Last Bus to Hogwarts

There could be minor spoilers.

Saw the new Harry Potter movie last night. My impressions:

• Fun movie, once it got going.


• It wasn't that much darker than the other two.


• Some of the new design was nice. Some was tacky. Hogwarts felt smaller than in the last two movies, though I really like the more-mountainous setting.


• Shame about the dress code.


• It felt like there were things missing. They got all of the key items on the checklist, but couldn't linger on many of them. This movie has the feel of a longer movie that was snipped for running time.


• If Michael Gambon had been cast as Dumbledore from the start, it would have been okay with me. But I missed Richard Harris. I'll get over it.


• David Thewlis was just right as Professor Lupin.


• Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint are growing as actors.


• Being a British TV fan made some of the minor roles more fun to watch.


• One Ringwriath costume can cover a whole platoon of Dementors.

I'll see this again, and look forward to the extended DVD.