I’ve been battling a slight cold the past couple of days. Like my sister said to me over an email, “Only YOU would get a cold in the middle of this heat wave.” 🙄
Seeing as I’m still not feeling 100%, and that it is a Friday — in addition to being perhaps the hottest and most humid day of the year here in the northeast — let’s forgo the deep topics and stick to lighthearted subjects instead.
Like movies.
Last Sunday, my mother insisted on getting some time with Claire so J and I were able to catch the last Harry Potter film on opening weekend. 🙂 I had been looking forward to this movie for over a year, and had been hearing fantastic things about the flick from reviews and from friends who had been able to watch it earlier than us.
Perhaps my expectations were too high? Because I didn’t think it was that great. 😥
Most people I know cite this last movie as their favorite of the Harry Potter series. I disagree. I think that film 5, or Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was the best movie of the eight.
(My opinion also differs from the majority of my friends’ in that I believe Prisoner of Azkaban or Deathly Hallows was the best book, while others predominantly favor Goblet of Fire.)
Have you watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 yet? What did you think of the movie?
Which is your favorite movie of the series? Favorite book?
J agrees with me in that our friends have probably set the expectations too high, because he was disappointed too.
Thanks to my mother who insists on watching Claire practically every other Sunday — and because there isn’t much to do near my parents’ house aside from the second largest mall by area in the nation — J and I have been very lucky in that we, as new parents, have been able to watch almost all the big movies of 2011 in theaters as they are released.
So naturally, a discussion about the best movie of the year began almost as soon as the last Harry Potter movie ended, and we both agreed: the best movie we had seen this year was Fast Five.
Maybe it’s because we both walked into the theater without much of an expectation? Perhaps it’s because the series had taken a turn from street-racing to the theme of an elaborate heist? Nonetheless, the combination of The Rock + Vin Diesel made for a killer movie.
What was the best movie you’ve watched this year?
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I loved the movie! I’ll have to watch them all again to decide my favorite but I love 5-7 I think the most overall. Book 3 is really great too.
I might have to agree with you – Fast Five might be the best movie I’ve seen all year too! And I really think it’s because you don’t expect much from those kinds of movies that it was a nice surprise when it surpassed expectations.
I liked this last HP movie, but I much prefer watching them in school learning magic. I liked The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Half Blood Prince, both books and movies. While all the others are still great, those are my favs.
I really enjoyed the movie. I had some high expectations from the battle scene because my little sister had told me that it was “Epic”. (I thought it was good, but would not have described it as “epic”). I thought in terms of graphics and magical element, the movie was wonderful but I did not expect it to be my favorite of the series merely because it definitely wasn’t my favorite book. I also felt like the movie almost glossed over the deaths of Lupin, Tonks, Fred, and others. Although I did like that they had Nevil kill the snake, I thought the death of Voldemort to be anti-climatic (I did not really understand the part where they were flying and poking each other in the face in terms of battling each other?)
So I did love the movie, but I didn’t think it was the best so far. I love Harry Potter and I sometimes have to step back and think of the movie series in terms of never having read the books and forming such an emotional attachment to some of the characters (you don’t know much about Tonks & Lupin in the movies, nor Fred & George really..). As it is, I thought it was a good movie, but never would have described it in my sisters terms as “epic”.
(PS: Because my favorite book was Order of the Phoenix and the movie I felt glossed over SOO much of the book, it was my least favorite movie.. Same with Prisoner of Azkaban. My favorite movie so far was The Half Blood Prince. =) )
I completely agree about the need to try to watch the movies from the perspective of someone who hasn’t read the books. I was devastated when the minor characters whom I had grown so attached to died, and felt that the movie glossed over their deaths as well.
Have you seen Super 8? I loved that movie! Didn’t see the new Fast and Furious movie. I did see HPDH2 and I loved it, but that comes with a grain of salt because I haven’t yet read all the books. Probably my favorite movie of the series tho is Half Blood Prince or Phoenix – least favorite probably was Goblet.
I had read such great things about Super 8 and how it reminds you of ET…so I built my expectations way up and was disappointed again. 🙁 Maybe I should just never read reviews?
I also was disappointed. I had super high expectations and was let down. I felt that all the emotion that was so great in the book was just gone from the movie. They focused purely on action and had too much humor for my taste. I think Part 1 might be my favorite movie. Order of the Phoenix was my favorite book.
Best movie of the year… Hanna or Super 8…hard decision.
EXACTLY! You took the words right out of my mouth!
I’m rereading the whole series this summer and currently in goblet of fire. I really do love them all – especially all together, but I think this one is my least favorite (it’s def my least favorite movie.)
My favorite books are Prisoner of Azkaban & Deathly Hallows and favorite movies are Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince I think.
