Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire Review

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
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Unlike the first two potter films released in "Ultimate Edition" form, the second two versions do not include their extended editions. This might not be a legitimate complaint if these versions of the films didn't already exist. In the US, they are aired quite regularly on ABC Family, and are quite good.
These extended editions of the film make the price point of the first two versions palatable, but their absence makes you wonder what exactly you're paying for with both this and the ultimate edition of PoA.

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) Review

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
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Unlike the first two potter films released in "Ultimate Edition" form, the second two versions do not include their extended editions. This might not be a legitimate complaint if these versions of the films didn't already exist. In the US, they are aired quite regularly on ABC Family, and are quite good.
These extended editions of the film make the price point of the first two versions palatable, but their absence makes you wonder what exactly you're paying for with both this and the ultimate edition of PoA.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2 Disc Edition) (2004) Review

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2 Disc Edition)   (2004)
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Like many of you who purchased the first two ultimate editions at a pretty penny, i was expecting extended editions of movies 3 and 4. What a disappointment! Were the big wigs at WB thinking that their fans would triple dip editions when they bring out all films in one super ultimate collection? I already owned all of the HP on Blu, but sold them when i started buying the Ultimate editions. I will NOT be purchasing 3 and 4. Very poor on WB's part to say its ultimate, and include 8 hours of bonus materials, but not the few extra scenes that regularly show on TV. Very poor indeed.

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Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix Review

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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I think that when you take the longest Harry Potter book and turn it into the shortest Harry Potter film, that a large number of complaints by fans as to what has been cut will be inevitable after they watch "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Not that this means that the legions of fans will be bitterly disappointed by the film version, but rather that there will be regrets over not getting to see favorite scenes on the screen. For example, Quidditch is completely out of the film, denying Ron of his best moments in the sun (start singing "Weasley is our king"). So do not be surprised when your mind keeps shifting to what has been cut and distracting you from time to time while watching this summer's latest blockbuster.
When last we left our hero, Harry fell victim to a trap to bring back Lord Voldermort, which cost Cedric Diggory his life. The Ministry of Magic wants things hushed up, but Dumbledore tells the students at Hogwarts that Diggory was murdered and Lord Voldermort murdered him. As this fifth film opens Harry and his wicked cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors. Harry uses his wand to defend them and is summarily expelled from Hogwarts for using magic in front of a muggle. The good news is that Harry gets reinstated, but the bad news is that the Ministry of Magic uses the opportunity to appoint Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary at the Ministry, as the school's new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. However, Umbridge teaches only the theory and not the practice because she insists Harry is a liar and there is nothing the students need to learn to defend themselves from. Then things get progressively worse.
"The Order of the Phoenix" was the most maddening book to read, not because it was the longest, but because I detest Dolores Umbridge. As far as I am concerned she makes Voldermort look good, because he knows he is evil, wicked, bad, mean and nasty inside, while Umbridge thinks the ends justify the means. She is puritanical, sadistic and hypocritical. If there were not going to be children reading this review I would tell you what I really think of her. Suffice it to say, she makes me sick and I do not even take pleasure in loving to hate her, which is why my only requirement going into the film is that the Weasley Twins get their moment of glory when they become the disloyal opposition to the new order at Hogwarts.
Daniel Radcliffe continues to have the tote the heavy load in these films as Harry, with Rupert Grint's Ron Weasley being reduced more and more often to reaction shots while Emma Watson's Hermione Granger remains the Mistress of Exposition in these films. Alan Rickman as Snape remains pitch perfect casting and Gary Oldman as Sirius Black is also a joy to watch, but I discovered in this film that I really like Michael Gambon's performance as Dumbledore, mainly because he always plays up the character's intelligence and I find I prefer his interpretation to that of the late Richard Harris, forgive my heresy. Imelda Staunton does not look as much like a toad as Umbridge does in the book, but she captures the character's detestability from start to finish. We are always painfully aware how dangerous she is, whether she smiles or not. Also, Evanna Lynch steals more scenes as Luna Lovegood than Katie Leung does as Cho Chang, and it is certainly interesting to see Neville (Matthew Lewis) towering over everybody, with Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) in the silent but strong role for the pivotal sextet.
After seeing this film I raced home and got out my copy of the book and starting cataloguing things that had been cut. Such comparisons are, as I suggested up top, inevitable for anyone who has read the book. At this point what I missed the most were some of the conversations between Maggie Smith's Professor McGonagall and Umbridge where Minerva verbally flaws the Inquisitor. The omission that I am focusing on the most is the whole bit about why Neville's family was a target of Voldermort (I agree with Harry: always say his name and thereby reduce its power), since that suggests implications for what will happen in the final book, which gets released in just ten more days. I also would have liked to have seen an over reaction to Harry discovering his father bullied Snape at Hogwarts. My favorite part ends up being the impressive wizard's duel between Voldermort and Dumbledore. Screenwriter Michael Goldenberg does a good job of whittling down Rowling's book and director David Yates does a competent job, but fans will simply want more. Also, we know what happens in the next book and all of the bad things that happen in this film cannot help but seem inconsequential in comparison. Plus, fans will be distracted by mining this film for clues as to what will happen in the last book.

