Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I was thrilled to open my e-mail this morning and find this review of the latest Harry Potter flick from frequent Park Bench contributor and midnight movie-goer, Ms. C. I'll let her tell the tale:

Just got in from seeing the newest Potter flick and sat down to write my thoughts, still digging out popcorn kernels from the back molars to give you this immediate review.

Of course, The Order of the Phoenix was great. Like the lady in the stall next to mine said into her cell phone (before asking for TP), "Dumbledore was AWESOME." They got a lot of good stuff in from the book and succeeded in portraying a whiny, angry, entirely too teenage of a boy without overdoing it or losing the audience. I was disappointed at many things left out of the movie and at all the wasted time spent showing castle spires and the same door over and over again. HOWEVER, despite my reservations at the editor's questionable decisions, I must admit that I wanted more so much more because the film was already delivering plenty of visual delights for fans of Potter. Many times, I wished I could just freeze the screen and soak in the stupefying tableau. Though the film offers a veritable garden of top-notch actors, that means not everyone gets as much screen time as a fan would like. But because they ARE such amazing actors, the faithful viewer is rewarded greatly. There's one scene where Alan Rickman, as Snape, says the word "yes" with such aplomb, he might've just recited a Shakespearean monologue. Or the wizard equivalent, of course.

I encourage you to go see it, especially if you love great fight scenes between Obi Wan and...uh, between Good and Evil. You won't be disappointed, either, to be delivered back into the magic of Hogwarts and the waiting arms of one of the hottest, funniest, and charming of movie pairings. Of course I speak of the Weasley twins, Fred and George. Le sigh.

She quickly wrote back to add that the movie was"...laugh out loud funny in parts and properly heartwrenching in others."

So what's everyone doing at work? We should all be out there seeing this movie now! Your boss won't mind a three-hour lunch break, I'm sure of it.