I cried so hard the other night. Why you may ask? Because I saw the final film in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. I know I know. Stupid. But over the course of 10 years I can remember all the people and all the places where these movies became much more than a movie, but an EVENT. Here are some highlights.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:
I had never really read the books. One of my friends actually used one of the books to discuss the innocence of children verses the corruption of adults in my AP English class... (I used The Turn of the Screw. Read it). I said, why not. So I decided to read the book. In the meantime, the first movie came out and I did NOT wanna see the movie until I read the book. So I waited until my birthday, which was in December. So on my 18th Birthday, December 2, 2001, my mother and I went to Honesdale, Pa to go see the first Harry Potter film, and I became hooked.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban:
While attending Penn State University, the third movie came out. I was dating a sweet boy at the time, but it came out during the summer. So I drove all the way from NEPA to Bellefonte, Pa to see the Midnight showing at the Garman Opera House, an old opera house built in 1857 which was converted into a movie theatre with stadium seating and digital sound.
I actually saw movies Two through Four at this beautiful theatre, and rumor has it, it has now closed... So many memories at this historic theatre...
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince:
Not every Harry experience can be a happy one. I saw this film when I was with my ex who wasn't my boyfriend at the time (and if you ask him he will probably say he never was). His sister was kind enough to get us tickets for the midnight showing in Times Square. I remember drinking, a lot, as I always did when I was with him. We even made "travelers" to bring with us into the theater. At some point, while waiting for the movie to begin, he has a random hissy fit for some reason or another, and for the first (and probably only time with him) it wasn't my fault. He started screaming at me and his sister about something and stormed out of the theatre. I waited like 15 minutes to go after him and then found him just inside the door of the theater waiting for someone to come after him. We finally got to see the movie, although he bitched about Emma Watson the whole time and I had to go see it again by myself to actually enjoy it... Ugh...
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2:
So the other night, Tyler, Meghan, Dane, and myself all went to the IMAX 3D showing at Lincoln Square in NYC. I had such a blast. It was such a surreal experience to be sitting in this huge theatre in NYC with my boyfriend, best friend, and her boyfriend seeing a conclusion 10 years in the making.
We have all grown up. It's amazing to think that during my senior year of high school I started this journey and now I'm 27, a working actor in New York City, and in an amazing relationship that will probably last a lifetime.
So here is your assignment all those Potterheads out there: Compare who you were when you saw the first movie compared to who you are now seeing the last.
I was straight, and now I'm out.
I was in high school and now I'm living in New York.
I listened to Britney Spears, and now I listen to... Well.. Britney Spears. Okay. So some things don't change. Hahaha. But how much have you grown? Let me know. Tweet at @TheHemoHomo or message me here.. I'm interested to hear your responses.
Till we meet again...
I was in high school dreaming about working for a university as their nutrition consultant. Now I'm working for a university as an accountant.
ReplyDeleteI was listening to Missy E and maybe N'SYNC. Now I'm listening to The Civil Wars, Adele, Birdy, Nero.
I thought Harry Potter fans were strange. I cried maybe twice or three times in the last film(once because the whole thing was over over).
I wanted nothing to do with Church/Jesus. Now Jesus is a pretty big part of my life.