First off, in the words of Ron, "Bloody hell!" That movie was just... wow. I think it's a thousand times better than "Sorcerer's Stone". The acting was more advanced, there was more humor, more tense moments- you name it, there was more or it was better. The special effects just floored me! The spiders, the basilisk- everything seemed so real!
The acting was sensational- especially Rupert Grint! His Ron was just hysterical in this movie. From belching slugs to being terrified of the acromantualas, he was outstanding! He was really good at the serious bits too. When the teachers are talking and he and Harry overhear that Ginny has been taken into the Chamber, he looks so heartbroken or whatever you'd like to call it that I nearly cried. If he keeps improving in such leaps and bounds, he'll soon be battling Harrison Ford for my favorite actor.
The Weasleys, as a whole, were awesome. There's Rupert, of course, but the others were great as well. I wish the twins would have been in there more! Percy is cute/funny in the beginning- he's got MAJOR bedhead. Molly is very motherly and is exactly how I imagine her to look and act. Her howler is great, and I like how she always calls Harry "Harry, dear." Arthur was great- I wasn't sure who was playing him until I saw him. Coincidentally, he was in "The Borrowers" with Tom Felton, who plays Malfoy.
I loved how they did the Burrow! It was a bit more cluttered than I imagined, but it did seem very home-like, and reminded me of some of the houses I've been too (minus the self knitting-needles and the self-scrubbing pan.) I didn't think the Weasleys would have pigs... but whatever.
They had little bits of humor sprinkled throughout the movie (the first half hour or so is just pure laughs, I tell you!) I would have liked to have seen more of Fred and George, but you can't have everything, right? Ron, Lockhart, Neville, Draco, and Harry had some great one-liners and funny remarks. I laughed so hard I snorted. Errol made a few good appearances- making his first one by running into the Weasleys' window.
The Floo Powder scene was excellent. Not how I imagined it to work, but excellent all the same.
I was a little bit disappointed with Knockturn Alley. They cut the scene with the Malfoys in it, but the Hand of Glory almost made up for it when it snatches Harry on the wrist (I jumped a bit.) Once Harry leaves Borgin and Burkes, I immediately pitied him. That place was scary- especially the people! Good thing for Hagrid, eh?
Flourish and Blotts was good. I was disappointed that Lucius and Arthur didn't duke it out though. Good Lord does Draco look HOT in this scene!
I wigged when Harry and Ron talk with Aragog. I knew he was supposed to be big- but holy schnit! He was GIGANTIC! I would have pissed my pants if I had been there in person. Poor Ron is whimpering and making noises (funnily, mind you, but you still have to feel sorry for him) while watching a lot of littler spiders surrounding them. For a split second I thought that the spiders were going to eat Harry and Ron, but then I remembered the car was going to come save them. Good Lord I was glad to see that thing!
I never want to take Polyjuice Potion. "I think I'm going to be sick!" Ron cries, and soon Hermione agrees and ducks into a stall like Ron. Harry stays and watches his face change in the mirror (which is rather gross.) Crabbe and Goyle are really funny in this bit, especially when they're eating the cupcakes. Then Ron delivers an excellent "How thick can you get??"
The basilisk, in truth, wasn't all that scary to me. It looked like a very large, dark green, scabby worm with fangs. I was only scared of it a few times- when it was in the walls, when it corners Harry and almost eats him before he distracts it with a rock, and when it bursts up out of the floor. I was more terrified of Aragog, in truth, than the basilisk. I guess I was imagining something acid green, with a python look to it, and a lost less fangs. Oh well.
The quidditch was excellent, but they could have shown us more of the game. I'm surprised the stadium didn't fall over after all the damage that stupid bludger did. It was funny, but disgusting, when Lockhart took all the bones out of Harry's arm. They were folding it and bending it all these weird ways, Lockhart saying, "Well, at least you're more flexible now." The second quidditch scene was good, even if they never play. You can never go wrong with the Phelps twins and Sean Biggerstaff in a scene.
There was great interaction between Ron and Harry, but I think the interaction between Harry and Hermione was a little too... friendly. You'd think that JK had put in on of the two first books "Harry and Hermione were smitten with each other." Sure, I have a guy friend who means a lot to me, and I would consider us to be as close as Harry and Hermione are. Sure, we might hug, but I honestly doubt he would be touching my hand all the time if I was petrified. I mean, Harry's in there changing her flowers, massaging her fingers, going "I wish you were here" and all that. Bit too mushy.
Riddle was great. His diary was excellent- especially when they suck Harry in and out of it. I was about to cry when he yelled, "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiidddd!" And when Harry sank the fang into it, ink was going all over the place and Riddle starts to look like Swiss cheese- it's awesome.
They cut some scenes that I thought would have been good. They needed some more Lockhart smarminess. But they made up for it with hot guys! Daniel, Rupert, Tom, Sean, James, Oliver- wow! I was stunned by how much their voices had changed, but it was a good thing. Now Daniel doesn't sound like a little girl anymore. They were all very dreamy... oh yes.
I might be updating this a few more times since it's likely I might be seeing it again soon. But all in all, CoS is a phenomenal, super, cool, awesome, groovy, fabulous movie that you absolutely MUST see. Sure, it has a few bugs to work out, but doesn't everything? I hereby dub it my new favorite movie.