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Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 BLU-RAY+DVD+DIGITAL COPY Review

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 BLU-RAY+DVD+DIGITAL COPY
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I'm so very happy that I can recommend this one without any hesitation at all!
The last couple Harry Potter films disappointed me in a myriad of ways. My disappointment didn't cause me to hate them, but I did feel let down and I have to admit that I found Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince pretty forgettable. But, being a Potter fan, I still found myself rushing out to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I today. And to my great relief and happiness, I loved it - really loved it! Yeah!
The chase of the Seven Potters by the Death Eaters and the trip to the Ministry of Magic are tense and exciting, the endless camping trip is just as effective at portraying the helplessness and frustration the characters are experiencing as it was in the book and the scene that gives us Hermione reading Beedle the Bard's "Tale of the Three Brothers" is riveting and wonderfully creative - much, much better than I would have thought it could be. We finally get to meet Bill (and Fleur's briefly-glimpsed wedding dress is gorgeous!) and the whipped cream on top of all this goodness is that the film is much more humorous than I expected. While not everything is included, of course, I didn't come out of this film grumbling things along the lines of "How could they leave out _____?" or "Why did they add ________when it wasn't even in the danged book?" - both comments I have been known to make after viewing some of the other films. Instead, I left the theater feeling like I'd seen a relatively faithful rendering of the "real" story. And there were even one or two things that I thought the film did better than the book, most notably the interruption of Harry & Ginny's kiss. The not-in-the-book added scene of Harry and Hermione dancing was both amusing and incredibly poignant - a true highlight of the film for me.
For some reason, the enjoyment this film gave me seemed to lift some sort of weight off me - which seems a very odd thing to say, I know. I think it returned a good deal of the joy I found in the earlier films - when seeing the characters and the places come to life on the screen was so magical. (That first glimpse of Hogwarts!) In a way, I feel like I'm back *in* - that I'm once again immersed in the film version of the story in a way that more closely echoes the effect the books had on me. While the films, IMHO, can never hope to match the books, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part I, let me feel the magic again. For that I thank everyone involved with it.

I thought the acting by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson was better than it's been in any of the Potter films - they really seem to have come into their own here. Helena Bonham Carter was freakishly perfect as usual, Jason Isaacs very good and Rhys Ifans as Xenophilius Lovegood a welcome newcomer. The film sounds good - the score is a mood-setting addition to the film (especially effective, I thought, were the screeching radio sounds during many of the camping scenes) - and it looks even better. The shots of the English countryside are beautiful but often seem almost overwhelmingly empty and lonely - perfect for the story.
When it was announced that Deathly Hallows would be split into two films, I was glad because I hoped that by doing so the filmmakers would be able to do justice to the complexities of Rowling's plot. And now, having seen Part I, I feel that they've succeeded in doing just that. After this, I can look forward to the last film, not with dread, but with pleasure. And I am incredibly thrilled to be able to say that.
Very highly recommended!Some info and cautions on the products:
PLEASE NOTE: Because there are reports of various versions of the DVD available from different sellers, I strongly suggest buyers check the packaging carefully to ensure the version they are considering contains everything they're looking for.
I purchased the 3-Disc Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Pack offered here on Amazon. The DVD included in this pack contains ONLY the film - no extras at all. This means that, in this pack, NONE of the extras are watchable without a Blu-ray player. For Blu-ray owners, however, the other two discs in this 3-pack contain the following extras:
Additional Scenes
- The Burrow's Shed: Ron Discusses Radios with Mr. Weasley
- The Dursley House: Harry and Aunt Petunia As They Leave House
- The Dursley House: Harry and Dudley Shake Hands
- The Granger House: Death Eaters Search Deserted Home
- Ministry of Magic Lifts: Harry Tells Arthur He's Being Tracked
- Tent: Trio Discusses Destroying The Locket
- Rabbit Chase in the Forest
- Montage: Ron and Hermione Skimming Stones
Other Extras:
- Exclusive Sneak Peek of an opening scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
- Maximum Movie Mode: Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) and other members of the cast and crew take viewers on an interactive journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1. Plus, revisit important moments from the previous films to prepare for the final battle that takes place in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.
- Dan, Rupert and Emma's Running Competition - While filming the escape scene from the Snatchers in Swinley Forest, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson engage in a little competition of their own. With commentary by director David Yates.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: Behind the Soundtrack
- The Seven Harrys - See how Daniel Radcliffe recreated the personalities of the different characters that transform into Harrys during the escape from Privet Drive.
- On the Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James - Accompany Rupert Grint, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley) for a round of golf and get a glimpse into their 10-year friendship that developed while making the Harry Potter films.
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Trailer - Join Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and other cast members from the Harry Potter films on their first visit to the Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida. (I was fortunate enough to visit the Wizarding World recently and enjoyed it immensely. Those responsible for its creation have done a terrific job in creating an atmosphere true to the books and films. I particularly enjoyed the many small and delightful details they took care to include. Harry's youngest fans, though, may be disappointed that the rides are geared to older fans.)


