Last night I had gone to the midnight showing of the movie. This morning I wrote a review (below) b/c I wanted to express how disappointed I was. However, I still had tickets to go see it this afternoon. I certainly did not want to sit there for another 2 hours hating it so I had to find a way to like it. I really, really wanted to like this movie. I love HP, afterall! I decided to try another approach, to watch the movie without thinking of the book at all. And I'll be da*ned if it didn't work! I realized that I had spent so much time picking apart what the movie DID NOT have, that I never allowed myself to enjoy what it DID have. Once I did that, and accepted that this movie is merely "based on" the book, I was able to enjoy it! Suddenly, the love story did not seem to dominate as much as it did on my first viewing.....Honestly, I never really thought that changing the way I approached the movie would work, but it did. So, if your a really big fan of the books and cd's, and you really want to find some way to enjoy this movie, I suggest you leave all the knowledge you have of the books at home, sit back, and watch! <br /><br />I started reading reviews last week, so I was aware that all the really good stuff in the book wasn't going to be in the movie. Still I was excited and stood in line for almost 3 hours to see this movie. When I left I felt very, very disappointed. I couldn't believe what I watched, this was a joke, right? Sure that other Harry Potter fans felt the same way, I started to read the fan reviews. Now I'm wondering....did I miss something? How is it this movie is getting such rave reviews?? Did anyone not notice all the plot moments that were changed or left out completely? <br /><br />SPOILERS************************************************ <br /><br />I so wanted to see Dumbledore give the Dursley's their due. And how about Harry and Dumbldore going on the journey to view the Marvolos and Voldomorts father? And lets not even talk about the best part of the book, the fight at the castle. I read somewhere that the director did not want to do the fight because of the fight in book 7. I mean really, come on, that's probably the lamest excuse I've ever heard. Ya know, I never even shed a bloody tear when they killed Dumbledore. There was no emotional work up to it, in my opinion, it was really weak. When I read the book, I cried for days! Well, maybe that's why I did not during the movie....I already mourned him :-) I knew their had to be a lot of things that did not make it in the movie, I just assumed it would be the teenage love angst. Especially given the action films this movie is competing against.<br /><br />But then again, it's getting great reviews, so I think I'm part of the minority of people who were really, really hoping to get a Harry Potter movie that would make JK Rowling proud, at least when she cared.<br /><br />The movie was funny, absolutely. But that's all it was, except for the last 30 minutes. The last 30 minutes, like the 5th movie, is the best part, IMO. But, that's not saying much.