Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Trailer

[The_Flying_Skeptic]

I got goosebumps from watching the trailer because it looks like so much fun.

[Violet]

Can't say I'm excited... 4, 5, and 6 all sucked... and the first three were only 'alright' to 'pretty good'. I'm rather of the opinion that they need to be remade from scratch starting at 4. The acting by the 'main characters' was the low point in each of these (imo).

The books are a masterpiece... the later movies are but an insult to them. :S

[KichigaiNeko]

Can't wait to see what the film directors have done with the last book. And just for completeness (yes, my CDO is opperating again) I have seen all the movies and have come to the same conclusion as many...."Not as good as the Books!"

As for getting children to read...it has worked a treat for me and my children ...after all is said and done, I think children need a little magic in their lives....(plenty time for the faith based 'party poopers' to come along when the grow up IMHO)

[Tiberius]

I think the opposite. The books are badly written, have the same recycled storyline (apart from the 7th), and are just dull dull dull. It's no wonder Rowling was surprised when she found out her books were fantasy; if you are writing fantasy without realising it then its going to be piss poor.

The best book was the 3rd, mainly because it brought in a new character with whom Harry could actually relate to, and it was a very large twist at the end which pulled at everyone's heartstrings. Still, the 3rd movie was far better than the actual book.

[Zen Badger]

I enjoyed the books(and I read a LOT, ask Kichi) though didn't read them more than once.

The movies I also enjoyed, but I try to avoid making comparisons between books and their movie

derivations. Not always sucessfully, David Lynch's Dune being the classic example of cinematic bibliocide.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I really liked the first Harry Potter and have seen it several times. I've seen all the others,but have enjoyed each one a little less. I suspect this may be due to my disappointment over the dearth of sex magic. If I had by druthers, I'd druther there was a plethora.

I recently also got hold of all the novels in talking book form,read by Stephen Fry,they're pretty good too, but a bit long,at approx half an houir for each chapter. So far I'm at chapter 11 of "The Philosopher's Stone". At this rate,I expect to be finished by about March 2015.

I think I'll wait for the last one on Bluray and rent it on a cheap Tuesday ($1.95)

[British_Atheist]

Can't wait to watch it, i've watch all other films.

[Violet]

I think the opposite. The books are badly written, have the same recycled storyline (apart from the 7th), and are just dull dull dull. It's no wonder Rowling was surprised when she found out her books were fantasy; if you are writing fantasy without realising it then its going to be piss poor.

Recycled like so?:

Hello Harry, how are you this summer? 'Oh... a bit droll'.
School? 'Why yes, I think I will.'
An adventure where you don't die? 'Sounds fun, where do we start?'
How about with some horribly evil wizard trying to kill you? 'Brilliant, where to next?'
<Insert mystery, magic, and an intriguing read>
Defeat or escape from Voldemort! 'Hooray! I'm still alive!'
See you next book, Harry! 'You as well, reader!'

If you call that repetitive... chain me to the wall.

The best book was the 3rd, mainly because it brought in a new character with whom Harry could actually relate to, and it was a very large twist at the end which pulled at everyone's heartstrings. Still, the 3rd movie was far better than the actual book.

There is no 'best book'... there is one large flowing story from the beginning to the end. You can pick up the first book at the beginning, and read all the way through to the end of the seventh without feeling you've missed a moment. The story starts out pretty simple... and like shattering glass: spreads out in complexity with almost every chapter (if not every one). And the ending wraps up the story neatly, whilst giving fans room with which to imagine 'what happens next'. Not to suggest you aren't entitled to your opinion... but I just don't see how it is not a masterpiece on level with Tolkien. Everything that is epic about The Hobbit + LotR is visible in Harry Potter. Or are you suggesting that all fantasy is trash? 0.o

The third movie was the best of the movies, and as with the two before it: worth a few hours every now and again. After that though, the movies became absolute shit, not worth watching for anything more than the pretty effects.

[Rev. Rye]

I'll admit that I've not done much with the regular Harry Potter series in a while, but I have been discovering some interesting fanfics from TVTropes.

One of them is an interesting take on Harry Potter where Harry's aunt marries a scientist, who instills in Harry an overpowering sense of rationality. Needless to say, there's a lot of conflict between Harry and Hogwarts, not even getting into the conflict with Voldemort. Warning: the story moves at an extremely glacial pace.

On the other edge of the spectrum is this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V4VxlsMuQ4

[The Omnissiunt One]

Whilst the books are entertaining, they're the literary equivalent of candy floss: enjoyable, but bad for you in large doses, made of artificially coloured spun sugar and sold by gypsies (no, wait, forget the last couple). That's why, IMO, they translate well into film; they're mainly plot, while the characters are so two-dimensional that they make Dick Dastardly look like a complex, multi-faceted individual with interesting psychological development. Accordingly, Daniel Radcliffe could be out-acted by a cardboard cut-out of William Shatner. Still, all the films were pretty god apart from the last one, which would have been more accurately titled as 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Hormonal Angst', or 'Harry Potter and the Unused Condom'.

This film looks to be much better, but, as people have said, the decision to split the last book into two films will likely mean that there'll be more padding than on David Icke's bedroom walls.

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I'll admit that I've not done much with the regular Harry Potter series in a while, but I have been discovering some interesting fanfics from TVTropes.

One of them is an interesting take on Harry Potter where Harry's aunt marries a scientist, who instills in Harry an overpowering sense of rationality. Needless to say, there's a lot of conflict between Harry and Hogwarts, not even getting into the conflict with Voldemort. Warning: the story moves at an extremely glacial pace.

On the other edge of the spectrum is this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V4VxlsMuQ4

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This was pant-wettingly funny.