Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix [M]

Voldemort is back, but there are only a handful of people who will believe it. Desperate measures are being taken to keep the magical community in the dark. Harry's good name and reputation have come crashing down as rumours fly around saying that he is insane and a chronic liar. Not standing for any of this, Harry takes matters into his own hands.

We're really getting into the meat of the series now people. In this film, we see different sides to the characters we think we know as emotions, tempers, and stress levels go through the roof.

Toward the end of possibly the most horrific summer of his life, Harry is whisked away from the Dursleys to stay at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society created by Dumbledore that fought Voldemort when he first rose to power. Harry's emotional levels continue to escalate as he learns that Dumbledore has been deliberately keeping him in the dark about everything pertaining to Voldemort, from the existence of the Order to who knows what else. Once back at school, things only get worse as Harry learns that the Ministry of Magic has been attacking him via the newspapers, spreading horrible stories about his being insane and lying about Voldemort's return. Not only this, but Harry's new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is a Ministry official and where once there was freedom from Ministry interference, there are now strict rules and constant surveillance. Harry has reach his limit. He stands up and takes matters into his own hands.

This film was brilliant because we get to see certain sides of characters that we never thought existed from the previous films. We see the characters really develop and respond to the pressure they are under:

Harry becomes a leader and we see him teaching other students to use magic in a way that we never thought was possible. We see him inspire the other students and, by so doing, gain a circle of friends that won't let him go through his battles alone.

Neville really blossoms in this movie. We've always seen him as this adorable kid who can't get anything right. Always forgetting something or casting a spell wrongly, poor Neville. In this movie he show us what he's made of. Being motivated by Harry and other things that we can't possibly discuss, Neville grows from this timid boy into this brave man. I absolutely love Neville in this movie.

This film was really about Harry learning a lesson. All through the film Harry feels alone and insignificant, without a friend in the world. But as he begins to teach others and gain his own set of followers, Harry learns that he has a power that Voldemort will never know of: the power of friends. It was all about rallying together and rising up against those who restrain you. Probably the most inspirational and defiant movie of the set.

As with all the previous films, there are few new faces we need to welcome:

Imelda Staunton is Dolores Umbridge

Natalia Tena is Nymphadora Tonks

Evanna Lynch is Luna Lovegood

Helena Bonham Carter is Bellatrix Lestrange

Directed by David Yates and filled with more knock-out effects, action, magic, chaos, and possibly the most awesome wizard battle ever, Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the series, is a wonderful ride with lessons learned on the way.