Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part II)

And so we reach the end of an era. Harry Potter, both the books and films, have captured the cultural zeitgeist. They're ingrained in our collective unconscious. We can recall where and when we first read the books or saw the films and we consider them a part of us. Although a recent creation, they tell an old story of love, loss, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil. But you all knew that. That's what brought us to the stories in the first place. And although we may never again be privy to another Harry Potter story, the series will continue to resonate and be retold. 

To reiterate, I'm not a master wordsmith so I would advise you to go here to read an exceptional review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part II). But if you're interested, here are my general impressions of the last film in the series:

• This film is, unlike its predecessors, definitely not a stand-alone film. If you're going into the film with no knowledge of the previous books or films, you'll have a hard time following the story.
• This film is ALL ACTION. It's the finale to both the previous film and the series as a whole, so it's jam-packed with action and explosions. And running. Lots of running. Which leads to...
• The special effects are very well done. Especially Prof. McGonogall's magic; what a kick-ass lady.
• The acting is superb. Daniel, Rupert and Emma have finally showed themselves as subtle, capable actors. Although I would say that Alan Rickman as Severus Snape and Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort stole the film. My beautiful, tragic, bitter Snape. My favorite character personified by a wonderful actor. A Heathcliff for the modern age.

• Also, Neville was finally showcased as the hero that he is. His final scene was bad ass. As was his hand-knit, fair isle cardigan. 

• On a side note, who knew that out of all the Harry Potter Kids, Matt Lewis as Neville Longbottom would grow up to be a stone-cold fox? Seriously:

Hi, Matt. Call me.

Overall, the film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the book. There are some differences, of course, but I find it better not to read the book prior to watching the film lest you spend the entire time comparing and contrasting and not just enjoying. And besides, it really makes no sense to compare the two media.

So I'm currently trying to fulfill my magic-in-literature quota. Know of a good series that would interest this Potter fan?