“Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix” July 11, 2007

Plus: The actors playing the students are getting better. Especially Daniel Radcliffe.

Minus: The older she gets, the more I get really irritated by Emma Watson’s laugh.

Plus: Imelda Staunton is deliciously evil as Dolores Umbridge …

Minus: I just wish there was more of the other featured actors, esp. Alan Rickman. (But of course, the movie would have been even longer.)

Plus: Steve Kloves, who wrote every HP feature until this one, had a really annoying way of turning Ron Weasley into a white, red-headed Stepin Fetchit, constantly playing his fears for laughs. Hey, he’s a Gryffindor already. Michael Goldenberg has it right: as long as he doesn’t give in to jealousy, Ron is Harry’s most brave and loyal friend. And in fact, I’m abashed to say there’s a scene I think works better in the movie than it does in the book. (Not to give a spoiler, but it’s abot who tells Harry who Crucioed Neville’s parents.)

Minus: Kloves will be back for the Half-Blood Prince movie.

Plus: I thought Evanna Lynch was perfect as Luna Lovegood. And I’m especially relieved because if they hadn’t gotten Luna right it would have been really painful to watch.

Minus: The actress playing Cho was wooden. Perhaps it’s just as well that she only kissed Harry once.

Plus: The CG is especially good this time around.

Minus: I have a headache. Oh, and there’s no Quidditch.

Plus: If there had been, I would now have an even bigger headache.

B plus.

Technorati tags: Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix, J. K. Rowling, David Yates, Michael Goldenberg, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Imelda Staunton, Alan Rickman, Evanna Lynch