Righto, just came back from Order of the Phoenix, and to save my sister's sanity, I am writing my review, so I don't blurt out all the good parts, thus spoiling her - even though she's basically spoiled herself silly with this one. An almost chronological (and scene-by-scene?) incomplete review, by yours truly.



Firstly, the beginning. Fan-bloody-tastic. I love the whole fighting and dementor scene. Poor Dudley - he looked really sick and all that, but technically, he deserved it. They changed the reason why the Dursley's leave the house, but meh. Harry's emo-smash ... I dunno. But a return of the gorgeous picture of Lily and James! Huzzah! I was whimpering at that scene - very PoA-like, actually.

TONKS! Amazing! Natalia Tena played the part so well! Loved the changing hair when Moody ticked her off ("Dont. Call. Me. Nymphadora!"), and her changing face at dinner time. She was exactly what I saw for Tonks, seriously. But they didn't have any Tonks/Remus action though, so that might confuse the audience in the next movie. Escape from the Dursley's in general was one of my favourite movies in the movie, but they didn't include the missing buttock quote by Tonks which made me sad. Which comes to my next point (totally irrelevant); the Order seem all tight about secrecy, yet they jet across London on broomsticks? Does not make sense to me.

Grimmauld Place ... well, not even remotely what I envisioned. Not. At. All. It was creepy inside, yes, but I imagined it more ancient looking, falling apart, like the Shrieking Shack, but not so collapsed. Also, wasn't it 12, not 11? Squeed out loud at the H/Hr hug (of course), but was disappointed at the lack of CAPSLOCK!HARRY. Gred and Forge, wonderfully cast actors, who pull it off so well! Loved the Expendable Ears and Crookshanks! Hermione really is lax on discipline ("Crookshanks, no! Bad Crookshanks!"). I was looking for Harry/Ginny scenes at that moment, but they didn't really appear. Almost started crying (for the first time) when Harry and Sirius shared their man hug. I was sniffling and almost threw something at the screen because of how cute the scene was. I do believe they really played up the relationship between Harry and Sirius really well, showing the audience how much Sirius meant to Harry, thus making his death ever the more sad. Skipped the trial for boring purposes.

Return to Hogwarts and the Dark Lord wears Prada. Seriously, Prada. He is beyond stylish, that Voldie Poo is. You don't know how close I was to bawling my eyes out when Sirius followed them to the train station and gave Harry the picture. I would've preferred Sirius not look like a dirty old man, wearing nothing but a robe type of thing, but hey, I was fogging up in my eyes because of this touching moment. I was so close! Also, Tonks looked absolutely fantastic. OMFGLUNA. Evanna Lynch = PERFECT. Screw the haters, she's fabulous! She was just as spacey and insane as I thought she would be! Was rather disappointed they didn't play into the Ron/Luna that happens in the book though. Neville and his random plant = ♥ Thestrals ... not as terrifying as I envisioned. I saw more ... I dunno ... scarier, flesh hanging from bones type of thing (but maybe that was just me?).

Skip a couple of boring scenes (Umbitch is all kinds of awesome, her "hem hem" and the cutesy Harry/Cho scenes are especially adorkable) and we reach the Harry vs Everyone angst. I actually liked Ron in this movie; don't get me wrong, love Ron as a character, but I never saw him as anything more than a sidekick and not as kick-arse as he is in this movie! Sticking up for Harry and such ("Anyone else got any problems with Harry?"), stopping him from lunging at Malfoy ... the whole she-bang. And he and Hermione were actually all cutesy and stuff. Almost made me wanna ship R/Hr ... but I can't, as I see Hermione having lots of little green eyes babies with frizzy hair (sorry, forcive habit). The Gryffindor Common scenario - you could feel the tension, it was that awesome.

Blah blah blah - skip some more scenes (Hermione fighting in DADA, Harry's punishment - Umbitch is beyond evil!, ) and we reach ... um, can't remember. Oh well, skipping to the first DA meeting. All kinds of squee! Hermione and Ron standing up for all the brave things Harry has done, and his "modesty". Lots of Emo!Harry angst. And then the signing of the names and the cute Cho scenes with her peeking at him from the line. AWWW! The bridge scene - love 'em all. You must pay attention to Ginny's face when Hermione comments on how Cho couldn't keep her eyes off Harry. I must say, they're starting early - I guess they have to. Most people I know (who don't read the books and just watch the movies) don't even know who Ginny is, let alone the fact that she and Harry go into a relationship; the building of barriers is necessary, I guess.

