Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

 {Major spoilers ahead. If you haven't seen the film and don't want to be spoiled through words or pictures, don't read this post until after you watch the movie! Then come back and tell me your thoughts. :)}

I feel like I should start this post off exactly like I did with my post about Part 1, which was:

Wow. I don't even know what to say.

The whole way home from the movie, I kept thinking, what am I going to write about this movie?

I could say that it was gorgeous. I could say that it was so visually stunning that it almost took my breath away. I could say that the score was perfect. I could say that the whole movie was perfect and that all of the little minor things that would normally bug me don't matter in the slightest. I could say that I was on the verge of tears for two hours. Because all of these things are true, but they don't even begin to do justice to how much I loved this film.

It was everything that I could have hoped for, and more, in the Harry Potter finale.

And it was well worth staying up until midnight to see. It was worth only getting four hours of sleep! :) The parking lot of our theater was packed. They have twelve screens, and I think they had at least 8 showings. Maybe they did all twelve, I don't know. All I know is that I have never seen that many people in our theater. I saw one Xenophilius Lovegood (with a stringy blond wig and the deathly hallows symbol painted on the back of his robes) and one Death Eater (complete with mask), and quite a few Hogwarts students. We overheard one of the employees telling someone that he had just opened a theater at the very end of the hall, and it was nearly empty. So we headed down there, and while some of the other theaters were completely full, ours probably didn't have more than 35 or 40 people in it. And thankfully, there were no young kids, so everything was nice and quiet.

But honestly, in talking about different scenes, things that I loved, etc., I don't know where to begin. Maybe I'll just try to work my way through the movie, in the general order that things happened? But it was so much to take in...forgive me if I start rambling. :) I need to see this movie again to really soak everything in. I felt like there was more going on, more to see, in this film, even though it's the shortest, than in any other HP movie.

Gringotts was great. The whole look of it was really amazing, too. Helena Bonham Carter was incredible as Hermione disguised as Bellatrix. Her facial expressions were perfect- she even made Bellatrix look a little like Hermione. :) I felt really sorry for the dragon...And they made Griphook into a little bit of a villain, don't you think? More than just goblin-sneaky like in the book. The multiplying gold was really good.

And after that, it's pretty much straight into the battle. I think I liked Voldemort's messages being sort of in their heads, instead of like a loudspeaker. It made things a little more personal. The protection around the castle was awesome, as was the flight of Snape and the teachers joining together to protect Hogwarts. I've always thought Professor McGonagall was the best, and this movie made that even clearer. :) It was so sad to see Hogwarts destroyed into a pile of rubble.

I liked that Voldemort was shown getting weaker with the destruction of each Horcrux, even though it wasn't specifically like that in the book. I thought it was a nice touch and showed how terrified he was of death- really willing to do anything to avoid it.

Snape's death scene was heartbreaking. I'm really glad that we didn't seen Nagini's attack from the other side of the glass- it was gruesome enough as it was. The tears thing was a little bit cheesier than the memory just leaking out. But the Prince's Tale was perfect. My parents love Snape now, after learning all of the backstory. I also liked that they had Snape at Harry's home in Godric's Hollow right after Voldemort's attack. It was really fitting that he was there right after it happened, and that was one deviation from the book that I liked. {But one thing- "younger" Snape's face looked weird and waxy, I thought.}

And afterwards, when Harry knows that he is the last Horcrux....wow. That was so emotional! Especially when he comes across Hermione and Ron, and they know, too. Walking down into the forest and the Resurrection Stone scene- that was perfect. In the book, you know what he's thinking and what he's getting ready to face, and in the film, you sensed it, too. I had already seen most of the killing curse scene online, and I was afraid that it would be anticlimactic. But it wasn't.

I loved King's Cross, with Dumbledore. Most of all, I loved that they left in one of my favorite things he says to Harry: "Harry, you wonderful boy. You brave, brave man." {I was disappointed that they left out pretty much all of Dumbledore's story, though!} That whole scene was great. I also loved that they let Narcissa ask Harry about Draco and had her lie to Voldemort- that's always been one of my favorite little bits in the book.

Neville was awesome, with all of the brave stuff he was doing. When everyone else was going after Nagini with the basilisk fangs, I thought, if they don't let Neville kill it! Thank goodness they did. I loved the reactions when Harry rolled out of Hagrid's arms- Voldemort's expression and so many of the Death Eaters Disapparating, because they knew he didn't stand a chance. :)

The end of Voldemort was pretty amazing...not what I expected, but amazing. And the scene after that with the trio out on the bridge. Wow. I just wished Harry had mended his wand before destroying the Elder Wand.

And finally, the Epilogue. I thought they did an incredible job of aging the actors! And the kids were adorable. I loved, loved, loved that scene. {Sorry for the bad picture- there aren't many good ones yet.}



Some other random cool things: Mrs. Weasley's duel with Bellatrix, of course. The statues that were instructed to guard the school. Snape's strict rule over the school. The trio saving Draco and Blaise's lives in the Room of Requirement. Luna being Luna {"Harry Potter, you listen to me right now!"} The score was absolutely gorgeous and haunting {and now I really want the CD}. And a hundred other things.

Scenes where I had to seriously fight back tears: The students welcoming back Harry in the Room of Requirement. Fred, Lupin, and Tonks. Snape crying over Lily. The trio realizing that Harry is the last Horcrux and has to die. The Resurrection Stone scene. Dumbledore in King's Cross. When Ginny sees Hagrid carrying Harry. The last shot of the trio at demolished Hogwarts. The Epilogue. And almost every other scene. :)

So, I guess it's obvious that I love this movie. It's my favorite Harry Potter film, though it's a stinking emotional roller coaster. The cast and crew really outdid themselves with this one, and it's about the most gorgeous conclusion you can imagine. Hopefully I can see it again in the next week or two and I'll be able to form some more sensible, orderly thoughts about everything. :) You should go see it as soon as possible.

Until next time,