As the ultimate showdown between good and evil rapidly draws near, romance is in the air at Hogwarts as the students engage in concocting love potions?! The sixth film adaptation of the penultimate Harry Potter novel does take a lighter tone in parts and it surprisingly makes a nice counterbalance to the dark turn that the series has recently taken. As Harry prepares to return to school, Professor Dumbledore asks for his help in recruiting an old retired professor (the inimitable Jim Broadbent, another great addition to the cast). Little does Harry know the old sage has ulterior motives in bringing the teacher back and involving Harry. Meanwhile, Harry and his friends are experiencing first love while the detestable Draco Malfoy seems to be acting suspicious. Also, Harry finds a mysterious book belonging to an equally baffling owner. Soon Harry and Dumbledore are teaming up to prepare for the arrival of the evil lord Voldemort. David Yates returns as director and considerably steps his game up from the previous film, crafting an exciting entry. Here he returns to the magnificent exteriors that defined the earlier films and blends that with seamless special effects (the quidditch match is remarkable), resulting in what is so far the best entry of the series.
Sidenote (spoilers): I thought the revelatory ending was great, but Snape has been evil all along? Who didn't see that coming? How could anyone cast Alan Rickman in a movie and expect him not to be bad?