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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  (2002)
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"The Chamber of Secrets" novel in the Harry Potter series is generally considered the weakest of J. K. Rowling's books - it does not have the joyful discovery of "Philosopher's Stone", the dark twists of "Prisioner of Azkaban" or the epic nature of "Goblet of Fire", but is simply a very good story. However, I predict its relative simplicity will make "Chamber of Secrets" the most successful book-to-movie translation in the series, as it is undoubtably better than the first movie, and it will be a daunting task for film-makers to tackle the intricate plot lines of book three and the collosal book four.
Like all the books, "Chamber" begins midway through the summer as Harry's twelfth birthday is nearing, and again he faces a rather dismal one in the company of his horrible uncle, aunt and cousin. Excitement is already on the move however, as when Harry enters his bedroom the house elf Dobby is waiting for him, who warns him that under no circumstances is he to return to Hogwarts, where a great danger is waiting for him.
But return he does, after being rescued from his family by the Weasley family and the now-famous flying blue Ford Angelia, and indeed finds what Dobby promised - something is stalking the halls of Hogwarts, putting all the students in great danger. Taking it upon himself to save his beloved home Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione seek out the clues, and find themselves facing a terrible evil. In a story filled with giant spiders, savage willow trees, magical swords, disembodied voices, mysterious diaries, glorious phoenixes, flying cars and Quidditch matches, the action and excitement doesn't let up until the ending credits.
Once again Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return as the three main protagonists, and I'm glad to say that while their acting was a little awkward in the first movie (understandable for newcomers) they've mellowed out and are much more natural with their characters and each other. Under-rated actor Tom Felton is again wickedly good, and Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) roll out brilliant performances. Unfortunatly I can't say the same for Richard Harris - Dumbledore in my mind is an elderly yet lively and energetic man, yet here I was petrified he was going to kneel over any second.
The best part of any sequel in a series is the myraid of new characters to see, including the afore mentioned Dobby, the mysterious and sinister Tom Riddle, the narcissic Gilderoy Lockhart (played with great pizzazz by Kenneth Branaugh), and pompous Cornelius Fudge, and more of the Weasley family - more from Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, an introduction to Arthur Weasley, and from George, Fred and (especially) Ginny.
Three performances stick out though: Lucius Malfoy was great - cold, calm and elegant, this guy just *oozed* sinister charm, Moaning Myrtle, with her high-pitched sobs and shrieks was an unexpected surprise and Colin Creevy, the forerunner to Book Four's reporter Rita Skeeter and J. K. Rowling's dig at the media was a small, but essential gem, and I love that split-second scene of horror on his face as the runaway Buldger hurtles towards him!
Finally the sets, costumes and props are lovely, but the special effects are only so-so. The Quidditch game (again more visually exciting than any written account) is very good, as is the 'monster in the chamber', but the phoenix, spiders and Dobby could have used some tweaking.
All in all, a fun, interesting, colourful, sometimes-scary, and faithful adaptation to a beloved book, that (along with the Two Towers) brought 2002 to a fantasy-filled climax in the movie industry.

