I think the first movie was horrible. It was choppy, it left out important information, and it was ... boring. Maybe it was because the book was boring, but I had a hard time getting through it. The second was excellent, though ... still, somewhat dull. The third was excellent, even if it left out the important information about the Marauders (and I love the Marauders a lot more than I love the trio).

As for the fourth movie, I think it's not going to be all that great. There's too much to fit into a short movie. We'll see, though.

Alison, Ravenclaw*

No movie can ever do justice to the book that it was based on. Something or someone will always be left out, done wrong, etc.

The first two tried to stick to the book the best they could, but the director didn't go off and try to put his own spin on things. I think that's what made them fairly boring at times. The third was on a level all its own; better directing, better acting, better effects, etc.

I hate the scriptwriting on all of them, however. Steve Kloves is a biased Hermione worshiper that needs to stop shunning Ron Weasley in every single film. If they get rid of him, then the scriptwriting will be improved immensly.

I have high hopes for the fourth movie, as I had for its three predecessors. From what I can see, they picked great actors and actresses for the characters that will be introduced in this film, and I hope they can fit in as much as possible from the book.

I second your statments.

M, Hufflepuff.

Great minds think alike. :P

Of course ;)


M, Hufflepuff.

the first three were rather disapointing. they picked the wrong information to leave out, and left in trivial exchanges and meaningless filmwork. i find this especially true of the third movie. i saw it (opening day) with a friend who, at that time, had not yet read the books. he walked out of the movie more confused than he was coming in. the movie depended upon the viewers' previous knowledge of the book and story, and didnt connect at all. the changing directors definately didnt help either.
i think the fourth movie will be a little better than the third, but not significantly. there is so much that can be cut out of the book logically, but knowing these writers and directors, they'll leave in the boring stuff and take out something of more than slight significance, like the second task or perhaps the duel at the end. the fourth book does contain a lot of description, which allows pages to be cut to one big "pan" on film. still... i see crosses and skulls galore in the tealeaves of this movie
hey that was dramatic... :-D
>nightShadow

I thought the characters were rather uncanon at times. I mean, Hermione is GORGEOUS and she's... totally not what I had pictured in my head.

And Dan has blue eyes? They could at least use some not-obviously-contacts contacts.

Honestly, I expect the fourth movie to... suck. Suck badly, in fact. Important things will probably be cut out, characters will be even less in-character, etc. But, I guess I'm cynical that way.

Sharon, Slytherin

I read in a JKR interview that color of Harry's eyes will be important to the books later. So yeah, they probably should have sprung for the contacts.

Molly, Hufflepuff

Of course, I don't think ANY book-turned-into-movie is as good as the book, but Harry Potter is one of the series that I think they did pretty well (along with LOTR).

The first I really did enjoy, and the second was pretty good as well. The third I had a bit of a disappointment, but it is still my favorite HP movie (and book :D ).

The fourth one... we can only wait see. I don't know how good Mike Newell is, or how great his scriptwriters are, so I have nothing to base it on. I personally would love to see P. Jackson to direct one of them :D

Oh yea, just in case:

I think the movies do a good job bringing the characters/places to life, but I don't think they do the plot justice. I don't think the movies will ever be as good as the books, just because with the books you can use your imagination more. You have what's going on pictured a certain way, and it makes it a little more fun.

That said I do enjoy the large amount of Hogwarts student eye candy in the movie. ;)

Molly, Hufflepuff

Yeah I think the characters were portrayed well up until the third film. Ron agreeing with Snape about Hermione being a know it all without standing up for her? Hermione caring about how her hair looks? No no NO!

The first film spent too much time trying to show this new world to people that it left out the plot almost entirely. I think the second film was fine and it fit within the time frame so not much was left out. However the third was missing way too much and it left people either bewildered cause they hadn't read and don't know anything, or straight up pissed off because it didn't show what they know. I know I'm not speaking for everyone because there are people who DO like the film but I know many others who don't.

I'm keeping my expectations low for the 4th film, because always keeping them high makes me angry afterward. The director actually wanting it to be a single film within a 2 1/2 hour time frame? It's being butchered before my eyes, but I do hope he proves me wrong. Please, prove me wrong.

Maybe it's just me, but the thing that REALLY bothered me in the third movie was the lack of the Quidditch match of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Cho Chang wasn't even in the movie, and Harry got his Firebolt at the END?

I don't hate the movies, but I definately dislike them. I would sit for 4 and a half hours in a movie theater just to see the movies leave fewer things out.

Cait, Slytherin

Not really. But then, I'm too critical of them. I like them as movies, but too much is left out, especially in PoA. I prefer the MWPP era to the Trio era, so I was very disappointed about the lack of MWPP in it. I don't think the rest of the movies will be very good, because there's just so much information in the books, and they aren't making it into two movies like some of us had hoped, so I just don't think they'll do the books justice.

I personally have always enjoyed the movies. But after watching the first 2 again and being a tad more critical of them, I realized they really don't do the books justice. I think the acting is very good but...with the first 2 especially, it seemed like Christopher Columbus was just focusing on getting all the events in the allotted time. That really annoyed me. I liked the third one the best, myself. Although it did tick me off that they left out some very important details concerning the Marauders, I thought it was more well-done than the first two movies. Cheers to Alfonso Cuaron.

I'm not too optimistic about the next movies, though, because the books are just SO much longer than the first 3. There's just way too much information for them to be able to make a good movie out of it. I think the acting will be great-they really do have an excellent cast. But the direction might not be so impressive. I don't know, maybe I'm being too cynical. But I just don't see how they'll be able to fit in all the information and yet not let the mvoie look too rushed.