First things first: apologies for my long, overdue absence. The second half of 2011 saw a lot of personal difficulties for me, including and ending with the death of my father.

However, new year, new beginnings, and I’m hoping that 2012 will be a better year not only for myself, but for everyone. Look for my posts in the next few days; I will be posting information about the latest Eyecon Convention in Atlanta (Vampire Diaries), and a few show/movies updates as well.

Thanks as always for reading!

Well, you will get your chance this weekend. In support of the Will Rogers Institute, select AMC Theaters across the country will have encore showtimes for the final film in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Ticket prices for all events are only $5, and fans will receive a special collectible lithograph with their purchase (while supplies last).  Tickets can be purchased at this link; just make sure you change the zip code and select the correct date to find showtimes in your area.

Will Rogers was a popular actor, comedian and radio personality in the 1920s-1930s. The purpose of the Will Rogers Institute is “To perpetuate the memory of Will Rogers by promoting and engaging in medical research pertaining to cardio-pulmonary diseases and educating the general public on topics of health and fitness.”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is the final installment in the Harry Potter series. It is scheduled to be released on DVD/Blu-Ray Combo on November 11.

Credit: Summit Entertainment

In anticipation for the upcoming theatrical release of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (Part 1), Summit Entertainment has announced plans for a promotional tour featuring cast members from the film and musical guests that will appear on the soundtrack.

Atlanta will be the first of five stops in the promotional tour, scheduled to begin on November 7. Cast members Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen), Nikki Reed (Rosalie Hale), Peter Facinelli (Carlisle Cullen) and Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Hale) will appear with musical guest Christina Perri at The Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road, Atlanta. According to the press release:

Tickets are free and will be available beginning at 10am local time on Saturday, November 5th at each event location. Tickets are limited to two per person and are non-transferable. Names must be provided at the time of registration, for the purposes of pick up at the event. Photo ID must be shown upon arrival at the event (school ID is acceptable), and guests must arrive at the event with the individual who reserved the tickets. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis, until venue capacity is reached.

“Breaking Dawn” is the fourth and final novel in the best-selling “Twilight” series of books written by author Stephenie Meyer. Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner have starred in all three of the previous film installments in the series: Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. Breaking Dawnwas split into two films, with Part 1 coming to theaters on November 18; however, fans will have to wait another year for the conclusion to the saga, as Breaking Dawn - Part 2 will not hit theaters until November 16, 2012.

Here are the locations for all five tour stops:

November 7, 2011: Atlanta, GA 
The Buckhead Theatre
3110 Roswell Road Atlanta GA 30305
Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone
Performance By: Christina Perri

November 8, 2011: Chicago, IL 
House of Blues
329 N Dearborn Chicago IL 60654
Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz and Elizabeth Reaser
Performance By: Christina Perri

November 9, 2011: Dallas, TX 
The Palladium Ballroom at Gilley’s Dallas
1135 South Lamar Street
Dallas, TX 75215-1036
Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone
Performance By: Christina Perri

November 10, 2011: San Francisco, CA 
The Fillmore
1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94115
Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone
Performances By: Aqualung, Lucy Schwartz and Sleeping at Last

November 11, 2011: Salt Lake City, UT 
The Rail Event Center
235 N 500 W. Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone
Performances By: Aqualung, Lucy Schwartz and Sleeping at Last

By day, Aidan is a hospital employee determined to appear as normal as possible to the outside world; in reality, he is struggling with his vampire side for dominance, while also being best friends/roommates with werewolf Josh (played bySam Huntington) and a recently departed ghost, Sally (played by Meaghan Rath). Not exactly the stuff “normal” is made of.

When last seen, Aidan found himself an unwilling pawn in the quest for vampire dominance by his maker, Bishop (played by Mark Pellegrino). The decisions Aidan makes will have not only have huge consequences for himself, but also the people he loves, as he continues to fight to be the person he wants to be, not what others try to make him.

Witwer recently joined his two co-stars at Dragon*Con, a multi-genre fan convention held annually in Atlanta, for Q&A sessions, photo ops and autograph sessions for thousands of fans. Examiner.com got a chance to speak with him to find out what makes Aidan tick, and what fans can expect from Season 2, which will premiere in January 2012.

In person, Huntington is funny, friendly, and generally seems to have a good time – all of the time.

Whether he is by himself or wreaking havoc during a Q&A session with his two co-stars, Sam Witwer and Meaghan Rath, Huntington makes it very clear that he loves his job, and his co-stars.

Huntington took a few minutes in-between greeting fans at this past weekend’s Dragon*Con convention in Atlanta to speak with me about his love for the show, his character and co-stars.

“Being Human” tells the story of three unlikely roommates: Josh, a hospital orderly who is also a werewolf; Aidan (Witwer), a fellow hospital employee who becomes Josh’s closest friend on account of his own secret (vampire); and Sally (Rath), a displaced ghost who finds herself an unwanted – but then welcome – roommate to the guys when they move into the brownstone in which she died. What follows is an unlikely friendship between the three which turns out to be what is probably the most normal thing in their lives.

“Being Human” airs on the SyFy Channel on Monday nights at 9pm. The second season will begin in January 2012.

