Holding out for Harry

So with less than two weeks left, Harry Potter mania is beginning to build. There’s no shortage of articles coming out (including this one yesterday in the Globe and Mail) discussing what might happen in the last novel (The Deathly Hollows) or the fifth movie (Order of the Phoenix). I quite like Harry Potter, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m quite curious about the movie, as Order of the Phoenix was by far the worst of the books. It was bloated and in dire need of an editor. But there was a good story in there.

Some of the movies have suffered, and I’m thinking of Goblet of Fire here in particular, because they cut so much out of the book, by necessity, to get the story on screen. But Order of the Phoenix might work quite nicely as a movie if it can cut strhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifeamline much of the meandering of the book.

However, I have a problem. I’m in Iqaluit.

Let me explain.

Cathy does not have a problem, as she's in St. John's. So she can go to the book and then go home and spend half the night reading the book. Although sadly not at the Granny Bates launch as they're not doing a big party this time, which is really too bad.

I, on the other hand, cannot. Unless it changes and NorthMart or Arctic Ventures brings in a bunch of books, there is no midnight launch in town. Nor will Canada Post open on Saturday to do special rush deliveries from Chapters or Amazon.

Originally this was going to be a moot point. Myself and Cathy had originally agreed that there was no need to buy two copies of the book. That I would wait until I got home in August and read that copy. However, I've since reconsidered. The notion that I can go two weeks while Pottermania is in full swing and not break or manage to have the ending spoiled is impossible. Plus, I don't want to spend my two weeks home frantically trying to cram in the last book. I'd just as soon go out and do things.

So my order to Chapters will be going in shortly. Hopefully I'll manage to get it a couple of days after its released. I should be able to dodge spoilers that long.

On the upside, the movie is going to open here this coming Friday. Although knowing it’s playing on IMAX in Ottawa is mildly torturous. There are some movies you want to see on the really big screen and that would be one of them.

However, even though it's opening here, I’ve learned my lesson. Never go see a movie opening weekend in Iqaluit. The audiences are just horrific in the amount they talk, carry on or bring small, crying children into the theatre with them. No thanks. I can wait a few extra days.

Oh, and for the record, I think Harry lives. And that Snape is on the side of the angels. And I'm not completely convinced Dumbledore is dead. I'll find out soon enough.