So I finally saw HBP. I liked parts of it, but like most Potter films, there's so much to fill in. I felt the first half, with all the young love was weakest. The director was asking those actors to convey a lot in small gestures, little touches, and this is where their weaknesses as actors came out. I don't think any of them were particularly good at giving or receiving in those moments. And since those subtle messages didn't seem to be conveyed I felt that those scenes feel rushed.

The movie was more successful for me from when Harry took Felix Felicis on. From that scene I was completely caught up in the action. Even when I didn't agree with things, like Harry standing pat in the Astronomy Tower scene (Harry is known for not listening to anyone else but his conscience, and I really can't see him staying below when Dumbledore is threatened.) I did miss the battle, and Sumbledore's funeral but would have been happier with a little more acknowledgement of Dumbledore.

I loved the final scene with Ron, Harry and Hermione, but can't figure out why Ron had no lines.

In the end, the movie had pulled me far enough into its world that walking out of the theatre, that seemed to be the strange world. And it took a little while to shake off the spell of the movie.

But yeah if you don't want to hear, "grr-ree! grr-ree! gree-ree!" every time you open the veggie crisper, consider getting a hamster.

Maybe we were wrong on our predictions for the DH wedding?

[link]

(Link spoilerrific for the next movie.)

Aims, that really surprises me, especially since they had the easy (IMO) option of Tonks/Remus.

Sue, your comment about the end of HBP, with Ron not having any lines, made me think of what a lot of HP online fans have said about Kloves (the screenwriter) having a big preference for Hermione over Ron. They really hated him for giving Ron's big book moment at the end of PoA (when he stands up to "the killer" Sirius and tells him that if he's going to kill Harry, he'll have to walk through Ron to do so) to Hermione instead, and they have other examples of him cutting Ron out of the big Trio moments. So, that ending scene wasn't a big surprise to me, considering that background.

Belated realization: Dan Radcliffe is going for a Dudley Moore in Arthur thing after he drinks the Liquid Luck.

My realization that likely a lot of DH 1 is going to be the trio on the road by themselves. Will they have the chops to pull it off? They do work well with each other, but...

Kathy, that's really interesting. Other than the Sirius moment, I hadn't really noticed that. I think they were trying to play some non-existent rift between Ron and Harry because of Ginny. Why was Ron off in the back, why didn't he even say "I agree with Hermione." It just seemed so strange to have a lead actor in a scene with no lines.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in Iron Man 2. I wonder how embarrassing her fake Russian accent is going to be.

Dare we hope for a reprise of Kate Beckinsale's "Romanian" accent from Van Helsing? Once she was done with the werewolf, I expected her to start hunting Moose and Squirrel.

Dan Radcliffe is going for a Dudley Moore in Arthur thing after he drinks the Liquid Luck.

I thought he was doing Captain Jack Sparrow.