Oh... I noticed things completely different than you, Bob! 
I haven't read the books in a long time - no interest too, either, really - so I wasn't as focused on the plot as it relates to the books.
I focused a lot more on acting, the overall feel of the movie, and the visual effects as it related to conveying the story.
I thought there were BEAUTIFUL visuals and fantastic acting. Tonks and Bellatrix looked great, and Bella's got her evil sadistic part down pat. Loved it, and something that just sticks in my head: that part where she does some sort of slide into the floo and vanishes right away in the bright green flames (that was pretty awesome too -- the whole floo thing). Compared with what Harry does, I think it's a great illustration of the differences.
The actress for Dolores Umbridge is wonderful, just the sense of underlying menace hidden behind that thin veneer of condescending unctuousness combined with a brilliant sense of comedic timing. I don't know if it's necessarily stole, but I couldn't help noticing her when she's in a scene... and well, I thought she was HILARIOUS. I couldn't stop laughing at her scenes.
Speaking of hilarious people, Alan Rickman. Ah, Snape, you kill me. He didn't get a lot of lines but he definitely was rocking the lines he had. And the two of them together? Words cannot describe the awesomeness of that scene (Snape won the battle, but I think in terms of acting, it was about the same). Those two really know how to use positioning, timing, voices, and body language.
The trio also are handling the roles with aplomb and acting much better. In the case of Harry, well, we've seen before the scream he's tried to do and honestly, it didn't work out well there imo. Radcliffe just couldn't seem to do it before. But MAD PROPS to the director for figuring a way out to help illustrate the emotions and do it in a way that looks absolutely natural and strikes a chord in those watching. Very good job to use dreams, anger, physical displays, poses, and that silent scream. That worked out really, really well.
In terms of backgrounds -- breath taking. This director knows how to time this film: the bleakness, the humor and lighthearted, the contemplation, and the tragic. Great use of backgrounds to illustrate the emotions and to enhance the effect. Department of Mysteries and the Ministry in general gets a well done from me. Really nice way to take the book and make the visual something really, really special.
Also, I'm not quite sure that that mode of moving in terms of the battle as it's portrayed in the movies is really what was meant in the books, but honestly, it looks pretty cool. No complaints here. And, if the black and white teleports were sort of cliche, like I said, it looked fantastic.
I haven't read the books in a long time - no interest too, either, really - so I wasn't as focused on the plot as it relates to the books.I focused a lot more on acting, the overall feel of the movie, and the visual effects as it related to conveying the story.
I thought there were BEAUTIFUL visuals and fantastic acting. Tonks and Bellatrix looked great, and Bella's got her evil sadistic part down pat. Loved it, and something that just sticks in my head: that part where she does some sort of slide into the floo and vanishes right away in the bright green flames (that was pretty awesome too -- the whole floo thing). Compared with what Harry does, I think it's a great illustration of the differences.
The actress for Dolores Umbridge is wonderful, just the sense of underlying menace hidden behind that thin veneer of condescending unctuousness combined with a brilliant sense of comedic timing. I don't know if it's necessarily stole, but I couldn't help noticing her when she's in a scene... and well, I thought she was HILARIOUS. I couldn't stop laughing at her scenes.
Speaking of hilarious people, Alan Rickman. Ah, Snape, you kill me. He didn't get a lot of lines but he definitely was rocking the lines he had. And the two of them together? Words cannot describe the awesomeness of that scene (Snape won the battle, but I think in terms of acting, it was about the same). Those two really know how to use positioning, timing, voices, and body language.
The trio also are handling the roles with aplomb and acting much better. In the case of Harry, well, we've seen before the scream he's tried to do and honestly, it didn't work out well there imo. Radcliffe just couldn't seem to do it before. But MAD PROPS to the director for figuring a way out to help illustrate the emotions and do it in a way that looks absolutely natural and strikes a chord in those watching. Very good job to use dreams, anger, physical displays, poses, and that silent scream. That worked out really, really well.
In terms of backgrounds -- breath taking. This director knows how to time this film: the bleakness, the humor and lighthearted, the contemplation, and the tragic. Great use of backgrounds to illustrate the emotions and to enhance the effect. Department of Mysteries and the Ministry in general gets a well done from me. Really nice way to take the book and make the visual something really, really special.
Also, I'm not quite sure that that mode of moving in terms of the battle as it's portrayed in the movies is really what was meant in the books, but honestly, it looks pretty cool. No complaints here. And, if the black and white teleports were sort of cliche, like I said, it looked fantastic.