Azkaban is better than the book. Yep, I said it.

Nah. Azkaban's shrieking shack showdown was rushed. And more Quidditch is always better.

Azkaban's the only time Quidditch isn't boring. And the movie is smart enough to ditch all of the inane "Secret-Keeper" stuff.

The movie ditches almost the entire background story of the mauraders. And the Fedelius Charm actually plays a role in the 5th and 7th movies (OotP HQ), so maybe they should have spent some time with the secret keeper stuff.

The book is always better. Except Lord of the Rings. I still haven't been able to finish Sam and Frodo's half of Two Towers. Such a mind numbing slow pace.

The Marauders backstory is totally there, you just actually have to be paying attention. It's why there's a big close-up of Lupin looking at Harry as he says "mischief managed" at the end.

And the Fedelius Charm doesn't matter. Wormtail just betrayed where James and Lily were. You're bringing book information in that isn't relevant. It'd be like me saying one of the major flaws with Goblet of Fire is the lack of SPEW.

9/10 -> A-

After what was (at least that's the way I felt) the most inspired movie in the series, Part 2 of Deathly Hallows definitely breaks away from the slow, thoughtful, nostalgic feeling of Part 1. It's a proper conclusion of the movie series, one that packs a lot of action, but even more emotion.

It has been for some time now that I've accepted that the movies just decided to ignore a hell of a lot material from the books. At first this bothered me a lot and I always reiterated the opinion that HP movies were more picture book companions than proper adaptations. But over time I actually realized that for better or for worse a lot of stuff actually needed to be cut in the model these adaptations were done. Hopefully HBO decides to revisit HP as a TV show one day...

As for the movie itself its greatest accomplishment is that when the time comes for The Battle of Hogwarts, the great special effects don't take over over the plot for the remaining of the movie. Instead people still get hurt, they still get time to express feelings, they still have time to voice whatever needs to be said - to sum it up, the story is still being carefully progressed while the battle rages in the backdrop of it all. I was actually impressed they went that route. I thoroughly expected a mindless half hour or + battle just like other Hollywood blockbusters do it. Luckily the team behind Potter and Yates (who really mastered the feel and look of HP world and with DH is easily on top as the best director of the series with seemingly untouchable Cuaron now second) had the guts to twist things a bit (thought the movie would be a success anyway).

The actors have been yet again great in this one. The main trio really grew up into these characters, while the supporting actors made out of creme de la creme of British movie and theater business is nothing but superb as always. I'd really like for at least Rickman to get a nod.

I hope that when the time comes for another go at the HP world that they will go darker from the start.

Not even a single thought?

Really I don't. I thought it was a solid conclusion to the series.

Definitely Yate's best and one of the most satisfying of the series. My third favorite after the first two (I know I'm in the minority opinion there, so really no need to start.) The movie is so close to perfect though, it really annoys me as well that with a few small changes, it could have been perfect. The film's big problem is a lack of explanation. Why does Harry not die when Voldemort blasts him? Where is Hagrid during the battle, and how and why do the Death Eaters capture him as their only prisoner? If all of the Giants and spiders came to help Voldemort, where are the centaurs and Grawp? If the Elder Wand can be destroyed by snapping it in two, why had no one thought of this before? Why did Griphook not remember about The Thief's Downfall? Why do people think the sword of Gryffindor is missing if it is supposedly in Ballatrix's vault? How do Harry and his friends know that there is a Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault? Who is that other redheaded boy standing with the Weasleys? Percy? Who is Percy? Oh wait, he hasn't appeared in a movie since OOTP and hasn't been referred to by name since POA. Why do the Carrows not attack the students after Snape escapes the castle. Why does Voldemort not just fucking kill Harry? What is the point of his waiting in the boathouse and then the Forbidden Forest? Why are there random girls who scream while Voldemort uses the voiceover spell? Why does Voldemort all of a sudden not become able to match Harry's magic?

All of these and more are explained in the book. They really should have spent more time with characters apart from Harry; many characters really never get their arcs wrapped up.

It may sound like I have a lot of complaints, but I just love the story so much that even with all of these small flaws, I love it so much.

I know it doesn't sound like I give it an A+, but I do.

Okay, well now that I have rewatched all of them I'd rank the films as:

Deathly Hallows
Prisoner of Azkaban
Half-Blood Prince
Goblet of Fire
Chamber of Secrets
Sorcerer's Stone
Order of the Phoenix

1. Chamber of Secrets
2. Sorcerer's Stone
3. Deathly Hallows 2
4. Deathly Hallows 1
5. Prisoner of Azkaban
6. Order of the Phoenix
7. Half Blood Prince
8. Goblet of Fire

You've got to be fucking shitting me, kid.

For me, it would be:

1. Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Deathly Hallows - Part 1
3. Sorcerer's Stone
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Deathly Hallows - Part 2
6. Chamber of Secrets
7. Half-Blood Prince
8. Order of the Phoenix

1. Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Half-Blood Prince
3. Deathly Hallows Part 2
4. Deathly Hallows Part 1
5. Goblet of Fire
6. Order of the Phoenix
7. Chamber of Secrets
8. Sorcerer's Stone

No. Sure they feel like kids films, but they started as books for children. They are perfect in my eyes. What would you have changed about them?

Mine would be:

1. Deathly Hallows, Part 1
2. Half-Blood Prince
3. Goblet Of Fire
4. Deathly Hallows, Part 2
5. Sorcerer's Stone
6. Order of the Phoenix
7. Prisoner of Azkaban
8. Chamber of Secrets

For BJ

1. Goblet Of Fire A+
2. Deathly Hallows, Part 2 A
3. Deathly Hallows, Part 1 A
4. Half-Blood Prince A
5. Prisoner of Azkaban A-
6. Order of the Phoenix A-
7. Chamber of Secrets B
8. Sorcerer's Stone C+

This is action packed finale but with less emotional impact now then I first saw it, most likely due to being the last of the series. The pacing is still wobbly but the action scenes keep flowing well throughout which keeps this edge of your seat thriller. I prefer Half Blood Prince to this for a better emotional impact. The finale scenes between Radcliffe and Fiennes are visibly edited and I felt both actors were over-acting throughout. The Deathly Hallows aren't really used much here more than the wand technicality which the story could have arrived without the Hallows. There could have been a better conclusion than the final train scene which is unintentionally hilarious.