Obligatory (Late) Harry Potter Post
I went to the midnight showing of the movie (well, the 12:05 showing), even though I am only making this post now.
It is an important landmark in my life, having grown up with Harry Potter. So I figure I might as well make a note of it, just like I figured I might as well go to the midnight showing decked out in costume because it was the last one.
Katie was having a set of Harry Potter parties to watch all the other movies before the final one. Unfortunately I didn't get to go, because I had play practice. I didn't even make it to the theater until about 40-50 minutes before the movie because rehearsal ran late. I was planning on having at least an hour/hour and a half there to hang out with everyone and take pictures and enjoy the revelry, but that didn't happen.
When I did get there, I was planning on having a seat saved for me by Katie. She had a ticket for a different time than she specified to get tickets for, wasn't able to switch into the right showing, and I ended up not having a seat saved for me even though I had asked. Good thing John had an available seat next to him when I arrived. I was able to secure a place there, and then I ended up running around to all the different auditoriums to find Katie because I didn't know which one she was in. Even though I was super hot in my robes because of all that running around, I felt awesome in the costume, ahaha. Also, in doing all that, I was able to see most of my other friends that were there at different showings, so that was cool.
Then, the movie!
I intentionally did not read the book again right before going to the movie so that I wouldn't focus on differences and would be able to just enjoy the movie as is. Good choice. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The audience in our auditorium was pretty perfect. We cheered at all the victorious moments, and much sniffling was to be heard after the deaths of beloved characters. I felt awful a couple of times... Once, I was choking on popcorn during a time when it was really quiet. The other was when I laughed during Snape's death. BUT THAT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M HORRIBLE. I was totally tearing up right then and ready to bawl, when the friend on the other side of John said "By Grabthar's hammer!" It was so perfect. I couldn't help myself. And then I felt bad.
Some people having been talking about how this represents the end of their childhood, but I'm not really feeling that. Yes, it's a significant moment, the end of a long series of movies, a milestone in life. The book series already finished off, though. And now Pottermore is coming out, so it's not like all things Harry Potter have completely come to a stop. If I am so inclined, there is still more of that world for me to explore. And I can reenter that world anytime I like by rereading the books. It's not like Harry Potter was the only thing to define my childhood, y'know?
"Doesn’t matter that Harry’s gone. People die everyday. Friends, family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he’s still with us… In here. " Way to break the 4th wall, Neville. <3