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why Fred & George were in Harry, Ron, & Hermoine's potions class.
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That wasn't Potions class -- it was Prep, the British boarding-school version of study hall. Some reviews have talked about how Mike Newell's background as an alumnus of a British boarding school informed the details of this movie, and I think this is one example. (There's a great description of Prep in Roald Dahl's great memoir "Boy.")
Re important things being left out: JK has the final say on what goes into the movies and what doesn't. If either the screenwriter or the director try to cut something that's essential to the story, she puts the kibosh on the cut. So anything that's missing will either be going in another movie, or else JK, knowing what happens in Book 7, decided it wasn't essential to this version of the story.
Now, the fun part: squeeeeeeee! I saw it last night in IMAX, with three other big HP fans. It was awesome! The teen actors have their limitations, but as an experience, it's spectacular.
Book 5 is by far my favorite, so I'm nervous about the upcoming movie. Has a director been chosen? The "Snape's Worst Memory" chapter and the Umbridge/McGonagall showdowns are going to make awesome movie scenes.
I was trying to explain the movie to my co-worker who's a big Star Wars fan, and the way I put it is that the seven-book series has three middle acts (Books 4, 5, & 6), each of which are like The Empire Strikes Back. We no longer have the innocence and joy of the 3 introductory episodes; characters are growing and changing as they're faced with tests they aren't ready for; each middle episode ends with loss and confusion about how to get out of the worsening mess. We won't get resolution until Book 7, which will (we hope) tie up the loose ends like Return of the Jedi.
P.S. *small voice* am I the only 30-year-old out there who has to admit that she wanted to jump into the bubble bath with Harry? He's growing up so damn hot -- Cedric Diggory was stunning, but I have a mad illegal crush on Harry.