[movie]Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[Zarkon]

From what I can remember last night, there wasn't much (good) use of 3D in the movie.  I'm guessing that it was added in post-production as opposed to filming in it, but I could be wrong. 

Was very happy with it, though (the movie, that is)

[hepcat]

Would you say it's really not worth seeing it in 3D?  Considering it costs me more than double a normal matinee ticket price to see any first run movie in 3D format as opposed to 2D, I'd like to save myself a little cash if I'm not missing anything.

[Zarkon]

I don't think you're really missing anything, no.

[hepcat]

Excellent!  This also means I might have a chance of catching it this weekend as normally the 2D version of most blockbusters don't fill up as fast/as much as the 3D.

[Zarkon]

Final Verdict: Please don't see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 3D. A final score of 14 out of 35 is dreadful and this serves as one of the worst examples of 3D use I've ever seen. Movies like Green Hornet and Green Lantern both made it seem as though post-conversion 3D was getting better, but this new film, in a way, destroys a lot of that progress. Save your money and see the ultimate Harry Potter movie in 2D.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/To-3D-Or-Not-To-3D-Buy-The-Right-Harry-Potter-And-The-Deathly-Hallows-Part-2-Ticket-25667.html

[kratz]

You aren't missing anything in ANY movie if you skip the 3d.

I am super annoyed that this is 3d only here.  When will this bullshit die?

[ibdoomed]

When will this [3D] bullshit die?

Quoted like my hero.

[kratz]

I am not a fan.  I am even less of a fan when I'm given no choice.

[PeteRock]

Saw it at midnight (not in 3D).  Felt it was a nice, accurate conclusion to the series.  It followed the book extremely well, the humor was minimal but effective, the pacing seemed right, and it was pretty neat to see some of the coolest aspects of the story come to life.  

While I don't share the same aversion to 3D when films are actually filmed in 3D, feeling in some cases it does in fact add to the experience, films converted to 3D do in fact need to die.  

A high quality, fitting conclusion to a beloved series.  Perhaps the best of the series, and that coming from someone who really enjoyed Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Part 1.  But I'm getting too old for this midnight show bullshit.  Not to mention that our theater was full of socially inept, talkative teens.  Although some proved to be entertaining in demonstrating just how full of shit they are, along with how ridiculous it was that some of their "friends" bought their nonsense hook, line, and sinker.  The things you overhear in inane conversations.  Did you guys know the blue stuff in blue cheese is bugs?  Yep, that was one of the many things I learned last night from a nearby moron.  

[hepcat]

Believe me, I'm no fan of 3D.  That being said, there are some films that are spectacles because of that format.  Avatar, for example.  But for the most part, I see 3D as being shoveled into far more movies for the sake of higher ticket prices than for any enhancement of the moviegoer's experience.

[ibdoomed]

Saw it at midnight (not in 3D).  Felt it was a nice, accurate conclusion to the series.  It followed the book extremely well, the humor was minimal but effective, the pacing seemed right, and it was pretty neat to see some of the coolest aspects of the story come to life.  

While I don't share the same aversion to 3D when films are actually filmed in 3D, feeling in some cases it does in fact add to the experience, films converted to 3D do in fact need to die.  

A high quality, fitting conclusion to a beloved series.  Perhaps the best of the series, and that coming from someone who really enjoyed Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Part 1.  But I'm getting too old for this midnight show bullshit.  Not to mention that our theater was full of socially inept, talkative teens.  Although some proved to be entertaining in demonstrating just how full of shit they are, along with how ridiculous it was that some of their "friends" bought their nonsense hook, line, and sinker.  The things you overhear in inane conversations.  Did you guys know the blue stuff in blue cheese is bugs?  Yep, that was one of the many things I learned last night from a nearby moron.  

It's not a stretch to describe mold as microscopic bugs.

[rickfc]

Believe me, I'm no fan of 3D.  That being said, there are some films that are spectacles because of that format.  Avatar, for example.  But for the most part, I see 3D as being shoveled into far more movies for the sake of higher ticket prices than for any enhancement of the moviegoer's experience.

Add Transformers DotM to that short list of how 3D is meant to be done. Regardless of how you feel about the movie, the 3D was nothing short of jaw-dropping.

[PeteRock]

It's not a stretch to describe mold as microscopic bugs.

Only out of ignorance, as mold is nothing of the sort.  Not even close.

[PeteRock]

Believe me, I'm no fan of 3D.  That being said, there are some films that are spectacles because of that format.  Avatar, for example.  But for the most part, I see 3D as being shoveled into far more movies for the sake of higher ticket prices than for any enhancement of the moviegoer's experience.

And the films I am referring to are films like Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Avatar, and Tron: Legacy.  All were improved spectacles due to the format as it added a level of depth and immersion to the experience.  But, as you've said, so many movies are now being shoved into 3D formatting, as evidenced by the majority of the trailers before Harry Potter being 3D.  All but Dark Knight Rises and Sherlock Holmes.  When filmed in 3D format a movie can be taken to the next level, but when merely converted to cash in on the recent 3D craze it fails miserably. 