I’ve found I like the odd numbered Harry Potter movies best. I wasn’t a huge fan yet when 1 and 2 came out, so I don’t really count those, but I loved 3, 5, and 7. Six was my least favorite book and movie (the movie was just so cheesy, and moody Harry annoys me), and 4 was just eh.
I looooved HP7 Part 2, but it was really hyped up, so I understand how it might not have lived up to your expectations. And of course, they changed a few things from the books to make it cheesier, which never helps.
Although I almost vowed not to speak to you after you listed a Fast and the Furious movie as your favorite of the year, I couldn’t resist weighing in and agreeing with you about Order of the Phoenix being the best HP movie. I think it’s because you get to know Neville and Luna more, and Luna is just awesome. Plus, the Order has some fun characters as well.
Moody Harry annoyed the heck out of me too! I mean, I know J.K. Rowling was trying to depict his transition into adolescence, but I was like, “Nooo, just keep him as a cute and innocent 11-year-old please!”
I must be the norm, because I really liked this last movie and Book 4 was my favorite as well :). But I’m hearing really good things about Fast 5, which is so NOT my type of movie and I only saw the first one of the franchise. But based on all the hype I might have to check it out!
I agree it wasn’t the best HP movie, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. There were some cheesy moments, but I guess they had to put those scenes in to make it match the book.
What disappointed me was there wasn’t as much Snape as I had hoped. I kept hearing about Alan Rickman’s amaaaziiing performance, and there weren’t even that many scenes with him!
Book 4 was also my favorite if I recall correctly, but I haven’t read them in 10 years so now I really want to go back and reread the entire series.
oops not book 4… i think i liked books 5-7 the best. all the very thick books at the end!
oh, have u heard JK rowling’s harvard commencement speech? it’s good. she’s a “real writer” unlike the twilight lady (sorry if you’re a twilight fan too!!!).
I have been hearing lots of people rave about Fast Five- and I have to say I am super surprised at this. I will have to put it in on the netflix list.
..In terms of the best movie I’ve seen this year? I’d have to go with Bridesmaids. I also went into the movie with low expectations [it just didn’t look too funny from the previews] and had a ball. That or the new Transformers- but I am a big Shie LaBeoulf fan, so that might explain it. He’s my boy crush so to speak :o)
I liked DH2, but I preferred DH1. Loved the deeper emotional scenes and the angst.
My fave book and movie is Prisoner of Azkaban, though 🙂
— 1st tier (two of the best theater experiences I’ve ever had…pure joy)
1. Super 8
2. HP
— 2nd tier (Glad I saw them…good stuff)
3. The Adjustment Bureau
4. Thor
5. Limitless
— 3rd tier (meh)
6. X-Men 1st Class
Those are the only 2011 releases I’ve seen.
I don’t read any reviews prior to viewing, but I will check out the RT freshness rating. I find my own ratings are within 10% of the RT freshness 90% of the time. So I’m not wasting my time with sub 50%ers like Transformers, Green Lantern, Green Hornet.
My favorite book by far was The Order of the Phoenix. I don’t know that I have a favorite movie. Goblet of Fire was my least favorite. Just terrible. The maze scenes made me angry.
As for the last movie, I personally loved it. But, I saw it before anyone could hype it up. That makes a huge difference. I had a friend who saw it at the sneak preview and I refused to talk to them until I saw it too!
Fav. book: Chamber of Secrets. There was so much more suspense in the book and trying to figure out who was actually opening the Chamber (didn’t Percy sound guilty?) that was completely lost in the movie.
Fav. movie: I am partial to Sorcerer’s Stone because it’s the one that got me hooked on all things HP. But I loved the cinematography in Prisoner of Azkaban.
DH2: I laughed, I cried, it was everything I hoped for (except for the end scene… they did not look any older). I try not to watch previews or reread the books until after the movies, so I was pleasantly surprised by it. I think they could had made it a little longer because I felt like they just brushed over the result of the battle and the death it caused.
Prisoner of Azkaban was the best of all the books. Good story line … good character depth … I loved it. Book 4 wasn’t as good for me as everyone else. Book 6 was so annoying and repetitive that sometimes I’d get annoyed at the book.
I think DH pt 2 was pretty good. The only part I was really disappointed in was the Platform 9 3/4 epilogue part. JK Rowling wrote that chapter beautifully, but they changed it so much that I don’t think that the movie ended as well as the books. So much was missing! The only other disappointment I had with the movie was that in the book, Harry gave Voldemort a chance for remorse, which I think really shows how amazing Harry was (is?). Totally could’ve done that scene instead of the flying around like a bat scene.
For me, it’s a tie between Prisoner of Azkaban and Deathly Hallows pt 2 for best movie. For best book, I really have to say the Half-Blood Prince. It had me giggling for half of it and crying the other. I really didn’t like the Order of the Phoneix because I also just couldn’t deal with angry Harry. 🙂