this stinks! they left out my two favorite parts of the book! george saying "what are fred and i?next door neighbors?"and Luna's hysterical laugh on the train! (one of the reviews mentioned them leaving out the prefect thing which leads to both of these events). I am so fed up with Warner bros. ill still see the movie and probabley end up buying it anyway, but still! They are changing too much!

Great, they took out all the parts with Snape in them! ARGH!!! These movies just get continually worse and worse for me!!! Watch, even though he's the main character in the next one Warner Bros. will probably cut Alan Rickman out of the movie entirely!!! If they can't portray the books properly then they SHOULDN'T MAKE A MOVIE OUT OF THEM!!!

Luna sees thestrals: Don't be fed up with Warner Brothers, it would have been worse with any of the other movie corporations. At least WB gave JKR a creative veto over script changes and she authorised these - most companies would not have agreed to that. I think people here are too hard on WB to be honest - it could have been so much worse!

i myself have been TRULY disappointed by these films. the only one that really carried the serious dark tone was the third film. all the others are these "happy go lucky, peppy teenage crap" that really has nothing to do with the whole darkness of the magical world. the other films (except for the third) had too much drama...almost no school robes... and it didnt seem dark or full of much magic. all they focused on in the previous film was the teenage aspect..which is ok, but seriously, they've got to throw alot of it out...i'm tired of the harry potter films being taken so lightly like a teenage disney show!!

I just read on The Leaky Cauldron that the guy who put his review on there said he thought that even though the prophecy is heard in the presence of everyone, Harry was the only one who heard it. At least this is what appeared to have happened.

Is there going to be another screening in Chicago? Anyone know how I can find out?

Listen, Kiff. When it comes to cutting things out, I do it while I am reading the book in order to get a realistic idea of what can and needn't be in the movie, for I perfectly understand adaptation. This is violation! Don't tell us not to complain because the powers that be never take the intelligence of the readers into account; it's all about the budget and the kiddie audience and the timing, but not ever what is at the heart of the books. Tell me, mastermind, how many seconds would it have taken Lupin in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie to tell Harry the origin of the Marauder's map? Do you think the viewers had any clue or even cared? Yet it is key to the close relationships held by those four characters, and reflects the constant message of friendship and loyalty and being true to those one does form relationships with. Hence, Harry and Ron and Hermoine. Hence, what gives Harry strength. The relationships are highlighted not by all the action scenes, but by the ones they continuously cut out, do away with, the little, subtle touches that JK makes us love about each of her characters. EACH. Not just Harry. But no, these have no value to the filmakers. Complain? darn right we have a right to complain!!!

OMG!!!! i am literally so pumped im almost out of my chair!!! ahhh!!! but im really sad they left stuff out. and p.s. i hated the chapter with grawp in the book, so why do they have to waste movie time on it?!?!?!? its a total waste. and what about mr weasley and the snake?!?!?! i hope they didn't forget that part. oh well. i honestly CANNOT! wait for july!!! grrrr!!!

Ooh, nice reviews. Sad that I'm reading them so late. I wish they were written better though, they're rather short. But better than nothing though! Can't wait, can't wait!!!!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! DID THEY SAY THAT THEY CHANGED THE DETENTION WORDS BACK TO "I MUST NOT TELL LIES"???????????????????? ??????? YES, OH BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!THAT MAKES ME SOOOOO HAPPY.................... ......................... ......................... ............... ........ ......................... ......................... ......................... ........... ............ ....................O.... .........O............... ......................... ... .................... ......................... ......................... .................... ... ......................... .........O............... ......................... ......... .............. ......................... ......................... ......................... .. ..................... ....o.........O.......... ..O........o............. .................... tHI S IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SMILEY FACE, BY THE WAY.

I'm particularly pleased with Enyafreak's review of the movie. She definitely gave the most detail and I think she did a much better job than the first reviewer who posted on the Aint It Cool site. Good job! You give me confidence in the movie. :)

The detention words were always "I must not tell lies". The false alarm on the websites when a picture came out some weeks ago shwoing "I must not break rules" was later explained as someone elses hand from the (new) scenbe where Umbridge has all the DA in a detention. It was another example of an unjustified panic attack around here! I think people have a completely unrealistic idea of what WB is about here. They are not interested in canon. They are interested in borrowing a story and making a film out of it. That said, they did run every change past JKR - she said so - and she authorised changes as part of the 'condensing' process. She also said "Azkaban' was her favourite movie so far (not counting Movie 5) and so she can't have been too upset about the Marauders problem. I thgink people need to get away from pretending that their favourite bit is vital to the plot. In the books, much is vital but in the movies, no one detail at all is actually vital. Iy is a film based on the books, not a film of the book! I have read all the books 15 plus times but I don't let the changes get to me. I love all 4 movies so far! Things could have been so much worse - believe me! WB have done us proud so far and giving JKR a creative veto is unheard of in recent movie making!

Kiff? Are you a WB employee?

