Happy Harry Potter Premiere Birthday

I might as well be celebrating my twelfth birthday today, considering I spent 10 hours camping out in Leicester Square for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 World Premiere with the ENTIRE British teenage female population.  I had a head cold and sore throat last night but somehow pulled myself together to arrive at Leicester Square around 8 am to wait in the miserable wind, rain and cold until 5 when the cast arrived (I might have cheated and ate lunch at Burger King followed by some dessert at Haagen Daz... it was really cold and rainy okay).  Even though I probably now have the flu, there was no way I would not have went to the premiere for the last Harry Potter movie in London ON MY BIRTHDAY.  I didn't make it into Leicester Square Gardens which was gated off (the people who made it in camped out for two days...) but I was still able to get close enough to Harry, Ron and Hermione for photos and autographs.  While I am a bigger fan of the books than the movies, Harry Potter in any shape or form has had a huge impact on my growing up and it is quite fitting that as I turn 24 today, I am also witnessing the end of something really significant from my childhood.

Yay! World Premiere of HP7 in London

Lines at 8am, wrapped around the square

 The premiere wasn't even set up yet

 Is that facial hair Harry?

 So is Draco Malfoy...

Japanese Newscaster Mr. E interviewing a crazy fan

Rupert!

 Emma Watson is looking hot, so is her brother

 Always so classy & elegant

One of the Twins!

 Ginny being Ginny, skipped autographs and went straight in

Oh Harry

Half Blood Prince, Not Half Bad

I watched a 12:01 am screening of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince at Ward Theaters in Honolulu and was shocked at how many people were there. No, I didn't dress up. I happened to leave my Cho Chang costume in Boston.

Around 10:30 pm, the entire front staircase, down to the side walk and around the block was filled with people.
Every seat in the 8 open screens were filled. Lots of running happened in the theater (hard to imagine) and seat-saving; but, all was well with my group and we found seats together in the back of the front section. Several rounds of 'the wave' started 15 minutes before the movie and people clapped after every trailer (especially loud for New Moon, but no so much for Shorts). I clapped for Shorts to be obnoxious.

The movie started and I was already disappointed in the first five minutes, because the movie cuts out the first couple chapters of the book and Harry doesn't meet Dumbledore at a subway station, let alone consider relations with a Lauren Hill look-a-like. I gave up trying to compare Half Blood Prince to the book, because NO MATTER WHAT the book will always be better; however, the last book Deathly Hallows has the best chance of translating better on film, especially if it's being split into two films.

This sixth Harry Potter movie is going to have a lot of mixed reviews for it's lack of action but better acting. There were a lot of entertaining and comedic moments, and I think the Harry, Hermoine and Ron relationship is strongest in this movie (and same in the book). The movie feels rushed, but what can you do? It's a 600+ page book in 2.5 hours. In the end, the movie made me laugh and cry, and it did a great job building up for the last installment of the series.

The movie made me miss London. The double deckers, meat pies and pints. It's a good thing I visited Hogwarts before the Death Eaters destoryed it.

Summer Blockbuster Battle to the Death

Summer of 2008, it was ALL about The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger's last and brilliant role as the Joker cemented The Dark Knight's title as the '2008 Summer Blockbuster King'. Who will this summer's Blockbuster King be? Megan Fox's boobs or Hermoine's? Alan's jock strap or Bruno's mesh tank? It's a tough battle between robots, black babies, every-flavored beans and roofies, but I've got a solid point-system that will predict a winner (I'm leaving the Johnny Depp mob movie "Public Enemies" out of this, because it just wouldn't be fair to the other movies):

The Hangover (+3 for the title) was about a Vegas bachelor party (-2, too cliche) gone wrong (+6). It involved lots of lots of alcohol (+151) wild animals (a tiger +3, a chicken -3), strippers, a baby (+100, i looove babies), Mike Tyson (+2), a cop car, a missing tooth (+3), a wedding (+5 for having two)... Alan was awesome and provided many memorable quotes Did Ceasar live here? (+10) and also dressed as Rain Man (+200). I'm being too generous I should stop.
Total = 478 pts

Transformers 2 (-5 it was a bad idea for them to make a second one)
I really like Michael Bay (+2) despite all the criticism he gets for excessive explosions (look at all the blockbusters he's responsible for... Armegeddon, Bad Boys, The Rock!!). Optimist Prime, enough said +1000. Megan Fox is hott but a doozy (we'll give her +7 for trying). Shia still looks like a boy (-5) but hits it up with Megan Fox (+10). GM really needs this movie (+50). I am a huge fan of cars that change into robots that also fight evil.
Total = 1,059 pts

Bruno Aahhhhhhhhhhhh (+5 for the name)
Where. to. start.
+250 for Sacha Baron Cohen making this movie and being consistently over the top--MTV Movie Awards butt-in-Eminem's-face (+90) and premiere outfits (+30). Brownie points (+100) for Bruno creating buzz early on with his real fashion show stunt a while back. There's not much I can say except it's going to be a hilarious movie, and I can't wait to see it July 10.
Total = 475 pts

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (+1000 for being the best book out of the series, -550 for pushing back the release date when I obviously planned on studying abroad in London last Fall for a reason)
You've got magic (+100), a wizard with a long white beard (+50), British accents (+500), teenagers going through puberty (+5), A SIGNIFICANT DEATH (-50, because it is sad) and an epic battle looming (+300). What can I say? Start counting down.
Total = 1,355 pts

Looks like Harry's the winner.