DA Lessons. Fantastic. I love the whole thing of watching Neville's progress as a wizard, and the cute little mishaps that happen in between. Filch and his (and later the Inquestrial Squad's) stakeout is hilarious! Ron's "I'll go easy on you" to Hermione, only resulting in his inevitable defeat (which he later blames on trying to make her feel better about herself), Ginny's awesome blowing up skills (at least it wasn't a Bat Bogey Hex!) - the scene where Harry looks at her is cute, the little smiles, I admit, were ship-worthy. The DA scenes in general were remarkable and funny - put in more for comical factor than anything else. Hmm, the kiss. Did anyone else notice the backwards glances Ginny gave before Harry was alone with Cho? OMFGFORESHADOWING! The kiss was ... intense, a lot more vivid than I envisaged. Ron is a classic. And Ron and Hermione's reactions are priceless. A cute little trio moment that made me smile.

Skip some more scenes (as I can't remember; I'm frazzled) and I'll just go to Occlumency lessons. I must be truthful, I was disappointed. They hardly touched on the James/Lily stuff! You didn't even see Lily in the movie! What shite is that?! I'm sorry, but of all the things they cut, they could've at least kept a five minute scene where we see Lily and James plz! But Snape pushing Harry was very canon and such. Random tangent, DUMBLEDORE'S ESCAPE! I love that man, I do. Too bad he carks it next movie, eh? Shacklebolt sums it up: "You've got to admit, Dumbledore's got style."

The last Harry/Sirius interaction had me bawling, seriously. "When this is all over, we'll live like a family." OMFGCRYING! And the hug, and the interaction, and ... *sob* all of it!

When Harry started having visions about Sirius, I was mentally screaming, NO YOU DIMWIT, DON'T! Of course, being a stubborn arse, he refused to listen to me and went along to the Department of Mysteries anyway. The last half hour (?) is without a doubt, my favourite from the movie. It was so ... to put it lightly, intense (sound familiar, Paige?). The fights, the effects, the ACTING (oh dear God, Daniel can actually act!!!). Words cannot describe the fight scenes! I. Absolutely. Loved. These. SCENES! AWESOME! Sirius' death - he AK'd by Bellatrix! ZOMG! Oh well. The silence of the scene following really made me cry. At this point, I was crying into my jacket, asking myself why I went to see this movie. I don't think it did the book justice, but it did make me hate canon - Daniel's acting in this scene, and the one's following it, were just phenomenal!

"I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!" Yes, psychotic as she is, Bellatrix is entertaining. She is everything I saw Bellatrix as being - insane, wicked, insane, evil, insane, weird, insane. Kinda disappointed she didn't really have that big a role; I would've loved to see her do more crazy batshit insane stuff, but oh wells. Next movie?

Didn't really take to Voldie's and Dumbledore's fight. Personally, I was a bit BLAH, by then, still sniffling at the Sirius/Harry-ness and their angsty ways. However, my mind was changed by Harry's possession. Oh dear Lord, I died inside from that part! It was just so good! The little recaps and look backs, the scenes chosen made me start crying all over again (in a good way!). Again, Daniel really excelled himself in these scenes in particular. But I do think all the actors are growing - Rupert is becoming less like a clown and more serious (but still in all ways Ron!), Emma is acting without her eyebrows, Bonnie is gaining attitude and Matthew and Evanna are just breaking forward.

I do notice I haven't said much about the shipping in this, which surprises me. I do have one comment: I think it was done really well in this movie. I know movie makers now have to start really pushing the OBHWF aspect, and I think (without bitterness) they did it really well! There were some very cute Harry/Ginny moments, and some very adorable Ron/Hermione - of course, there was also Harry/Hermione, but I didn't mind the H/G nor R/Hr. I just hope HBP film makers do it well.




More thoughts to come later, after my second viewing (at 8:30!!).