Harry Potter 30 Day Challenge - Days 3-5

Apologies for missing a couple of days. Life got busy so I had to postpone. So, I will be doing three days today and then three tomorrow and after that, fingers crossed, I'll be able to stay on track!

Day 3 - Least Favorite Book
This is a hard one for me because I love all the books so much. So understand that when I say Chamber of Secrets is my least favorite, I still love it. I don't have any hugely specific reasons of why it's my least favorite other than it's just never been one to hold my attention as much as the others. Probably the only real specific reason I have is that this book contains the character of Gilderoy Lockhart. He is without a doubt the most annoying character in all of the books and not always in a good way. He has his moments where is obnoxiousness is comedic and it works well with the story but there are a lot of other moments where I just want to smother him with a pillow and have done with it. So while there are aspects of the book that I really, he kills other parts for me. Still a wonderful book though!

Day 4 - Favorite Movie
Anyone who knows me is probably very well aware of my outspoken hatred of the Harry Potter

movies. That being said, I do think the first two are quite fantastic because, shockingly, they actually generally follow the books. Yes, there are differences here and there but overall they stick to the story extraordinarily well. Also, they are the only two movies featuring Richard Harris as Dumbledore before his death and the disaster that was Michael Gambon took over and completely ruined the character. Speaking of characters, they nailed the casting for

the series. I honestly cannot imagine anyone more fitting for all the various roles, they just got it so perfect. So instead of just one favorite movie, I choose both Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets as my favorite films of the series. They just did such a phenomenal job of bringing the books to life. The sets, the actors, the soundtracks, everything was just so on point. It honestly makes me sad that they didn't keep it up.

Day 5 - Least Favorite Movie
Every single movie except for the first two. I was hugely, hugely disappointed with the remaining movies because they went so far off book with them. I completely understand that not everything in a book can be fit into a movie, I get that, but when important characters and scenes are completely cut out and new scenes found nowhere in the books are added in and do nothing to move along the

story, I get pissed. My opinion is that you have basically been handed a complete script and your job is to condense parts, cut out some scenes that aren't critical to the story, and expand the dialogue to an extent. In no way should you be adding your own shit! Frankly, I find that hugely disrespectful to the author because it's saying that their work wasn't good enough before and we need to add thus and such to make it more interesting or dramatic or whatever. No! Just stop! Anyway, stepping off my soap box now. Besides the various cuts and additions, the third movie featured a new Dumbledore since Richard Harris had passed away. The

new actor, Michael Gambon, destroyed the character, in my opinion. Rather than at least attempting to emulate Richard Harris's portrayal or trying to go in the same general direction, the director, Alfonso Cuaron and Gambon decided to cast aside the wise, regal Dumbledore from the books that Harris portrayed perfectly and instead make the character campy and "hippy." Dumbledore was neither campy nor hippy in the books and it took away a lot of what was awesome about the character. Once again, if you are making a book into a movie, then follow the damn book!!! It's not that hard! Off soap box again. In any case, those are the two primary reasons for why I hate 6 of the 8 Harry Potter movies and also why I refuse to watch anything Gambon is in. I'm petty like that sometimes. lol