On the SyFy Channel series “Being Human” he plays Josh, the overly-cautious, somewhat insecure werewolf trying desperately to hide in life’)s background in order to avoid revealing his secret. In real life his portrayer, actor Sam Huntington, couldn’t be more the opposite.
In person, Huntington is funny, friendly, and generally seems to have a good time – all of the time.
Whether he is by himself or wreaking havoc during a Q&A session with his two co-stars, Sam Witwer and Meaghan Rath, Huntington makes it very clear that he loves his job, and his co-stars.
“Being Human” tells the story of three unlikely roommates: Josh, a hospital orderly who is also a werewolf; Aidan (Witwer), a fellow hospital employee who becomes Josh’s closest friend on account of his own secret (vampire); and Sally (Rath), a displaced ghost who finds herself an unwanted – but then welcome – roommate to the guys when they move into the brownstone in which she died. What follows is an unlikely friendship between the three which turns out to be what is probably the more normal thing in their lives.
Huntington took a few minutes in-between greeting fans at this past weekend’s Dragon*Con convention in Atlanta to speak about his love for the show, his character and co-stars.
HR: Hi this is Hanako Ricks with Examiner.com,and I am here at Dragon*Con 2011 with Sam Huntington from the SyFy Channel’s “Being Human”.Hi Sam, how are you?
SH: Hi, hi.
HR: You totaly photobombed that picture of me and Witwer.
SH: Yeah.
HR: But it was great.
SH: Yeah, that was the idea, yeah. But see he did it to me like, 100 times today.
HR: So I heard.
SH: So he can take one. And I apologize, because he was with you. But I’m in there now.
HR: No, it’s fine. It was a great picture, it was a great picture.
SH: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, totally.
HR: So, Dragon*Con.
SH: Yeah.
HR: Your panels.
SH: Yeah.
HR: Hilarious.
SH: Thank you.
HR: Is the chemistry between you and Meaghan and Sam like that all the time?
SH: Yeah.
HR: Really?
SH: Literally.
HR: So you guys weren’t faking it?
SH: No, no, no.
HR: Oh that’s great!
SH: That’s why we get off on those tangents. We can do that all day long.
HR: But it’s great because it shows that you guys really enjoy being here and interacting with the fans.
SH: Yeah, yeah it’s nice. I feel like – I mean, we love each other so much and I want people to see that and know that.
HR: Oh that’s great. Okay, so, Being Human…
SH: Yeah.
HR: You play Josh the werewolf.
SH: I do
HR: How did you find out about this role and what drew you to Josh?
SH: It was a very traditional audition process in L.A. Um, I had to audition for it a bunch of times, it’s just I think they were uncertain what they wanted for the role, so um, I really lucked out – I was the right guy for the job. So,um, and here we are and I’m still feeling so lucky.
HR: Okay, and Josh’s storyline kind of went on some highs and lows last season…
SH: Yeah, yeah
HR: Endng with the big cliffhanger of Nora being pregnant…
SH: What’s happening with Nora, yeah yeah yeah
HR:…and so, are we gonna see more of that in season 2? Are we gonna find out more about what’s going on? Is their relationship gonna develop?
SH: Oh yeah, that’s a lot of what Josh’s plot is in season 2.
HR: And you mentioned there’s gonna be more werewolves this season.
SH: Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. Different…types of werewolves.
HR: So it’s not just your basic, everyday thing?
SH: Well they…I can’t really elaborate, but it’s really amazing, yeah. You will like it, I promise.
HR: Okay, and you said the DVD is coming out in November?
SH: November.
HR: Tell us what we can expect on the DVD.
SH: I actually don’t really know. I’m hoping to get like, an advanced copy of it so we can tell you guys what’s gonna be on it. But I think there will probably be some deleted scenes, there’s definitely a lot of behind the scenes footage – lots! I think like an hour plus of behind the scenes stuff and interviews that we did throughout the season. I’m hoping there’s gonna be a killer gag reel on it, that’s always my favorite part of a DVD.
HR: There should be. If there’s not, that would be a crime.
SH: I agree.
HR: After what I’ve seen this weekend, that would be a crime.
SH: It’s a little crazy. Um, um you’ll see that those antics are just what we do, and uh, and yeah sooo, yeah. I think it’s – beyond that it’s just the show.
HR: Okay, well the show is great. I love it, and our fans – the fans love it.
SH: Thank you, thank you.
HR: And we’re looking forward to seeing more of you in season two.
SH: We’re looking forward to seeing more of you.
HR: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.
SH: Thank you, come here. Oh my gosh, Examiner.
HR: Thank you.
SH: Thank you so much.

Photo of me with Meaghan Rath and Sam Huntington from the SyFy series "Being Human"

Dragon*Con, the annual multi-genre fan convention that takes place every Labor Day weekend, has come and gone until next year.

As part of my assignment with Examiner.com, I had a chance to briefly speak one-on-one with Meaghan Rath, one of the stars for the hit SyFy Channel series, “Being Human“. The show, which is an American adaptation of the U.K. series by the same name, is about three supernatural beings – a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost – who have all become roommates sharing a Boston brownstone. Rath plays the recently departed Sally, a ghost who begins the season trapped in the home with no idea of how she became a ghost in the first place. Over the season, it is revealed that she is actually a murder victim, having been pushed down the stairs (by accident) during an argument with her irrationally jealous fiance, Danny. Along the way to discovering the truth, Sally begins to learn how to exist in the human world as best she can, with the help of roommates Aidan (the vampire) and Josh (the werewolf). At the end of the season, Sally makes a choice between her destiny and her friends, that will have emotional consequences for her to deal with in season two, which premieres January 2012.

Hanako Ricks, Examiner.com: Hi, this is Hanako Ricks with Examiner.com and I am speaking live from Dragon*Con 2011 with Meaghan Rath, one of the stars of “Being Human”. Hi Meaghan.

All of my favorites will be there: guests/panels on “Supernatural“, “True Blood”, “The Vampire Diaries“, “Being Human“, and of course, Harry Potter. I have the privilege again this year of attending on a media pass, representing Examiner.com (I am the Atlanta Sci-Fi Movies and Atlanta Sci-Fi TV Examiner), and I will also have a chance to display my love for Harry Potter by sitting on two panels this year: Harry Potter: From Page to Screen (Friday 8:30pm), and The Hero’s Journey of Neville Longbottom (Saturday 1pm). Both panels are part of the Young Adult Literature track; stop by and say hi!

Also, I have received an invite to one of the press conferences being held for Jim Beaver, who plays Bobby Singer on “Supernatural”. This will be my first press conference, and I’m very excited at the opportunity.

You can look below to see what panels I will be attending, and if you have any burning questions for any of the stars, please let me know and I’ll try to get your answers posted.

Supernatural guests: Jim Beaver (Bobby), Mark A. Sheppard (Crowley), Misha Collins (Castiel), Samantha Ferris (Ellen Harvelle), Julie McNiven (Anna) and Christopher Heyerdahl (Alistair)

True Blood guests: Kristen Bauer van Straten (Pam), Jim parrack (Hoyt Fortenberry), Joe Manganiello (Alcide Herveaux), and Denis O’Hare (Russell Edgington); Charlaine Harris will also be there (author of The Southern Vampire Series, the books upon which “True Blood” is based)

Being Human guests: Sam Witwer (Aiden), Sam Huntington (Josh) and Meaghan Rath (Sally)

The Vampire Diaries guests: Sara Canning (Jenna), David Anders (John Gilbert) and Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood)

Harry Potter guest: Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)

If you are a reader of the blog and will be at Dragon*Con, please let me know…I love meeting new people face-to-face. You can message me here or via Twitter.

Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. Every Labor Day weekend, about 40,000 people crowd the streets and take over the hotels of downtown Atlanta to meet friends, celebrities, cosplay and totally geek out. Ticket information can be found on the official website.

You can read more about my experiences at Dragon*Cons past at this link.

Taking place in the downtown streets of Atlanta, Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. Every Labor Day weekend, about 40,000 people crowd the streets and take over the hotels of downtown Atlanta to meet friends, celebrities, cosplay and totally geek out. Spanning the lobbies, convention spaces and streets of five hotels, there is literally something for everyone at Dragon*Con.

As always, Sci-Fi/Fantasy television will have a strong presence at Dragon*Con. One of the fan tracks that should be very popular this year at Dragon*Con includes the Dark Fantasy track, which will have panels and celebrity guests from shows such as the SyFy Channel’s Being Human (stars Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington and Meaghan Rath), the CW Network’s Vampire Diaries (stars Michael Trevino, Sara Canning and David Anders) and is filmed locally in Atlanta, and HBO’s immensely popular series True Blood (stars Kristen Bauer van Straten, Jim Parrack, Denis O’Hare, Joe Manganiello and author Charlaine Harris, who wrote the “Southern Vampire” novels that the show is based on).

