The Boy Who Lived

Here it is, finally. My blog about Harry Potter. Not just the last movie, but all things Harry Potter.
Months and months ago I wrote a blog about Movies vs. Books. I said that I had little to no interest in reading the HP series.
But it didn't last long. I had many reasons to read it. Obvious being that it was a huge international phenomenon, another being that I was bored. So I read them.
Lemme start this blog off, in the year 2002. I think that's right. It was when I watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I was at the home of long time family friends, and there daughter was HP crazy, like really crazy. She convinced me to watch the movie, and was like, "Ok."
I am a Christian, and the daughter of a Minister. We weren't the zealous Christians that brandished it as devil worship or witchcraft but my father was not a fan of it. And I listened to my father, and being the rebellious anti social person I was, made a big deal of not liking Harry Potter. Since my father never fore bade us to watch the movies or read the books, I knew there was no harm in watching a movie. Again, it was boredom mostly.
She put the movie in expecting me to be hooked instantly. I did enjoy it, but took it all in stride. Near the end, like literally the last 20 or so minutes, dinner was starting to be prepared. And since the kitchen was open to the living room, and people decided to not tell us to turn off the movie, I didn't hear anything as prep for dinner became very loud. So I had no idea what the big deal was with the Prof. Quirrel and the face on the back of his head, or why he had suddenly turned to dust when Harry touched him. I was lost. But I didn't care. The movie ended and I was underwhelmed. Life went on.
A few years later, a close friend talked me into watching The Chamber of Secrets. Now, lemme tell you I felt guilty for watching the first movie without my fathers consent. Yes, I was that kid. So I asked him, since he was kind of against it. He looked at me and said, "You won't start practicing witch craft in your room will you?"
And then he smiled. So I got the ok, and Harry Potter was no longer a big deal or taboo. When I went over to my friends house for a sleepover we popped the DVD in and watched. It was late, and I can't handle scary movies. So yes, The Chamber of Secrets freaked me out at first. But I really liked the story so I stuck with it. And I very much enjoyed the 2nd movie. So much so that I read that book, and that one only. I liked it as a stand alone from the rest of the series. So after buying the movie, and reading the book, life went on again. I was still relatively not interested in HP, but didn't make a huge deal about it anymore. It was just a move/book. It was no where near a big a deal as Lord of the Rings was at that time.
The Prisoner of Azkaban I can't recall the first time I watched it, but I do remember not liking it.
Now the Goblet of Fire. This was the movie that got me into the Harry Potter franchise. Let me set the scene for you. The same friend I watched Chamber with wanted to go to WalMart at midnight to buy Goblet on DVD. I loved doing random stuff, so I went with her, and we went back to her place and watched, at like 12:30 am. We were hopped up on sugar and the novelty of staying up late(I was 16), so we started the movie. It was the first time I was on the edge of my seat with HP. I was freaking out, worried, and just plain into the movie. My friend laughed at me most of the time, because she knew what was going to happen. After that movie I was hooked.
I went to the midnight showing of The Order of the Phoenix, after I got married I dragged my husband to The Half Blood Prince, and was a full fledged Harry Potter movie fan.
I still hadn't picked up a book since Chamber of Secrets back in 2003(I think).
HP book fans couldn't believe I didn't want to read the books, they tried every argument, the most heard was, "The movies leave so much out!"
Well of course they would! All movies based on books leave something or other out!And I must admit, I was still clinging to my youthful "anti-HP" persona that I had years ago.
I am a huge geek. Nerd, geek, dork, sci-fi fan, that's me. Star Wars(movies and books!), Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings(movies and books), Tron(we've just recently named out car Flynn), Firefly, Batman, Spiderman, you name it I just might like it. So needless to say when I finally broke down and read the books, I became even more huge fan of all the Harry Potter. Now I know back stories, spells, potions, quidditch rules, which house I belong to(Hufflepuff!), and much, much more. It was a long time coming, and now I am totally lost into all of it.
So to put it simply, Harry Potter was not a "love" at first sight for me. I was not hooked immediately. It was a gradual thing that took many years.
When this last movie came out, I waited in line for 8 hours. And as I looked around I could tell the people that where hard core fans, and the people that had nothing better to do. I wondered how many of them where like me. How many of them jumped on the band wagon years after it started, and was now finally coming to an end? Do I regret not catching on earlier? No, not at all.
Once all the hype has died down, HP will become just another of my many interests. Right now though, I am still a little obsessed, and that's ok. Even if my husband is a little tired of the references all the time. And when he asked a simple question like, "What is a mudblood?" He is not getting a once sentence answer. He is getting a thorough talk about Muggle Borns(don't saw mudbloods!), Half-Bloods, and Pure Bloods. And when I pick up a stuck from the ground, wave it and say something like, "Stupefy!" and no one plays along, I know I am obsessed. But I am ok with that!

