What is your favorite Harry Potter movie?

[luke1234]

yeah u got a great point there, the screen writers for the past 3 movies has had to make some difficult decisions on what to keep in and to leave out. Steve Kloves i think will benefit Half Blood Prince a little more because hes had some experience on how to develop an overall good adapted screenplay.

 

[StarkTheProdigy]

As of right now, Harry Potter 3 is my favorite, i only read the 3rd and 6th book, ha random, i know, but the 6th book was really good, and i think its possible for the 6th movie to be better than the 3rd if done right, i can't wait

 

[Doctor Jones]

Dude, what the hell? Read the other books.

 

[luke1234]

Dude, what the hell? Read the other books.

hahaha yeah they are all superb

 

[Spider-Fan]

Not one person in this entire thread said they loved the film because it was dark...lmao.

The dark feel has been mentioned a few times, as has the fact the series grew up starting with it. The thing is, it makes sense that the first 2 films were lighter films than this one and more childish since the characters were younger, and this is the point where more angsty elements in life are introduced. I'm not saying POA isn't awesome, so don't take this the wrong way. I just don't agree about it being the best.

I never read the books, so I can't speak for the feel of the first 2 films vs the feel of the books, but that would be my personal observation of the series based on the films alone.

 

[Lucien]

It was more faithful because the second and first books weren't as long so they could fit more in.

Then as the books get longer they should allow for longer movies. Simple as. OotP is the longest book yet the movie has the shortest runtime.

And who cares what they take out and what they leave in? There's some stuff in OOTP that they should of left in but as long as the spirit is there it's fine.

I care. I'm a huge fan of the books and when they adapt them into movies I'd like to see in those movies the parts of the books that made them so great. Is that too much to ask? OotP was the worst movie so far imo. The spirit of the book WASN'T there.

I never compare book to film. They're two different mediums and when adapting you have ot make compromises to fit a two hour film.

I completely understand that compromises need to be made. But just because they're two different mediums it doesn't mean things need unneccessarily changing. Take for example how in the movies they portray the Death Eaters, flying around as streaks of smoke. Why was this neccessary? Because the director thought it looked cool? Wizards can't fly without the aid of brooms. It's a testament to Voldemort's power that he's able to do so in DH and this completely walks all over that. And look at HBP. The whole point of that book was for Harry to learn about Voldemort's past and gain the information he needs to defeat him. Yet we know from pre-screenings only 2 memory scenes are in. Screen time that could've been used on the brilliant scenes with the Gaunts, Hepzibah Smith and Voldemort's asking for a teaching job is instead wasted on teenage love affairs.

I'm not asking for a 100% recreation of the books into film, that's impossible. But an adaption should still try to portray the source material as fully as possible. HBP is already a poorer film than it could be for the simple loss of "Dumbledore's man, through and through".

 

[Doctor Jones]

I can agree with you on OOTP though it wasn't bad. The third film's focus was harry and Sirius and Harry starting to grow and understand the world around him. I got that. I don't need a whole film with another conflict with Ron and Hermione that happened in every single book. The Firebolt subplot. What purpose would that serve for the movie other than those two bickering again?

What do you suggest they left into the movies that they left out?

Dude, that's a minor change, what purpose does that serve? Who cares about them changing how Death Eaters fly around on smoke. I never thought of somethigin like that. And it does make it look cooler actually. More foreboding and lends to how dark magic is different from the usual. It's live action, you need to enhance some things to reach out more and pop out at you. Evil guys riding on brooms? It's kinda silly. And wouldn't it be in their character to differentiate themselves from good wizards? They take magic into their own evil hands and do what they want with it.

Wait until you see HPB to make that decision. I'm however fine with it. They left Aragogo's funeral I guess.

 

[TheWrathOfGod]

None, they all stink.

 

[War Party]

None, they all stink.

Ugh.


That's all I got.

 

[BLACK-SPIDEY]

Ugh.


That's all I got.

that guy knows **** about movies.

 

[TheWrathOfGod]

that guy knows **** about movies.

The Harry Potter films are an experiment in seeing how long it takes before the audience realizes that adults are actually playing children. The Harry Potter fad only hit big in the U.S. because morbidly obese mongoloid children got sick of collecting Beanie Babies and were forced to do something "academically constructive."