For the first time, stars from the popular CW series Supernatural will also appear during Dragon*Con: series regular Jim Beaver will be joined by stars Misha Collins, Mark A. Sheppard, Julie McNiven, Christopher Heyerdahl andSamantha Ferris for fan Q&A panels, photo op and autograph sessions.

Fans of Joss Whedon and/or the Stargate culture (SG-1, Atlantis and Universe) will find whole tracks dedicated to those two sub-genres (Whedonverse and Stargate: Multiverse, respectively), while those who mourn the loss of shows such as LOST, V: The Series, and Battlestar Galactica can do so alongside other fans of those now defunct, but still loved shows during panels such as “BSG Universe: Evolution”, “V: Find Your Bliss”, or “Lost: One Year Later”.

Dragon*Con will take place Friday – Monday Labor Day weekend; most programming will begin around 10 am with the exception of Saturday, when the annual Dragon*Con Parade will take place. Host hotels include the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, and the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Full details on fan tracks, celebrity guests, and membership (admission) costs can be found at the official website.

Harry Potter, which is currently casting an Avada Kedavra on box office sales (Deathly Hallows Part 2 is now the #3 all-time box office leader, behind only Avatar and Titanic) won in the following categories: Choice Summer Movie (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2), Choice Summer Male Star (Daniel Radcliffe), Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi Fantasy and Choice Summer Female Star (Emma Watson), Choice Movie Liplock (Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson for Deathly Hallows Part 1), Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Deathly Hallows Part 1), and Choice Villain (Tom Felton). The show ended with a farewell tribute to the series, which has spent the past 10 years dominating box offices and captivating audiences young and old. Actors Tom Felton and Rupert Grint appeared at the end of the tribute to accept the movie awards and thank fans, while Daniel Radcliffe thanked fans via satellite from New York (he is currently appearing on Broadway in the revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”).

(Two degrees of separation: Glee star Darren Criss was named Choice TV Breakout Star. While not directly related to the Harry Potter series, before he became a star on the hit TV show, he was wowing wizarding fans everywhere as part of the performance group StarKid Potter, playing the role of Harry Potter in the musicals “A Very Potter Musical” and “A Very Potter Sequel”  both of which he co-wrote. Criss very humbly thanked his StarKid fans in his acceptance speech.

And in another indirect connection to Harry Potter, it has been announced that Criss will replace Radcliffe in “How to Succeed” when Radcliffe’s run ends in December.)

Television’s “Vampire Diaries” dominated the TV: Sci-Fi/Fantasy category with five wins, including the award for Choice Sci-Fi TV Show, beating out other fan favorites “Fringe” (FOX) , “Supernatural” (CW), “Smallville” (CW) and “Teen Wolf” (MTV).

Appearing to accept the award were stars Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore), Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore), Nina Dobrev (Elena Gilbert/Katherine Pierce), Katerina Graham(Bonnie Bennett) and Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood). Other wins for “Vampire Diaries” included Nina Dobrev for Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Ian Somerhalder for Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Katerina Graham for Choice TV: Female Scene Stealer and Michael Trevino for Choice TV: Male Scene Stealer. Paul Wesley was also nominated in the Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi category, but lost out to TV brother Somerhalder. Dobrev, Somerhalder and Wesley were also nominated in the Choice Vampire category, but that win went to The Twilight Saga‘s Robert Pattinson.

The vampires from Mystic Falls weren’t the only winners, though: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse received wins for Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Taylor Lautner), Choice Movie Scene Stealer: Male (Kellan Lutz), and Choice Scene Stealer: Female (Ashley Green). Robert Pattinson also won the Choice Vampire Award, beating out “Vampire Diaries” trio Somerhalder, Wesley, and Dobrev and “True Blood” star Alexander Skarsgard (am I the only person who thought it weird that “True Blood” garnered a nomination? The show is not exactly teen material). Pattinson also nabbed a win in the Choice Movie Actor: Drama category for his role in the film Water for Elephants.

Eyecon: Vampire Diaries, the Orlando-based fan convention for the popular CW series, has announced a few new guests that will appear at the October convention, scheduled for the weekend before Halloween at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel .

Credit: CW

Ian Somerhalder, who plays the older Salvatore brother Damon, has been confirmed to appear at the convention on Saturday, October 29. His appearance coincides with the first ever Ian Somerhalder Foundation event, “Empoweresqe“, which according to the website, seeks to “unite empowered women who will forever change the world”.

Joseph Morgan, who joined the cast in Season 2 as the much feared vampire/werewolf hybrid Klaus, has also been confirmed to appear. Fans of the show will remember that Klaus is the vampire who has been hunting for Katherine for centuries, and has now seemingly gained control over Stefan in exchange for saving Damon’s life. Morgan’s onscreen brother, Joseph Gillies, was confirmed to appear at the convention in early June. Gino Pesi, who played Klaus’s loyal warlock Maddox, has also been added to the guest list.

Jeremy (Stephen R. McQueen) will have plenty of ladies to keep him company during the convention! In addition to Katerina Graham (who plays Jeremy’s current love interest Bonnie), Kayla Ewell and Malese Jow – who play ex-girlfriends Vicki Donovan and Anna, respectively – have been added to the guest list. Both women, who were killed off towards the end of the premier season of the show, shocked viewers (and Jeremy too!) by re-appearing on the show during the finale for season two. 

Credit: Malese Jow Official Facebook

Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 will be held in Downtown Atlanta the weekend of Oct 28-30 at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. Events will include a Celebrity Q&A, photo-op and autograph sessions, a Celebrity Banquet, a 60s themed dance (similar to the one in the season 2 episode “The Last Dance”), and a Mystic Falls Halloween party. There will also be fan panels, a dealer/vendor room, and a concert by musical guests The Nova Echo.

Ticket prices and sales for Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 are available on the website at this link. “The Vampire Diaries” will return for season 3 at 8pm on September 15.

That’s really the only appropriate beginning to any review about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, isn’t it?

The final, climactic chapter of the tale of the boy wizard finally hit theaters last Friday, and it did not fail to deliver: the series went out with a HUGE bang. Beginning with a first day total of $92.1 million (domestically), the films has already broken records and is now officially the top-grossing film franchise ever, beating out previous record holder Star Wars.

I was at the theater fairly early on Thursday night (in costume), with about 30 of my fellow Potterheads to share in what was most certainly expected to be an emotional end for those of us who have been following Harry – if not from the beginning – for the past few years. It was an experience I wanted to make sure I shared with the right fans: not just the ones who “like” or ‘love” the series, but those who eat, breathe, dream, and live their lives with Harry as a major part of their being.

