Let's assume it's Saturday, and if the kids don't show we'll run our own really awful commentary.

Could be an interesting double bill, for the Harry Potter fans. I'll probably be there regardless, weather permitting.

Hurray for Harry! Sort of....

I'm of two minds about the Potter films. I never had any interest in the books, but I've mostly enjoyed the movies, but not as much as I'd like. After the first one, I thought, 'Cool! So Harry is just starting to learn magic and will grow into a kick-ass wizard in the next couple of films!"

Then the second film came out, and it was still set in the school, and Harry didn't really do any magic, but he did wield a sword. And I thought, 'Okay, so he'll start whippin' out spells next time and start exploring the wizarding world."

And then the third one came out, and it was STILL set in the school. And the whole plot CLIMAXES with Harry casting ONE spell while Hermione runs around accomplishing all kinds of secret shit. And I was like, "Okay, really? This is the great Harry Potter that everyone talks about like he's the MESSIAH?"

Now we're SEVEN movies in, and it's STILL Sweet Valley High with wands that shoot phaser blasts. About all the magic Harry can accomplish is knocking people down. And he still doesn't know SHIT compared to JK Rowling—I mean "Hermione".

But I've long since settled into enjoying the films as a bit of murky fluff.

Well, that's another recurring point in the story, which is that Harry can't do this alone, and one of the things that makes him the thematic foil to the villain is that he sees and appreciates and encourages the strengths of those around him, whereas the villain wants to be the mostest and bestest all by himself.

Things would probably be much easier for everyone if Hermione could just face Voldemort herself and be done with it. Harry's not especially smart or talented, and he knows that. But she's not the hero, for better or worse; she's one of Harry's mentor characters. She's there to help him do what he, and only he, has ultimately gotta do.

P.S. Trying to type "Zarban" on my phone, autocorrect keeps changing it to "Zar an." It simply will not tolerate the B. I don't know.

HARRY POTTER IS SERIOUS BUSINESS ZAR AN

Seconded.  Dorkman wins the page.

Quick question (then I'll scroll up to see if it's been answered already): which versions of HP1+2 are you doing, cos I've just spied some extended versions.

btw: we don't need a twitter account to listen, right ?!

Harry Potter is that film series that everyone on the planet has seen but I haven't bothered. The early films looked OK in the trailers...  for kid's movies. By the fourth or fifth one they started getting really dark and action-oriented, and looked more interesting to me, but I figured I'd have to watch the previous three or four flicks to figure out what the hell was going on, so I just never did.

The last one's coming out, tho, and I have all of them on bluray, so I may as well watch them all now.