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
"The Chamber of Secrets" novel in the Harry Potter series is generally considered the weakest of J. K. Rowling's books - it does not have the joyful discovery of "Philosopher's Stone", the dark twists of "Prisioner of Azkaban" or the epic nature of "Goblet of Fire", but is simply a very good story. However, I predict its relative simplicity will make "Chamber of Secrets" the most successful book-to-movie translation in the series, as it is undoubtably better than the first movie, and it will be a daunting task for film-makers to tackle the intricate plot lines of book three and the collosal book four.
Like all the books, "Chamber" begins midway through the summer as Harry's twelfth birthday is nearing, and again he faces a rather dismal one in the company of his horrible uncle, aunt and cousin. Excitement is already on the move however, as when Harry enters his bedroom the house elf Dobby is waiting for him, who warns him that under no circumstances is he to return to Hogwarts, where a great danger is waiting for him.
But return he does, after being rescued from his family by the Weasley family and the now-famous flying blue Ford Angelia, and indeed finds what Dobby promised - something is stalking the halls of Hogwarts, putting all the students in great danger. Taking it upon himself to save his beloved home Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione seek out the clues, and find themselves facing a terrible evil. In a story filled with giant spiders, savage willow trees, magical swords, disembodied voices, mysterious diaries, glorious phoenixes, flying cars and Quidditch matches, the action and excitement doesn't let up until the ending credits.
Once again Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return as the three main protagonists, and I'm glad to say that while their acting was a little awkward in the first movie (understandable for newcomers) they've mellowed out and are much more natural with their characters and each other. Under-rated actor Tom Felton is again wickedly good, and Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) roll out brilliant performances. Unfortunatly I can't say the same for Richard Harris - Dumbledore in my mind is an elderly yet lively and energetic man, yet here I was petrified he was going to kneel over any second.
The best part of any sequel in a series is the myraid of new characters to see, including the afore mentioned Dobby, the mysterious and sinister Tom Riddle, the narcissic Gilderoy Lockhart (played with great pizzazz by Kenneth Branaugh), and pompous Cornelius Fudge, and more of the Weasley family - more from Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, an introduction to Arthur Weasley, and from George, Fred and (especially) Ginny.
Three performances stick out though: Lucius Malfoy was great - cold, calm and elegant, this guy just *oozed* sinister charm, Moaning Myrtle, with her high-pitched sobs and shrieks was an unexpected surprise and Colin Creevy, the forerunner to Book Four's reporter Rita Skeeter and J. K. Rowling's dig at the media was a small, but essential gem, and I love that split-second scene of horror on his face as the runaway Buldger hurtles towards him!
Finally the sets, costumes and props are lovely, but the special effects are only so-so. The Quidditch game (again more visually exciting than any written account) is very good, as is the 'monster in the chamber', but the phoenix, spiders and Dobby could have used some tweaking.
All in all, a fun, interesting, colourful, sometimes-scary, and faithful adaptation to a beloved book, that (along with the Two Towers) brought 2002 to a fantasy-filled climax in the movie industry.

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
"The Chamber of Secrets" novel in the Harry Potter series is generally considered the weakest of J. K. Rowling's books - it does not have the joyful discovery of "Philosopher's Stone", the dark twists of "Prisioner of Azkaban" or the epic nature of "Goblet of Fire", but is simply a very good story. However, I predict its relative simplicity will make "Chamber of Secrets" the most successful book-to-movie translation in the series, as it is undoubtably better than the first movie, and it will be a daunting task for film-makers to tackle the intricate plot lines of book three and the collosal book four.
Like all the books, "Chamber" begins midway through the summer as Harry's twelfth birthday is nearing, and again he faces a rather dismal one in the company of his horrible uncle, aunt and cousin. Excitement is already on the move however, as when Harry enters his bedroom the house elf Dobby is waiting for him, who warns him that under no circumstances is he to return to Hogwarts, where a great danger is waiting for him.
But return he does, after being rescued from his family by the Weasley family and the now-famous flying blue Ford Angelia, and indeed finds what Dobby promised - something is stalking the halls of Hogwarts, putting all the students in great danger. Taking it upon himself to save his beloved home Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione seek out the clues, and find themselves facing a terrible evil. In a story filled with giant spiders, savage willow trees, magical swords, disembodied voices, mysterious diaries, glorious phoenixes, flying cars and Quidditch matches, the action and excitement doesn't let up until the ending credits.
Once again Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return as the three main protagonists, and I'm glad to say that while their acting was a little awkward in the first movie (understandable for newcomers) they've mellowed out and are much more natural with their characters and each other. Under-rated actor Tom Felton is again wickedly good, and Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) roll out brilliant performances. Unfortunatly I can't say the same for Richard Harris - Dumbledore in my mind is an elderly yet lively and energetic man, yet here I was petrified he was going to kneel over any second.
The best part of any sequel in a series is the myraid of new characters to see, including the afore mentioned Dobby, the mysterious and sinister Tom Riddle, the narcissic Gilderoy Lockhart (played with great pizzazz by Kenneth Branaugh), and pompous Cornelius Fudge, and more of the Weasley family - more from Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, an introduction to Arthur Weasley, and from George, Fred and (especially) Ginny.
Three performances stick out though: Lucius Malfoy was great - cold, calm and elegant, this guy just *oozed* sinister charm, Moaning Myrtle, with her high-pitched sobs and shrieks was an unexpected surprise and Colin Creevy, the forerunner to Book Four's reporter Rita Skeeter and J. K. Rowling's dig at the media was a small, but essential gem, and I love that split-second scene of horror on his face as the runaway Buldger hurtles towards him!
Finally the sets, costumes and props are lovely, but the special effects are only so-so. The Quidditch game (again more visually exciting than any written account) is very good, as is the 'monster in the chamber', but the phoenix, spiders and Dobby could have used some tweaking.
All in all, a fun, interesting, colourful, sometimes-scary, and faithful adaptation to a beloved book, that (along with the Two Towers) brought 2002 to a fantasy-filled climax in the movie industry.

