The apparition of these faces in the crowd

Wow, I haven't actually logged into this thing in... I don't know how long. I don't know how many of you are still around these parts but... *wave?*

Basically, seeing so many people talking about Harry Potter's 20th Anniversary had me thinking about my beginnings and fandom. The friends I made, how I grew as a writer. I know there are a lot of you that I still speak to outside of the LJ community and I think it's a real testament to how pervasive fandom is and how it truly does connect all of us. That so many of us grew beyond the pseudonyms and let each other into our lives.

Harry Potter did that for us. It was a common ground. It let those of us who were weirdos in our own little world find other weirdos and realize... we weren't that weird after all. That we had people. That we weren't alone in the world. For some of us who were unpopular in school, it was such a refuge.

As Harry Potter turned to Torchwood/Doctor Who (for me any way), it brought me to meet a whole new host of people. To meet creators that eight-year-old me could never have expected I would be friends with writers and actors and costume designers. To actually KNOW people who put shows on TV and write movies and comics. To count some of them among my closest friends. It's quite a feeling really.

I've spent most of my day re-watching Torchwood while working my day job. Missing my first ever cosplay and the people I met because of it. Missing RP because god knows I don't actually have time to write when the aforementioned day job runs me ragged.

So today turned into revisiting fandoms and nostalgia and all sorts of other good things. So if any of you felt that same wave of nostalgia and decided to come back to LJ today... please say hi. I know I've missed you all. ♥

Okay. So I just got home from seeing deathly hallows. I know a lot of you love my reviews I do, so that will get posted tomorrow.

Needless to.say? Nonspoilery version is that it was amazingly well done. I did, however, realize how much I forgot in the book. Gees I'm rereading DH on the plane ride home. Hey. Last time I read it was when it came out and I devoured it in 6 hours...

So yes, review tomorrow when I've had time to process everything.

Obligatory spoiler: SNAPE KILLED DUMBLEDORE!!!!!

*passes out*

Yeah -- that's about all I have to say right about now. I'm writing down my first thoughts very quickly before I forget everything. Under the cut will be the spoilers for the movie -- though, as we've all read the books... how spoilerific can it really be?

I felt VERY old tonight. Before the film, our cinema runs these little cards of movie trivia. One of them was a 'before they were stars' and it featured Jeremy Irons. The girls next to me "Who's Jeremy Irons?"

Me: *HEADDESK*

Funny side note -- I realised while sitting in the cinema that last year, on the 11th, I was sitting at the Booth Theatre about to watch (and meet) Ralph in Faith Healer. Now, a year later, I was going to watch him on the big screen.

1- The audience was a huge group of Potter-heads which made it uberly fun. Yes, I dressed up. Pilfered a few things from the costume shop and went as Tonks. Did ditch the wig a little ways in as we didn't have to stand in line like I thought we would.

2- The movie is made of all sorts of yay... but I had a few issues with it...

Don't let the size of this scare you into thinking I had issues with the film. More -- this is all my thoughts on the movie, both good and bad. I just wanted to write everything down before I forgot it. Also -- additional screenings will be required. I should be seeing it on Thursday again -- and at the end of the month at an IMAX (with rose_whispers!)

( My Thoughts )

Ow... my fingers hurt from all that typing! I'm absolutely exhausted and am going to go crawl into bed. I owe comments and replies and posts, but I will get to all of those tomorrow. ♥

Please! Share your thoughts -- I want to hear what you guys thought of it. And I'm sure I'm missing things... And I'll catch more the next time I see it. At least... after my re-read of OotP -- I don't completely hate the book as much as I did the first time around.

ETA: just to make sure I AM clear -- as I'm writing this at nearly 4 am and am more than exhausted -- I fucking LOVED the movie. I know it's not going to follow canon exactly, nor should it (given the time contsraints) -- there were just some things I was disappointed with how they were handled. But overall? It's probably my favourite of the films.