That being said, I also wanted to wait to post my thoughts on the film – knowing that I would never be able to say everything I felt after just one viewing, especially since I spent the majority of the film in tears and amidst all of the sniffling and cheering in the theater, missed some things the first go-round. Now that I’ve seen the film again, I think I can “properly” voice my thoughts on the end.

(Just in case you may not have realized, this post will be very detailed and very spoilery, so if you haven’t seen the film by now, you may want to wait before reading this post). Now that I’ve given my warning, let’s get down to it, shall we?

Overall: Overall, I think the film was brilliantly done. I think my first impression of the film was “perfect”, but there are a few minor tweaks I would have liked to have seen. That being said, I still think Deathly Hallows – Part 2 was probably as close to perfect as we could have asked for within the constraints of filming all eight installments. Here are just a few of my likes and dislikes on the film.

The Good: One of the things that I loved about DH2 was that all of the key scenes (translate: fan favorites)  from the novel were included. Unlike Half-Blood Prince, where major plot points were completely disregarded, DH2 filled in a majority of the gaps created by the previous seven films. Snape, Molly Weasley, Neville, Gringott’s – it was all there.

“The Prince’s Tale” – where Harry gets to look at Snape’s memories and find out where his loyalties truly were – was probably the best sequence I’ve seen in any of the films, aside from “The Tale of the Three Brothers” animated sequence from DH1. If Alan Rickman doesn’t receive some type of award nomination for his performance in this film, I will be no less than disgusted. To see him go from seemingly cold and callous to an emotional, distraught wreck whenever Lily Potter’s name was even mentioned literally broke my heart. His death played out more viciously than I ever imagined it in my head, and his final scene with Harry was poignant and well-played. Anyone who didn’t cry during Snape’s final moments onscreen just didn’t get it, in my opinion.

The Weasleys – whether it was just seeing Arthur cast a spell to hold off a Death Eater, or hearing Ron’s anguished cry over the body of his dead brother, I am SO very glad that the Weasleys finally got their due. In previous films, one of my main complaints was that the Weasleys were never shown to their full potential: Arthur was mainly shown as a silly wizard who only had interest in Muggle artifacts, and Molly was often presented as overbearing and weak (who would really believe that Molly would stand by and let her home burn down? Really?). In DH2, we see that Molly was as powerful as any other prominently showcased witch in the series (NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!) but in a very realistic way. Bellatrix was one of the most powerful witches in the entire series, mostly because the cruel and sadistic nature of her personality enhanced whatever evil she was involved in. She cursed and killed for pleasure, not necessity, and that was one of the things that made her the most feared of all Death Eaters, and most respected by Voldemort. When Molly first attacked, you could see her fear on her face as Bellatrix retaliated. For me, that brief glimpse of fear is what made the scene real for me, made me believe that Molly really had what it took to defeat Bellatrix for good. And her triumphant smirk at the end was perfect.

My only complaint for the Weasley family is that we did not get the full emotional impact of Percy’s “Prodigal Son” return that we did in the books. I’m sure that most film-only fans probably don’t even know of what I’m referring to, but I think that it would have been a great addition to the films if that part of the story had been kept intact.

Ron & Hermione’s kiss: FINALLY!!! We get to see what a proper kiss in the Harry Potter film world looks like! Did anyone not cheer when it happened? Granted, the scene was different than it should have been (I really wanted to hear Harry’s “Oi! We’re in the middle of a war here!”), but it was still a great kiss nonetheless. The fact that they went from such an adult kiss and then erupted in teenage giggles made the scene even more enduring.

Harry’s death: I think this is one of the best scenes in the film. Very simple with just a white room, Dumbledore and Harry, the scene showed how clever a man – even if just a tad bit deceptive – Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore really was. I’m very glad they kept the majority of the dialogue from the book to explain everything (especially since I felt they royally screwed up in Order of the Phoenix when they left out the major details regarding the prophecy and why it was so important.)

I also feel the need to say this: in the end, Michael Gambon turned out to be a fantastic Dumbledore. As I’ve spent the past few weeks re-watching all of the films, I see him more and more as Dumbledore than I ever have. As much as I hated his portrayal of Dumbledore in Goblet of Fire, I think he has really channeled the spirit and character of our beloved Headmaster with increasing accuracy – especially in the final three films.

“The Forest Again” scene where Harry gets to speak with the spirits of his loved ones was very well-done, very emotional. I love that Harry was able to find peace towards the end of what he thinks is his walk towards death by receiving comfort from those who died to protect him. My only gripe with this scene was mentioning Teddy Lupin: since his birth was never mentioned (at all) in the films, and his part in the epilogue scene was cut from the film entirely, I felt like it was just empty words on a screen, especially to film fans who would have no idea who he is anyway. Nice try, but it really could have been left out and no one would have known the difference.

Of course, I could go on and on (and on) about this film, but I’ll end my ramblings with just this: it was a fantastic end to a magical series, and one that I’m sure will be a favorite for generations to come. Thank you, Jo Rowling, for bringing such a wonderful world to the imaginations of us all. Thank you, Christopher Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell and David Yates, for bringing our beloved wizarding world and Hogwarts to life in such spectacular ways, and thank you to all of the cast who have loved these characters and given them to us – the fans – in such respectful, loving and faithful interpretations. Harry, his tale, and what his story has brought into my life will continue to live on, and I’ll be forever thankful for how much this series and its fandom has enriched my life.

Mischief managed.

In the clip, Ron and Hermione journey down to the Chamber of Secrets to collect a basilisk fang in order to destroy one of Voldemort’s horcruxes. As Hermione had explained to Harry in Deathly Hallows – Part 1, basilisk venom can destroy horcruxes, so the duo decide to go straight to the source. The scene was only implied in the novel from which the movie is based, and its addition into the movie is sure to please longtime Ron/Hermione fans.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be in theaters July 15.

Bryton James, who played young warlock Luka in season 2, has been added to the guest list. He joins stars Nina Dobrev (Elena/Katherine), Kat Graham (Bonnie) and Daniel Gillies (Elijah) for the three-day event, which will take place Halloween weekend at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel in Downtown Atlanta. This event will mark the second convention specific to “The Vampire Diaries” TV show, which has been filmed locally since its inception. Eyecon is most widely known for conventions based on the TV shows “Supernatural” and “True Blood” and for The Twilight Saga film series.

James joined the show in season 2 as newcomer Luka Martin, the son of a powerful warlock who was working with evil (?) vampire Elijah in order to secure release for his daughter Greta, whom he thought was being held captive by Elijah’s brother Klaus. Luka set out to get close to fellow witch Bonnie in an effort to get close to Elena (who Klaus was after), and in doing so added a brief triangle-like element to the Bonnie/Jeremy relationship that was developing. However, things didn’t quite work out well for Luka or the rest of the Martin family.

James can also be seen on the daytime soap “The Young and the Restless”, playing the character of Devon Hamilton. Fans of the 90′s sitcom “Family Matters” will also remember him as little Richie Crawford, cousin of the Winslow kids.