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Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Review

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
"The Chamber of Secrets" novel in the Harry Potter series is generally considered the weakest of J. K. Rowling's books - it does not have the joyful discovery of "Philosopher's Stone", the dark twists of "Prisioner of Azkaban" or the epic nature of "Goblet of Fire", but is simply a very good story. However, I predict its relative simplicity will make "Chamber of Secrets" the most successful book-to-movie translation in the series, as it is undoubtably better than the first movie, and it will be a daunting task for film-makers to tackle the intricate plot lines of book three and the collosal book four.
Like all the books, "Chamber" begins midway through the summer as Harry's twelfth birthday is nearing, and again he faces a rather dismal one in the company of his horrible uncle, aunt and cousin. Excitement is already on the move however, as when Harry enters his bedroom the house elf Dobby is waiting for him, who warns him that under no circumstances is he to return to Hogwarts, where a great danger is waiting for him.
But return he does, after being rescued from his family by the Weasley family and the now-famous flying blue Ford Angelia, and indeed finds what Dobby promised - something is stalking the halls of Hogwarts, putting all the students in great danger. Taking it upon himself to save his beloved home Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione seek out the clues, and find themselves facing a terrible evil. In a story filled with giant spiders, savage willow trees, magical swords, disembodied voices, mysterious diaries, glorious phoenixes, flying cars and Quidditch matches, the action and excitement doesn't let up until the ending credits.
Once again Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return as the three main protagonists, and I'm glad to say that while their acting was a little awkward in the first movie (understandable for newcomers) they've mellowed out and are much more natural with their characters and each other. Under-rated actor Tom Felton is again wickedly good, and Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) roll out brilliant performances. Unfortunatly I can't say the same for Richard Harris - Dumbledore in my mind is an elderly yet lively and energetic man, yet here I was petrified he was going to kneel over any second.
The best part of any sequel in a series is the myraid of new characters to see, including the afore mentioned Dobby, the mysterious and sinister Tom Riddle, the narcissic Gilderoy Lockhart (played with great pizzazz by Kenneth Branaugh), and pompous Cornelius Fudge, and more of the Weasley family - more from Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, an introduction to Arthur Weasley, and from George, Fred and (especially) Ginny.
Three performances stick out though: Lucius Malfoy was great - cold, calm and elegant, this guy just *oozed* sinister charm, Moaning Myrtle, with her high-pitched sobs and shrieks was an unexpected surprise and Colin Creevy, the forerunner to Book Four's reporter Rita Skeeter and J. K. Rowling's dig at the media was a small, but essential gem, and I love that split-second scene of horror on his face as the runaway Buldger hurtles towards him!
Finally the sets, costumes and props are lovely, but the special effects are only so-so. The Quidditch game (again more visually exciting than any written account) is very good, as is the 'monster in the chamber', but the phoenix, spiders and Dobby could have used some tweaking.
All in all, a fun, interesting, colourful, sometimes-scary, and faithful adaptation to a beloved book, that (along with the Two Towers) brought 2002 to a fantasy-filled climax in the movie industry.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets



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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  (2002)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
"The Chamber of Secrets" novel in the Harry Potter series is generally considered the weakest of J. K. Rowling's books - it does not have the joyful discovery of "Philosopher's Stone", the dark twists of "Prisioner of Azkaban" or the epic nature of "Goblet of Fire", but is simply a very good story. However, I predict its relative simplicity will make "Chamber of Secrets" the most successful book-to-movie translation in the series, as it is undoubtably better than the first movie, and it will be a daunting task for film-makers to tackle the intricate plot lines of book three and the collosal book four.
Like all the books, "Chamber" begins midway through the summer as Harry's twelfth birthday is nearing, and again he faces a rather dismal one in the company of his horrible uncle, aunt and cousin. Excitement is already on the move however, as when Harry enters his bedroom the house elf Dobby is waiting for him, who warns him that under no circumstances is he to return to Hogwarts, where a great danger is waiting for him.
But return he does, after being rescued from his family by the Weasley family and the now-famous flying blue Ford Angelia, and indeed finds what Dobby promised - something is stalking the halls of Hogwarts, putting all the students in great danger. Taking it upon himself to save his beloved home Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione seek out the clues, and find themselves facing a terrible evil. In a story filled with giant spiders, savage willow trees, magical swords, disembodied voices, mysterious diaries, glorious phoenixes, flying cars and Quidditch matches, the action and excitement doesn't let up until the ending credits.
Once again Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return as the three main protagonists, and I'm glad to say that while their acting was a little awkward in the first movie (understandable for newcomers) they've mellowed out and are much more natural with their characters and each other. Under-rated actor Tom Felton is again wickedly good, and Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) roll out brilliant performances. Unfortunatly I can't say the same for Richard Harris - Dumbledore in my mind is an elderly yet lively and energetic man, yet here I was petrified he was going to kneel over any second.
The best part of any sequel in a series is the myraid of new characters to see, including the afore mentioned Dobby, the mysterious and sinister Tom Riddle, the narcissic Gilderoy Lockhart (played with great pizzazz by Kenneth Branaugh), and pompous Cornelius Fudge, and more of the Weasley family - more from Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, an introduction to Arthur Weasley, and from George, Fred and (especially) Ginny.
Three performances stick out though: Lucius Malfoy was great - cold, calm and elegant, this guy just *oozed* sinister charm, Moaning Myrtle, with her high-pitched sobs and shrieks was an unexpected surprise and Colin Creevy, the forerunner to Book Four's reporter Rita Skeeter and J. K. Rowling's dig at the media was a small, but essential gem, and I love that split-second scene of horror on his face as the runaway Buldger hurtles towards him!
Finally the sets, costumes and props are lovely, but the special effects are only so-so. The Quidditch game (again more visually exciting than any written account) is very good, as is the 'monster in the chamber', but the phoenix, spiders and Dobby could have used some tweaking.
All in all, a fun, interesting, colourful, sometimes-scary, and faithful adaptation to a beloved book, that (along with the Two Towers) brought 2002 to a fantasy-filled climax in the movie industry.

