Wow, I remember being in 4th grade when the first Harry Potter film came out, and here we are looking back at the series all these years later. Well ... I’m feeling a little nostalgic, and want to look back on one of my favorite movie franchises. I could just talk for hours about how special this series was for my child hood, but I think I can simplify things by just focusing on select moments. Some of the franchises biggest highlights were experiencing and re-experiencing some of our favorite moments. Weather they excited us, thrilled us, played to our emotions or sparked our imagination, it’s the individual moments that always make me want to return for more. So, for this list, I’ll be counting down my personal favorite Harry Potter movie moments. Instead of a traditional top 10 list, I’m going to go through every individual film in the series, and highlight my single favorite scene from each film. So, prep your brooms and get ready to launch into my personal favorite individual moments from each film in the Harry Potter Series.
My favorite scene from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is …
Arriving at Hogwarts for the first time
It’s a very short and simple scene, in which Harry and his class sail across the lake to their new school. There’s something about seeing the Hogwarts castle for the first time that always gets to me. Like, this is the moment where the journey begins, we’ve entered a magical new world, and this giant castle is our new home. Everything else in this moment is perfect, I love the way the music builds, I love how the camera pans up to reveal the castle in one shot, and I love the expressions on all the characters as they just take in all the wonder and excitement of arriving at this place. Simple moments like this just aren’t featured enough in modern films, which is a shame, because for me, this is the moment where the magic begins.
My favorite moment from “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” is …
The Epilogue in the Great Hall
In general, “Chamber of Secrets” is my personal favorite instalment in the franchise. This one had the perfect balance between dark storytelling, and a magical experience. It was probably the most frightening venture of the series, but it also leads to one of the most uplifting endings. Actually, I’d go a step further and say this is perhaps one of the best feel-good moments of the entire franchise. We see all our friends tearfully reunite, and if just feels so comforting after all they struggled though. We also get one last shot of Richard Harris as Dumbledore before the actor sadly passed away, so that’s definitely something to savor. While it’s a little corny to see all the characters give a sudden round of applause, it’s still very satisfying, and it just warms me up inside every time. That final shot is also a perfect way to close out the film, with the camera backing out the window of the great hall, giving us an awesome shot of the castle, all mated to triumphant music, and then fade to black … it just gives me chills every time. This is hands down my favorite closing scene of the whole franchise, and one that leaves me feeling great every time.
My Favorite scene from “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” is …
Flying on Buck Beak
It’s a new class for Harry and his friends at Hogwarts school, and today’s class is all about a winged creature called a Hippogriff, nicknamed Buckbeak. During class, Harry gets the privilege to befriend this wonderful creature, and it eventually takes our young hero for a special flight around the castle grounds. As far as air-born spectacles go, this flight may seem a little tame when compared to similar sequences from other movies like “Avatar” or “How to Train Your Dragon”. However, there’s a simple magic touch to this scene that makes the world of Hogwarts feel all the more real. It’s moments like this that make me feel submersed in the fantastical world the movie creates. I especially love all the tiny details on display, like Buckbeak hovering over the lake, and gently dipping his talons in the water. Everything else from the sweeping cinematography, to John Williams triumphant music score is all top-tear movie magic, and it makes for my favorite flight sequence in the whole series.
My Favorite scene from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” is …
A message from his late Parents
During a climactic duel with his arch enemy Voldemort, their wand magic collides, and in the heat of the moment, spirits of Harry's late parents come to his aide during the battle. It works as one of the films more emotional highlights, and it’s just a beautifully shot sequence. It’s the first time Harry hears the voices of his parents, and it’s just cool to receive support from lost loved ones. While the explanation of his is kept vague, it’s never the less stuck with me as the best scene from this particular film.
My Favorite scene from “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” is …
The Possession Scene
Following after a climactic final battle between Harry’s team, and Voldemort’s evil servant’s, we segue into my favorite part of the movie, and personally … my favorite scene in the whole series. The moment when Harry gets possessed by Voldemort is arguably the darkest part of the film, as it’s inherently disturbing, but it’s also a very powerful moment, as Harry conquers both his enemy and the darkness within himself all at once. Thematically, it’s what the whole film was building-up too … which is Harry expelling the darkness haunting his soul, and fully embracing his heroic, compassionate, and loving qualities. It’s upon looking at his friends, he remembers why he has strength over Voldermort, as his enemy will never know love or friendship the way Harry does. Then in his last breath, he looks at his foe and says “I feel sorry for you”. This is why we love this character, he’s a hero who looks at his enemy, not with hate, but with sympathy. He then defeats his enemy by bringing up all positive thoughts about the times he’s had with his loved ones. The music in this scene is stunning, the images are right on, and the emotion in this scene is the highest that has ever come from this series. On a side note, when Voldemort enters Harries mind, we get a montage of clips from all the previous films, and it’s kind of a rare treat to look back on the past movies in a lengthy series.
My favorite scene from “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is …
The Opening Scene
Of the whole franchise, I feel “Half-Blood Prince” kicks off on the strongest high-note. I love how it starts with quick flashbacks on the events from the last film, then the title shows up in the most epic title screen of the series, and then we're treated to this awesome opening scene with evil apparitions in flight, attacking the city, and destroying a bridge. The scene is complete with camera shots zooming through ales, crashing through walls … it’s almost like a simulated theme park ride, and it starts things off on a very high note. Also, the music composed and conducted by Nicholas Hooper is fantastic, and his score is quiet effectively paired with this opening.
My Favorite Scene from “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” is …
The Tail of the Peverell Brothers
For the first time, the series expands on its own mythology, and explores the hidden myths and legends within the Harry Potter universe. During a quest, our hero’s listen to “The Tail of the Peverel Brothers”, which is a story presented as a stunning animated segment in the film. With Hermine providing the narration, we learn that the Deathly Hallows are three magical items that belonged to three wizards who cheated death. The back story of the three brothers is dark, cryptic, and presented just as such, with haunting designs and gothic overtones. None of the other Harry Potter movies gave us anything quiet this unique, and it makes the films magical world feel all the larger. The striking imagery, stylish animation, and haunting atmosphere make this a stand out moment in the series, and easily my favorite segment of one of the franchises more middling offerings.
My Favorite Scene from “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” is …
A Meeting at Kings Cross Station
After learning that a part of his enemy’s soul lingers deep within, Harry Potter confronts Voldemort and willingly sacrifices himself, so that his friends could have a fighting chance. In the aftermath of his sacrifice, he’s reunited with the spirit of Professor Dumbledore, and the two share one final conversation within a mysterious void that resembles Kings Cross Station. Picking a favorite individual moment from this movie was the most challenging of all, as there’s so many great moments to pick from, but if I had to place one select moment above all the others … it’s this calm and humble conversation between these two characters that resonates with me the most. There’s just something profound about sharing one last meaningful talk with someone who previously passed away, and the sentiments they exchanged with one another are as humble as they get. I especially love Dumbledore’s final comment to Harry … “Don’t pity the dead, pity the living, especially those who’ve lived without love”. This scene was shot, paced and acted perfectly. I also admire the silent soundtrack, as it adds to the peaceful atmosphere of the moment. It’s fascinating that for all the fantastical wonders present in this film … it’s one single conversation that feels the most magical of all.
There are of course countless other great scenes from these movies that deserve mention, but it’s best to just go and experience the rest of them yourself. It’s all around a series built on memorable highlights, thrilling sequences, and a special magic that’s all its own. Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy whatever movies you love!
No comments:
Post a Comment