I Love You, Harry Potter

I adore love stories.  The moment when the music swells, the protagonist gazes into the girl’s eyes and all is right in the world.  But this is not a blog about my severe weakness for sappy romantic comedies, this a week of Harry Potter, a week to celebrate, in my opinion, the greatest series of movies created.  Granted, I have been inhaling the books since early elementary school, so my opinion might be slightly skewed to favor the literary genius of J.K. Rowling, but seeing as this is a film blog, I shall contain myself strictly to the magical movies we know and love.  


I realize that Harry Potter is ultimately considered a fantasy movie, a film to rank among popular favorites such as Lord of the Rings and Star Wars.  I mean, what period-piece movie or action flick creates its own sport or spells? So why the rant on mushy love stories with over the top soundtracks and cheesy kissing scenes? Because, deep down, at the core of each Harry Potter movie, is a little ball of light that led Ron to enlightenment—a ball that beats with the heart of each movie.  At the very core, Harry Potter is about love. 

It is not your typical visual love tale.  You know the formula well: boy meets girl, girl does not like boy, but through a series of trials and tribulations girl comes to like boy and they both live happily ever after.  These movies delve much deeper than that, to a realm of compassion, caring and understanding that is meaningful, sacrificial, and pure.  It is a love that cannot be captured in the one movie stand of every romantic comedy ever made, but instead spans eight epic movies.  It glimmers when shy Neville Longbottom has the courage to stand up to his friends with the intent of protecting them.  Love shines through Dumbledore, the ever wise and wonderfully quirky headmaster who does everything in his power to protect young Harry, knowing that danger lurks at every corner for his pupil.  Love appears in the form of dear Molly Weasley, who protected her children—both blood and “adopted”—with every fiber in her being, even going as far as to scream out what I anticipate to be the most epic line in the final battle scene.  It radiates from Lily Potter, whose dying act was protecting her only son, a self-sacrificing act that proved to be his greatest asset in ultimately defeating Voldemort.  It beams from Hermione and Ron—the two best friends a young wizard could ask for—who willingly risk their lives each and every movie, just so they can ensure their friend is ok.  And most importantly, love pours from Harry Potter himself, by making the decision to fight the good fight, and ultimately defeat the Dark Lord.

These are movies that I love, and characters that I care deeply for.  Their lessons in love, in caring, and in compassion for others have been my teachers these past ten years visually (and even longer amongst the pages of my beloved copies of the books).  I look forward to this weekend with a bitter-sweet heart.  Because while the movies will always remain in my DVD collection, this is the last time the magic is still new, still fresh.  Yet I continue to love Harry Potter, and I anticipate the final movie as I would any new romantic comedy, because I am a sap for a good love story. 


-Ashley Thompson