I’d like to introduce you all to the Poll Troll. When last we saw said troll, he was lying on the ground at Hogwarts in the first movie adaptation. But what we weren’t told is that as penance for his toilet-smashing ways, Headmaster Dumbledore assigned him to conduct polls for us here at Sword of Gryffindor. Many of the professors wanted him “disposed of,” but you know how merciful Dumbledore is. So, from time to time, the once-angry, now friendly troll will come down from his home in the mountains to ask us a poll question.
You can answer by simply replying in the comments. Since trolls are dumb, these will by no means be scientific polls, and since this is a blog, the polls will have no ending date, since comments will always be open.
The first question asked by the Poll Troll is the following:
Which of the four Harry Potter movies has been the best thus far? (And if you care to share, why?)
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
UG, ME THINK GOBLET OF FIRE BEST! MUCH SUSPENSE FUNNY STUFF GOOD VISUAL EFFECTS GRARG!
This is a hard question as I think they have done a good job with all of them. The third one was my least favorite, but I thought the dementors were great and I love the scene at the beginning when the boys are eating candies that make them make funny noises.
The other three are all awesome!
I know I’m taking the easy way out, but I really feel the need to seperate the first two movies from the last two in order properly rate them. Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets were both based on smaller novels allowing the film to reflect the books more directly. The initial director painted a very detailed picture for moviegoers who had yet to see the books coverted to film. Finally, the casting of Richard Harris as Dumbledore helped to offset the akwardness of new child actors Radcliffe, Grint and Watson. I’d have to pick Sorcerer’s Stone as my favorite early Potter film, thanks to its wonderful introduction into the world of J.K. Rowling.
Goblet of Fire is definetely the best so far of the later Potter films. The actors have improved greatly since the first film, with the only disappointment in the role of Dumbledore. Richard Harris was a gifted actor whom I have seen in multiple roles and he is sorely missed in this series. The new Dumbledore (forgot his name) does not capture Dumbledore’s patient and wise spirit and frankly I cringe when he is on screen. The pace of the movie was perfect and I would have loved another hour! I think the graveyard seen need further elaboration, and the inclusion of Rita Skeeter was useless becuase it did not develop that subplot in the least. Overall, it was a great movie, full of action with a dash of teen angst and should serve a nice segway into the fifth movie.
Until the next one . . . Happy reading!
I absolutely fell in love with the movie version of the Goblet of Fire. It is by far the bestr book and movie. For such a long book translated into a semi-long movie, tis stayed surprisingly true to the heart and soul of its book counterpart. I do wish that they would have gone more in-depth to some of the adult characters, though, such as Barty Crouch Sr and Jr, Rita Skeeter, Sirius (the scene with him in it in the movie was completely pointless), Bagman (, who wasn’t in it at all), Madame Maxime, and the three champions. I’m personally not upset at the cutting out of SPEW. I know this doesnt relate to the question, but my least favorite movie was, by far, Prisoner of Azkaban. They completely screwed up the dementors, who do not fly, they GLIDE. They are not weird short sucky leech-like things with a tattered black cloth over them either. This was by far the least true-to-the-book adaptation out of all four. Alfonso Cuaron or however you spell it) definitely made this film entirely his own, which, is in by no means good. So, in conclusion, Best: GoF. Worst: PoA.
I thought Prisoner of Azcaban and GOF were best. GOF scenes such as Malfoy dropping out of the tree made my day.
According to me GoF was the best HP movie.It wins hands down!Well, i simply loved the way the 3 tasks were filmed. All the 4 champions were brilliant.The movie had a close resemblance to the book & it was not a dissapointment like the 3rd movie.PoA was a total disaster. The exciting Quidditch match wasn’t included at all!
So by far GoF wast The Best & PoA was THE Worst movie.
Wow… 1 year ago since the last person wrote so let’s leave the 5th Potter movie out. My favorite movie thus far has been Prisoner of Azkaban. The first two were ok when they came out, but in the third movie you can clearly tell that the trio aren’t kids anymore. Personally, I didn’t like the “vibe” that Goblet of Fire gave off. If I were to rate them on action, GoF obviously would have been top of the list, but i really think the third one is the best just because of that going back in time which i thought was really impressive.
Even including the last (5th) movie, the 3rd remains my unchallenged favorite. The sense of time and place is unmatched, as well as the going-back-in-time sequence which BloodShot cited.
What would make this discussion more interesting – for me, anyways – is to list my favorite scenes from each of the movies.
PS: Harry’s first sight of Hogwarts, the first dinner at HOgwarts, Harry looking in the Mirror of Erised, Wizard’s Chess
CoS: the conversation with the snake at the zoo, the duel with Malfoy, Harry and Ron pretending to be Crabbe and Goyle, the abduction of Lockhart, the conversation with Tom Riddle, The fight with the basilisk
PoA: every scene involving the Dementors, every scene with Lupin, every Time Turner scene, the “execution” of Buckbeak, every scene with Hermione, every scene with Peter Pettigrew, every scene with Harry’s Patronus, every scene with the clock on the tower, Harry’s conversations with Lupin, Harry’s conversations with Black. In fact, every scene in the movie except for the one in the Shrieking Shack which I found staged and over-wrought, and the scenes involving Gambon, which made me want to slap him.
GoF: the aftermath to the Quidditch championship (the decimated fairgrounds), the entry of the kids (?) from Durmstrang, every scene with Mad Eye, but especially the lesson on the Unforgivables and the turning of Malfoy into a ferret, the trial at the Ministry, the second task, the bathing pool scene with Myrtle, and the third task. There were a lot of scenes which I think could have been done better, most of the ones involving Gambon. I was also left dissatisfied with the Voldemort/Fiennes scenes. Fiennes is a fine actor and makes an inhuman Voldemort, but the way the graveyard scene was staged was “stagy”: it seemed to me that all he was given to do was pace and declaim for about ten minutes. Didn’t do it for me. Overall, I think GoF would be my third favorite, mainly because of Brendan Geeson’s performance.
OotP: I’ve only seen this one twice, so it’s not that vivid in my mind yet. So far what I like best is every scene featuring Evanna Lynch, especially with the Thestrals, the duel at the Ministry, especially with Bellatrix, the turning of the glass shards into sand, every scene featuring Staunton, especially when she shivers with delight as she’s torturing the children, the expulsion (and re-admission) of professor Trelawney, and the hammering of the decrees on the wall by Filch. I think OotP would be my second favorite, mainly because of the performances of Lynch and Staunton.
harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban no doubt.
Since you have resurrected this thread Lily, I’ll add my two cents: PoA, because of the stunning visuals, and by far the best soundtrack of the first five. I do have high hopes for HBP.