 

[Ziggyman]

Azkaban
(rest are not even close)
Chamber (comes closest...kinda liked it)
(rest I didn't really like but, opinion on these could change any other day...for now it looks like this)
Order
Goblet
Philosopher's Stone (as it is titled in Canada)

 

[Ziggyman]

I feel that this one has a really good shot at joining Azkaban at the top of my list if all goes well...!

 

[Doctor Jones]

The Harry Potter films are an experiment in seeing how long it takes before the audience realizes that adults are actually playing children. The Harry Potter fad only hit big in the U.S. because morbidly obese mongoloid children got sick of collecting Beanie Babies and were forced to do something "academically constructive."

Wrath, were you one of those morbidly obese babies?

 

[TheWrathOfGod]

Wrath, were you one of those morbidly obese babies?

Don't turn my brutal social commentary against me.

 

[Dark Victory]

I was never a huge fan of the franchise, but I've seen them all.

3
1
2
4
5 - Absolute trash

Should I read the books(Are they much better than the films, etc.)? I was wee little kid when the first came out, but never read any of them.

 

[Sam Fisher]

Goblet of Fire

 

[Lucien]

Should I read the books(Are they much better than the films, etc.)? I was wee little kid when the first came out, but never read any of them.

Absolutely you should read them. And they're 100 times better than the movies. I would've suggested trying to read through them before you see HBP but there's not much time left between now and the release.

 

[luke1234]

The Books defintley outweigh the films thats for sure.

Though a lot of these films get hackled at, they are all considerably really well made. Not one of these flicks are rotten and all of them have had favorably reviews. Im just happy these films are doing okay considering how bad other adaptations were like Eragon and Narnia(IMO). At least all these flicks are watchable.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Yeah, we're lucky that now coming onto 6, it's hasn't really weakened yet. They've all been pretty solid films. 1 and 2 are well made but I don't care for them much. Though COS is better. Faithfullness doesn't always mean a good movie.

 

[GreenKToo]

So far, Azkaban.

 

[luke1234]

Yeah, we're lucky that now coming onto 6, it's hasn't really weakened yet. They've all been pretty solid films. 1 and 2 are well made but I don't care for them much. Though COS is better. Faithfullness doesn't always mean a good movie.

i agree, but i still appreciate Chris Columbus for gathering the overall look and cast together which is now considerably paying off in their scenes and performances in these last few movies. This is still the most expensive series ever made, who woulda thought we woulda made it through all seven books with the same cast? thats just ridiculous that no one had contract problems and left.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

I can agree with you on OOTP though it wasn't bad. The third film's focus was harry and Sirius and Harry starting to grow and understand the world around him. I got that. I don't need a whole film with another conflict with Ron and Hermione that happened in every single book. The Firebolt subplot. What purpose would that serve for the movie other than those two bickering again?

I think the subplot of Ron and Hermione's bickering being left out was very big, it wasn't just about the Firebolt, it was also about Scabbers and Crookshanks, which was very briefly touched on. It was major in the book though, plus it would've been the first big fight they had, I totally forgot about Scabbers and Crookshanks and also Buckbeak's fate in the movie because there was no focus on it. I do think the tone of the third was good, but wish they could've been more faithful.

What do you suggest they left into the movies that they left out?

Are you just talking about the third? 15-20 more minutes, more time spent on Buckbeak's fate, the conflict with Ron and Hermione regarding Scabbers and Crookshanks and most importantly more time spent in the Shrieking Shack explaining the Maradur's past. Only reason the movie didn't get a longer runtime though was the Matrix sequels, WB got very gunshy about long movies after those movies underperformed so much and stupidly thought it was the runtime, not that the movies just weren't entertaining. If you want what should've been left in 4 and 5, that'll be a much longer post.

Dude, that's a minor change, what purpose does that serve? Who cares about them changing how Death Eaters fly around on smoke. I never thought of somethigin like that. And it does make it look cooler actually. More foreboding and lends to how dark magic is different from the usual. It's live action, you need to enhance some things to reach out more and pop out at you. Evil guys riding on brooms? It's kinda silly. And wouldn't it be in their character to differentiate themselves from good wizards? They take magic into their own evil hands and do what they want with it.

It differentiate how dark and light magic was different though because the Order did the same cloud thing, only as white instead of black. It was a horrible change and completely changes how apparation is explained in the books.