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Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged Review

Harry Potter:  Witchcraft Repackaged
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How dare people think for themselves?
How dare books these days encourage people to pursue their own spirituality without being indoctrinated?
How dare people become responsible for their own morality and actions without blaming some exterior supernatural force?
One of the problems I have with the Christian right these days is they pretty much tell people to stop thinking, to surrender their doubts and just do what they're told. And that is pretty much what this documentary is asking people to do. And given that, it would have already been a bad film (I refuse to label this fictional work a documentary) if it didn't have as many holes in it that I could poke a besom through.
As usual, fundamentalists have made a point of view based on flawed logic and total inaccuracy. Man of the things in this film are simply untrue, even to the extent of when they are talking about the swasktika, which any Nazi historian will tell you was based on an Busdhist symbol and NOT lightning.
But the worst, by far, has to be that idiot of a woman who calls herself an expert on world religions, Caryl Matrisciana. Has she even READ the books? Does she even know ANYHTING about them or about witchcraft for that matter? She claims to have been part of the new age movement but she is little more than what we call a "whitelighter", people who dabble just out of their own ego in order to get what they want.
Don't waste your time on this, rather than a zero I wanted to rate this in negative numbers.

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Some Christians have concluded that the Harry Potter products are harmless because they are fun. Yet God calls those who do witchcraft an abomination. A prominent British teacher's union has also publicly warned that the Harry Potter products are dangerous, as they can lead children into the occult. Read more about the dangers of these purportedly harmless products.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Review

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
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As a Harry Potter fan, I'm so happy with this movie adaptation. It's very true to the book (which is fabulous in my opinion, I don't know why some people complained about that), although there are some slight differences. The movie makers have done a wonderful job bringing Rowling's world on screen. The visual effects, especially Fluffy, ghosts, chess pieces, Quidditch game were done exceptionally well.
The second disc is all extras. I guess it was designed for Harry Potter fans and people who enjoyed the movie very much because it was assumed that you've watched the movie beforehand. The deleted scenes were a little hard to find since several steps have to be taken. First I had to go to get the key and take money from the Gringotts bank in Diagon Alley. Then purchase wand from Olivander's. Then return to the school and attend classes. Go to potions class and answer three questions. The questions were a little bit of a hassle for me. Answer for the 1st question: Aphrodel and the tube next to it (forgot name); 2nd question: wolfsbane and monkhood; 3rd question: snake fangs and porcupine quills. After the questions, select winged key by trying out a few. Then select the orange colored potion and you will see the mirror of erised. There are a total of 7 deleted scenes. Although some will say they are not worth the hassle, but I liked them. My other favorite extra is the interview. It was good to learn about the behind the scenes interaction of the director/producer/actors etc and production of the movie in general. They also mentioned something about the second movie.
Overall good buy. Worth every cent. Will rewatch it on DVD many times.

