These movies are indistinguishable.

[Thrifty]

The deja vu is driving me crazy.  Every damn movie is exactly the same.  About 30 minutes of plot and 2 hours of whimsy.  We could have done all 7 books in 2 movies instead of 8.  How did this crap become one of the most popular books of all time?

But the Rifftrax are terrific.

[bratpop]

Because this crap isn't books?

[RoninFox]

The books mostly follow the same pattern though, at least until the last couple where they get more serious (but ironically not Sirius)

[bratpop]

Books aren't about plot. They're about word-putting-togethers.

[BathTub]

Well it's not too surprising given that's it's defined around a school year, so most of the events are cyclical.

[shleenie]

I agree, though I doubt the story in the books could have been told in 2 movies.

The big problem is that the Harry Potter books tend to be 80% plots and subplots, and only 20% whimsy... the movies cut out all the subplots and ramped up the whimsy, resulting in the film's unbalance of 20% plot 80% whimsy. The books are also more mystery than fantasy at times, and the movies did a poor job of making the stories mysterious.

There is a lot of monologuing at the climax of each book that makes the book worth-while... it answers all the questions, while providing NEW questions that make you want to read the next one. Monologuing doesn't work well in movies... the shrieking shack scene seemed like a lot of talking and explaining... and it's only a FRACTION of what it was in the book. So much more was explained between Lupin / Sirius Black / Snape / Pettigrew about how Sirius escaped Azkaban in the first place, how Pettigrew orchestrated his disappearance, how Lupin was allowed to come to school even though he was a werewolf, how they all became shape-shifters, how Snape had been trying to get rid of Lupin since Lupin began teaching.

Haha, I don't know why I got so defensive... probably because I really like the Harry Potter books, but I feel like movies can't convey the real magic of the story. I want to barf every time i see a shot framed up just to show whimsical magic... the ability to use magic is just the backdrop of the story, while the real story is the mystery.

[bratpop]

DUN dun dun dun DUN dun dun dun DUN DUN dun dun DUN DUN dun dun DUN DUN dun dun dun DUN DUN dun dun dun

[TheUnabeefer]

I still say the third movie here was about 80% whimsy, compared to the prior movies.

[Sideswipe]

the third one is the one with the rip off Ring Wraiths, isn't it?

[bettertomorrowamy]

Wait.....there are books too?  Why was I not informed?

[bettertomorrowamy]

Wait.....there are books too?  Why was I not informed?

Well they're not very well-known. 

Seems like they wouldn't be that popular.

[Kzinistzerg]

Nah, there's only a few... some brit got like three copies published. They're quite hard to find.

[Indomitus]

Wait...  These are British?

[Gristle McThornBody]

Monologuing doesn't work well in movies... the shrieking shack scene seemed like a lot of talking and explaining... and it's only a FRACTION of what it was in the book. So much more was explained between Lupin / Sirius Black / Snape / Pettigrew about how Sirius escaped Azkaban in the first place, how Pettigrew orchestrated his disappearance, how Lupin was allowed to come to school even though he was a werewolf, how they all became shape-shifters, how Snape had been trying to get rid of Lupin since Lupin began teaching.

I actually really liked the movie, but that was the only part that seriously annoyed me. What about pointing out that Lupin / Sirius / James / Pettigrew made the Marauders Map?

The riffing is great, though. May favorite one of the Harry Potter series.