HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

RYAN: My day in the sun has finally arrived – we’ve just seen “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” the fifth installment of the Harry Potter series. And I’m just at a new level of happy.

CAROLINE: Yes, we all know how much you love your Harry Potter. I’m pleased to report that this movie is not two and a half hours long like some of the previous ones have been; but rather, it’s two hours and eighteen minutes, which is still a tad too long. But I enjoyed it very much, mostly because of the amazing special effects. They truly are magical – pun intended.

RYAN: The effects are awesome. The movie is brooding and creepy. It’s scary too.

CAROLINE: Really scary! This definitely earns its PG-13 rating. There are some out-and-out frightening moments with Voldemort and the Dementors, for those of you who know who they are.

RYAN: And Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange – that cackle! But let’s get deep… I enjoyed the movie so much I actually cried three times.

CAROLINE: Omg are you serious? I was completely unaware! Next time, give me a nudge or something. I’m always the loser sniffling away in every movie and you never cry.

RYAN: I know! I never do. But I care so much about these characters I couldn’t help myself. Like when Harry would have a flashback to his parents, it made me so teary because I know how what it means to him.

CAROLINE: The reviews for this movie have been a little mixed and while I certainly think it’s a fun movie that fans will really like, I do see what the critics are saying to some extent. This movie doesn’t have as much action and excitement as the previous films – until the end at least. There’s no Tri-Wizard tournament or anything like that to serve as the crux of the story.

RYAN: Well, this book has always been looked at as transitional. The whole point of it is Harry pursuading the wizarding world to understand that Voldemort has indeed returned. And I must say, this is the first movie in the series where I actually liked the movie better than the book.

CAROLINE: The only problem is the books are so long and detailed that sometimes it feels like the movie is skimming over lots of stuff because there just isn’t enough time.

RYAN: Unless you want a 14 hour film, they had to cut out a lot of things like Quidditch. And Ron’s part is reduced to virtually zilch.

CAROLINE: I do love the sexual tension betwixt him and Hermione though.

RYAN: And I can’t believe Harry’s first kiss!

CAROLINE: I know! He’s so pubertized.

RYAN: No one has a first kiss like that, by the by. It was a total make out session.

CAROLINE: Hmm… mine was like that.

RYAN: Well, then you have something in common with Harry Potter. I’d also like to point out how great newcomer Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood was.

CAROLINE: I liked her because she kind of looked like me.

RYAN: Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge was sick-oustanding.

CAROLINE: I loved her in “Vera Drake.” She was nominated for an Oscar for that, and it was fun to see her in a role like this. She’s so annoying but you love to hate her character.

RYAN: I loved how the movie contained flashbacks to several of the previous Harry Potter films – it was so neat to see them intertwined.

CAROLINE: I loved that too. It was fun to see how Harry’s changed over the years. Bottom line?

RYAN: This film is clearly going to open with well over a $100 million in its first week. And I dig the movie metaphor with the army and the notion of people rising up against the heads of their government… we can draw a lot of parallels to what’s going on in the real world today.

CAROLINE: I’m sorry, are you actually comparing a Harry Potter movie to the war in Iraq?

RYAN: Absolutely. To me, this is the very best Harry Potter movie so far. It was so cool to see images materialize on screen that had been in my head whilst reading the book, especially the Ministry of Magic. Everything looked so much better on film than I even imagined it would. And it’s just so exciting what with the seventh and final Harry Potter book coming out later this month.

CAROLINE: Is it all too much for you?

RYAN: Almost. I’ve already bought my ticket to see this movie on Wednesday night in 3D-IMAX. Stand back! I might spontaneously combust.