Madison's downtown area has no cinema. I had originally thought that the Orpheum theater was it, but they seem to only repeatedly show movies that have either been playing for ages, or live sketch shows, or some acapella concerts and whatnot. There is no actual cinema you can go to for the latest releases, which really disturbed me. What do these people, I wonder, do with all their time? Were they going to fly to cinemas on their broomsticks to watch the latest Harry Potter?
The nearest Sundance Cinema was more than 2 miles away. It was closer than the West Towne Mall I had previously went to, but it was still too far to walk. I have a bike now, a slight improvement from my pedestrian days, but the freezing rain and bone chilling winds made me really reluctant to bike for twenty minutes. Plus, I didn't really know the way, even though Google Maps had already mockingly drew a very simplistic map for me, hoping it would be enough to lead me there. Once again, I was being forced to take a cab.
"What movie are you watching at Sundance?" The cabbie inquiries.
"Harry Potter, it just came out." I replied.
"Bwahahaha... Oh, I don't care for all that Harry Potter nonsense." The bitch.
"Good thing I'm the one going then." And then uncomfortable silence.
I had already bought my ticket online, seeing how quickly these seats filled up for such a big-deal movie. There was, thankfully, one seat left in the last row, with all the rest being either really close or entirely on the screen itself. I collected my one ticket at the box office, endured the pitying 'aw you're here alone?' gaze of the cashier, and made my way into the auditorium. Fans were singing the Harry Potter theme as the cinema filled up, and smatterings of applause were heard as the Harry Potter logo (followed by ominous music) filled the screen. As this was a Harry Potter movie, the filmmakers could surely magically hear their applause.
At last, after a year of waiting, Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows part 1 was starting. Boy was it dark - the lights were all switched off. The movie was very frightening too, of course. Two minutes in and I was already welling up. There was no need for any intense, scary death scenes - the simple act of Hermione erasing herself from her family's memory, so that she can freely hunt down Horcruxes with Harry and Ron, was powerful enough. I don't know if it's because of the situation I'm in, and that I can relate to removing myself from my family, but none of the other deaths in the movie, not even Dobby's, hit me as hard as that scene.
Truth be told, I wasn't really anticipating this movie very much. It was one of my least favorite books in the series, as the main draw for me had always been the enchanting Hogwarts. Harry's blind heroics and his selfish, manipulative behavior irks me from time to time, and plus, there was no Dumbledore at all in this one. While the movie was very entertaining, with all that fast paced action and infiltration of the ministry, I never really did feel like it was a Harry Potter movie. With all that running through the woods, it was even starting to feel a tad like that distasteful Twilight.
I do applaud the decision to make a part one and two. The characters finally had some breathing space to really develop, and we got to see some emoting, rather than just racing from action scenes to big magical explosions. My favorite character, however, was missing for the first time in a Potter movie. I suppose Prof McGonagall is only gonna show up in the last bit where they fight it out in Hogwarts, but I really missed the Transfiguration professor and her 'That's enough, Mr Weasley'.
Possibly the best part of the movie happens between Ron and Hermione, as they sort out their obvious mutual attraction, and staunch denial about it. More than a few people in the cinema went 'awww' as he talked about how the ball of light touched him in the heart, and he apparated to where he instinctively knew they would be. Although a deviation from the book, this version was admittedly quite moving. The number of outfit changes they manage to fit in while in the wilderness was quite incredible. I know Hermione's bag can fit in quite a few more things than it looks, but Burberry's entire fall collection, for all three of them? She must be a more resourceful witch that she looks.
Random note: has anyone noticed how short Harry is? Even Hermione is taller than him. Are we supposed to believe that a shorty (not of the shawty variety) beat the Dark Lord? What's next, Justin Bieber wins the Quidditch Cup?
This is also the movie where we are introduced to the Deathly Hallows, the three most powerful objects in the Wizarding world, although we have already seen two of them. Harry's Invisibility Cloak, Dumbledore's Elder Wand, and the Resurrection Stone are known to conquer Death itself. Voldermort wants the Elder Wand, as he believes it would allow him to finally kill Harry, seeing how his own wand revolts against killing the owner of its twin. At the end of the movie, Voldy finds out that Dumbledore's wand is indeed the Elder Wand, and the movie closes with him triumphantly standing over Dumbledore's grave, after looting it. Voldermort, however, still has a few surprises to find regarding the ownership of the wand, which I suppose will be resolved in the second part of the Deathly Hallows.
This movie is definitely recommended, though I know I'll enjoy the second one so much more, if only to see the sexy Voldermort for longer periods of time. Was that a very disturbing image? I thought so too.
By the way, Darren Criss, from that fantastic glee episode, acting as Kurt's new gay friend Blaine? He was in a Harry Potter musical parody starring as Harry. Loved it.
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