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) Review

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition)
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I think that when you take the longest Harry Potter book and turn it into the shortest Harry Potter film, that a large number of complaints by fans as to what has been cut will be inevitable after they watch "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Not that this means that the legions of fans will be bitterly disappointed by the film version, but rather that there will be regrets over not getting to see favorite scenes on the screen. For example, Quidditch is completely out of the film, denying Ron of his best moments in the sun (start singing "Weasley is our king"). So do not be surprised when your mind keeps shifting to what has been cut and distracting you from time to time while watching this summer's latest blockbuster.
When last we left our hero, Harry fell victim to a trap to bring back Lord Voldermort, which cost Cedric Diggory his life. The Ministry of Magic wants things hushed up, but Dumbledore tells the students at Hogwarts that Diggory was murdered and Lord Voldermort murdered him. As this fifth film opens Harry and his wicked cousin Dudley are attacked by Dementors. Harry uses his wand to defend them and is summarily expelled from Hogwarts for using magic in front of a muggle. The good news is that Harry gets reinstated, but the bad news is that the Ministry of Magic uses the opportunity to appoint Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary at the Ministry, as the school's new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. However, Umbridge teaches only the theory and not the practice because she insists Harry is a liar and there is nothing the students need to learn to defend themselves from. Then things get progressively worse.
"The Order of the Phoenix" was the most maddening book to read, not because it was the longest, but because I detest Dolores Umbridge. As far as I am concerned she makes Voldermort look good, because he knows he is evil, wicked, bad, mean and nasty inside, while Umbridge thinks the ends justify the means. She is puritanical, sadistic and hypocritical. If there were not going to be children reading this review I would tell you what I really think of her. Suffice it to say, she makes me sick and I do not even take pleasure in loving to hate her, which is why my only requirement going into the film is that the Weasley Twins get their moment of glory when they become the disloyal opposition to the new order at Hogwarts.
Daniel Radcliffe continues to have the tote the heavy load in these films as Harry, with Rupert Grint's Ron Weasley being reduced more and more often to reaction shots while Emma Watson's Hermione Granger remains the Mistress of Exposition in these films. Alan Rickman as Snape remains pitch perfect casting and Gary Oldman as Sirius Black is also a joy to watch, but I discovered in this film that I really like Michael Gambon's performance as Dumbledore, mainly because he always plays up the character's intelligence and I find I prefer his interpretation to that of the late Richard Harris, forgive my heresy. Imelda Staunton does not look as much like a toad as Umbridge does in the book, but she captures the character's detestability from start to finish. We are always painfully aware how dangerous she is, whether she smiles or not. Also, Evanna Lynch steals more scenes as Luna Lovegood than Katie Leung does as Cho Chang, and it is certainly interesting to see Neville (Matthew Lewis) towering over everybody, with Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) in the silent but strong role for the pivotal sextet.
After seeing this film I raced home and got out my copy of the book and starting cataloguing things that had been cut. Such comparisons are, as I suggested up top, inevitable for anyone who has read the book. At this point what I missed the most were some of the conversations between Maggie Smith's Professor McGonagall and Umbridge where Minerva verbally flaws the Inquisitor. The omission that I am focusing on the most is the whole bit about why Neville's family was a target of Voldermort (I agree with Harry: always say his name and thereby reduce its power), since that suggests implications for what will happen in the final book, which gets released in just ten more days. I also would have liked to have seen an over reaction to Harry discovering his father bullied Snape at Hogwarts. My favorite part ends up being the impressive wizard's duel between Voldermort and Dumbledore. Screenwriter Michael Goldenberg does a good job of whittling down Rowling's book and director David Yates does a competent job, but fans will simply want more. Also, we know what happens in the next book and all of the bad things that happen in this film cannot help but seem inconsequential in comparison. Plus, fans will be distracted by mining this film for clues as to what will happen in the last book.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Review

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban  (2004)
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Like many of you who purchased the first two ultimate editions at a pretty penny, i was expecting extended editions of movies 3 and 4. What a disappointment! Were the big wigs at WB thinking that their fans would triple dip editions when they bring out all films in one super ultimate collection? I already owned all of the HP on Blu, but sold them when i started buying the Ultimate editions. I will NOT be purchasing 3 and 4. Very poor on WB's part to say its ultimate, and include 8 hours of bonus materials, but not the few extra scenes that regularly show on TV. Very poor indeed.

