silver stands in my pensieve

Gawd, I don't even know how to start with this. We made it to the movie house with about 10 minutes to spare, but got good seats anyway. The place was packed to the rafters...actually, we were at the topmost row, which wasn't so bad, because the cinema house wasn't that big, and the view was good from that row.

Anyway, some thoughts on the characters:

Harry and Ron - HOT. Are they really teenagers? How come they have bodies like those?? When I was their age, my male peers were either too pudgy or too skinny to be called cute. But these boys are H-O-T. It's so unfair...I never got to see Equus. Haha.

Hermione - Too intense. I think she's talented, but she should tone down her acting a bit. I love her when she's all giggly and happy. But I think she's trying to take the 'tough girl' act a little too far.

Luna Lovegood - Whoever cast this actress casted the perfect girl. Silvery blond hair, super raised eyebrows, the clear blue eyes that make her look surprised. She looked like she came right out of the book. I think this girl is perfect for the role, and I am happy with her performance. Loony Luna looks like a veela with a wonky personality...or a Malfoy affliated with the good side. ^_^

Dolores Umbridge - I hate you!! I hate you!! I hate you!!

Professor Snape - I love you! I love you! I love you! So cool seeing the high school aged Snape. Again, perfect actor.

Bellatrix Lestrange - Helena Bonham Carter is perfect for playing corpse-like witches. Haha! Would've loved to see her and Neville duel more.

Professor Dumbledore - I've always had an issue with Dumbledore, eversince Michael Gambon took over. I really think he is too fidgety and quirky to be the cool Dumbledore in the books. I sorely miss the silent authority that Richard "Dumbledore" Harris had before. He need not move around too much, not a lot of gestures, but you feel his authority just by looking at his eyes. *Sigh* That Ministry of Magic scene with Voldy would have looked much more impressive had it been Richard Harris dueling with Ralph Fiennes. Oh well...

Now, as for the book scenes I loved the most...the Weasley twins leaving the school was something I was really looking forward to (same with the Ministry of Magic duel), but I felt that it wasn't as impressive as I imagined it to be. This was one scene that I read many times in the book before, because I was trying to imagine how colorful and noisy it was. It would've been good to see the normally prim and proper McGonnagall whooping it up with the rest of the students, and Peeves the Poltergeist bowing to Fred and George. But it didn't happen in the movie. :(

Same goes with the MM scenes. I think it was alright that they removed all the unnecessary actions/scenese between the room of Prophecies and the courtroom duel...but I wished Sirius didn't just go like that. It was too easy. They should've prolonged it a bit, just to show Bella struggling against Sirius, then BAM! The final spell.

I loved the Voldy-Dumbledore duel, intense and for a short bit, I felt my eyes misting over for some unknown reason. I wonder how much more intense it would've gotten had it been Richard Harris fighting Voldy there...ok, stop it. Let the guy rest in peace.

This is probably the best HP movie so far. I would love to see it again, I wonder how it is going to be in IMAX.