My thoughts while watching the movie right after I finished the book:
* So, a missing character I hadn’t mentioned earlier in my adventures: the giant squid in the lake!
* New director alert! Let’s see what’s different between Chris Columbus and Alfonso Cuarón.
* Harry, you can’t use Lumos at the Dursley’s. You could get in big trouble! (In the book, he used a torch. That’s a flashlight to us Americans.
* And he wasn’t doing it to learn spells wily nilly. He had a report about witches over the summer holidays. And he never got caught 😂 Vernon storming in was unnecessary.
* Ohhh, Marge and Ripper. What a rude woman.
* Ahhh, to be 13 again. Not.
* I was going to complain about the television size. But it is the early nineties.
* Probably also why she can talk so openly about corporal punishment. Does Britain have a CPS system? Someone had to realize the emotional abuse of this child…
* She SNAPPED at him? Oh, no ma’am.
* Y’know. This has to be quite humbling for a famous child.
* Yeah, blow her up, Harry! Like a Macy’s parade float.
* It took Dudley WAAAAY too long to realize what was happening.
* I love that they float her into the sky. That’s a little more extreme. More work for the Ministry.
* The music. It’s so great. I don’t think I’d ever noticed it before.
* Yeah, boy! Run away from your problems! Pack up that trunk!
* Nice creepy effects.
* THE GRIM!
* Hmm. Why did they make Sirius bark at Harry? He literally just wanted to see his god-son.
* Wait. They didn’t play Sirius’s news story. I thought it was super interesting that they even had Muggles searching for him.
* The Knight Bus! I love Stan. Such a little weirdo.
* He doesn’t explain how the bus gets there. Harry doesn’t lie about his name. Isn’t offered hot chocolate. The add the Caribbean shrunken head. What is this? Not that I mind. I love the shrunken head
* I can appreciate the comedic moments. Like when they slam Harry into the window.
* The slow motion. The music. The “mind your head.” “Why the long faces?” Brilliant additions.
* They changed Tom up so much 😂. Bald hunchback now. Very different from Sorcerer’s Stone.
* Fudge is very calm comparatively.
* They just cut out an entire chapter or two by making it the day before heading to Hogwarts… no Harry meeting Hermione and the Weasleys. No wandering for a couple weeks in Diagon Alley. Didn’t even pick up his own school books!
* Actually, that means we missed the scene of Ron trying to operate a Muggle phone for the first time 😂
* They definitely made the chompy book more spider-like. I prefer it this way.
* The housekeeping was a nice touch. It’s fun to have Wizarding minutiae.
* Hermione already bought Crookshanks? We don’t get that scene either?
* Why don’t we ever celebrate the others’ birthdays? Hermione’s is in September. Ron’s is in March. Barely talk about it!
* Ron’s hair… yikes.
* Everyone looks extra pale…
* It was twelve years ago, Mr Weasley. Not thirteen.
* Why do they not use veritiserum? So much truth could be revealed.
* That animatronic rat 😂😂
* Hermione called Ron “Ronald.” I don’t know why that’s so funny.
* How does a magical train break down?
* Dementorssssss. The worst thing about prison.
* The visuals on the soul sucking… it’s pretty weird.
* I can’t stand the scream the give Harry’s mom.
* Lupin is supposed to be mid-thirties. Ugh. Love him, but why did they age everyone up??
* They didn’t explain that Ginny had a fit too. Actually… I think she was supposed to be in their cabin.
* The choir is another interesting movie choice. I love the giant toads.
* Oh yeah… Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. Not quite the calming voice of Richard Harris.
* Puberty hit Tom Felton like a truck.
* Yay for Hagrid!!!
* Neville is starting his Longbottoming. Not as chubby faced.
* Happiness can be found in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light. Such a good quote.
* Ah yes. Our new Fat Lady as well.
* And they made her an opera singer with impatience.
* What ghost is in the common room?
* What candy makes them make animal noises. This movie might be the one deviating most from the book so far.
* And why just kill a bird for no reason?
* Welcome, Trelawny. Her buggy glasses are perfect. Emma Thompson is perfectly crazy.
* Why does no one know what the grim is? Only the Muggle raised are supposed to be confused.
* And where are Lavender and Parvati, goggling over Divination?
* Where in the world did Ron see a wonky cross and a sun? 😂
* Hagrid is so proud of Buckbeak… but there’s supposed to be a herd of them 😭
* Everyone else backing up? Clever! Not in the books, but funny.
