Harry Potter and the 3-D Phoenix

I loved Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - in fact, it's my favorite Harry Potter movie (so far). But this was at least as much because it's my favorite novel (so far), as because the movie was great. And there were a few things things I didn't love about the movie.

What I loved:

My wife and I saw the movie in an IMAX theater in White Plains, where all the action in the Department of Mysteries and slightly before was in 3-D - old fashioned glasses that were distributed and all. And it was marvelous. Characters and flashes and all kinds of stuff leapt right off the screen.

Gary Oldman was superb as Sirius. The guy can't miss. One of my top-ten favorite scenes in all movies is Oldman's bit as Drexl in True Romance. And Oldman was true to his uniquely intense presence in The Order of the Phoenix. His death was indelible.

Imelda Stanton was perfectly infuriating as Umbridge, Evanna Lynch was excellent as the spacy Luna, and even Fiona Shaw as Harry's aunt looked good. And all three of the top characters - Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Rupert Grint as Ron, and Emma Watson as Hermione were just fine. Right, I don't know why some critics keep picking on poor Emma - I've liked her in every Harry Potter movie including this one.

But here's what I didn't like that much in this movie:

It was too short - or, to be more precise, too long and too short. There was a bit too much of little consequence in Hogwarts in the first part. And I would have liked to have seen more harrowing, surprising ins-and-outs leading up to the final showdown in the Department of Mysteries - as there were in the novel.

And ... I thought the much heralded kiss between Harry and Cho was no great shakes, either. Not bad, not spectacular, just ok. But, hey, what do I know about the way young wizards and witches snog in England...

Still, it was a great movie. I'll see it again.

But up next: 12:01 am next Saturday, when I hope to be tearing through the pages of that new novel...

Enjoy a 15-minute (free) podcast: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: The View from New York

Further reading:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: A Review, for Starters (Mild Spoilers)

Harry Potter and iPhone

The Elite Attack on Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Refutation of Illiteracy

Harry Potter and Spoilers: An Occasion for Basking