The Harry Potter films continue their (generally) upward quality trend. The cuts keep getting smarter. By dropping the least endearing bits of the series, the lengthy book is condensed to an easy 2.5 hours. Only the purest Harry Potter nerds will mourn the loss of Harry’s previously obligatory self-pity. Some will retch at the teen soap opera that takes center stage, but again, the cuts “keep it light,” retaining the cute moments of affection, but dropping the burdensome angst that went along with it in the books and prior films. This is my favorite Potter thus far.
But all of the above is irrelevant because, by now, the sorting has has already placed you into one camp or the other: You are either Someone Who Watches Harry Potter Movies or you are Someone Who Does Not Watch Harry Potter Movies. If you skipped the Sorcerer’s Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Goblet of Fire and the Order of the Phoenix, you will not make time for the penultimate chapter. But if you have followed Harry, Ron and Hermione through a five movie journey, stop kidding yourself: You will watch The Half Blood Prince and the remaining two films as well.