ANNIE: First I would like to say that I am a huge Harry Potter fan (I mean, I did take a college credit English class called “The Literary Traditions of Harry Potter”). Secondly, I’ve never written a movie review before so I might be
way off track, but Lauren told me not to be stifled so I won’t be.

LAUREN: Annie and I attended the midnight showing of “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” at Regal Cinema late Tuesday night. We arrived around 10:15 p.m. and the theater was already packed.

ANNIE: The evening was enjoyable, and Lauren with her cape and wand was quite the entertainment-– “you’re a wizard Harry!” I was wearing my Hufflepuff colors (yellow and black) because honestly, I would so be in Hufflepuff.

People were running around

dressed as all kinds of creatures, there was even a house elf “that’s what that was?” Despite the Bellingham, Mass. theater being overwhelmingly hot, they put on a good event, and being with people that are as obsessed with Harry Potter as I am is always fun.

The movie was entertaining and enjoyable, I mean, it is Harry Potter and I love everything to do with it. It had good special effects and seeing Hogwarts again makes me want to be a wizard even more. I think the first half of the movie was done really well. There was a lot cut out of it but they tried to fit what seemed important.

I also think that the acting gets better with every movie. Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy, really stepped up in this movie and I felt like he portrayed the Malfoy from the book very well. Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood, is also fabulous and I craved more scenes with both of them. Bonnie Wright, however, is not and never will be Ginny Weasley

to me. She has ruined the movie portrayal of Ginny (one of my favorite book characters). I think she is an awkward actress and every scene with her made me cringe.

There were other things that I did not like in the movie. It focused far too much on the romantic aspect of Harry Potter. Yes it exists, and yes it is relevant in the books, but there is little time to develop the real relationships of Ginny/Harry and Ron/Hermione. There could never be enough time to develop the real relationships and jumping in as they did made it feel like a cheesy teen drama. It made Hermione come off as a silly, weak school girl where she is in fact a really strong female character. It also breaks my heart that people will never really get to see the best love story of the series between Lupin and Tonks!!!

Besides the romance problem where were the rest of the characters? Hello Hagrid? Where are you?! Tonks I really missed you! Bill and Fluer congratulations on getting engaged! OK OK, I know it is called HARRY POTTER and the Half Blood Prince, but still!

*SPOILER ALERT*

LAUREN: OK, so I want to know what was up with that scene where they burn down the burrow? Cause that never happens in the book! I guess now they don’t have to worry about the wedding that takes place at the burrow in the 7th book. Why do they have to add a non-existent scene when there is already so much they cut out? Let’s not give Bonnie Wright another scene she doesn’t need!

ANNIE: The Half-Blood Prince? Please someone who does not read the books but saw the movie explain why Snape is the half-blood prince?!

LAUREN: The part that disappointed me the most was the end. Harry was supposed to be paralyzed when Dumbledore dies. There is no way Harry wouldn’t have risked his life to save Dumbledore, and that truly upset me. I felt like Dumbledore’s death was very rushed, and it really didn’t give me the same effect as when Cedric and Sirius died. I know I cried my eyes out in the 4th and 5th, I didn’t even shed a tear in this movie. They could have done a much better job with the death of such an important character.

ANNIE: Overall, HP 6 was a Hollywood co-op. They took one of the darkest and scariest HP books and rated it PG. They filled it with quick oneliners and childish, “Twilight”-like *vomit* *shudders* romance. They did not focus enough on the real problem of uh, hello, VOLDEMORT being back! Sure it sold $20 million in midnight sales, but a PG-13 rating could have made a world of difference. Obviously I am bias. I am a book snob and wish the film studio would do it exactly like I want them to, but it is impossible. For what it was I liked it.

LAUREN: I personally thought the 4th and the 5th were much better, and they totally screwed this one up rating it PG.

ANNIE: I will see it again, and I wish everyone else to see it and give it a chance. But PLEASE, damnit, pick up the series and READ!!! There is no comparison!

LAUREN: If you have read the Twilight series and not Harry Potter there is something wrong with you.