The darkest potter yet. Skimping slightly on the action, this movie still transports you to a world filled with magic and mystery. Listening intently to all the dialogue will help you not skip a beat. Dumbledore looks considerably older and weathered from previous battles, and now relies on Potter's wit and abilities to help him discover Voldemort's deepest secret known only to Slughorn. I loved seeing the sinister Draco Malfoy finally coming out of his shell, delivering possibly the movie's best performance. Love interests surround Hogwats, bringing a whole new dynamic to the movie. Again, thanks to the ending of Order of the Phoenix, this movie is not afraid to continue down a dark, uncharted path leaving the viewer wondering who (if anyone) is going to be killed next. (7/18/2009)

The darkest and most dramatic Potter film to date, the Half-Blood Prince is directed by David Yates, who also stood behind the camera in Order of the Phoenix and is in the midst of filming the two part finale, Deathly Hallows. The HP producers struck gold when they were finally able to bring consistency to the series with the use of a single director (Chris Columbus directed I, II, Alfonso Cuarón III, and Mike Newell IV). Yates is so in step with the series that his liberties with additions and subtractions from the source material didn't bother me in this film, but to be fair, I read the book two years ago. It's amazing how much the characters have grown physically, but I wish they'd grown just a tad more comfortable in front of the camera. While Radcliffe isn't going to win any oscars as Potter, he does have moments where he's a complete natural on the screen. Watson and Grint also do a fair job but don't really stand out. (7/21/2009)

I'm loving the increased seriousness and darkness w/ this series and this was right up there as one of the darkest entries yet as we gear up for the 2-part finale. The look and feel was top notch, and I'm glad that despite the grave circumstances, the tone still maintains a whimsical feel, with the expected humor and good chemistry between the characters we've watched grow up onscreeen.

There's not much I can say about this one that makes it stand apart from the last couple entries, but I do have a similar gripe to the last film (The Order of the Phoenix). Jump down to the spoilers to read what I mean. Overall, just great fun and exactly what you'd expect from the Harry Potter series in terms of quality. (11/24/2009)