Eyecon’s events will include a Celebrity Q&A, photo-op and autograph sessions, a Celebrity Banquet, a 60s themed dance (similar to the one in the season 2 episode “The Last Dance”), and a Mystic Falls Halloween party. There will also be fan panels, a dealer/vendor room, and a concert by musical guests The Nova Echo.

Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 will take place at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel October 28-30, 2011. Tickets levels and pricing information can be found at this link, and can now be purchased online via the official website.

Credit: HBO

There will be lots of spoilers in this post so if you haven’t seen the episode yet, proceed at your own risk.

• Jason is now the responsible Sheriff’s Deputy, while Sherrif Andy Dearborn is now an addict of V (vampire blood)
• Tara has left town, traveling to different cities every few months and channeling her rage as a cage fighter. Oh, and she also is now in a relationship with a woman who apparently thinks her name is Toni and that she’s from Atlanta. As sad as it is, it’s nice to see that some things (Tara’s inability to have a dunctional relationship) haven’t changed.
• Lafayette and Jesus are still kicking it strong, although it seems that things are not great with them as Jesus is still pushing Lafayette to explore his “witchy” side. Adding to the tension is the addition of Marnie (Harry Potter’s Fiona Shaw), a witch who likes to channel dead vampires and bring dead birds back to life. (Side note: am I the only Harry Potter fan who absolutely cracked up when she cried about her dead bird, Minerva? Maybe McGonagall got tired of being a cat all of the time). Although she was a bit…off in this first episode, big things are rumored for Marnie in season 4.
• There’s trouble in paradise with Hoyt and Jessica. The two lovebirds had made the decision to move in together at the end of season 3, and our first glimpse of them in season 4 shows that the honeymoon is clearly over. They have an unusually human argument about Jessica’s lack of skill in the kitchen, followed by a “make-up” date at Fangtasia, where Jessica flirts with a fangbanger, flees to the restroom out of guilt, where she is cornered by Pam who teases her about her dilemma.
• Arlene has given birth to Rene’s child, and is still convinced that baby Michael will inherit his murderous father’s tendencies. She comes home and finds that the baby has taken all of the heads off of his sister’s Barbie dolls, and prompty has a panic attack. “What kind of child beheads Barbies?” she asks her now-husband Terry, who replies, “Boys.” I couldn’t agree more, Terry. Arlene’s fretting will probably do more damage to the child than his dead father’s DNA.
• Bill is now the vampire king, although not much is said about when or how this came to be.
• During Sookie’s “disappearance”, Jason sold the Stackhouse property, saying that he was too sad at being reminded how everyone else was gone to hold on to it. Turns out the mystery buyer was none other than Eric, who uses his ownership to his advantage by inviting himself into Sookie’s bedroom, telling her with a toothy declaration, “You are MINE”. Wonder what lil’ ole Miss Stackhouse has to say about that? Guess we’ll find out next week.

Speaking of next week, HBO has made the second episode immediately available for HBOGO subscribers on their website.

In “Gringotts & Goblins”, the cast and crew take us behind the scenes for what was one of the most memorable chapters in “Deathly Hallows”. Harry, Ron and Hermione enlist the help of Griphook the Goblin in order to break in to Gringott’s Bank, where they believe one of Voldemort’s horcruxes is hidden. Warwick Davis, who plays Griphook, gives viewers a little bit of background on who Griphook is, and explains what is happening in the scene. One of the most interesting aspects of this scene is seeing Helena Bonham Carter act as Hermione, acting as Bellatrix (through the use of Polyjuice Potion).

You can see the video below:

(Bloggers note: Is it just me, or does Ron look way cool – and hawt! – with the longer hair and facial scruff?!)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be in theaters on July 15.

Pottermore logo from official website

Pottermore, the latest project by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, has announced via their Twitter page that beginning tomorrow, three new chapters will be previewed on the website. According to the tweet, posted around 11am EST:

Pottermore was announced last week as the next phase in the Harry Potter journey. While no new books will be written, the website will feature new material relating to the stories that have already been told in the seven-volume series. For more on what Pottermore is, check out J.K. Rowling’s announcement below:

 

In “Where We Left off”,  clips of the trailers from both Deathly Hallows films are interspersed with snippets of interviews with cast members Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, Director David Yates, Producers David Heyman and David Barron. The clip basically gives a recap of the key points from Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and sets fans up for what to expect in Part 2.

In “The Story”, the aforementioned cast and crew talk about the plot for Part 2, which will conclude Harry, Ron and Hermione’s horcrux hunt with the final battle at Hogwarts, where heavy losses will hit both sides. Where Part 1 was mostly a character-and-plot building story, Part 2 is being boasted as an “action” film from start to finish. Truths will be revealed, destinies will be fulfilled, and a few well-missed faces will return as Harry ends his lifelong battle against Voldemort. But when the battle is over and the  dust has settled, which side will claim victory?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be in theaters nationwide on July 15.

Pottermore logo from official website

For Harry Potter fans, the wait is finally over: this morning at 7am EST, author J.K. Rowling released a video announcing the launch of Pottermore, a new, interactive website that will be the ultimate experience for fans of the best-selling books and films.

From the official press release:

For this groundbreaking collaborative project, J.K. Rowling has written extensive new material about the characters, places and objects in the much-loved stories, which will inform, inspire and entertain readers as they journey through the storylines of the books. Pottermore will later incorporate an online shop where people can purchase exclusively the long-awaited Harry Potter eBooks, in partnership with J.K. Rowling’s publishers worldwide, and is ultimately intended to become an online reading experience, extending the relevance of Harry Potter to new generations of readers, while still appealing to existing fans. As the Pottermore Shop develops, it is intended that it should include further products designed specifically for Harry Potter fans, offering a potential outlet for Sony products and services related to Pottermore. In keeping with Harry Potter’s international appeal, the site will launch in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish, with more languages to follow.

In the new website, the storyline will be brought to life with sumptuous newly-commissioned illustrations and interactive ‘Moments’ through which you can navigate, starting with the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) Stone. On entering, you choose a magic username and begin your experience. As you move through the chapters, you can read and share exclusive writing from J.K. Rowling, and, just as Harry joins Hogwarts, so can you. You visit Diagon Alley, get sorted into a house, cast spells and mix potions to help your house compete for the House Cup.

 Fans of the series have been speculating about what Pottermore would be ever since last week’s announcement that Rowling would be working on a new, Potter-related project. Guesses included eBooks, a digital version of the long waited “encyclopedia” that would offer extensive background information in the Harry Potter world and characters, and some sort of RPG (Role-Playing Game). Looks like Pottermore will be a combination of all of that, and more; the press release states that eventually a Pottermore Shop will be available, which will offer products specifically designed for Harry Potter fans.

The full details from the press release can be viewed at this link.