* Bow with eye contact, ding dong.
* Pet the pretty birdy!
* Hermione grabbing Ron’s hand. That’s extra tension that wasn’t in the earlier books 😂
* Hagrid just throws Harry up there. That’s also more extreme for the movie. I think he’s only supposed to fly around a paddock 😂 But it is cinematically beautiful.
* And Harry doesn’t enjoy it because it’s not as smooth as his broom. Definitely not a “let go and scream in excitement” situation.
* Ugh, Malfoy. He said they’re proud. Let’s call it ugly. Dumb.
* Malfoy does a great “he’s killed me.” Surprised he still has cronies after how wimpy he is.
* Ugh. Pansy’s here, sniveling over Draco.
* Who is this ominous child they’ve added to Gryffindor randomly? Omens of the Grim, creepy stuff about dementors. (Ekow Quartey, playing “Boy 1”)
* Ooooh, the stills of the flowers dying. That’s kinda cool.
* The Boggart!
* I love how Hermione keeps popping up. In the book, she keeps disappearing as the foreshadowing.
* I love how Lupin gives Neville confidence to face his fears. He does well with that spell.
* So Harry and Hermione weren’t supposed to Dave the Boggart because they answered questions in class. Soooo the Dementor wasn’t in this scene at all…
* Ron’s spider was supposed to lose its legs and go rolling. I’ll admit, roller skates is better.
* Lupin, obviously is afraid of the full moon, but it was supposed to be easily misidentified as a crystal ball… that is VERY clearly a moon.
* Poor Harry can’t go to Hogsmeade.
* Again with the eyes. Lupin doesn’t even mention Lily in the book.
* Oh. They hadn’t made a big deal about Percy as Head Boy. This is really the first scene he mentions it.
* That’s a quick find of the Fat Lady.
* Everyone to the Great Hall. Hmm. Never noticed the howling when the moon pops up in this scene.
* Why are teachers having open conversation with all the hundreds of students there.
* More random Whomping Willow time.
* Ahh, yes. Snape gets to teach a DAtDA class. I’m sure he’s waited forever for this.
* They don’t discuss Animagi in this class, just werewolves 🤦🏼♀️ Again, making a jump to save a scene and foreshadow completely.
* The Malfoy note. It’s kinda dumb. But a cool visual, I guess.
* Didn’t even explain why they’re playing Hufflepuff. I wanted to see Malfoy complain.
* I don’t think that was Cedric Diggory…
* Those goggles 😂 Harry’s regular glasses were meant to be enchanted.
* Dang. They had Harry fall waaaaaay more than 50 feet.
* Harry’s poor broom…
* “For now I need to rest.” What a lame excuse.
* They didn’t even tell Harry the dementors can see through the cloak. He didn’t try to just walk there.
* The footsteps are cute. But it’s supposed to be little people. Miniatures. Wand and all.
* How did Fred and George figure out exactly how to work the map? Especially in their first year.
* Dude just ganked Neville’s lollipop.
* Harry’s supposed to throw mud. But I guess snow is easier to film.
* Who’s this random Slytherin? And why didn’t they try convincing them it’s the ghosts?
* No underage wizards? They’re all supposed to be there.
* And Harry isn’t trying very hard not to be found…
* That’s a lot of emotion for a 13 year old… murder, bro?
* Man… movie Lupin is kinda harsh about the memory Harry chose.
* It was only supposed to be little wispies out of Harry’s wand, not a full shield…
* That’s… that’s NOT THE RIGHT MEMORY 🤦🏼♀️
* Scabbers just peaced out.
* They didn’t do any research to help Hagrid… sad!
* Harry isn’t supposed to notice Peter Pettigrew on the map. Jeez. That came up WAY too soon.
* Why is Lupin yelling at Harry?
* And friggin Harry tells Lupin who he saw? Why change that up?
* Hermione never got into Divination. Why is she asking about the Grim? And disrespecting teacher property?
* Isn’t this supposed to be an exam scene? So much change. Harry never sees anything in the crystal ball.
* The executioner is so much creepier in the movie.
* What a sniveling weasel, Malfoy is.
* I love that Hermione straight up punches him. Not a slap, like the book. Just decks him!
* Hmm. Harry didn’t play Ravenclaw. This is Wood’s last year and winning the cup is a big deal.
* Welcome back, Scabbers. Not scrawny or mangy at all.
* The rocks. I forgot about the rocks being a distraction.
