Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

[Snowbird]

I always go to the midnight shows which are a blast (and I hate crowds). My twin arranged her summer visit around the movie release so we can go together. I know, I'm pathetic.

[Google]

 

[ClosetRTWatcher]

Have fun Snow! It turns out that we are leaving for vacation the day it starts, so I'm hoping that when we return a couple of weeks later the crowds will have died down some and we can go see it right away!

[nilesgirl]

You can always see it wherever you're going on vacay. Anyway, I just pre-ordered my tickets for opening night. It opens 2 days before we leave for NH for the weekend so hubby and I are going opening night. I can't wait!

[Miss Scarlet]

I just recently finished the book. I planned it that way so it would be fresh in my mind. I won't start the next book 'till I see this movie, but this time I won't wait for the movie. I can't wait that long to find out the end.

I've been waiting for this movie ever since I saw Order of the Phoenix 2 years ago. I won't be going opening weekend. I'll be waiting 'till I can see it on IMAX a few weeks later. I won't be reading any movie spoilers if I can help it.

[Arielflies]

Finally! I re-read the books this past month so that will have to hold me until the movie goes to DVD hopefully earlier than Christmas. Although, who knows...maybe I won't wait this time around.

[AZChristian]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit what a HUGE Harry Potter fan I am. Never read ANY of the books or saw any of the movies until Deathly Hallows was published. They had a display of all the books at Sam's Club, and I picked up a paperback of Sorcerer's Stone for $4.88, figuring if I didn't like it, I wasn't out much. No exaggeration - within 30 pages, I was rushing back out to get the rest of the books, and read them one right after the other - twice!

Last summer, we took our 12-year-old Potter fan granddaughter to England. We booked a tour company that provided us with a private driver for 11 HOURS of visiting Harry Potter sites. Our absolute favorite place was in Lacock. In this lovely little town, you find James and Lily Potter's house, Lacock Abbey (where many of the classrooms and hallways were used), and the exterior of Slughorn's house. We have our picture taken in front of the big gate with the stone urns on top of the side pieces. We can't wait to see that spot in the movie! We stood in the spot at Lacock Abbey where the fake Mad-Eye turned Draco Malfoy into a ferret and bounced him up and down a bit. (If you're a big British movie/TV fan, you might recognize the same corridor in several HP movies, the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice, and The Other Boleyn Girl.)

We also saw Gate 9 3/4, the exterior of the Leaky Cauldron, and parts of Oxford University that were used for filming. It's a day none of us will ever forget.

I've been down with bronchitis this past week, but have taken advantage of the time to prop up in the bedroom and watch all the HP movies (again). I'm beyond excited that we're less than 2 weeks from the release date. Not sure if I'll make it to a midnight premiere (old people don't stay up that late!), but I AM sure that I'll see it in the theater at least 3 times. Of course, I've recently re-read HBP, too.

And don't even get me started on what an Alan Rickman fan I've become. I think I've watched everything available with him from Netflix.

Okay, taking a few deep breaths to calm back down. Which isn't helping my bronchitis!!!!!!

[Arielflies]

I think I love you. Another admitted oldster who is a HP freak! I am also envious of your wonderful trip to England, and to be able to enjoy it with your grand daughter - what fun. I, too, really like Alan Rickman as Snape. He conveys just the right amount of menace. I'm anxious to see how he shows both of his sides beginning with this movie. Until I read the final book, I never believed Snape was anything but evil, but I was happy to see him played as a plot foil at the very end, and I came away feeling sorry for him. It will be interesting to see if Rickman begins to show us a slice of why we will feel pity at the conclusion.

Slughorn has always given me and ick feeling: bloated person, bloated ego. Like the real thing, I have wanted to throw salt on him. The woman playing Tonks hosted a backstage tour during filming, either for TV or as a promotional package I saw at Mugglenet. It was great to see the creators of the movie magic in their environment.

One quarrel I have with the movies that are showing the good/evil fight scenes is the use of the smoke to convey action. I mean it's a terrific visual but only Voldemort (and then Snape in the final) can fly without a broom, and they make it seem that all adult wizards and witches can do so. I do love that visual combined with the music, however. Hahaha - I even bought the soundtrack for the last movie...I hope HBP also has a memorable soundtrack.

[Florimel]

Count me in among the older bunch that loves Harry Potter. I am admittedly a fan of science fiction and fantasy and all things magical, so this series is a great fit for me. As with most of what I love, it's the characters that draw me in to the story. I was an Alan Rickman fan long before Sorceror's Stone and will remain one always.

Harry Potter is not the only fiction supposedly written for children that I like, one being Pullman's Dark Materials series. Good storytelling is just that and there are many levels for adults to appreciate.

[nilesgirl]

I'm so pathetic. I'm actually doing an official countdown to the movie. In many theaters, they are having a midnight showing (Late Tuesday night...Wednesday morning at 12:01AM) and hubby and I are going opening night at 6:45. So that's 9 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes away. I can't wait! I wonder if there'll be anyone there in costume.

[AZChristian]

Originally Posted by nilesgirl

I'm so pathetic. I'm actually doing an official countdown to the movie. In many theaters, they are having a midnight showing (Late Tuesday night...Wednesday morning at 12:01AM) and hubby and I are going opening night at 6:45. So that's 9 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes away. I can't wait! I wonder if there'll be anyone there in costume.

I'm not much of a night owl, so I'm not 100% sure if I'll make it to a midnight show - probably won't decide until 10 on Tuesday night. A girlfriend and I are meeting for lunch today to discuss where and when we'll see it on the 15th - one of the first shows of the day for sure. With a big box of tissues right next to our big tub of popcorn.

About Alan Rickman - I've never been a big movie watcher, and had never seen him before Sorcerer's Stone. I eventually rented a BUNCH of his stuff on Netflix, and have come to totally adore him as an actor. Have any of you seen "Blow Dry" - it was really an interesting film.

Can't wait to read everyone's reviews of HBP in just a little over a week!

I have a picture of us in front of Slughorn's house, but don't have time to do the link correctly - gotta go to work! But it's the exact spot where Harry and Dumbledore will be standing in the movie.