Preteen Potter Mania, or How I Managed to Stay Awake for an Entire Movie

As many of you know, I'm not one who frequents movie theaters. In fact, the last time I was in a movie theater was the summer of 2005. Yep, six years ago. Brad and I saw Wedding Crashers. It was one of the very rare times that I did not sleep through the entire movie.

I'm not sure why, but I've always had trouble not sleeping through movies. It's due to this that I decided to stop paying $10 for a really good nap. I've always appreciated the sleep that comes with every movie I watch, but it seems a little silly to pay to drool on the shoulder of the lucky stranger next to me. These narcoleptic fits don't just strike me at the theater though, as Brad can attest there have been many a night that I've insisted we watch the latest period film only to wake up at the closing credits. In fact, I've even insisted that we watch the same film twice. This was the case with Elizabeth. I slept through it twice; Brad endured it twice. Now you understand why I rarely pay to go to the movies.

Today, however, was an exception. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows opened today, and when in Oxford. . . A group of Bread Loafers purchased tickets and allowed ourselves to get swept up in Harry mania. If only we'd understood what that meant. We found ourselves surrounded by costumed, screaming preteen girls. Racking sobbing and exuberant cheering filled the air at each turn and twist of the movie. When Daniel Radcliffe took off his shirt, the heat in the theater rose (and not just because, apparently, British movie theaters feel a need to maintain a sultry temperature of at least 30 degrees Celsius). It was quite an experience. I thought I'd have to call a medic for the two girls next to me. Needless to say, it was very exciting. For them. I personally think Hairy Potter could have afforded to get a bit of man-wax before taking off his shirt.

It was due to all of this preteen excitement that my narcolepsy didn't kick in. In fact, despite the excessive heat and the talking girls next to me, the whole movie going experience was fun. I'm thinking that I'll try it again sometime. Maybe I'll try a Bieber movie.