I hopped in the van after Eureka (which managed to escape unscathed from the corner they worked themselves into last season) and realized I hadn’t driven in two weeks. I was quickly remembering why I dislike driving at night when an empty water bottle rolled between my foot and the brake. I missed my turn off the Interstate. I’m definitely too old for midnight movies. I felt horrible and all I wanted to do the whole time was curl up in bed with Doug holding me. The majority of the viewers were teenagers. Enthusiastically happy and silly teenagers, not drunk or rowdy teenagers. Sarah occasionally let out little squeals of glee that I haven’t heard from her in a few years. There were also a handful of what I would guess were 7 year olds. I seriously doubt if those little people couldn’t have waited and watched the movie today. Regardless of age, the audience was obviously happy with the movie. They cheered, laughed and snickered in all the right places. What they didn’t do a lot of, was gasping. I don’t know if it was a kinder, gentler treatment of Harry Potter or if we are just desensitized to Harry facing constant peril and impending death, but this movie just didn’t seem dark and frightening the way its’ predecessor did. This felt like a very nice little chapter in the film chronology of Harry’s journey toward his destiny. It is appropriate for anyone in the family who is old enough to know the Harry Potter story so far and the pace is pretty even with very little downtime. The minor characters are played by such wonderful actors that I craved more of them. The only thing that bothered me about the movie was the fact that Harry and Ron had better hurry up and film the final movies, because they are really starting to look and sound like young adults.