[hepcat]

The question is, will audiences burn out on all the cheaply rendered 3D films converted after production and tossed into theaters in a cheap ploy to raise ticket prices, thereby taking the whole technique back to square one where it becomes a once in a blue moon fad...or simply drops out of vogue altogether?  or are audiences discerning enough that they'll understand the difference, forego the crap and the process of natural selection will take over, forcing the cheap implementations to disappear leaving only the cream of the crop in the aftermath?

[Scuzz]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/15/DDJU1K9FDL.DTL&type=movies

knowing what happens in this, the eighth and last film adaptation - the fourth straight directed by David Yates - doesn't lessen the wallop. And the 3-D conversion job is the finest I've ever seen.

http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/07/15/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-2-review/

Alan Rickman absolutely steals the freakin' show when he channels his inner Hans Gruber during Snape's tenure as Hogwarts Headmaster along with a heartbreaking, albeit much too brief, performance during a pivotal moment in his character arc when you realize that he might just be even more awesome than Dumbledore. Part of it is the stellar way that Rowling wrote Snape to begin with, but Rickman delivers like he's never delivered before, single-handedly raising the bar for the entire cast. Are you paying attention, Academy voters?

I am really looking forward to seeing this.

[Soulchilde]

Snape stole the scene he was in and I agree he deserves an academy nod.  Especially when he delivers a line to Harry


You aren't missing anything if you don't see it in 3D, but I don't understand the complaints about it being to dark. 


My review.. Loved it, Loved it, Loved it.  Can't believe the ride is over and that makes me a sad.   JK Rowling has gone on record she is done writing about Harry & Co.

[Mithridates]

JK Rowling has gone on record she is done writing about Harry & Co.

According to Wikipedia(take it for what you will):

As regards the possibility of an eighth Harry Potter book, she has said, "I can't say I'll never write another book about that world just because I think, what do I know, in ten years' time I might want to return to it but I think it's unlikely." However, on 1 October 2010, Rowling had an interview with Oprah Winfrey, stating a new book on the saga might happen.

[Ironrod]

The question is, will audiences burn out on all the cheaply rendered 3D films converted after production and tossed into theaters in a cheap ploy to raise ticket prices, thereby taking the whole technique back to square one where it becomes a once in a blue moon fad...or simply drops out of vogue altogether?  or are audiences discerning enough that they'll understand the difference, forego the crap and the process of natural selection will take over, forcing the cheap implementations to disappear leaving only the cream of the crop in the aftermath?

With the amount of money that theaters have invested in 3D projection systems, I wonder how much effect audience preferences will have. Given a choice I will opt for a 2D version 90% of the time...but will I always have that choice?

[kratz]

I'm in the situation of usually not having the choice - it's 3d or nothing probably... 70% of the time on a 3d movie?

[leo8877]

92.1 MILLION domestic on the first DAY 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/07/14/national/a103611D04.DTL&tsp=1

[disarm]

I just got back from seeing this in IMAX 3D and it was awesome...fantastic end to the series.  As someone who hasn't read the books and had no idea how it would all end, I think it's an incredibly satisfying conclusion. 

As for the 3D, you're definitely not missing out on anything by seeing it on a regular screen as I can't remember any particular scenes in which the 3D really stood out, but at the same time I can't recall any time when it was distracting either.  The added depth was noticeable throughout the whole movie, but it was never intrusive and did seem pretty well done for a digital conversion.  I also never noticed any brightness issues despite it being a very dark movie overall...always seemed like dark shots were meant to be that way.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the IMAX 3D version to anyone.

[tcweidner]

movie was enjoyable.  I think all the movies did the books as much justice as you can trying to squeeze 800 pages into a few hours.  Love the books, enjoyed the movies very much.  I am sad to see the series end.

JK Rowling is a gifted story teller, I wonder what she has planned next?

[rickfc]

Was supposed to see this in IMAX 3D on Saturday, but my daughter woke up with strep. She was feeling much better today, so she stayed at home with grandma and we got to go see it in a digital projection theater in 2D.

The movie itself was pretty damn good. I told my wife that I think they made the right decision to split the final book into two full-length movies as there wasn't a whole lot that was left out like some of the previous movies. A very fitting end to the most successful movie franchise in history.

[cheeba]

Just got back. Thought it was a decent ending to the series, but I thought, like how they handled the demise of Dumbledore, that it lacked a certain emotional oomph. I'll put the rest in spoiler tags...

Spoiler for Hiden:

I thought the parts with Snape were great. They handled that really well.
The movie kind of launched right into the finale it seems, which makes sense as it's half a movie, really. That makes it difficult for this one to stand on its own, though.
One of the best parts of the movie was the way they handled the dragon. You could see him desperately wanting freedom. And when he burst out of Gringott's, he showed more emotion than most of the actors showed.
I'm good about separating movies from books, but this movie could really have used an extra 10-20 minutes of important stuff from the book. They should have showed Fred dying with a smile on his face. They should have showed Harry dueling Voldemort in the room with all the students watching. As it was, that was a pretty anti-climactic death for Voldemort. Poof, he's gone, and Harry walks back in and no one even asks what happened? They should have shown Hagrid sobbing about the death of Harry. The scene at King's Cross with Dumbledore was particularly wooden and unemotional. And at the very end Harry should have mentioned that his scar hasn't hurt for 19 years and that all was well.
There were some nice emotional moments, like Ron crying over Fred, but this was a huge series finale - there should have been more.

