Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows launch party

All good things much come to an end. I am in denial that Harry Potter's saga is over. I don't want it to be.

But at 12:01am on July 21st my saga into the end was just beginning. However, before we must take the time turner about three turns back to about 10pm on July 20th. All decked out like Cho Chang (the only Asian character that I could be) I attended the book launch party that was held at the Indigo at Bay and Bloor in Toronto. The streets were backed with large inflatable slides and a bouncy castle and a double decker bus that acted like the Knight Bus. There were balloon dragons near the front entrace of the store. Getting into the store was tricky, throngs of people going in to get their bracelets to be one of the first people in the story to buy the book at one minute past the stroke of midnight. I thankfully preorderd the book and avoided that crowd to pick-up my bracelet at the special orders desk. After my friend and I took several pictures around the store. We settled ourselves in the pre-order line-up at around 10:30pm. We were near the beginning the line-up so I would get my book fairly quickly. While waiting, the line-up snaked longer and there was general excitement in the air. I think that it is amazing that it was all for a book. As midnight drew nearer, girls were screaming as if this was a rock concert or that JK Rowling herself had entered the store. People were also counting down as if it were New Year's Eve. Then balloons fell from the sky and you knew it was the Witching Hour. The line moved and I was nervous with anticipation, I reached the head of the line, my wrist band cut off and I proceeded to get my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

It was about two hours later at around 2am that I final cracked open the book to beginning reading Harry's last adventure. Let me tell you that I am still exhausted after just finishing reading the novel about 24 hours ago (This is Monday July 23). At the same time, I am also exhalirated and still on a high after reading the book. No spoilers here but let's just say that I got the answers to all the questions that I had.

Now that it's over, I am in mourning. I just watched the trailers to the movies again. And I cried because I have finally come to the realization that there will be no more Harry Potters and watching the films will take on a whole new meaning now that I know the fates of the characters that sometimes puts a smile on my face or a tear in my eye.

The only thing to look forward to now are the two movies then after that I truly will be mourning.

As for what I will read next after Harry Potter, I don't know. A friend of mine had mentioned a news story about a boy who said that he might not read a book ever again after Harry Potter. Part of me feels the same way. I don't think that I will ever find a book again that had captured my imagination and my heart. Harry Potter is truly my liteary love and I will miss you.

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix +IMAX= Awesome

I normally never see a movie twice in the span of a week but I had a friend in town that wanted to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and when I suggested that I wanted to see it again in IMAX, she said she wanted to see it with me.

After seeing it a second time, I have to say that I love the movie now. The first time, I wanted more but now that I know what they cut out, I go to appreciate the film better. The same things still bug me about the film the first time I saw it but I have accepted it.

However, in IMAX, the movie is magnificent and incredible. I have never seen a movie that big before. The climactic battle scene in the Department of Mysteries was awesome, especially in 3D. The 3D scenes begining as Dumbledore's Army (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Ginny) are flying the Thestrals. An amazing scene and so cool. The battle in 3D was also amazing with the flying glass from the prophecies showering on you.

I recommend people seeing the IMAX experience. There is nothing like it. I know that when Half-Blood Prince comes out in November 2008, I will see the movie first on a regular screen so that I know what has been cut out then see it again in IMAX.

The Harry Potter phenomenon

I have two literary loves. For those that know me, one of those loves is Jane Eyre and the other of course is Harry Potter.

I would never have guessed that when JK Rowling released the first adventure of the boy wizard back in 1997 that it would be such a pop culture phenomenon.

I have discussed in a previous blog why I love Jane Eyre, so I won't go into any detail why I love that book. But I am here to discuss how I came to entraced by the world of Hogwarts and its inhabitants.

Now, I was never fond of reading, even if I loved Jane Eyre. I have never really finished any novel that I was assigned to read in school (elementary, high school and university). I can probable count on one hand the books I actually read from beginning to end for school: Hiroshima, Great Expectations, A Farewell to Arms and In the Skin of the Lion. All the usual suspect of required reading for English class such as Lord of the flies, I just read half way through and just BS my way through the tests. Sometimes teachers would make the mistake of showing us the movie version of the novel prior to any tests that helped me get by.