Deep Impact

No this entry is not about the 1998 asteriod movie that wasn't Armageddon. Its about movies that impacted my life.Why am I writing this when I have 3 followers, one being my husband?I am bored, and need something to fill my time with. I have this urge every few weeks to do things such as: home improvement jobs, excessive baking/cooking, scrapbooking, and writing. There are problems with all of these, the main being that I work 8 - 5, and we have an apartment, so can't really improve things. Oh and the one minor fact that we don't have a ton of money, so I don't have anything to fund this sudden urge to do things. So here I am doing something thats free, and I am at work, but still able to work. Will it quench my thrist for doing? A little. Will any one read it? Well I have a guarnteed 3. So here I go.

1. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Why this one? When I was only a wee lass when it was first released? It was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. Yes, I remember it, but only just. I remember walking in, and sitting down, who I was with and thats about it. I can honestly say, I don't remember the movie. Since that first ever theater visit I have seen it countless times, and it's my favorite Disney movie. But the real point is that It was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. Since 1991, I have gone to the movies every year, numerous times. To many to count. When I worked at a theater I got to see movies for free, and when I could finally drive myself, I got to see whatever I wanted, even if no one else did. The Lion King was a movie I saw in theaters, and probably the first one I remember vividly. I got to sit with my brothers in a row further away from our mom, but I got on there nerves and they told me to go sit somewhere else, and I did. Oh yes, and the movie was good too. So, thank you Beauty and the Beast, thank you.

2. Star Wars (Entire Saga)

Let me start with the Original 3. A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. My father had these 3 movies on VHS, and our entire family watched them quite a bit. Me more than other probably,(if my brothers read this they would dispute this, but they argue about everything when its comes to, "Who saw/did something first" and "Who did something the most")I remember watching them on sick days from school, and snow days as well. We were considered strange, because at the time (Early 90's) not to many kids had ever seen Star Wars. The last one came out at the least 7 years ago, and I hadn't even been born when it was first released. One winter's night, me, my sister and one of my brothers went to see Jingle All the Way. A horrible Christmas movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, and (the future Anakin Skywalker) Jake Lloyd. Anyway, before the movie there was a trailer, that I will always remember. It was for the Star Wars Trilogy Specail Edition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRgsMKu8oNA
I remember after watching it and sitting in the sparsly populated theater and saying outloud, "Wow. I want to see that."
Only 3 years later did The Phantom Menace get released. We lived in a new (small) town, with only one theater and one other family that loved Star Wars, and they just so happened to go to our church. So we waited in line with them all morning(I was to young to sit from 6 am til noon, for whatever reason but my brother got to go out at 6 I came later at like 9ish).It was in a word, Awesome. It was the first time I waited in line for a movie, but definatly not my last.

Sure the New 3 aren't as good as the old, but I still liked them(with one exception and I think we all know what I am talking about coughattackoftheclonescough).

3. Toy Story(1995)

I have already mentioned in past entry why Toy Story was a big deal, so I won't get to into here. It was the first entirely CGI movie. It changed movies forever, and that's that.

4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy(all movies)

Ah, yes LotR. The only reason I wanted to see this movie was Elijah Wood. Yes, I had heard of the Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit before 2001, but honestly, didn't care. Elijah Wood was the only reason behind me seeing The Fellowship of the Ring. My sister and her husband were visiting us and we were all watching tv when a commercail came on for Fellowship after it was over I said, "Why don't we all go see that tomorrow?"(it would be have been opening day). We all looked at each other and said, "Sure!" Inwardly, my young teen heart went pitter patter thinking everyone new why I wanted to see it. After seeing Fellowship, I loved it, and for much more than Elijah Wood. I ended up reading all the books plus the Hobbit and Similarion(Don't skip the first chapter, I did for some strange reason, and was totally lost and had to read it anyway). The next two years I was completely consumed by LotR. Nothing else entered my vision, but those movies. It was interesting. Now I look back with fondness on my blooming teen years, thankful that my obsession was LotR, and not much else.

5. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I only ever watch this movie when I am ill. It always, ALWAYS, make me feel a thousand times better. A few years ago I got my wisdom teeth removed. The only time I wasn't completely miserable was when I watched this movie. This is the one movie that can not and SHOULD NOT be remade. I understand doing paradys or take offs or even prequels from Oz itself, but never try to remake this movie. It would never be the same. I was a different child. I had an ideal childhood, rarely if ever fought with my parents, didn't rebel, and liked staying home. I didn't want to grow up all that much(just some of the usual day dreams, first kiss, boyfriend etc.)Watching Dorothy desparatly getting home, reminds me of myself. I never would have liked being stuck somewhere, where I couldn't return home. I would have done all I could to get back. Because they really is no place like home.

Summer Nights

I just watched the new trialer for Captain America. And other than Thor and Deathly Hallows Pt. 2, it is one of the only movies that I will be seeing this summer. In this incredibly lackluster summer movie season. Usually every summer there are at least 5 movies I want to see. I don't really count HP either, cuz its pratically a gimme. Thor seems like a really good start to the season, then until July, there is a gap of exciting movies.
Pirates 4?? Come on! Sell OUT!
Green Lantern? I do like Ryan Reynolds, but something about this super hero movie looks, meh. Yeah, just meh. Probably because The Green Lantern is like not a well known super hero. Well, neither was Iron Man.
X-Men First Class. I must admit I am incredibly curious about this movie. The way the X-Men 3 bombed has left me feeling cold to the X-Men franchise. I do so enjoy James McAvoy though, so maybe I will give it a try. On Netflix. It will be nice to see one that doesn't make Wolverine the center of the universe.
I have the same thoughts toward the Transformers movie. On the plus side there is no Megan Fox. But they just replaced her with a blonde who give nothing but T&A to the movie. Oh well.
Cowboys and Aliens. I am not sure what to say about this movie. It's cool, of course, that Harrison Ford is in it. That makes me want to see it, just a little. BUT I really can't get into it. I am not sure why, maybe because its so ridiculous? I was told once that I don't like ridiculous things. I like silly, sometimes, but not ridiculous. So maybe thats it.
There is also a slew of childrens movies: Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Zookeeper, Smurfs, and Winnie the Pooh.
Zookeeper piques my interest. Not much more than that though.
As for the Smurf movie....I AM SO THERE.
Ok thats the ending of my rants for today.

The Big 5

So the Oscar Noms are out, and of course none of them are a surprise. I am going to focus on The Big Five: Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor, and Actress. All the other techincal ones and supporting ones are meh to me.
Let me start with saying that I never really care if a movie one something at the oscars. I tried watching all the best picture winners, but after the English Patient, I was done. I realized that just because it won awards does not make it a good movie.
But it's still fun to talk about the Oscars, because it's kind of a big deal. So let the ranting begin!
Best Picture:
In a perfect world Toy Story 3 would win. Hands down, not competition. But it won't. Its there mostly as a way to make the Acedemy look like it has a heart. The real winner? Either Black Swan or The Social Network. Close winners Are the Kings Speech and Fighter. But really, its gonna be Black Swan or Social Network. Why? Because you haven't heard of any of the other movies. Those 2 are the only ones ever talked about.
Best Director:
I would pick The Coen Bros. But that's just me. The winner? I am gonna have to give it to the Black Swan guy.Darren Aronofsky. For as weird as the movie is, I heard that it is done well.
Best Screenplay(Adapted/Original)
For adpated, def Social Network. Original goes to Inception.
Best Actor:
Man, would I love to see Jeff Bridges win! That would make my day! But he won't. Sorry, Flynn. Again, it is The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg that will take it. No doubt.
Best Actress:
This category has alot of who cares? type roles. I would go for Nicole Kidman, but again not gonna happen. It's probably gonna be Natalie Portman. But it may be Annette Benning so they can make the gay/lesbian crowd happy.
And there you have it, my 2 cents on the Oscars. I probably won't watch, namely because I don't have cable.
But I must remind you, Ladies and Gents, that The Acedemy Awards should not sway you into watching a movie. It really makes little difference. So many critically acclaimed movies are filled with the immorality of the world, and just plane wrong things. Why would Silence of the Lambs be a must see? Sure the acting may be good, but why would someone want to see a movie about a cannibal, a serial killer, and etc? There are good movies that are nominated, but rarely if ever win. Like Beauty and the Beast. But the few good movie rarely make the rest look good. I prefer family movies, blockbusters, romantic comedies, and the occasional drama(not often though). Just becuase a movie one Best Picture does not make it good.
:)