I give it 5 out of 8 tentacles.

[kratz]

I thought it was good... it certainly was the second half of a movie, and I agree that it could've stood to be a bit longer, but I can't really complain when I look at them both together.  Secondary characters were sort of pushed out of the picture a bit... e.g. Weasley Sr.  Mostly I can't complain, and I look forward to being able to watch the last two films back to back at some point.

As for the 3d, it was completely unnecessary, but also completely unobjectionable, really... it wasn't bad, distracting or poorly done at all, in my opinion.  But like I said, completely pointless as well - all it did was make my ticket more expensive.  Snape stuff was good... final scene of the movie was not as bad as I had feared after a comment here.

4/5 on its own... 4.5 or 5/5 if taken w/ the first part.

[rickfc]

Just got back. Thought it was a decent ending to the series, but I thought, like how they handled the demise of Dumbledore, that it lacked a certain emotional oomph. I'll put the rest in spoiler tags...

Spoiler for Hiden:

I thought the parts with Snape were great. They handled that really well.
The movie kind of launched right into the finale it seems, which makes sense as it's half a movie, really. That makes it difficult for this one to stand on its own, though.
One of the best parts of the movie was the way they handled the dragon. You could see him desperately wanting freedom. And when he burst out of Gringott's, he showed more emotion than most of the actors showed.
I'm good about separating movies from books, but this movie could really have used an extra 10-20 minutes of important stuff from the book. They should have showed Fred dying with a smile on his face. They should have showed Harry dueling Voldemort in the room with all the students watching. As it was, that was a pretty anti-climactic death for Voldemort. Poof, he's gone, and Harry walks back in and no one even asks what happened? They should have shown Hagrid sobbing about the death of Harry. The scene at King's Cross with Dumbledore was particularly wooden and unemotional. And at the very end Harry should have mentioned that his scar hasn't hurt for 19 years and that all was well.
There were some nice emotional moments, like Ron crying over Fred, but this was a huge series finale - there should have been more.

I give it 5 out of 8 tentacles.

As far as the stuff in the spoilers, the only thing that I agree they should have done differently was...

Spoiler for Hiden:

The fight with Voldemort. I can't imagine how someone thought that would be more epic without everyone there watching...

[Mithridates]

Just got back. Thought it was a decent ending to the series, but I thought, like how they handled the demise of Dumbledore, that it lacked a certain emotional oomph. I'll put the rest in spoiler tags...

Spoiler for Hiden:

I thought the parts with Snape were great. They handled that really well.
The movie kind of launched right into the finale it seems, which makes sense as it's half a movie, really. That makes it difficult for this one to stand on its own, though.
One of the best parts of the movie was the way they handled the dragon. You could see him desperately wanting freedom. And when he burst out of Gringott's, he showed more emotion than most of the actors showed.
I'm good about separating movies from books, but this movie could really have used an extra 10-20 minutes of important stuff from the book. They should have showed Fred dying with a smile on his face. They should have showed Harry dueling Voldemort in the room with all the students watching. As it was, that was a pretty anti-climactic death for Voldemort. Poof, he's gone, and Harry walks back in and no one even asks what happened? They should have shown Hagrid sobbing about the death of Harry. The scene at King's Cross with Dumbledore was particularly wooden and unemotional. And at the very end Harry should have mentioned that his scar hasn't hurt for 19 years and that all was well.
There were some nice emotional moments, like Ron crying over Fred, but this was a huge series finale - there should have been more.

I give it 5 out of 8 tentacles.

Agree completely with your spoilers!

[CeeKay]

just a friendly heads up:  they're stopping shipment of Harry Potter movies to stores at the end of the year.

As of Dec. 29, no more Harry Potter theatrical film titles (including Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection) will be shipped to stores

just like Disney does with their films I guess.  seems kind of odd they'd do that with the final film not even released yet.

[Soulchilde]

just a friendly heads up:  they're stopping shipment of Harry Potter movies to stores at the end of the year.

As of Dec. 29, no more Harry Potter theatrical film titles (including Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection) will be shipped to stores

just like Disney does with their films I guess.  seems kind of odd they'd do that with the final film not even released yet.

Thanks for the heads up.  I need to grab the last four films for my collection

[Teggy]

That's interesting. I've been getting my wife the Ultimate Edition blu-rays as they come out, so shouldn't be an issue. Except for when the come out with the Super Duper Ultimate Anniversary edition 

[leo8877]

Just watched part 2 and really enjoyed it.  Definitely makes up for the snooze fest part 1 was.