Wait until you see HPB to make that decision. I'm however fine with it. They left Aragogo's funeral I guess.

It's the same director who did Order of the Phoenix though and he's showing the same disregard for the books, once again talking about the romance of the movie, instead of what should be the central theme, the Origin of Voldemort. He's cutting out the very heart and most important part of the book. You can cut out the Ron and Lavender and Harry and Ginny subplots entirely and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. Also the movie being rated PG when it's a movie about basically open warfare in the wizarding world and you have two big plot points involving nasty wounds, Harry using Sectumsempra on Draco and Bill getting attacked by Fenrir, although Bill probably isn't in the movie anyway and apparently the Death Eaters attack on Hogwarts is cut down big time, replaced with an attack on the Burrow, that doesn't make sense, since it's supposed to have major magical protection since Harry spends summer and Christmas there.

 

[marvelman2006]

goblet of fire by far. then azkaban. the last one (phoenix) was just plain boring. too much talking in my opinion. the main problem was the action was too far in between some in the beginning and some at the very end.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I think the subplot of Ron and Hermione's bickering being left out was very big, it wasn't just about the Firebolt, it was also about Scabbers and Crookshanks, which was very briefly touched on. It was major in the book though, plus it would've been the first big fight they had, I totally forgot about Scabbers and Crookshanks and also Buckbeak's fate in the movie because there was no focus on it. I do think the tone of the third was good, but wish they could've been more faithful.



Are you just talking about the third? 15-20 more minutes, more time spent on Buckbeak's fate, the conflict with Ron and Hermione regarding Scabbers and Crookshanks and most importantly more time spent in the Shrieking Shack explaining the Maradur's past. Only reason the movie didn't get a longer runtime though was the Matrix sequels, WB got very gunshy about long movies after those movies underperformed so much and stupidly thought it was the runtime, not that the movies just weren't entertaining. If you want what should've been left in 4 and 5, that'll be a much longer post.



It differentiate how dark and light magic was different though because the Order did the same cloud thing, only as white instead of black. It was a horrible change and completely changes how apparation is explained in the books.



It's the same director who did Order of the Phoenix though and he's showing the same disregard for the books, once again talking about the romance of the movie, instead of what should be the central theme, the Origin of Voldemort. He's cutting out the very heart and most important part of the book. You can cut out the Ron and Lavender and Harry and Ginny subplots entirely and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. Also the movie being rated PG when it's a movie about basically open warfare in the wizarding world and you have two big plot points involving nasty wounds, Harry using Sectumsempra on Draco and Bill getting attacked by Fenrir, although Bill probably isn't in the movie anyway and apparently the Death Eaters attack on Hogwarts is cut down big time, replaced with an attack on the Burrow, that doesn't make sense, since it's supposed to have major magical protection since Harry spends summer and Christmas there.

Oh, no. Hermione and Ron bickering over something as small as a cat and a rat. It was touched upon enough. 15 - 20 minutes of them bickering about that? That's just a waste of time. It gets the point across in the film fine. And we'll get tired of it. And I'm glad they reduce the bickering between them like in the books. It gets too damn repetetive. Their relationship is fine so far. It was major in the book but did it have to be major in the film? No. There are more important things to be touched upon instead of a cat and a rat.

The shack scene was fine. You can't go on too long with the past in one single scene. It gets drawn out and the pacing slows down. They got the basics. They all went to school together and made the map, their relationship, how Lupin was with his father and mother, Pettigrew, Sirius. You got all of that. It was enough. Though I do agree in OOTP the flashback Snape sequence in the film could of been alot better.

Aparation is apparation. Big deal about a cloud of smoke. Do I care? Not with something like that.

Psst. You haven't seen the movie yet. You're only going by your opinion of him. Wait until the film though I doubt you'll keep an open mind at this point.

Enjoy a movie for what it is. Disregard what they took out and focus on what they kept in. And look at the film on its own. What had to be told to get the point across for a single film? Why did you think they left it out? And be more opened minded about it.

You're focusing too much on faithfullness and not what can make a good film. I think in a couple aspects they messed up, (like with Neville and what he'll do later on) but other than that it's fine. You're smoking over what they didn't put in instead of why they took it out to put on film.