Potteriffic

Back when we used to live at the house on Coleman Drive, I came home one day to find my dad lying on the floor next to the CD player in the dining room listening to Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. That was really my first introduction to Harry Potter. Despite having seen many a friend carrying the books around school, I had never actually read any of them--or wanted to, for that matter. Then what happened? I became addicted. So addicted that I had pre-ordered the Special Edition of Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix from Amazon.com and when it didn't come in on the day of release, I went to the Open Book and bought a copy. The pre-ordered Special Edition came in the mail the very next day. The Special Edition is right next to me on the couch and I have no idea where the other book is.

I've spent the last week listening to Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix on CD so I could refresh my mind. I'm still listening to it (I'm on chapter 28--Snape's Worst Memory) and recalling lots of things. People have often wondered how I remember so much random information--but this doesn't apply when it comes to books. Each time I read a book (or see a movie) again I find that I've forgotten things and it's almost like it's a new story.

This afternoon, I did something new. I went to the movies all by myself. I've never done it before because, in the past, I was sure that I would be mortified at being a lonely person who goes to movies all alone. The latest Harry Potter movie is showing every half-hour at theaters and, so, going to a weekday matinée should be no problem. A friend mentioned that she heard they were sold out, so I got to the cinemas 30 minutes early and was the first one in the theater. I sat in pretty much the perfect seat and just focused on the silly ads that come before the previews. Fruit-of-the-loom-men singing...nice.

Avid Harry Potter readers must remember--but tend to forget--how seriously long Jo's books are and how seriously expensive they would be to make into a movie. Obviously things will be condensed for time issues and changed to simplify for non-HP-readers. The best thing to do is to regard the books and the movies as separate. If you compare the movie to the book piece by piece, you'll be disappointed that it didn't happen in the movie exactly as it happened in the book. Boo hoo. Well, if the script is okay with J. K. Rowling, then it's okay with me.

The special effects were great and I fell in love with Grawp who was a sweetie in the movie. (Okay, so "sweetie" is an exaggeration, but he was, like, a cute giant with the personality of a toddler.) Casting? Wonderful. Delores Jane Umbridge, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Luna Lovegood were almost exactly as I had imagined them.

Seriously though? I thoroughly enjoyed Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix. If someone wants to go see a matinée, I might even consider going to go see it with you to watch it again. Not a night movie--matinées are cheaper, you see.

♥, Tiffany Anne