Favorite / Best Harry Potter movie so far? v3 NOW WITH POLLING GOODNESS!!!

[Klio]

Hmmm... I just looked at the poll here. Isn't it interesting?

Listening to the voices in this forum - especially in the last few weeks, you'd think that everyone or a large majority enjoyed the Columbus films most. Look at this poll of people *on a HP board*, I think we get a different picture....

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 90 32.26%
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 72 25.81%
   
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 44 15.77%
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 34 12.19%
5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 28 10.04%
6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 11 3.94%

POA wins pretty decisively, followed by OOTP. The Columbus films are very far behind - they are even far behind the movie which hasn't come out yet!
Just think about it - COS and PS/SS TOGETHER have fewer votes than 50% of the OotP score.

I think I'd like to suggest that some voices are getting drowned out here - why else should the opinion which seems to be expressed most often and most loudly be so unrepresentative of these poll results?

Just wondering....

[willfitz]

I wonder the same thing. The people who care most about the books and think that the movies should just bring the book to life, rather than trying to find their own identity, are, I would suggest, more passionate about it and would rather speak out. Frankly I am bewildered by the poll results. I thought that the PoA and OotP movies were very poor representations of the books, and they disappointed me greatly.

[JustAnIllusion]

Originally Posted by willfitz

I wonder the same thing. The people who care most about the books and think that the movies should just bring the book to life, rather than trying to find their own identity, are, I would suggest, more passionate about it and would rather speak out. Frankly I am bewildered by the poll results. I thought that the PoA and OotP movies were very poor representations of the books, and they disappointed me greatly.

It isn't fair to say that the people who care most about the books like the Columbus films better, if that's what you're saying. At least, that's what I got from what you wrote , but correct me if I'm wrong. I love the books dearly and cried when they were over (embarrassing as that is)... I know that I am passionate about bringing each to life, and I find my favorite is still POA, because IMHO, it does just that.

[inferior_wine]

My favorite movie was SS. It was the movie which best fitted the way I was imagining everything.

P.S. Don't polls rule?

[mactheknife]

as stand-alone movies, PoA, GoF & OoP are very enjoyable and better than the first 2 films! ...however IMHO they are very poor adaptations from the books from which they are named! and in my view don't do any justice to them

[Pearl_Took]

Originally Posted by willfitz

I wonder the same thing. The people who care most about the books and think that the movies should just bring the book to life, rather than trying to find their own identity, are, I would suggest, more passionate about it and would rather speak out. Frankly I am bewildered by the poll results. I thought that the PoA and OotP movies were very poor representations of the books, and they disappointed me greatly.

It would be lovely if it were not assumed that those who favour PoA and OotP do not care just as much about the books. It all comes down to what we think works best in an adaptation and it is only natural that people have differing views on that. There is no need to compete about who is the greater fan or not. It''s rather insulting to those of us who genuinely prefer the later films to the earlier ones.

Just my two cents.

[mexicant]

As lanifiel pointed out in his opening post, this thread is self-explanatory. Meaning, which is your favorite Harry Potter movie to date.

It is not asking which is the best adaptation, or which side of the fandom (those who love the movies and those who do not) is better than the other. This suggests that these subjects should be dropped.
So drop them now, please.

[LilCubanita67]

I chose POA because it had a much darker atmosphere than from what I remember of the other films...and Trelawney, Sirius, and the Dementors are at their best in this film IMO

[BigWings]

CoS for me. I know it hasn't got as much action as the later 3 films but I think that's mainly down to the PoA, GoF and the OotP being better books.
The change in director changed the films too much in my opinion and were too inconsistent. I do enjoy watching the later 3 films though

[katana]

That's a tough one to answer because I like all of the films for different reasons. But POA has always been my favorite, until OOTP. But the more times I watch GOF, the more I'm starting to like that one.
I would have to say it's a three way tie with POA/OOTP/GOF.
Even though I like the first two, they definitely don't have the 'darker edge' to them as the other three. But that's kind of how the books are too.

[_Zd_Phoenix_]

I couldn't help but cheer when I saw PoA in the lead in the poll.

PoA up there in my top 5 favourite movies of all time. The rest of the movies, even though I very much enjoy (most of) them, would struggle to find a place in the top 100. It's the outstanding film of the series, the only one that I feel can be placed seriously against more mature films, and of which you can say 'here: this is why Harry Potter actually is something to noted in cinematic terms - this is why it's not just an inferior cash in on the books' fandom'.

On one of the more recent Mugglecasts, one of the guys was saying how he'd always felt that the Harry Potter movies were something you went to see because you were fans of the books and has never been about cinematic excellence, and how he was hoping HBP would buck this trend. I would tend to agree with his characterisation of the series as a whole: it's been more of a tie-in rather than a genuine story told through a different medium, but I really don't think that counts at all in PoA's case.

Even now, the artistry of the film blows me away. The cinematography is incredible: I went through the movie once taking stills to turn into sigs and wallpapers, but there's just too many beautiful shots to properly do that. The pacing, editing and transitions are all brilliantly done; I particularly love the use of the Whomping Willow to denote the passage of time whilst reintroducing it as a plot device. And the little touches that are all over the place but don't have to be shoved down your throat and are left completely in the background ... it's delightful.

