The Rebellion Begins

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emily Watson, Rubert Grint, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Gary Oldman, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"As I have told you before, Mr. Potter, naughty children deserve to be punished." - Dolores Umbridge

Why watch this? Two great villains emerge - Dolores Umbridge and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Plot Summary: Harry struggles with the Ministry of Magic's denial of Voldemort's return and their subsequent smear campaign against him and Dumbledore. To combat the Ministry's interference and a new, oppressive Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Harry forms a secret student group, Dumbledore's Army, to teach and learn proper defensive spells. As Harry's connection to Voldemort deepens, he's plagued by unsettling visions which ultimately lead him and his friends into a dangerous confrontation at the Ministry of Magic, where truths about prophecies and Voldemort's plan are revealed.

Dad's Preview: As teen awkwardness migrates into full on teen angst, the story richens with better character moments, such as Harry's soulful conversations with his godfather Sirius Black. Hogwarts receives a new professor, Ms. Umbridge, who takes over the school and insures that Harry and his pals are tortured at every turn. We also get to meet more dark arts wizards, known as Death Eaters, led chiefly by Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy.

Heyday Films; Warner Bros. Pictures