Don't Bother with Harry Potter

I can't keep getting my heart broken by the Harry Potter movies. Besides the third film i always leave disappointed. I mean the sixth film is more entertaining than the first, but you really can't compare them. The first movie is a kid's film, whereas this was supposed to be more adult.
Anyway, I saw Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince on Wednesday and i really did not enjoy it. I should add the disclaimer that I loved the books, but i really do try to judge the movies with an open mind. That's why I see them with at least one Non-Book reader, to help augment my perspective.
My conclusion is that the movie was too confusing, too boring and too hung up on teen angst and romance.
The movie is over two hours long and feels like it could have used an intermission. Maybe this film should have been broken up too, or they could have cut out some of the repetitive Lavendar Brown seens. Brown is a girl with a crush on one of the main characters, and we're constantly reminded of this thanks to a mostly superfluous story line.
Entertainment Weekly does this thing where they cut out chunks of the movie to make a leaner more enjoyable film. If i was doing that I think I would remove 80% of the storyline involving Ron's female companion. That would save about 6 minutes. I would also take out Ron's quidditch story line. It adds nothing to the movie and costs us about 12 minutes. While I'm at it, wouldn't mind just getting rid of Ron because I find him extremely annoying.
Anyway, they could have cut down the Slughorn storyline. It's very entertaining, but probably not that useful to the story's progression.
I firmly believe the movies need to create their own identity away from the books and that might mean radical changes. The books aren't perfect and a good screenplay writer should be able to make them leaner and meaner. For starters, the movie shouldn't play like a reader's digest version of the book. Create your own story. I think that's the problem with trying to stay true to the story line. Just stay true to what makes the story great.
That includes the fight scene they removed from the movie, in which good and evil battle in the aftermath of (spoiler alert) Dumbledore's death. The fighting isn't particularly interesting, but the emotion that dominates that scene is. Everyone is coming together. Everyone is having to grow up at once. And all of this is done while they're slowly realizing that Dumbledore won't be around to save them all anymore. It's a touching scene that builds up the atmosphere for the 7th book.
It probably could have fit if they took out the field of dreams fight sequence that did nothing for the movie.
As for making sense, i was surprised by my non-book reading friends ability to decipher the horcruxe story line, especially because i was a little lost and i know what happens. I think that story line was rushed and underdeveloped. My only hope is that the 7th movie, both installments, do a good job laying it all out there.
Anyway, I was just disappointed with this movie. The pacing is off, the action is ho hum and Emma Watson (Hermione) is wasted in the film.
Go see it. Don't see it. But whatever u do, read the books.