Harry Potter has captivated the hearts of book lovers and movie lovers alike for the past 13 years. And on Nov. 19 the first part of the end of the HP series hit theaters. The movie sold out more than 2,200 showings and grossed more than $125.1 million in the first weekend alone, Deathly Hallows was the biggest release in the franchise’s history. Although for those dedicated fans, it is hard to say goodbye to the boy wizard that we grew up with.
For the last 10 years, I have been one of those dedicated fans, but I was a closet fan. Before you criticize me, let me explain my love for HP. I would like to say that I am not a super-crazy HP fan, but that would be a lie.
Not only have I been to the midnight releases of a few of the books, my family also took a trip to the newly opened “Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” theme park in Orlando, Fla., where we did have some butterbeer (which, by the way, was really good).
That might be kinda geeky but that is not the geekiest thing I have done. Three years ago my family traveled to England and Scotland for an HP-themed tour through the touring group “HP Fan Trips.” We saw the locations where most of the movies were filmed, got to ride on the actual Hogwarts Express (as seen in the movies), and we were there for the release of the fifth film and the seventh, and final book.
I may be sort of crazy when it comes to HP but others show their love in different ways.
“It got me interested in reading when I wasn’t that keen on doing so that much,” junior Graham Wells said. “[When I was little] My parents bought me the book and the audio book on cassettes so I could follow along and learn new words. I just became fascinated with the adventures of Harry and couldn’t wait to read the next one.”
HP may be a big part in my life, but staying up until three in the morning on a school night to see “Deathly Hallows” was against my better judgement, and was frankly not allowed by my parents. So while those other die-hard HP fans were all dressed up in their HP best, and standing in lines outside of movie theaters, I was sound asleep.
“I went to the midnight release and I loved it,” Wells said. “I wore a costume that most people wouldn’t get. I wore an Albert Einstein shirt that said ‘Imagination is everything.’”
Being a HP fan, it was depressing knowing that everyone was going to see it before me. It didn’t kill my spirit though, because my parents signed me out a little early from school the day it came out so I could go see the movie in IMAX with my entire family.
I can honestly say that it was my favorite HP movie so far, mostly because, unlike the other ones, it actually followed the book. Some fans though do not think the same as me. Many people were disappointed because the movie was “boring.” All I have to say to those people is, ‘What were you expecting?’ The first 230 pages of the book the three main characters were running around in the woods, and it’s the most important part of the story, so do not be so quick to judge — maybe read the book next time.
Even though our childhood is ending we don’t have to let go of everything. I, for one, will always love HP.
For the last 10 years, I have been one of those dedicated fans, but I was a closet fan. Before you criticize me, let me explain my love for HP. I would like to say that I am not a super-crazy HP fan, but that would be a lie.
Not only have I been to the midnight releases of a few of the books, my family also took a trip to the newly opened “Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” theme park in Orlando, Fla., where we did have some butterbeer (which, by the way, was really good).
That might be kinda geeky but that is not the geekiest thing I have done. Three years ago my family traveled to England and Scotland for an HP-themed tour through the touring group “HP Fan Trips.” We saw the locations where most of the movies were filmed, got to ride on the actual Hogwarts Express (as seen in the movies), and we were there for the release of the fifth film and the seventh, and final book.
I may be sort of crazy when it comes to HP but others show their love in different ways.
“It got me interested in reading when I wasn’t that keen on doing so that much,” junior Graham Wells said. “[When I was little] My parents bought me the book and the audio book on cassettes so I could follow along and learn new words. I just became fascinated with the adventures of Harry and couldn’t wait to read the next one.”
HP may be a big part in my life, but staying up until three in the morning on a school night to see “Deathly Hallows” was against my better judgement, and was frankly not allowed by my parents. So while those other die-hard HP fans were all dressed up in their HP best, and standing in lines outside of movie theaters, I was sound asleep.
“I went to the midnight release and I loved it,” Wells said. “I wore a costume that most people wouldn’t get. I wore an Albert Einstein shirt that said ‘Imagination is everything.’”
Being a HP fan, it was depressing knowing that everyone was going to see it before me. It didn’t kill my spirit though, because my parents signed me out a little early from school the day it came out so I could go see the movie in IMAX with my entire family.
I can honestly say that it was my favorite HP movie so far, mostly because, unlike the other ones, it actually followed the book. Some fans though do not think the same as me. Many people were disappointed because the movie was “boring.” All I have to say to those people is, ‘What were you expecting?’ The first 230 pages of the book the three main characters were running around in the woods, and it’s the most important part of the story, so do not be so quick to judge — maybe read the book next time.
Even though our childhood is ending we don’t have to let go of everything. I, for one, will always love HP.
