

but ehh. I still love harry potter. when I have my marathons I don't skip over it, but it's just... ugh!! I watch it and always feel like it could've been a much better film. A much better adaptation of PoA.

 

[Marvolo]

The only bad scene in POA is "HEE WAS THEIR FRIENDDDDDD!" Awful doesn't really describe it. Shameful is a better descriptor.

Can't imagine how someone can hate the score of POA. It's gorgeous and those woodwinds are just:

My least favorite score is easily OOTP. It's the most pedestrian of the scores and Hooper's small scale tv background really showed. He wasn't qualified. He improved with HBP, but not by much.

 

[jmc]

3rd one without doubt. 4th film onwards was a bit of a blur to me.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

I like POA [hell, I love them all], but it's one of my least favorites, and yeah. Williams' score is the beez kneez.

 

[Lord]

Films 3 and 4 were probably my favorites, 6 is also quite close, if not on the same level, Film 5 was my least favorite, and i feel like the Director wasn't the best one to Direct the last 2 films, he didn't make a very good job a some of the battles either.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

is it unreasonable to believe that a lot of the people that loved poa (the majority) did not read the book(s)?

 

[GRangerPrimeNYC]

I absolutely hate what David Yates did with the last 4 films.
Not excited for the upcoming spin off either since he's returning for some reason,

Also, why couldn't they bring John Williams back for the later films.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

I absolutely hate what David Yates did with the last 4 films.
Not excited for the upcoming spin off either since he's returning for some reason,

Also, why couldn't they bring John Williams back for the later films.

the real question is, why did he leave in the first place

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I think GoF and HBP are neck-and-neck, but I voted for GoF. Even now I'm wondering whether I should have voted HBP instead. Like I said, I have them really close together. Actually, I don't think there is a big difference in quality between any of them from PoA onwards.

The only outliers are the first two. I think they are substantially weaker than the later films. They were lacking the mystical atmosphere that made the series so appealing, and the direction and writing was rather bland.

As for the other question, Gambon was the better Dumbledore. The two big keys with Dumbledore is that he acts like a goofy, wide-eyed, eccentric, almost like an aging hippie, and that he's actually the most powerful and badass wizard on Earth. I got neither from Harris who was basically just an elderly grandfather-type. Harris was fine, but he wasn't the Dumbledore of the books.

 

[Snow Queen]

Regarding the Dumbledore question, Harris never worked for me. Gambon however I thought fit the role to a T apart from, as has been harped on, Goblet of Fire's angry Dumbledore.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

The only bad scene in POA is "HEE WAS THEIR FRIENDDDDDD!" Awful doesn't really describe it. Shameful is a better descriptor.

Can't imagine how someone can hate the score of POA. It's gorgeous and those woodwinds are just:

My least favorite score is easily OOTP. It's the most pedestrian of the scores and Hooper's small scale tv background really showed. He wasn't qualified. He improved with HBP, but not by much.

I think that scene might be why I don't consider PoA my favorite. That and I don't like the time travel resolution at the end, but that was a carry-over from the book.

 

[Marvolo]

I think that scene might be why I don't consider PoA my favorite. That and I don't like the time travel resolution at the end, but that was a carry-over from the book.

The fact Cuaron was able to make that time travel segment work as a third act is a testament to his skill. It's essentially our heros watching events from the sidelines. Events we have seen. When they do participate it's not in massive spectacles. The lead a hypogryff into some trees. They cower and hide from a werewolf. And Harry casts a single spell. But Cuaron injects it with just enough beauty, heart, mystery, and magic to make it worthwhile and then he caps it off with this:

[YT]rOkARHEIqbU[/YT]

That scene between Harry and Sirius has more heart and love than probably any other scene in the whole damn franchise imo. None of the other directors especially Yates came close to that scene. Cuaron excelled. If Columbus had tried to pull that third act off I can only imagine the dry boring slog that would have been capped off with some cheesy heavy-handed farewell between Sirius and Harry followed by the whole school cheering for his new freedom. A not so subtle dig at COS.

It's just unfortunate that Cuaron chose a to end the film with Harry smearing across the screen like a bug that's smacked a windshield.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

the real question is, why did he leave in the first place

Busy with GOF, Yates wanted Hooper for OOTP & HBP, and he was supposed to return for DH1/2, but his schedule didn't align. Besides, say what you want about Hooper (which, his stuff was great), but Desplat wrote the best music in the franchise, bar none.

 

[Marvolo]

Idk about the best but he was the best replacement for Williams.

About GOF, Williams was busy with Memoirs of a Geisha. He had to choose one or the other and he chose Memoirs of a Geisha.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

Busy with GOF, Yates wanted Hooper for OOTP & HBP, and he was supposed to return for DH1/2, but his schedule didn't align. Besides, say what you want about Hooper (which, his stuff was great), but Desplat wrote the best music in the franchise, bar none.

I enjoyed the score from part 1 the best.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

Idk about the best but he was the best replacement for Williams.

About GOF, Williams was busy with Memoirs of a Geisha. He had to choose one or the other and he chose Memoirs of a Geisha.

Don't forget ROTS, as well. 2005 was a busy year for Williams.