Well, I finally watched it this past weekend, and it pretty much confirmed what I expected. I thought it was very rushed, over al, especially the beginning and the end, which is the best part of the book. I felt that if they hadn't expanded/invented on the action scenes so much, maybe they could've left more time for character development. I see what they had to do with the main plot, since they cut out all elf references, but I still think they dumbed down too much the storyline. The tongue thing was just lame.
They're sticking to the visual tone established in PoA, which I don't like, but at least the kids are kinda wearing witch clothes more, which is good.
Now, I see how they could cut what they did from Goblet without dramatically affecting the storyline, but I really don't see how they're gonna do it for "Phoenix". I mean, the book is bigger than "Goblet" and it's mainly plot and dialogue. The only big action sequence is the fight in the end. Maybe if they decrease the number of times Harry blows up... That may actually be an improvement on the story. :lol: "Phoenix" didn't take the #1 spot on my list just because of the way Harry acts the whole time.
In any event, yeah, good movie, and definitely better than PoA. I wish Newell had been called to do that one, he could've saved it.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and I know it's been said before, but could someone please fire Gambon? I don't think Dumbledore is the kind of part where you need an actor's "personal touch". He's ruining a great character. I just finished "Half-Blood Prince", and there's a certain point where it's mentioned something along the lines of: "Harry never saw Dumbledore so agitated before." Well, I guess Harry must be looking at the wrong Dumbledore, because Gambon looks like a headless chicken in this movie, so affected and exagerated, chewing his lines like there's no tomorrow.
EDIT 2: John Williams was greatly missed. Times like this, you see why the man truly is a genius.
