Followed closely by:
Hall & Oates – You Make My Dreams
Chemical Brothers – Dream On
Josh Pyke – Make You Happy
The Grates – Turn Me On

I will miss the train ride in… and the pranks pulled by the twins. Though it’s nowhere I have been… I’ll keep on smiling from the times I had… with them. 

On the 26th of June in 1997, Joanne Kathleen Rowling published Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone. Little did she know that this would shape an entire generation and become bigger than anyone could have imagined. What the picture above fails to mention is the millions of people Rowling has captivated and inspired. Most of all though it does not include all of the childhoods that have completely revolved around The Boy Who Lived. Harry Potter’s success is nothing short of remarkable. J.K Rowling changed the stereotypical view of witches and wizards almost overnight and I am extremely grateful that she did.

I was eight (in 2003) the first time I picked up Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone. Funnily enough, I was scared senseless of the idea of witches and wizards, mostly because I assumed they were all evil hags. I don’t know exactly what made me change my mind in the library that day but I’m so glad I did. From the very first page I was hooked. I lived for the adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione from that day on.

Rarely do stories provide characters that are so genuine. All brilliant in their own way, each with flaws and special traits that bring them to life.  The first time I saw the movie I could not help but thinking that the actors that were picked couldn’t be better. That goes for every single one of them. They are sensational. All these years the next book or movie of Harry Potter has always been a source for great excitement and longing. Every year my love for the series intensifies as I appreciate them just that little bit more every time I get older. I recently started reading the books again. Much to my delight I have forgotten a fair few of the intricate details (it’s like rediscovering them all over again) and I think I love them more than the first time I read them (if that’s at all possible). Now that the final movie has come out, it is well and truly the end of an era.

For many years, Hogwarts has been home to millions of people spanning all walks of life. It has been our home. The morals of finding inner strength, overcoming adversity and being comfortable with yourself have resonated throughout every corner of the globe. One of my favorites is when Sirius Black explains morality to Harry.

The world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside of us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are. 

Throughout the books it is evident that it is not our abilities that makes us who we are. It is our choices that shape and define us. All the people who have read the books and seen the movies can relate to at least one character from the diverse range J.K Rowling has created. It is rare, to find a story that is brilliant and captivating. It is even rarer still to find one that is inspiring and makes you want to better yourself as a person just by being a part of these characters lives.J.K Rowling has not only created an epic tale of a young boy who – through the help of friends and family – triumphs over great evil but has given generations to come the finest role models anyone could possibly hope for.

I guess what I am trying to say and what I really want to say is thank you.

Thank you Mrs. Rowling for giving me and many others a magical childhood beyond our wildest dreams. For giving us characters and memories that will stay in our hearts forever. Words can not explain how much I have become attached to your fantastic world and characters so thank you with all my heart for sharing Harry’s world with us. You are my childhood.

Thank you to all the crew involved in making the movies and bringing our most beloved characters to life on this big screen. This goes out to everyone and I mean everyone who has ever worked on a Harry Potter film, from the directors and producers right down to the people whose job it was to grab sandwiches for others. Films of such outstanding quality could not have been achieved without your hard work.

Finally, thank you to all the actors that have spent the last ten years of your lives playing the characters we will all cherish forever. You have done, in the words of Ron Weasely a bloody brilliant job. From Dan, Emma, Rupert, Evanna, Matthew, Maggie, Michael, Alan, James and Oliver, Bonnie, Gary, Robbie, Tom and to all the kids who helped bring Hogwarts to life you have all done mighty work. This story could not have come to life without you all.

It may be the end of an era but Harry Potter will never die as long as people continue to share it. As much as the story is a part of us, we are a part of that story and it will live with us always.

We have had the time of our lives and now the page has turned, the stories we will write. We have had the time of our lives and I will not forget the faces left behind. It’s hard to walk away from the best of days but if it has to end, I’m glad you’ve been my friend, in the time of our lives. We say goodbye, we hold on tight to these memories that never die.

Picking up immediately where the first part left off, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out to destroy the remaining in Horcruxes in a frantic race against time to save Hogwarts from being destroyed by Voldemort – who now has the Elder Wand – himself. Whereas the first movie was mostly camping in the woods, Part 2 will leave you gasping from breath, jaw to the floor on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. I know that’s an over used cliche but I don’t think it’s ever been put in a better context. Even the tense moments where no fighting takes place will have you inching towards the screen, only to be sent into hysterics by a well placed one liner that is just trying to diffuse the tension. 

All the action scenes are done amazingly, they are truly incredible. From the Gringotts heist to the famous Battle of Hogwarts you will not be disappointed. The cast and crew aimed to go out with a bang one last time and they certainly succeeded. You’re going to feel like you’re part of the student resistance repelling an incomprehensible number of Death Eaters from your beloved school. The set pieces will leave you in awe.Sure, some of the scenes have been altered from the books (which is to be expected) but on the whole all the important details you wanted to be included are flawless.

Of course, you need more than things exploding to create a tense atmosphere. Alexandre Desplat returns with another spine chilling, heart pounding, tear jerking score that is so brilliant, you need to actively listen for it. That’s the sign of beautifully integrated music right there.

