Day 19: Birthdays last twice as long here

Goodness, what a gaunt expression I have here. Maybe I should've worn something better, but my birthday isn't until tomorrow, technically, and I only had one class today that lasted for 50 minutes, so I didn't bother. Although my birthday doesn't arrive for at least another hour, I've already received many gracious wishes from friends back home, and some from Lincoln. Thank you all for those wonderful wishes, remembrance of such bonds are better than any presents I could ever ask for.

So class didn't begin with Dickens right off the bat. Of course, since the night before was the world premiere of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, that was the topic of conversation. For at least 5 minutes, until Dr. Capuano decided against it, though he welcomes students who wishes to learn more about his convictions against the franchise. And who would've thought I'd be watching it that very evening as well~

Alright, I'll try to do this without spoiling too much of the movie, but since almost every other teenager's childhood has been tinted by Rowling's fantasy in some way, I guess there shouldn't be much damage to anyone's expectations.

If you have not read the books or, at the very least, watched the previous movies, drag an expert with you into the cinema, no matter the costs. Literally. There are elements, characters, symbols and a plethora of references to previous materials introduced in this final installation. So if you're not well equipped with your vocabulary of spells, you might not find this movie very entertaining at all.

In addition, though there are action sequences, the characters don't seem to do much yet. Well, that's how the book was written, as the first half of HP&TDH explored the characters' confusion over their "destiny." They knew they had to destroy Voldemort, but how? It really is like watching the first LoTR movie, just with more contemporary humor and cheesy lines that never fail to lure a squeal or two in the dark hall.

The movie was good, definitely better than previous sequels. The transitions were smoother, not as choppy as the Order of the Phoenix. And of course, seeing familiar faces once again are thrilling. My personal favorite is Bellatrix Lestrange. How can anyone not like that insane witch?

With that said, there were parts of the movie that didn't sync too well with the book for me. But do not subject your opinions to the influence of mine, for I think I can be far too critical on movies themselves. I attribute my judgments to my classes. All the literature that I've been exposed to, in addition to the filming techniques and theories I've been swallowing lately, affects my ability to just sit back, relax, and be captivated. I notice myself waiting for a mistake to happen, then pounce on it whenever it reveals itself. Maybe that's why I keep stressing myself out over the tiniest things.

Oh well, but one sure sign of a good movie is that I still feel detached from reality after coming out from the cinema, just as Finding Nemo had me tasting salt on my tongue. HP&TDH felt... magical. And from the deep crevices of my cynical soul, it does feel sad to learn that this would spell the end of a fantastical read, lost in the wide sea of childhood memories.