Are you excited about the Harry Potter release this weekend?

[Colonel Midnight]

^ Unfortunately, yes. I had to suffer through the first 7 HP films, courtesy of the stepson(s).

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Greylock Crescent]

I'm excited, mostly because this is the finale of a once-in-a-lifetime cultural event. The first book came out in 1998. I have very fond memories of my kids discovering the books, attending midnight launch parties at the bookstore, signing contracts that promised we wouldn't circulate the latest title before the official release date, watching my son win a Harry Potter trivia contest...

I was not that much a fan of the books (only read the first one), and I saw all the movies but am not all that taken with them (except the one with the griffin), but I will be excited to be among the crowds watching the end of an era.

One of the people I saw the film with on Tuesday kept repeating, "What am I going to do now? Harry Potter represents more than half of my life." There is something to be said for marking the end of a literary and cinematic era. Events like this don't happen all that often. Might as well enjoy it!

 

[RAMA]

Not really. Some Potter films are better than others but the series doesnt really grip me enough to be excited. I honestly think the story is way too drawn out...I think this whole entire story could have been told in two movies, that's all the real plot that's there.

RMA

 

[23skidoo]

I'm definitely excited to see the finale, now that I've been able to confirm that it is indeed being shown in 2D (one of the only major criticisms I've read in reviews is that the 3D conversion is underexposed, rendering the film murky), so I'm definitely going to go see it. But I'm gonna wait a few days to let the crowds die down a bit.

The good thing about being a fan of the books (I've read them all twice and will probably read them again before the end of the year) is at least I'm not concerned about being spoiled regarding the ending!

Alex

 

[24thcenstfan]

I am excited, but I plan to wait a couple of weeks for the crowds to die down a bit and then go see the movie.

 

[RoJoHen]

Not really. Some Potter films are better than others but the series doesnt really grip me enough to be excited. I honestly think the story is way too drawn out...I think this whole entire story could have been told in two movies, that's all the real plot that's there.

RMA

Eh, I like the movies primarily because of how you can watch the characters grow up. They start out as innocent children, turn into hormonal and slightly whiny teenagers, and then grow into adults with the weight of the entire world on their shoulders. I think the characterization is damn-near perfect. The plot itself has been a very slow build up, with the situation just getting worse and worse until now, finally, we have to see it come to an end.

The good thing about being a fan of the books (I've read them all twice and will probably read them again before the end of the year) is at least I'm not concerned about being spoiled regarding the ending!

I have made it this long having no idea how the last book ends. If anybody ruins it for me between now and tomorrow night when I see it, I will be tremendously pissed.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Not really. Some Potter films are better than others but the series doesnt really grip me enough to be excited. I honestly think the story is way too drawn out...I think this whole entire story could have been told in two movies, that's all the real plot that's there.

RMA

Eh, I like the movies primarily because of how you can watch the characters grow up. They start out as innocent children, turn into hormonal and slightly whiny teenagers, and then grow into adults with the weight of the entire world on their shoulders. I think the characterization is damn-near perfect. The plot itself has been a very slow build up, with the situation just getting worse and worse until now, finally, we have to see it come to an end.

The good thing about being a fan of the books (I've read them all twice and will probably read them again before the end of the year) is at least I'm not concerned about being spoiled regarding the ending!

I have made it this long having no idea how the last book ends. If anybody ruins it for me between now and tomorrow night when I see it, I will be tremendously pissed.

Yeah, part of the charm of the Potter saga is in watching the children grow into adults. Rowling's tale isn't without fault -- and not without being overly drawn-out -- but the overall structure of one year-per-installment works pretty well. Perhaps the plot itself could be condensed, but the cost in terms of character, wouldn't justify the alteration.

 

[Sindatur]

I'm excited, mostly because this is the finale of a once-in-a-lifetime cultural event. The first book came out in 1998. I have very fond memories of my kids discovering the books, attending midnight launch parties at the bookstore, signing contracts that promised we wouldn't circulate the latest title before the official release date, watching my son win a Harry Potter trivia contest...

I was not that much a fan of the books (only read the first one), and I saw all the movies but am not all that taken with them (except the one with the griffin), but I will be excited to be among the crowds watching the end of an era.

One of the people I saw the film with on Tuesday kept repeating, "What am I going to do now? Harry Potter represents more than half of my life." There is something to be said for marking the end of a literary and cinematic era. Events like this don't happen all that often. Might as well enjoy it!

That's true, it's like actually knowing when moodrings or mullets or Pet Rocks will stop being "The Thing"

It's not often you get to actually know when you're kissing a Decade Plus long era goodbye.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Heh ... I daresay there's more inherent value in HP than in mullets ... unless, perhaps, a mullet helped you score the homecoming queen ...

 

[Sindatur]

Heh ... I daresay there's more inherent value in HP than in mullets ... unless, perhaps, a mullet helped you score the homecoming queen ...

Nah, it was feathered, and I wasn't interested in queens, my tastes ran more to the football Players

Of course there is more inherent value, they were just examples of popular fads

 

[RAMA]

Not really. Some Potter films are better than others but the series doesnt really grip me enough to be excited. I honestly think the story is way too drawn out...I think this whole entire story could have been told in two movies, that's all the real plot that's there.

RMA

Eh, I like the movies primarily because of how you can watch the characters grow up. They start out as innocent children, turn into hormonal and slightly whiny teenagers, and then grow into adults with the weight of the entire world on their shoulders. I think the characterization is damn-near perfect. The plot itself has been a very slow build up, with the situation just getting worse and worse until now, finally, we have to see it come to an end.

The good thing about being a fan of the books (I've read them all twice and will probably read them again before the end of the year) is at least I'm not concerned about being spoiled regarding the ending!

I have made it this long having no idea how the last book ends. If anybody ruins it for me between now and tomorrow night when I see it, I will be tremendously pissed.

The last 3 movies have basically all repeated the same impending awakening/doom with maybe a slight addition each time...I find this tedious...Prisoner of Azkaban was the peak and the series hasn't come close since. I'm not a huge fantasy fan, so my interest in this is only peripheral, but I don't think any selective Potter fan would say any differently.

RAMA

 

[SG-17]

I haven't cared about Harry Potter since the 3rd film. The books themselves ranged from alright to mediocre.

 

[Trubinator]

I loved the books as a kid, but I never really cared for the films. That said, a 97 percent TomatoMeter rarely speaks poorly of a movie's quality. I'll probably go see it ...

 

[DarthTom]

Not a huge Harry Potter fan but I have to admit, that does sound kinda awesome

The critics seem to love the film and the audience as well. Over all it's getting a 97% from both groups which I haven't seen in a long time on the Dirty Rotten Tomatoes website.

For me it's Saturday night to see the film in 3D IMAX.