Seriously, every time I think about it Roy Orbison plays dramatically in my head. Regardless, Potter's done. I'll refrain from mentioning content of any kind, except to say that the yahoos parading around that Goblet of Fire was bad for kids because there was a death in it had better toughen up. Most fans know by now that the two subsequent books featured major deaths, but in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling turns beloved children's characters (and some villains, of course) into a bunch of red-shirted Star Trek yeomen in a full-scale slaughter. Yes, I'm exaggerating. But Rowling has grown with her audience and she really laid the heaviness on heavily in this book.

It's a fittingly epic end to a great series. I only hope that something can take its place, because I can't recall the last time books were touted with more enthusiasm than any movie or TV show.

Those who know me know that, while I resisted for a long time, my (former?) resemblance to a certain boy wizard got me all caught up in a bunch of books, movies, and Halloween costumes I'd previously sworn never to support.

The craziness continued last night with a midnight trip to the first ever showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I'm pretty sure it's my favorite of the books (until the next one when she kills that kid. don't cop out on me now Rowling), so I had high hopes. And a large beer. The giant Emagine theater wasn't showing anything else at midnight, but it was jam-packed. Summer, you know? No school. Loose curfews. It's not just a nerd thing anymore, it's Insane with a capital "You damn kids."

After getting there early enough to get our seat of choice, we encountered all manner of "This seat is saved" nonsense, which I sort of regret not stamping out (not here yet equals not here...), but we managed to get decent seats anyway.

As for the movie, it was great. I enjoyed it far more than the last one, which Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Steve Kloves packed full of the entire billion-page book. Goblet of Fire was like a guided tour on an express train: you saw absolutely everything but it just kind of whizzed by without you caring. Not so here: I'm sure fanboys (or, I'm a tiny bit ashamed to say, mostly fangirls) will be debating endlessly about whether they should have left X and taken out Y, but the story moved along well and actually had time to focus on a few things. The effects were probably better than ever, and the direction (by some guy named David Yates, who's doing the next one too) is sometimes very entertaining and interesting for Hollywood. Plus, action for Potter! Go get 'em you magical dog, you.

If you're not a fan, this really isn't the movie for you to see. It definitely isn't the pick-it-up-in-the-middle storyline of the bunch. If you are a fan, I'm sure you already have plans to go.