Harry Potter

Well, it's that time again. You knew it was coming.

Bryan was going to see the new Harry Potter picture despite his overwhelming workload. It was inevitable.

There's not a lot to say about this film. It was much more competent than the first two, but decidedly less so than the third film. Seriously, I don't think anybody (Cuaron being the lone exception) can direct another Harry Potter movie and have it be as good or better than number three. Why do people not like Azkaban?

I don't get it.

Anyhow, onto the Order of the Phoenix.

At the end of the day, it needed a slightly better adaptation than it had. It started really strong but then just seemed to drag on forever and ever.

The ending never really felt like it was building. Take the battle between Voldemort and Dumbeldore for instance. It's just not all that dramatic. It seems almost as if it starts and finishes accidentally. And compare that to...say...the Dooku/Yoda fight in Attack of the Clones. You're cheering for it because the buildup is so well done. And screw you guys who are down on Clones. Even you guys liked that fight, I don't care how jaded you are.

Anyhow, the film was pretty good but it's not anything I'd ever really need to see again. The third one, though, I've seen at least fifteen times.

The kids are, however, getting progressively better. And I love Emma Thompson, but it's really hard to get past how much she uses her eyebrows. Seriously. I'm not sure if any of you have noticed it, and it's not like it's a terrible thing, but every sentence is underlined with some movement of her eyebrows. It's weird.

I was actually sort of bored by the training in the middle of the film. It really felt like a lull. And I almost feel as though Cho Chang should have been cut from the films. Almost, but not quite.

I'm interested to see how Yates handles the next film, but I'm praying they put the reins back in Cuaron's hands for the final film in the series. It needs to be handled by a master and Cuaron is the only director that's proven himself worthy.