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  (2002)
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"The Chamber of Secrets" novel in the Harry Potter series is generally considered the weakest of J. K. Rowling's books - it does not have the joyful discovery of "Philosopher's Stone", the dark twists of "Prisioner of Azkaban" or the epic nature of "Goblet of Fire", but is simply a very good story. However, I predict its relative simplicity will make "Chamber of Secrets" the most successful book-to-movie translation in the series, as it is undoubtably better than the first movie, and it will be a daunting task for film-makers to tackle the intricate plot lines of book three and the collosal book four.
Like all the books, "Chamber" begins midway through the summer as Harry's twelfth birthday is nearing, and again he faces a rather dismal one in the company of his horrible uncle, aunt and cousin. Excitement is already on the move however, as when Harry enters his bedroom the house elf Dobby is waiting for him, who warns him that under no circumstances is he to return to Hogwarts, where a great danger is waiting for him.
But return he does, after being rescued from his family by the Weasley family and the now-famous flying blue Ford Angelia, and indeed finds what Dobby promised - something is stalking the halls of Hogwarts, putting all the students in great danger. Taking it upon himself to save his beloved home Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione seek out the clues, and find themselves facing a terrible evil. In a story filled with giant spiders, savage willow trees, magical swords, disembodied voices, mysterious diaries, glorious phoenixes, flying cars and Quidditch matches, the action and excitement doesn't let up until the ending credits.
Once again Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return as the three main protagonists, and I'm glad to say that while their acting was a little awkward in the first movie (understandable for newcomers) they've mellowed out and are much more natural with their characters and each other. Under-rated actor Tom Felton is again wickedly good, and Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) roll out brilliant performances. Unfortunatly I can't say the same for Richard Harris - Dumbledore in my mind is an elderly yet lively and energetic man, yet here I was petrified he was going to kneel over any second.
The best part of any sequel in a series is the myraid of new characters to see, including the afore mentioned Dobby, the mysterious and sinister Tom Riddle, the narcissic Gilderoy Lockhart (played with great pizzazz by Kenneth Branaugh), and pompous Cornelius Fudge, and more of the Weasley family - more from Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, an introduction to Arthur Weasley, and from George, Fred and (especially) Ginny.
Three performances stick out though: Lucius Malfoy was great - cold, calm and elegant, this guy just *oozed* sinister charm, Moaning Myrtle, with her high-pitched sobs and shrieks was an unexpected surprise and Colin Creevy, the forerunner to Book Four's reporter Rita Skeeter and J. K. Rowling's dig at the media was a small, but essential gem, and I love that split-second scene of horror on his face as the runaway Buldger hurtles towards him!
Finally the sets, costumes and props are lovely, but the special effects are only so-so. The Quidditch game (again more visually exciting than any written account) is very good, as is the 'monster in the chamber', but the phoenix, spiders and Dobby could have used some tweaking.
All in all, a fun, interesting, colourful, sometimes-scary, and faithful adaptation to a beloved book, that (along with the Two Towers) brought 2002 to a fantasy-filled climax in the movie industry.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Review

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone  (2001)
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As a Harry Potter fan, I'm so happy with this movie adaptation. It's very true to the book (which is fabulous in my opinion, I don't know why some people complained about that), although there are some slight differences. The movie makers have done a wonderful job bringing Rowling's world on screen. The visual effects, especially Fluffy, ghosts, chess pieces, Quidditch game were done exceptionally well.
The second disc is all extras. I guess it was designed for Harry Potter fans and people who enjoyed the movie very much because it was assumed that you've watched the movie beforehand. The deleted scenes were a little hard to find since several steps have to be taken. First I had to go to get the key and take money from the Gringotts bank in Diagon Alley. Then purchase wand from Olivander's. Then return to the school and attend classes. Go to potions class and answer three questions. The questions were a little bit of a hassle for me. Answer for the 1st question: Aphrodel and the tube next to it (forgot name); 2nd question: wolfsbane and monkhood; 3rd question: snake fangs and porcupine quills. After the questions, select winged key by trying out a few. Then select the orange colored potion and you will see the mirror of erised. There are a total of 7 deleted scenes. Although some will say they are not worth the hassle, but I liked them. My other favorite extra is the interview. It was good to learn about the behind the scenes interaction of the director/producer/actors etc and production of the movie in general. They also mentioned something about the second movie.
Overall good buy. Worth every cent. Will rewatch it on DVD many times.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Review

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
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As a Harry Potter fan, I'm so happy with this movie adaptation. It's very true to the book (which is fabulous in my opinion, I don't know why some people complained about that), although there are some slight differences. The movie makers have done a wonderful job bringing Rowling's world on screen. The visual effects, especially Fluffy, ghosts, chess pieces, Quidditch game were done exceptionally well.
The second disc is all extras. I guess it was designed for Harry Potter fans and people who enjoyed the movie very much because it was assumed that you've watched the movie beforehand. The deleted scenes were a little hard to find since several steps have to be taken. First I had to go to get the key and take money from the Gringotts bank in Diagon Alley. Then purchase wand from Olivander's. Then return to the school and attend classes. Go to potions class and answer three questions. The questions were a little bit of a hassle for me. Answer for the 1st question: Aphrodel and the tube next to it (forgot name); 2nd question: wolfsbane and monkhood; 3rd question: snake fangs and porcupine quills. After the questions, select winged key by trying out a few. Then select the orange colored potion and you will see the mirror of erised. There are a total of 7 deleted scenes. Although some will say they are not worth the hassle, but I liked them. My other favorite extra is the interview. It was good to learn about the behind the scenes interaction of the director/producer/actors etc and production of the movie in general. They also mentioned something about the second movie.
Overall good buy. Worth every cent. Will rewatch it on DVD many times.

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