]]> http://hmrpotter.com/2011/06/23/j-k-rowling-announces-details-for-pottermore-website/feed/ 1 hmrpotter Pottermore logo http://hmrpotter.com/2011/06/16/final-deathly-hallows-trailer-is-released/ http://hmrpotter.com/2011/06/16/final-deathly-hallows-trailer-is-released/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:08:32 +0000 hmrpotter http://hmrpotter.com/?p=2501 Continue reading »

Every moment he’s lived has led to this.

The first ten seconds had me in tears and squealing simultaneously with excitement and dread: Warner Bros. has released the final full-length trailer for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

Just a quick rundown (in other words, SPOILERS) of some of the key scenes in the trailer:

• Lily Potter telling baby Harry, “Harry be safe, be strong.” (I know I’m not the only one who teared up at that scene!)
• Flashbacks to the previous seven films
• The quidditch pitch being destroyed
• Dragon escape!
• Trolls and dementors
• Remus and Tonks
• RON AND HERMIONE!!!!

I won’t post anything else; if you want full details and are familiar with the story, you’ll know which key scenes were kept in the film.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be in theaters July 15.

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Pottermore logo from official website

The Harry Potter fandom was thrown into a frenzy yesterday after several announcements on Potter-related fan sites gave indication that author J.K. Rowling planned to announce her next project. However, in typical J.K. Rowling fashion (see her website if you don’t know what I mean), fans were encouraged to participate in a scavenger hunt of sorts to find out clues to the project. The announcement made on the website for Jo’s “Secret Street View” stated:

J.K. Rowling has something new to announce.

This is not a new book, but it is something equally exciting. As a teaser before the official announcement, ten letters have been hidden on this website for you to find. To locate them you just need to enter ten individual coordinates in the search box and explore.

The coordinates are being revealed among ten Harry Potter fan sites throughout the 15th and 16th of June 2011. Find the correct sites and you could be one of the first to piece the word together.

Good luck to you all.

Of course, with news of possible new material from Rowling, it didn’t take Potter fans long to crack the code: the ten letters spell the word “Pottermore”, and is the name of Rowling’s next project.

So, what is Pottermore?

That is the million dollar question, and one that will not be answered until June 23, when an official announcement is expected to be made, according to the following video, which is now posted on the official YouTube site.

In addition to the website, you can now follow Pottermore on Twitter  and on the Facebook page.

With the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, less than a month away from being released in theaters on July 15, most Potter fans are welcoming something, anything new that has anything to do with the wizarding world. And it looks like they’ll get their wish.

Here’s one of the “unoffical” photos that was posted on the Facebook page yesterday. What do you think Pottermore is?

According to the film’s official Facebook page, the trailer will be released exclusively on Apple.com at 4pm PST. The film will be released in theaters on July 15; tickets are already on sale nationwide.

And while you’re drooling over the photo at the left, I will shamelessly admit to adding this blog post with just a teensy bit of lust going on.

If you haven’t guessed by now, Joe Manganiello – who plays hot-blooded werewolf Alcide Herveaux on the HBO hit series “True Blood” – has been added to this year’s guest list for Dragon*Con 2011. This makes the third guest from the show, with Jim Parrack (Hoyt Fortenberry) having been added about a month ago, and Denis O’Hare (Russell Edgington, Vampire King of Mississippi), who was added back in April. Joe joined the show in season 2, and was quickly promoted to series regular for season 3. Expect for Alcide to play a larger role in the show, now that love interest Sookie is unattached. Season 4 of “True Blood” premieres June 26 on HBO.

Another fan favorite comes to Dragon*Con from the locally-filmed television series, “The Vampire Diaries”. Sara Canning, who plays Aunt Jenna on the show, has been confirmed to appear. SPOILER ALERT Jenna’s role on the show took a major, unforeseen turn in the last few episodes of the second season, beginning with her finding out that vampires exist to her being turned into one and eventually killed as part of Klaus’ ritual to become the first vampire/werewolf hybrid. Canning will be joined by fellow cast mate David Anders, who played John Gilbert on the show.

Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. Every Labor Day weekend, about 40,000 people crowd the streets and take over the hotels of downtown Atlanta to meet friends, celebrities, cosplay and totally geek out. Ticket information can be found on the official website.

You can read more about my experiences at Dragon*Cons past at this link.

Included in the promos are the usual suspects (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Voldemort, Bellatrix, Snape, Draco and Neville), but now we get to see some secondary characters shine, in the images of Professor McGonagall, Griphook, and Fred & George Weasley. Check out the images below:

The images, coming just over a month before the franchise takes it’s final bow, are somewhat bittersweet as fans of the best-selling novels know: several characters will meet their tragic ends in the final film, due in theaters July 15. For those of you who haven’t read the books, can you guess which characters will perish, and who will survive?

Gillies plays the-Original-who-just-won’t-die vampire Elijah, who was last seen being killed by his powerful, hybrid brother Klaus in the season 2 finale. He will participate in a Q&A, photo op and autograph sessions, Banquet and Sixties Dance, according to the Eyecon website.

Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 will be held in Downtown Atlanta the weekend of Oct 28-30 at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. Events will include a Celebrity Q&A, photo-op and autograph sessions, a Celebrity Banquet, a 60s themed dance (similar to the one in the season 2 episode “The Last Dance”), and a Mystic Falls Halloween party. There will also be fan panels, a dealer/vendor room, and a concert by musical guests The Nova Echo.

Ticket sales for Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 will begin on June 13 at noon; ticket prices and information can be found at this link. “The Vampire Diaries” will return for season 3 in the fall on The CW network; it will now air on Friday nights at 8pm, right before “Supernatural”.

Credit: HBO

Breaking up does indeed suck, and die-hard Truebies will find out just how much when the HBO hit series “True Blood” makes its’ Season 4 debut on June 26.

In the season 3 finale, Sookie (Anna Paquin) had just learned that Bill (Stephen Moyer) originally set out to find her under the command of Queen Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood), who was interested in using Sookie’s telepathic abilities to further her own causes. Judging by the new promo for season 4, looks like Sookie will not want for suitors intent on mending her broken heart.

“True Blood” Season 4 begins on Sunday, June 26 at 9pm EST.

The show, which was broadcast live, also delivered the very first official trailer for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1. You can view the trailer below:

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 will be in theaters November 18, 2011.

Actress Emma Watson introduced the barely 60-second clip of Harry walking in the Forbidden Forest to Voldemort, which only included two never-before-seen shots: one of Hagrid, bound by ropes shouting a distraught “Harry? NO!”; the last shot of the clip showed a flash of green light at Voldemort shoots the Killing Curse at Harry.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 was nominated in six categories; however, the only win came for actor Tom Felton, who won the Best Villain Award for his portrayal of Draco Malfoy.

You can find the complete list of nominees and winners at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards website.

Source: CW

The ladies are taking the lead for Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2, as Katerina Graham (Bonnie Bennett) joins the guest list for the popular fan convention, which returns to Atlanta in October.