* They’re supposed to be walking away. Not hiding and definitely not Hermione seeing herself.
* Scabbers is also supposed to be quite squirmy at the moment.
* Third wheel Potter strikes again.
* There’s the Scabbers bite.
* Harry, where’s your cloak?
* No exposition about the Whomping Willow being planted Lupin’s first year.
* No Crookshanks there to teach the Whomping Willow secret. This is erasure.
* Harry, you do not have a hunch. But yes, it’s the Shrieking Shack.
* Love Gary Oldman, but he’s too old. And why’s he smiling?
* They’re not supposed to be all lovey. They have to establish that Lupin didn’t know.
* LUPIN DOESN’T KNOW! Lupin thinks Pettigrew was innocent. Well. And dead. He learned better when he saw it for HIMSELF on the map. And told that he was a creator.
* They don’t mention that Sirius is supposed to have been the Secret Keeper. They don’t explain that James saved Snape and that Snape thought Remus was in the joke. They don’t explain that the Shrieking Shack was made for Remus’s werewolf fits and that’s why the others were illegal Animagi. They never had Snape give Remus the wolfsbane potion… it missing some GOOD STORY TELLING Y’ALL.
* Three of them were supposed to Expelliarmus Snape and knock him out.
* They didn’t mention the 12 others Sirius supposedly killed… or now that I’m thinking of it, the visit to the pet shop in the beginning was meant to establish that Scabbers is missing a toe and should only have lived 3 years.
* This actor is far too plump to meet the book description. He’s supposed to be incredibly short and have lost a lot of weight due to stress. Also too old, but it matches everyone else.
* They got Peter to give it up quite quickly 😂 But it does show his desperation quite well.
* Ron’s leg is supposed to be totally broken, snapped by trying not to get pulled into the tree. Snape is supposed to be floating along, unconscious. Pettigrew is supposed to be in chains and threatened not to turn into a rat.
* I want Harry to have a happy home 😭
* Well, OBVIOUSLY he didn’t take his potion tonight. Do you not see him transforming?
* What was Peter going to cast on himself?
* And why did he lose his clothes? He came back with them… now he nekkid.
* Why are you talking to a WEREWOLF?
* Oh, there’s Snape.
* Get him, Sirius!
* Why y’all just STANDING there? Harry never throws a rock. And future Hermione never howls 🤦🏼♀️ This is ridiculous.
* The dementors are a-coming.
* Here comes the kiss of death. Wispy Patronus does nothing.
* And here comes the stag instead of a weird shield.
* Oh. It’s the stag AND a weird shield.
* Not even the shadow appeared to be James. Would have been cool. But just an outline.
* What, no Snape lying about the kids being Confounded, trying to get his Order of Merlin?
* Ron isn’t supposed to see them Time Turn. I’m so upset. Completely disregarded the loop of time.
* I never noticed the constant ticking in the background.
* This must have been crazy to film and edit.
* Yaaaaaas, escape Beaky!
* Such an angry executioner. Just wanted to chop something. Book guy: fence. Movie guy: pumpkin.
* Bruuuuh. Immobulus is not how you get into the Whomping Willow! 😫
* Can you imagine 12 years, falsely imprisoned… Jesus.
* Hermione is howling even though she religiously doesn’t want to influence time. Okay.
* Where did y’all leave Buckbeak??
* Man. They never deal with Lupin in the woods.
* Oh. There’s Buckbeak.
* Save yourself Harry. You KNOW your dad is dead dead dead.
* I’m still not happy about this “shield” concept. Animal. Animal only, please. Like… Prongs is actually kind of important.
* Why did you Bombarda the dang door!?! You know Alohamora.
* Y’know, I’d love a spin-off series about the Marauders.
* I just adore Sirius. 😭 I’m not looking forward to re-reading Order of the Phoenix.
* Whomping Willow whomps again.
* Where’s Sir Cadogan? I just realized they never had him guard the Gryffindor tower, so he never let Sirius in, so he never woke Ron up.
* And why is Harry just now getting his Firebolt? There was a whole side conflict about them checking it for jinxes and creating a rift in the trio because Hermione told McGonagall, thinking it was from Sirius. And eventually he gets it back, beats Draco (barely), and wins the Quidditch cup.
* The hippogriff feather is a cute touch. But that means Sirius tugged out a feather.. bad news, my dude.
It may take me awhile to get through The Goblet of Fire. It’s rather hefty and my summer is about to get nuts! But onward we go!
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