But I think it's mostly the choice of how to deliver the script and the tone that it should take that sets it apart from the other movies. Whereas in the first two films you had the basic 'look a bit sad' school of acting, PoA had a tremendous amount of emotion: emotion that didn't need to be signposted to the audience and was done beautifully and subtly. The scene on the bridge between Harry and Lupin always sticks out in my mind. There's so much going on there on so many different levels, and it's executed in such a glorious and subtle way. Daniel Radcliffe manages to produce one of his best performances of the series by just smiling.

[Pearl_Took]

Originally Posted by _Zd_Phoenix_

PoA up there in my top 5 favourite movies of all time. The rest of the movies, even though I very much enjoy (most of) them, would struggle to find a place in the top 100. It's the outstanding film of the series, the only one that I feel can be placed seriously against more mature films, and of which you can say 'here: this is why Harry Potter actually is something to noted in cinematic terms - this is why it's not just an inferior cash in on the books' fandom'.

Music to my ears.

I agree with the rest of your post. PoA certainly deserves its reputation as a fine fantasy film both within and outside the HP fandom.

PoA and OotP are my two firm favourites. I really liked OotP -- initially I liked it more than the book -- but PoA remains the one HP film with real flair and distinction.

[mactheknife]

for me Philosophers Stone is still the best movie! there are so many moments in the film that are brought brilliantly to life from the books!! scenes like diagon alley, first time you see hogwarts, mirror of erised and the ceilling of the Great Hall!!

[MasterOfDeath]

Originally Posted by _Zd_Phoenix_

I couldn't help but cheer when I saw PoA in the lead in the poll.

PoA up there in my top 5 favourite movies of all time. The rest of the movies, even though I very much enjoy (most of) them, would struggle to find a place in the top 100. It's the outstanding film of the series, the only one that I feel can be placed seriously against more mature films, and of which you can say 'here: this is why Harry Potter actually is something to noted in cinematic terms - this is why it's not just an inferior cash in on the books' fandom'.

On one of the more recent Mugglecasts, one of the guys was saying how he'd always felt that the Harry Potter movies were something you went to see because you were fans of the books and has never been about cinematic excellence, and how he was hoping HBP would buck this trend. I would tend to agree with his characterisation of the series as a whole: it's been more of a tie-in rather than a genuine story told through a different medium, but I really don't think that counts at all in PoA's case.

Even now, the artistry of the film blows me away. The cinematography is incredible: I went through the movie once taking stills to turn into sigs and wallpapers, but there's just too many beautiful shots to properly do that. The pacing, editing and transitions are all brilliantly done; I particularly love the use of the Whomping Willow to denote the passage of time whilst reintroducing it as a plot device. And the little touches that are all over the place but don't have to be shoved down your throat and are left completely in the background ... it's delightful.

But I think it's mostly the choice of how to deliver the script and the tone that it should take that sets it apart from the other movies. Whereas in the first two films you had the basic 'look a bit sad' school of acting, PoA had a tremendous amount of emotion: emotion that didn't need to be signposted to the audience and was done beautifully and subtly. The scene on the bridge between Harry and Lupin always sticks out in my mind. There's so much going on there on so many different levels, and it's executed in such a glorious and subtle way. Daniel Radcliffe manages to produce one of his best performances of the series by just smiling.

I agree on the point that the movies do seem more of a tie-in to the books rather than a different medium in which to tell the story.

I say this because many of the films, (GOF sticks out the most) seem to require a healthy knowledge of the books to properly understand. There is much exposition cut or rushed so that if the cinema-goer doesn't have a friend or family member who is a HP fan, they could become lost and confused.

My ideal HP film would be a film with the cinematic flourish of the visuals and music of POA with a script more faithful to the depth of information and complexity of character from the books.

Unfortunately, this hasn't been done yet. We've only got extremes of both sides.

But I've long accepted that these films will never be as great as they could have been. I honestly think these films will be remade in the next 50 years with the proper care and instruction.

Until then, these current interpretations are great to experience and live through.

I really can't place my finger on a favorite though....this may change after HBP....but I'm not about to jump the gun.

(great post, btw. )

[skistar123]

Order of the Phoenix was the best IMHO. This is because the kids have finally grown up enough to be able to act lol. It was also very well made. Contrary to the popular opinion on here, I think Azkaban is not only the worst one, but quite possibly should never have been made. Cauron ruined it for me - I loved the book - it's my favourite and the film was nothing like I imagined it to be.

[Solaris23]

I just chimed in to squeeing with delight that POA is still leading the pack lol

[Selene Sedai]

I like Order of the Phoenix as well but I chose POA, hands down!!

[Mugglewizard]

POA it had the best of everything apart form Dumbledore.

[Yuna_Leonhart]

I like Prisoner of Azkaban the best. They did a fine job with Buckbeak and I like the acting of Thewlis and Oldman. But Gambon didn't do a good job with Dumbledore.

I also liked the first two movies because they were closer to the books. The fourth movie was okay; the cemetry scene was really good and I can't stop crying when Amos mourns the death of Cedric. I'm not really fond of the fifth movie but I just loved the actings of Natalia Tena, Evanna Lynch and Imelda Staunton.

[RonsGryfBaby]

I said Prisoner of Azkaban. That's my favorite book and I had been anticipating that movie for a long time before it came out. I loved the changes Cuaron made to the potter world in that movie, I loved the costuming, I loved how they did the time turner stuff, and I even loved how they didn't keep to the book. It was just a mind blowing experience. Even my dad liked it and he doesn't like Potter.