Fast forward to post university. I did want to read more novels. Don't get me wrong, I have read for pleasure -how else would I have fallen in love with Jane Eyre if I didn't read the book -but granted I fell in love with a screen adaptation first before I read the book. I digress. How did I get hooked on Harry. Picture it, the summer of 2000. Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story was going to be aired and an online forum popped up on the Internet so people can discuss the miniseries and all things Anne. A section of the forum was called the AOGG Book Club. One monthe the club suggested reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone. I have heard a bit of the buzz around this children's book but I didn't want to read it because it was a children's book and I am an adult. Relunctanly, I bought a copy and proceeded to read it for the club not thinking I would love it. I did. It really shocked me that Rowling made a book for kids and adults alike. She comes up with twists that I never see coming in all subsequent Harry Potter tomes.

What really surprises is me that now almost 10 years since the first book came out that people still get excited over this series. I am listening to the PotterCast that are put on by the folks at the Leaky Cauldron and it so great to hear people of all ages passionate about these books. They really care about the characters and I have heard the craziest theories about what will happen in Book 7.

I am also amazed at the movie versions. I have loved all of them. I recently saw Order of the Phoenix (see my review in a recent blog) and even though I wanted more, one day after seeing it, I really loved it. And I still can't get over Imelda Staunton as Umbridge nor Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood.

I remember seeing the first movie way back in 2001. A couple of fellow Potterheads (one that I can actually hooked onto Harry Potter) saw the film and quite excited to see it. After our showing there was a long lineup to the theatre for the next show. Six years later, people are still lining-up (like I did and for the fourth one too) to see a Harry Potter movie. And the audience ages were from young and old.

For the first time ever, I am going to a midnight release party for a Harry Potter book. Since it is the last one, I might as well. I have pre-ordered it from Indigo and I can't wait to read it.

Here are the things that I want most to happen in Book 7:

1. Harry lives while the Dark Lord dies
2. Ron and Hermione finally get together (but early on in the book and not the last few chapters)
3. We find out what exactly is up with Aunt Petunia
4. Harry and Ginny stay together
5. And that Snape really is a good guy

What are your thoughts on Harry Potter? Love it as much as I do?

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

At two hours and 18 minutes, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, left me wanting more. I wanted more scenes of Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), more Tonks and Lupin (Natalie Tena and David Thewlis), more Order of the Phoenix, more scenes of the Dursley's that closely hews to the book, more Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) and more Kreacher. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the 5th film of JK Rowling's title hero, quite the opposite. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was pretty faithful to the book and made the rights cuts. The casting was perfect as usual. Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was absolutely fabulous. She captured Rowling's vision of Umbridge to a tee. Lynch was equally well cast as Luna Loony Lovegood. Her Irish lilt gave her character that extra spaciness that it needed and was very endearing. And Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix, very evil in her short screen time. Looking forward to more of her in movie six.

What really impressed me about this adaptation was the climactic battle scene at the department of mysteries. It was a wonderful amazement of wand duelling that made me think of the classic lightsaber fights of all the Star Wars movies. I also enjoyed all the DA scenes. It was great seeing Harry become the teacher and I think screenwriter Michael Goldenberg captured those scenes perfectly. And Goldenberg has to be commended for taking an almost 800 page novel and condensing it to an almost two and half hour movie. Again, the right cuts were made but one. As mentioned, I wish they expanded the Dursley scenes especially the bit about Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) knowing more about the Wizarding World than she lets on.

I am glad that they gave Gary Oldman more to do in this movie than he did in Prisoner of Azkaban (my favourite amongst all the film adaptations and my favourite Harry Potter book). Oldman was excellent in this movie as Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather, and his fate equally heartbreaking as it was in the novel.

The kiss between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Cho Chang (Katie Leung) was whatever but a little more hot and heavy than I thought it would be. If no one noticed, I liked the bit just before the kiss as people were leaving the DA lesson of Ginny looking behind at Harry looking at Cho -clearly indicating that she still fancies Harry. There were sprinkles of the hints of the Ron and Hermione romance (Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) in there too as there has been in every movie since Chamber of Secrets. I thought they might foreshadow a certain romance that takes place in book 6th in this movie but alas they didn't.

This movie was well directed by David Yates, it was quite political in tone. Something that Yates is known for having directed such politically themed dramas like State of Play and The Girl in the Cafe.

Since I am a movie score aficionado, I enjoyed Nicholas Hooper's score. He had some nice memorable and moving score that I probably will get the soundtrack.

Overall, I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and I look forward to the DVD to see the deleted scenes. And I look forward to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince next year. Here's hoping more Bonnie Wright -for those that have read book 6 you will know what I mean!

And only 10 more days until we find out what happens to Harry!