3 posts tagged “movies”

View other items tagged “movies:” Photos, Audio, Videos, Books or Links. View “movies” on Vox.

I'm Harry Potter--no I'm not

Dec 12, 2007
Post a comment

I know...

With book 7 out, the series having ended, I'm a late bloomer Harry Potter fan from Manila, Philippines. In fact, in a way I'd like to try looking like him. But, not really.

It started out as a dad-to-son-project of mine, get my kids interested in books again. I'd like to think that Harry's become my eldest--he did bring the kids to liking books again--including me. I bought all the books, save for the Deathly Hallows. The movies were icing on the cake.

When the first book came out, it was a bestseller everywhere including here and I was not interested at all. But when my kids started talking about Hogwarts, the Leaky Cauldron, the Weasly twins, and magical spells and charms I couldn't understand, I decided I needed to start reading it so I'd learn the 'HP speak.' Well, after book 1, I couldn't stop reading it.

I just finished book 4 and immediately started The Order of the Phoenix. My kids and I committed to reading the book before watching the movie, and I can't wait.

I know now why J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter was a hit--it brought out the kids in us. Admit it, at one point in your life, you imagined (or wished) you can do magic just as I did when I was a kid.

At times, I'd like to think I'm Harry Potter, what with all his rule-breaking and misadventures, but I'm really not, in that a lot of things I imagined I did or achieved because I worked hard for it/them--I'm Harry Potter without the wand.

Book 4's done

Dec 12, 2007
Post a comment

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)

J.K. Rowling

Sleeping late by 12:30am with book in hand, then skimming through it earlier at 5:00am--after about three weeks I've finally finished reading the 700+ pager Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Its changing tone, that's getting dimmer, is a prelude to a darker Voldermort-wizard-war-centric book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which I started reading on my way to the office today.

Am I addicted to the series? Probably, here's why.

Readable many times over

Nov 26, 2007
Post a comment

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini

The last leaf of this book I turned last night--it's my fastest reading ever--3 days. And I spent most of my free time yesterday reading it.

It took almost three years--Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel The Kite Runner has been on my books-to-buy list way back when I was spending sleepless, homesick nights in Sau Paulo, Brazil--I finally found a smaller paperback (movie) version just recently.

I needn't know that the novel's film adaptation has been troubled with controversies, more than that I really wanted to read a story on Afghans. It's a riveting story--I couldn't stop reading it--though it left me shocked and sad in between chapters much like the feeling I get reading Wladyslaw Szpilman's The Pianist which was also made into a movie.

This book made me realize how simply detached I can be to what's going on around--but after shuffling through the book again I'd say--now I know, and feel ever so lucky I'm Filipino.