Showing posts with label harry potter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label harry potter. Show all posts
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2) - a review
I went with two of my friends and took my 12 year old daughter, as well. My daughter started counting down the hours as soon as she woke up.
She spoke of nothing else the entire day.
She was wired from about 6:30 in the morning until the previews finally started rolling at 12:06 a.m.
Amazingly, we ran into a boy from her class (whom she may have a crush on) and his mom and they were able to join us and we moved the overly talkative tweens to the seats in front of us.
I shared with you my thoughts on the first movie so I thought I would do the same for the series finally.
If you haven't seen the movie or you are one of 20 people who hasn't read the book, stop now. Spoiler alert.
This movie is much better than the one before. Part 1 is exceptionally slow and I was glad that Part 2 didn't follow in it's footsteps or I'm not sure I would have made it until the 2:30 ending.
HP7 part 2 opens just where part 1 ended. Harry is burying Dobby and Voldemort is securing the Elder Wand. Action is just around the corner as Harry begs the goblin, Griphook, to help the famous trio break into Gringotts.
One of the best parts is watching Helena Bonham Carter portray Belletrix as Hermione. Fantastic acting and exceptionally believable.
The special effects were flawless, as I truly believed that the trio was riding a blind dragon to safety after securing yet another horocrux from the LeStrange vault. It becomes quite obvious that Harry must sacrifice himself in order to truly eliminate Voldemort.
The final scene featuring Snape was excellently portrayed by Alan Rickman. However, I was disappointed that the screenwriters felt it necessary to imply that he could have fathered Harry Potter. I heard many people, including my friend, articulating this at the movies end.
This was never even hinted at in the book.
The final battle was reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings and the Pirates of the Caribbean combined. It had moments that made you chuckle, moments that made you cry, moments that made you applaud.
When Harry finds himself in the train station with Dumbledore my favorite line of the movie was spoken.
Dumbledore: "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"
Of course, when Molly Weasley finally kills Bellatrix by denouncing her attempt to kill Ginny with a out of character shout, "Not my daughter, Bitch." I couldn't help but cheer.
Having already shared with you the seven things I learned from Harry Potter, I guess I will close this by saying that I hope some day J.K. Rowling takes the other stories playing out in her head, those of the newest wizards, and writes them down for all of us to share.
Because the adventures of a little wizard girl named Lily, with parents as sweet as Harry and Ginny, could be just as unforgettable as those of her parents.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Seven things I have learned from Harry Potter
With the big premiere of the final installment of the Harry Potter films just a few short days away I thought I would share with you what I have learned from this book/movie series.
1. Friendship can see you through anything. No matter the problem, whether it be facing a giant three headed dog, battling your arch nemisis, killing a troll, or picking out dress robes for a Yule Ball, life is better with friends to share it with. They can help you battle through just about anything.
2. It's all in how you react. We all have asked questions such as the ones that Harry asks. Why is this happening? What did I do to deserve this? When will this cup pass from me? My dad always says "Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it."
3. We will always live on. Those familiar with the books know that some of the most beloved characters, starting with Harry's parents, to Dobby, to Fred Weasley, to Dumbledore, to Hedwig, all the way down to Snape do not make it to the end of the story. What we learn though is that what we leave behind is part of who we are.
4. Always trust your instints. From the very first movie, Harry learned to trust his gut. Harry learned to surround himself with people who make him happy and tried, for the most part, to avoid those who didn't.
5. Never give up. No matter how hard the task seems to be, whether it be as simple as getting a good grade on your O.W.L.S. or finally overthrowing a Dark Lord, the trick is never to give up.
6. Magic is all around us. I don't have any friends that carry wands, but I do know some magical people. I know people who teach kids to read, who care for the dying, who preach about truth, who make me laugh, who hug me when I feel like crying. They may not chant any spells but they are no less magical.
7. Love is the most powerful of all magic. Most Harry Potter fans know that the love of Harry's mom is what saved him from Voldemort when he was a child. One of the best parts in the Order of the Phoenix is the part when Harry fights off The Big V by telling him he has something worth fighting for. "You're the weak one. You will never know love or friendship."
LOVE. FRIENDSHIP. Something worth fighting for.
1. Friendship can see you through anything. No matter the problem, whether it be facing a giant three headed dog, battling your arch nemisis, killing a troll, or picking out dress robes for a Yule Ball, life is better with friends to share it with. They can help you battle through just about anything.
2. It's all in how you react. We all have asked questions such as the ones that Harry asks. Why is this happening? What did I do to deserve this? When will this cup pass from me? My dad always says "Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it."
3. We will always live on. Those familiar with the books know that some of the most beloved characters, starting with Harry's parents, to Dobby, to Fred Weasley, to Dumbledore, to Hedwig, all the way down to Snape do not make it to the end of the story. What we learn though is that what we leave behind is part of who we are.
4. Always trust your instints. From the very first movie, Harry learned to trust his gut. Harry learned to surround himself with people who make him happy and tried, for the most part, to avoid those who didn't.
5. Never give up. No matter how hard the task seems to be, whether it be as simple as getting a good grade on your O.W.L.S. or finally overthrowing a Dark Lord, the trick is never to give up.
6. Magic is all around us. I don't have any friends that carry wands, but I do know some magical people. I know people who teach kids to read, who care for the dying, who preach about truth, who make me laugh, who hug me when I feel like crying. They may not chant any spells but they are no less magical.
7. Love is the most powerful of all magic. Most Harry Potter fans know that the love of Harry's mom is what saved him from Voldemort when he was a child. One of the best parts in the Order of the Phoenix is the part when Harry fights off The Big V by telling him he has something worth fighting for. "You're the weak one. You will never know love or friendship."
LOVE. FRIENDSHIP. Something worth fighting for.
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About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
