Harry Potter Mania!!!!

Ok, first let me say that I am not the type of person who has to see a movie, ANY movie, opening weekend. I try to avoid it actually. The last time I remember doing so was the summer of 1993 when my boyfriend at the time, Brian Gerber, took me to see Jurassic Park at 10am opening day.

That being said, the trailer for Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince was just too much of a pull for me. If I could have I know I would have gone Wednesday night. But no, I went Friday night. A friend took me and his neice, who is one of my patrons here at the library. I nagged him and nagged him until he bought tickets online in advance. Thank goodness.

Before I go on let me digress. Notice I mentioned my library patron...don't forget I am the YA librarian. I feel as such it is my duty to see all the popular books into movies as soon as possible so as to relate to that generation. I am old now, you see, so I need to be hip on the culture. Hip...do they say that or am I channeling a person twice my age. Yikes.

Ok, back to HP. We were a bit late arriving. By that I mean the movie had not started yet, but the theater was quite full so we were only about 4 or 5 rows back. That's some fun viewing for oldies. There were a couple of nausea inducing scenes, particularly the beginning as we sailed with the deatheaters over London. Woooo....can anyone say migraine? But there were only one or two of those moments. What was worse for me was that being so close you actually have to move your head to follow that action at times. Makes a person feel a bit like a labrador watching funniest animal videos on the pet channel.

Oh, wait...did I digress again. I do that. Look!!! Shiney.....

Back to the movie. I have to say that I was quite disappointed in Order of the Phoenix. So much left out! But the trailer for this one was so great!!! I couldn't wait. And over all I was not dissappointed. Yes, there were plenty of things left out. Since I did not bother to re-read the book before hand, though, I did not notice too much. The dramatic scenes were a bit drawn out and there were moments when I wondered when they were going to get on with it. I was glad that Harry was not played as obnoxious as he was in the book. He was just so whiney about getting no attention from Dumbledore. He was a bit more grown up in the movie, as I would expect he should be with everything he went through in the last two movies. Sheesh! Hermione was not in this one as much as I would like. I think she was in the book more, correct me if I am wrong. Then there is the cave with the Horcrux...I thought they had found Superman's crystal home. I think they could have done better with that. But in spite of a few really noticible CGI flubs (note Draco's hands on the railing when he is standing in the tower looking out over Hogwart's), it was a really well done movie. I was not ready for it to end despite it's 2 1/2 hour length.

Ok, there you go. My adventure for the weekend. Where were the books and yarn? Don't go there people. It's been a busy summer!