You will cheer for the characters that have grown to be your extended family and shed tears for those who are lost. This final installment is the perfect send off to a series that has captivated millions and the huge amount of people present at the midnight screening I attended can attest to that.

The story begins at what seems to be the height of David’s campaign until one unfortunate leak causes him to lose the election. He is on the verge of giving up completely until what appears as a chance encounter with a beautiful woman (Elise) gives him the inspiration to deliver his best speech to date and get back onto the campaign trail for next time. This meeting with Elise changes David: he can not stop thinking about her. Sometime later he meets her on a bus and they make plans to meet. David was never supposed to see her on that bus, he was never even meant to catch that bus. That meeting was not part of the plan. Since he caught that particular bus his life changes forever, and that’s where things become really interesting.

The Adjustment Bureau believe that the two of them being together is not part of the plan, and they begin to intervene frequently to prevent them from seeing each other. David is persistent though and will not stop until he gets to be with her. Although everything becomes even more complicated when he learns that it is not only his future on the line.

All of this makes for a thrilling story shot almost entirely in New York which makes for stunning cinematography. Damon described it as a love letter to the city itself and you will believe it. Of course the main draw is the way in which The Adjustment Bureau operates. It is absolutely brilliant to say the least and there is one scene that will make you chuckle as Thompson describes what happens when they don’t intervene. This film makes chase scenes new and exciting due to the special powers that the agents possess. Let’s just say that you will have new found admiration for fedoras after this movie.

Above all this movie intrigues you and the story will captivate you until the end. You will find yourself on the edge of your seat as you witness David and Elise’s incredible fight for survival against fate itself. A must see for those who enjoyed Inception and like thrillers in general.

Assume anyone with a hat is working for them.

You know that the last Transformers movie was just slow motion sequences of MeganFox running. Despite what you may tell all your friends, this isn’t all you wanted to see. You wanted acting and hectic robot fights ALL THE TIME! I suppose in the end, the decision from the big man upstairs – Michael Bay – to sack Fox and fit even more explosions into Transformers: Dark of the Moon (DotM) was a freaking awesome one. Even the story is not to bad. It truly feels like mankind’s defiant last stand against the Decepticons and by now, you should be used to how ridiculous it is. What is more ridiculous than the story is how Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) keeps landing insanely good looking girlfriends, that are intelligent. His new girl Carly is played by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and she ticks all the boxes, especially the “being British” one. She’d look better brunette though, just saying. This is her first ever acting role and all jokes about how amazing she looks aside, she really can act. LaBeouf’s performance has also been turned up by a considerable number of notches, as he delivers his best acting so far in the series.

What DotM comes down to is a discovery made on the dark side of the moon which is apparently Christmas coming early for the Autobots. Of course, it’s not actually that simple and it turns out that it is as kick to the groin, spit in the face and stab in the back for Optimus and his buddies. Yeah everything goes a bit screwy to say the least. This leads to Sam, the Marines and the Autobots fighting for the survival of the human race, again. You know how in the previous movies the marines were, well they were completely useless to be honest. Now they’re back, trained in badass lessons of taking down Decepticons 101. These sequences are some of the best you will see today and I found myself having to remember to close my jaw. Humanity 1. Decepticons 0. Optimus gets into the thick of it quite frequently as well. When he shows up on screen, you know sh** is about to go down.

Apart from all the killing and explosions there’s the usual side story of Sam and his love life, his life with his parents – his mother may be one of the most hysterical people in this movie – and this time around a new comer played by Patrick Dempsey. Needless to say there are a few twists in DotM that you will be mildly surprised at.

Dark of the Moon is without doubt the greatest of the Transformers trilogy. Everything the previous films did, this one does it better.

WING SUIT UP!

He might look like this, only with a properly proportioned body. Yes I'm not exactly an artist but I gave it a go.

Sara Gruen researched travelling train circus’ extensively before writing this book and every chapter is accompanied by an exquisite photograph from real circus’ of the day. I’m going to assume this was more or less the real deal and it is mind blowing how demanding the job was, the poor conditions faced by the workers and the struggle to be the best act around. It was not a forgiving environment. Animal cruelty was rife and those deemed useless were red lighted: thrown from the train train whilst it was moving., often resulting in death. Besides being an intimate description of one man’s life, this novel is like a backstage pass to things people would never dream of seeing but it never feels like bland factual information.

Jacob is a studying to be a vet at Cornell. However, the tragic death of his parents leaves him with no money and no where to go. Saddened by his loss and unable to take his final exam his walks away, finally stopping near train tracks and leaps into an open carriage. From there he is inducted in the Benzini Bros. Most Spectacular Show on Earth and falls for the second in commands wife, Marlena. Unfortunately for Jacob, her husband August is a complete maniac and will literally murder him and severely beat her should he find out about there romance. As the financial situation in the circus becomes more dire, and their relationship is jeopardized they realise they must escape.

These exciting moments are often followed by a 90 year old Jacob waking from day dreams and offering some reflective comments on previous events. This is a nice touch as it provides insight into how he has changed over the years. His character develops in leaps and bounds over the course of the story and manages to help those around him have brighter outlooks on life. Water for Elephants is a heart warming love story that will enthrall you from the beginning, with ending ending that is sure to leave you smiling.