Or HP6, to save a whole lot of typing.
The general critical feeling seems to be that this is the best HP since Azkaban, and I'm happy to agree. In fact I think there might even be case for saying that this one is a shade better - HP3 looks amazing but as I recall the finale is a bit rushed (more a fault of the book, as it turns all Basil Expositiony). By contrast I was happily entertained throughout this one, and found the conclusion very dramatic and engaging. (I can even see it making my end of year top ten films list.)
Ah, yes: the conclusion. Or, as the good Doctors Mayo and Kermode have taken to calling it (for fear of being accused of giving away major plot points): The Unfortunate Incident. For those who don't know, the movie takes quite an unusual step in making a major change to events at this point in proceedings. It all boils down to whether or not Harry Potter is unable to act at a key juncture (due to magical shenanigans being placed upon him) or whether he chooses not to act - for reasons which may or may not be cowardice. The movie opts for the latter route, and I was expecting (like M&K) to be most discomfited by this, but I wasn't. To me, it's not about cowardice, it's about trust: Harry choosing to trust Dumbledore, and perhaps - just perhaps - even Snape. And I can see that the final movies (HP7 now being filmed as a two-parter, as anyfuleno) will get a lot of yardage out of the consequences of all this.
Kudos to Rupert Grint, who has gone from being an all-girning plank of wood to a young actor with a fine sense of comic timing, and to Jim Broadbent for a fine performance as a returning master to Hogwarts. And Alan Rickman as Snape - well, what can you say? He's chewing it all and loving it - and so are we.
How's the maths?
I've said it before - would it really, really hurt the film-makers to show a bit of maths being taught every now and then? I mean, I know it's a place of magical learning, so I can see why they give science lessons a miss... but presumably they get taught English, for goodness' sake, as they all seem able to read and write at least. So come on, film-makers, let's seize the opportunity. Let's face it, there are two films left and only one book title to play with (HP and the Deathly Hallows), so here's a golden opportunity.
Harry Potter and Curse of the Irreducible Quadratic Equation... it has a certain ring to it, surely?
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