OMG I'M SO PISS3D! They changed soo much they could of atleast kept some of it, I hope Jk rowling is really angry with them cuz i sure wanna whoop some a$$!!!

Folks, as many other posters have mentioned: No novel-to-film adaptation is perfect, and it should come as NO surprise that certain scenes and aspects from the novel were modified, due to a variety of reasons. Learn how to live with that, and how to use your imaginations to fill in the gaps... =)

As as kiff already clarified: If J.K. Rowling isn't happy about something, you can bet money that she will complain, and the WB will listen. Apparently smarisian, and other supposed HP fans, haven't caught on to that concept yet..... =)

^^^yea from what I have heard she loves the movies even with the changes so it is not a big deal really. The movies are great for what they are as are the books. Yes the books are better but that is only because they can't fit everything into the movies that are in the books. I am just happy that they have even made movies based on such a wonderful series.

Oh. My. God. I AM SOO PUMPED!!! Before i was like "yay.. only 127 more days.. wo.. hoo?" now i'm like " OMGONLY127MOREDAYSYAAAAAA AAAY!!" All of my pumped-up-ness, it very refreshed. I don't really mind the changes that much, like the stupid details that would have been less trouble to keep the same, because you get ued to it after 4 movies. But, i am so happy with the reviews. I don't know if i would rather wait for it to be finished or watch it with bad effects and no music and stuff.. so thanks to the people who did!

I can't believe some of you people are still upset that they've changed things. You can't have a film that is almost an exact retelling of a book - look at Chamber of Secrets! It could have been so much better! At the end of the day, a movie is based on the book, not an exact replica. If you want a film that is exactly like the book, you are free to find the billion dollars or pounds required to finance it!

In answer to a question, I am not a WB employee! Actually I am a 55 year old married man, working on the UK railroads - who got into HP through reading it to his grand children and ended up as the world's biggest fan! The book to film changes dont spoil it for me and I liked all 4 films so far. Oddly, my favourite film is Chamber, which I thought a good adaptation. I think people are unfair on the Columbus films which were very faithful - but I liked 3 and 4 too. JKR says Cuaron was the best director in her view, who most realised her vision. She hopes he is back for number 7 apparently but there are no rumours to that effect as yet. Hope that clears up my position!

Oh-my-goodness! *high pitch scream* *Looks around in class to see if anybody else heard it* *Goes back to pretending to take notes on my laptop* I seriously CANNOT wait for the movie to come out! Or the book...

keep in mind, everyone, that this movie is the first in the series with a different writer. Steve Kloves did not do the screenplay for this one. And he said he regreted it! Am pretty sure I heard he is back on the next one though. Also....Any one who writes for the movies is in direct, weekly email and phone contact with JKR. She tells them what is "oxygen" to the overall plot and gives the ok to changes or eliminations.

i have to say i am a little disapointed with everything they left out, but i am sill really excited to see it :)

YAY! I'm so excited about Evanna being perfect as Luna! Can't wait to see her in action!! I also just can't wait to see the movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

Sounds a bit crap to be honest, a few things in future movies will be seriously messed up but time will tell i suppose.

Psyched, I am. Talking like Yoda because last night I watched Empire Strikes Back, I am.

I hardly remember OotP, but I recently found a pin from June 21 2003 that had Harry Potter on it. It was cool. I am really excited. I still am waiting for Quidditchgirl to post here so we can all point and laugh!

UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH Can't you tell I'm upset?

I don't know how some of you can read this. I would be scared to spoil the movie (and my sister would be unhappy).

Does anyone else have a suspicion that EnyaFreak is JKR? Outlandish, I know, but she's British, she "just got back in country from having seen the preview" (how would she have known to show up at a particular theater to get the random pre-screeing ticket?). And there's something... familiar about her writing......

Ughhhhh, they had Cho tell on the DA? That's crap. Oh well, I'm not a big Cho fan anyway. But we don't get to see Hermione's awesomeness with the SNEAK pimples. Still, this is going to be one hell of a summer.

Even though there appears to be some things left out of this movie, I think it's going to be the best one yet! Oh yeah; thank-you!! A review by someone who is actually a Harry Potter fan, and has actually read the books!!

Ok, moving away from cannon is not fun, but I am so glad they did not make Umbrage any less evil.

I'd rather watch the movie without spoilers so I didn't read the reviews, because then the effect of not knowing how something is going to turn out is ruined.

OMG!!! Like a train wreck...i had to read the reviews! Couldn't stop myself! So excited. but always disappointed when they stray from the book or leave out incredibly important details and info. No explaination of who the death eaters are? and CHO telling umbridge-what betrayal! And no screaming portrait of Mrs. Black-i was soooo looking forward to seeing that, since it is hysterically funny in the book. and i, too, am vastly disappointed that draco appears all but absent from the movie. he brings something to it. but i can't wait to see how the new characters are protrayed by these new actors! woohoo! how many more days???? a lifetime i swear it!