Me in the lift. :)
I'd wanted to re-read the book before the movie to, you know, freshen my memory, but unfortunately there were a lot of events and procrastination and in the end I couldn't finish it. On the night before the movie I pia the book all the way until 5am but still couldn't finish. Then next morning woke up early and finished until the part where Dumbledore explained everything to Harry.
A lot of people said that the movie was lousy, but that did not deter me from wanting to watch it for myself.
I must say, it's pretty disappointing. It was way too packed and way too many modifications. I know they have to modify, for there is no way they can pack a 800-page book into a 2-hour movie. I just think it's a pity. The movie doesn't do the book justice.
And XW was right, I shouldn't read the book just before watching the movie. I was busy comparing both throughout thr movie.
After Harry used the Patronus charm, Mrs Figg (her acting was weird) did not appear angry..supposedly because they remove Mundungus from the movie.
Harry received the letter concerning his expulsion from Hogwarts, but did not find out about the hearing until he arrived at Headquarters. There was no Howler. The Dursleys left the house to bring Dudley to the hospital, not to claim some phoney prize. The Order and Harry were supposed to fly really high to avoid Muggle detection, but in the movie they flew just slightly above the sea.
In the book there were a lot of shouting by Harry, but in the movie I supposed they wanted to cut time he just yelled a bit and stopped when Fred and George Apparated beside him.
At the hearing Harry was already late, yet when he and Mr Weasley arrived they saw Fudge and Lucius MAlfoy whispering along the corridor.
At the start-of-term feast when Umbridge coughed and interrupted Dumbledore, Dumbledore was supposed to look mildly surprised and then appear as if there was nothing in the world he'd like to do more than to hear her speak, but in the movie Michael Gambon looked simply shocked. I really prefer the former Dumbledore. This one is so unsuitable. He doesn't possess the authority and command and dignified air of Dumbledore at all. And in the scene where Dumbledore's Army had been discovered, in the Headmaster's Office, he was actually SITTING on the table. So inappropriate!
A lot of scenes were deleted. There was no Quidditch at all, no St Mungo's, no Valentine's Day date with Cho Chang, no Rita Skeeter, no Dobby!!! Dobby was supposed to warn Harry that Umbridge was coming. Instead, they change to Filch spying on the DAand Umbridge using Veritaserum on Cho Chang and blowing off the wall to capture them. It's supposed to be Marietta, not Cho who told Umbridge. And just because they didn't want Dobby in the movie, they made Neville discover the Room of Requirement while he was walking along the corridor, when in fact you need to walk by THREE times, concentrating on what you need.
Sirius's appearance in the fire changed too..this time his head was in the flames, while in the last movie his head was the shape of the charcoal and ashes.
They changed to Umbridge invigilating the exams, there were no examiners.
Harry saw the vision of Sirius being tortured by Voldermort after Fred and George flew from Hogwarts, instead of during History of Magic OWL. Harry, Ron and Hermione went to Umbridge's Office to use the Floo network, then with no link whatsoever Ginny, Luna and Neville were caught as well.
At the Ministry of Magic, the movie only depicted the room with the prophesies and the room of Death. After all the fighting only Harry and Neville were supposed to be left standing, but in the movie I supposed because they weren't much hexing in the first place, all of them got into the Room of Death. Dumbledore didn't appear in the Room if Death. He entered the Atrium via the Floo network.
Argh Sirius should have given Harry a Two-way mirror but instead he gave Harry a picture of the original Order, which should have been given to Harry by Moody instead. Sirius was supposed to be Stunned and then died because he fell through the veil, but in the movie he was hit by the 'Avada Kedavra' charm (at which he's supposed to die immediately but he appeared ahocked) and fell throught the veil. Aiyo...
The scene where Dumbledore talked to Harry in the end was very shabbily done, so I feel that people who have not read the book won't understand what Dumbledore meant.
Sigh..poor Sirius.