Bonnie Bennett, a witch in Mystic Falls and best friend to Elena (Nina Dobrev) has found herself an unwilling ally to the vampires, in an effort to save Elena from whatever peril she happens to find herself in. Whether it’s original vampires/hybrids, werewolves, other witches or humans with bad intentions, Bonnie has evolved from a simple witch who can do minor tricks into a force to be reckoned with.

Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 will be held in Downtown Atlanta the weekend of Oct 28-30 at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. Events will include a Celebrity Q&A, photo-op and autograph sessions, a Celebrity Banquet, a 60s themed dance (similar to the one in the season 2 episode “The Last Dance”), and a Mystic Falls Halloween party. There will also be fan panels, a dealer/vendor room, and a concert by musical guests The Nova Echo. In addition to Katerina Graham, Nina Dobrev has been confirmed for this event. Other guest additions can be expected soon.

Ticket sales for Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 will begin on June 13 at noon; ticket prices and information can be found at this link. “The Vampire Diaries” will return for season 3 in the fall on The CW network; it will now air on Friday nights at 8pm, right before “Supernatural”.

Star Emma Watson will be on-hand to present a montage of the Harry Potter films, which will take its’ final curtain call July 15 with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  Part 2. It is being reported that clips from the film will also debut during the live broadcast.

The first installment of the two-part finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  Part 1, is nominated in the following categories:

• Best Movie
• Best Male Performance – Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
• Best Female Performance – Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)
• Best Kiss – Harry/Hermione horcrux scene
• Best Fight – Harry, Ron & Hermione vs. Dolohov & Rowle
• Best Villain – Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)

Warner Bros. has been giving up the goodies the past week, releasing eight – yes, count them, eight! – new character posters for the upcoming final chapter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

The posters, which have been released on a daily basis since last week, have the tagline “It all ends 7.15.11″ accompanying the battle worn faces of some of the most beloved (or reviled, based on who you’re asking) characters from J.K. Rowling’s ridiculously successful series. All eight characters have major parts to play in the final chapter of the Harry/Voldemort saga which has captivated viewers onscreen for the past ten years.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be in theaters July 15.

The last Twilight installment, Eclipse, was released in theaters in June 2010, and many fans bemoaned the fact that they would have to wait 2 1/2 years for the complete end to the series (Breaking Dawn part 2 won’t be in theaters until next November). But maybe now, with less than six months until the release of part 1, the anticipated media barrage will satisfy their bloodlust until they are reunited with their beloved coven or wolfpack once again. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn is scheduled for theatrical releases in November 2011 (part 1) and November 2012 (part 2).

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse received seven nominations in six categories:

• Best Kiss – Edward/Bella (Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart)
• Best Fight – Edward vs. Victoria & Riley (Robert Pattinson, Bryce Dallas-Howard and Xavier Samuel)
• Best Breakout Star – Xavier Samuel
• Best Female Performance – Kristen Stewart
• Best Male Performance – Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
• Best Movie

Voting is still open at this link: http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/2011/categories.jhtml

The 2011 MTV Movie Awards will be broadcast live on Sunday, June 5 at 9pm EST.

Empire’s special “Harry Potter” issue is out on newsstands now. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be in theaters July 15.

However, it looks as though Dragon*Con has taken steps to alleviate the problem, judging by a recently posted announcement on the official website:

Dragon*Con will be using barcodes to speed up the registration process for 2011. Those of you who have purchased your memberships in advance will receive (or have received already) a postcard with a barcode on the mailing label. Please bring that postcard (with the mailing label intact and legible) AND a valid government-issued photo ID with you to the registration area at the convention. That will greatly speed up your (and everyone else’s) registration experience at Dragon*Con 2011. Forgetting to bring the postcard or the valid government-issued ID will slow down your registration process.

For those of you who are paying on-site, you can shorten your time in line as well. Click here and fill out the form, submit it, and it will generate a .pdf file with a QR code that you print and bring to the on site registration area at the convention. This form is not connected to any database, it is merely a utility for printing your own QR code.  The QR code will contain all your demographic information, mildly encrypted and base64 encoded. As always you will need to have a valid government-issued photo ID with you as well to complete the on-site registration process.

I’ve had the opportunity in the past to speak with both fans and Dragon*Con staffers who have been frustrated with the delays in registration and genuinely trying to find reasonable solutions to make the experience better for everyone, and it looks as if they are traveling down the right path. We shall see this Labor Day weekend, when celebrities and geeks from around the world take over the streets of downtown Atlanta for the four-day fandom celebration.

The films, which will each be presented in extended cut for the first time onscreen, will be released as a three-night event in many cities across the nation. A listing of participating theaters nationwide can be found on the Fathom Events website; tickets can be purchased by following this link, but hurry because seating is limited.

The event will begin on June 14 with “The Fellowship of the Ring”, followed by “The Two Towers” on June 21, and concluding with “The Return of the King” on June 28. Each event is scheduled to begin at 7pm. local time.

Ten theaters across Georgia will participate in the three-day event:

AMC Mansell Crossing 14 – Alpharetta

AMC Phipps Plaza 14 – Atlanta

AMC Parkway Point 15 – Atlanta

Augusta Exchange 20 – Augusta

Hollywood 24 @North I-85 – Chamblee

AMC North Dekalb 16 – Decatur

Tinseltown USA – Fayetteville

AMC Barrett Commons 24 – Kennesaw

AMC Discover Mills 18 – Lawrenceville

AMC Stonecrest Megastar 16 – Lithonia

McDonough 16 – McDonough

AMC Southlake Pavilion 24 – Morrow

Savannah Stadium 10 – Savannah

Seeing the need for a larger facility, Eyecon has chosen the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel as the venue for events which will include Celebrity Q&A, photo-op and autograph sessions, a Celebrity Banquet, a 60s themed dance (similar to the one in the season 2 episode “The Last Dance”), and a Mystic Falls Halloween party. There will also be fan panels, a dealer/vendor room, and a concert by musical guests The Nova Echo.

As the convention has just been recently announced, the only confirmed guest so far is Nina Dobrev, who brilliantly does double duty on the show as Elena Gilbert, the object of affection for both of the Salvatore Brothers, and as Katherine Pierce, the controlling vampire who is responsible for turning the brothers into vampires in the first place. The first Eyecon: Vampire Diaries convention included stars Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore), Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore), Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood), Stephen R. McQueen (Jeremy Gilbert) and Robert Pralgo (Mayor Lockwood).

Eyecon is not all about just fun and games, though. The event in March included a successful Blood Drive, and several auctions that benefitted the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, which focuses on restoring and protecting the environment.

Ticket sales for Eyecon: Vampire Diaries 2 will begin on June 13 at noon; ticket prices and information can be found at this link. “The Vampire Diaries” will return for season 3 in the fall on The CW network; it will now air on Friday nights at 8pm, right before “Supernatural”.

In addition to earlier announcements of guests Misha Collins (Castiel the Angel) and Mark A. Sheppard (Crowley the Demon), the updated Dragon*Con lineup now includes Jim Beaver, Samantha Ferris, Julie McNiven and Christopher Heyerdahl.

