| MOVIE REVIEWS
Things to do until the next Harry Potter book
or movie arrives
by
Audrey Andison
“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” DVD has been released
and you now can repeat the lines verbatim and have devoured the special
features. What is a Harry Potter fanatic supposed to do now till
the release of either the seventh book or the fifth movie “Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” all expected to be released
in the summer of 2007? Here is a list of things to do while you wait.
- Many
will reread the whole series, but did you know JK Rowling has
written two other Harry Potter themed books, Quidditch
Through the Ages and Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them? Written for the charity Comic Relief,
they are designed to be like library books you would find
at Hogwarts. There are even scribbles from Harry, Ron, and
Hermione in them!
- Keep up with news by either visiting top
Harry Potter sites The Leaky Cauldron (www.the-leaky-cauldron.org)
or Mugglenet (www.mugglenet.com).
Filming for Order of the Phoenix started in February so very likely
there will be many set photos popping up, not to mention casting
news. Any updates to JK Rowling’s Web site (www.jkrowling.com)
will also be noted, including Jo’s diary about her progress
writing the last installment.
- Learn more then you could ever imagine
about Harry Potter on The Harry Potter Lexicon (www.hp-lexicon.org),
an encyclopedia put together by devoted fans about everything
ever mentioned in the books. JK Rowling has even mentioned that
she has been there to check her facts while writing. New to the
Lexicon are the “Knight
Bus Tours” that will show you around different parts of
the site. The C Line tour gives insight on all of the ancient
mythology in the Harry Potter books.
- Want to discuss the theories
with other avid readers? Have some weird inkling that Lily
Potter is really Crookshanks? Try The Leaky Lounge (www.leakylounge.com)
which boasts of over 30,000 members in its year-long existence.
- Listen to Harry Potter podcasts! Pottercast (you can download
it from iTunes or get more info at www.pottercast.com),
is a podcast with quirky hosts, detailed-driven moderators, and
even interviews with the people behind bringing Harry Potter
to you! Past guests include American editor Arthur Levine, movie
production designer Stuart Craig, and actors Chris Rankin (Percy
Weasley) and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom). Pottercast is
guaranteed to have you laughing out loud, so beware of strange
looks from your classmates. Also check out Mugglecast, another
popular Harry Potter podcast.
- Watch silly animation at Potter Puppet
Pals (www.potterpuppetpals.com).
Favorites include “Bothering Snape” and “Emmy’s
Christmas Gift Animation.”
- Throw your own Harry Potter party!
There are tips at Potter Parties (www.potterparties.com),
including recipes, decoration and activity ideas. Can you imagine
the fun making butterbeer (or other substitutes) and then trying
to organize a quidditch game? Pure madness!
- Check out some of
the great fan fiction written by some amazing authors. Try
Fiction Alley (www.fictionalley.org)
or for romance stories try Checkmated (www.checkmated.com).
Want a good laugh? Search ‘Harry Potter’ at FanFiction.net and
read some of the worst pieces of writing ever.
- Still bored? Then
make your own Harry Potter Puppets! Print out the actor’s
heads and then glue them on to Popsicle sticks and create felt
costumes. If you are really inspired, try making your own version
of Puppet Pals with a video camera. Talk about dork alert!
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