Message from the future
Just got home from the midnight showing of Harry Potter.
I've loved all of the movies so far to varying degrees, so I'm obviously biased and not the best judge of quality, here, but this (first half of the) movie was my favorite so far. Visually it was stunning, and pretty much exactly as I had imagined everything to be, location-wise. Although it's definitely the darkest so far, thankfully the director kept that mix of humor and darkness that they've had in the previous movies. The one scene that the director has talked about before- which was mentioned in the book but not actually pictured- when Hermione obliviates her parents? I knew it was coming, but it was heartbreaking just the same.
I also really enjoyed the Hermione/Ron storyline, or what there was of it. There were a lot of little moments thrown in that you don't get to see in the book, which was nice. The only thing that was strange was the one scene that definitely had a Harry/Hermione vibe, or at least a Harry-in-love-with-Hermione vibe. The scene in the tent after Ron has already left, where Hermione is sitting on the bed listening to the radio and Harry pulls her into a dance to cheer her up? And then he pulls her into a hug and then there's a moment when I thought they were going to kiss, or something. I'm not sure exactly what the point of that scene was meant to be, but it was interesting?
Overall I think it's my favorite so far, but at the same time it was hard to watch. It's like when I read the seventh novel, and I could only get through so much at a time because it felt like my own friends were going through all of these things, and I just couldn't stand to read any more because it was upsetting me in a way that no book before or since has. I think because I've grown up, in a way, with the books and the movies and the fandom, always being around the same age as Harry/Ron/Hermione, it makes me extra emotional, :P.
But of course I'll definitely be going to see it a second time, soon, so perhaps my entire view will change. Then again, it could also be the 4 AM talking.
I've loved all of the movies so far to varying degrees, so I'm obviously biased and not the best judge of quality, here, but this (first half of the) movie was my favorite so far. Visually it was stunning, and pretty much exactly as I had imagined everything to be, location-wise. Although it's definitely the darkest so far, thankfully the director kept that mix of humor and darkness that they've had in the previous movies. The one scene that the director has talked about before- which was mentioned in the book but not actually pictured- when Hermione obliviates her parents? I knew it was coming, but it was heartbreaking just the same.
I also really enjoyed the Hermione/Ron storyline, or what there was of it. There were a lot of little moments thrown in that you don't get to see in the book, which was nice. The only thing that was strange was the one scene that definitely had a Harry/Hermione vibe, or at least a Harry-in-love-with-Hermione vibe. The scene in the tent after Ron has already left, where Hermione is sitting on the bed listening to the radio and Harry pulls her into a dance to cheer her up? And then he pulls her into a hug and then there's a moment when I thought they were going to kiss, or something. I'm not sure exactly what the point of that scene was meant to be, but it was interesting?
Overall I think it's my favorite so far, but at the same time it was hard to watch. It's like when I read the seventh novel, and I could only get through so much at a time because it felt like my own friends were going through all of these things, and I just couldn't stand to read any more because it was upsetting me in a way that no book before or since has. I think because I've grown up, in a way, with the books and the movies and the fandom, always being around the same age as Harry/Ron/Hermione, it makes me extra emotional, :P.
But of course I'll definitely be going to see it a second time, soon, so perhaps my entire view will change. Then again, it could also be the 4 AM talking.