Beaver has become one of the favorites in a fandom well known for an almost obsessive fixation with the two main stars/characters, Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester) and Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester). As fellow hunter Bobby Singer, he has become the father figure, reluctant hero, and pain-in-the-ass needed to keep the Winchesters on their toes and constantly thinking in a profession where a stray thought can easily get you killed.

Bobby and Ellen in "My Heart Will Go On"

As the tough-as-nails-with-a-heart-of-gold hunter Ellen Harvelle, Samantha Ferris has become one of the very few females on the show that the fans actually like. The Supernatural fandom is known for their extreme dislike of female characters that “take away” from the storyline involving the brothers; Ellen and her daughter Jo are exceptions. Both Harvelle’s were killed in action during the latter part of season 5, although we have seen Ellen return (in the season 6 episode “My Heart Will Go On”).

Julie McNiven’s Anna was the fallen angel; one of the first that Dean and Sam would encounter who’d convince the brothers that angels do indeed exist. Once an ally (and lover to Dean), she quickly changed sides once she regained her wings, going back in time to try to kill the brothers’ parents in a misguided attempt to prevent the Apocolypse. Needless to say, her character did not last much longer after that; no one survives for very long once the Winchesters have you on their hit-list.

Christopher Heyerdahl only appeared in three episodes in season 5, but made his mark known as the demon Alistair, who was responsible for Dean’s punishment/torture during his time trapped in Hell. Heyerdahl is also well-known for appearing on “Stargate Atlantis”, and he is one of the feared Volturi members in The Twilight Saga films, playing Volturi leader Marcus.

Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. Every Labor Day weekend, about 40,000 people crowd the streets and take over the hotels of downtown Atlanta to meet friends, celebrities, cosplay and totally geek out. Ticket information can be found on the official website.

You can read more about my experiences at Dragon*Cons past at this link.

Voldemort retrieves the Elder Wand

I don’t even have the words right now…all I can say is OH. MY. GOODNESS.

This film is going to be epic. No words are needed: just watch.

I won’t post details here, so as not to spoil it for any non-book fans. But anyone who is a fan of the books will recognize several KEY scenes that (thankfully) have been kept in the film, even if they seem a bit altered. Nonetheless, this film promises to end the Harry Potter series with the phenomenal finish it truly deserves. And I will be there, at midnight, with my Kleenex at hand, crying as I say farewell.

While Felton is best known to movie-going audiences as Harry Potter’s rival Draco Malfoy, he has not slowed down since filming on the best-selling franchise ended last December. In addition to the epic finale of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, some of Felton’s upcoming projects include the sci-fi thriller The Apparition (which also stars The Twilight Saga’s Ashley Greene), and Rise of the Planet of the Apes – the latest reboot in the Planet of the Apes saga.

Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. Every Labor Day weekend, about 40,000 people crowd the streets and take over the hotels of downtown Atlanta to meet friends, celebrities, cosplay and totally geek out.

If you want to read more about my experiences at Dragon*Cons past, you can find my blog entries at this link.

Dragon*Con takes place every Labor Day weekend in downtown Atlanta. Ticket information can be found on the official website.

On the show, best friends Aiden (Sam Witwer) and Josh (Sam Huntington)  are co-workers-turned-roommates trying to pass as human; Aiden is an old vampire, Josh is a young werewolf. They unwittingly gain a third roommate in Sally (Meaghan Rath), a ghost who is the previous resident in their new residence. Sally doesn’t understand why she’s still bound to the earth, and her story takes an interesting turn a few episodes into the premiere season. Through various trials and tribulations, the trio manage to form the unlikeliest of friendships that make for interesting television. The show was renewed for a second season back in March and is currently on hiatus, but generally airs on Monday nights in the U.S.

Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. Every Labor Day weekend, about 40,000 people crowd the streets and take over the hotels of downtown Atlanta to meet friends, celebrities, cosplay and totally geek out. Ticket information can be found on the official website.

You can read more about my experiences at Dragon*Cons past at this link.

Deathly Hallows – Part 1 finds Harry, Ron and Hermione far from the comfort and safety of Hogwarts as they go on the run to search for a way to vanquish Lord Voldemort and free the Wizarding World from his reign of terror. During their search for Voldemort’s horcruxes (objects used to stor a piece of one’s soul), they learn about the Deathly Hallows – magical artifacts of extraordinary power which, when combined, will make the owner the master over death. Voldemort’s goal is to find the fabled Elder Wand, which he believes will help him to finally kill Harry and become the most powerful Dark Wizard to ever live.

The DVD for Deathly Hallows – Part 1 includes several deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and will also feature the first four minutes of the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, which will be released in theaters on July 15.

Fans can also get a sneak peek at Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in today’s Entertainment Weekly magazine, which features the film on the cover of its “Summer Movie Preview” issue. The issue gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the final film, and spoiler details on which scenes were changed during the adaptation from the best-selling novel by J.K. Rowling. The issue is on newsstands today.

Here is the official description of S6x17 “My Heart Will Go On”: SAM AND DEAN TEMPT FATE — After Balthazar (guest star Sebastian Roche) changes history and keeps the Titanic from sinking, Fate (guest star Katie Walder) intervenes and begins killing those that would have died on the ship. Castiel (Misha Collins) tells Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) that Fate is very upset with the two of them and the only way they can stay alive is to kill her.

Are you an artist who loves the world of Harry Potter? Want to see your art featured in (what I know will be) a best-selling book, with proceeds going to help the HP Alliance?

Well, Harry Potter fansite Mugglenet is looking for a few good artists for their latest project: a book of fan art based on the work of J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series. The project (which is being spearheaded by News Editor Keith Hawk – who also happens to be one of my best friends) will be taking submissions until April 17th.

This is the full announcement as it was posted on Mugglenet’s Fan Art page:  **Attention! MuggleNet.com has received permission from WB and JKR representatives and is underway creating a new MuggleNet Harry Potter Fan Art Collection Book to be published sometime in the near future! All proceeds from this book will be given to the Harry Potter Alliance. If you are interested in having your artwork included in this special collection, please contact: keith@staff.mugglenet.com for the details. All art and required forms are to be submitted by midnight Sunday April 17th, 2011.**

This is a great opportunity to share great fanart with people outside of the Harry Potter fandom, as well as helping a great cause! So send those submissions to Keith before April 17th, and let’s spread the Potter love!!

Harry on the Motorbike

It’s a scene that Harry Potter book purists are sure to rage over (the fact that it was kept out of the movie, that is). I won’t even bother with a full post for this one…go to the second clip, about :50 in.

HOW IN THE HELL COULD THEY LEAVE THIS OUT!!!!!!!

And let the comments begin…

Thanks to Paige for the tip.

The scene seems to take place during the “never-ending camping trip” the trio embark on while on the run from the Ministry of Magic and the Death Eaters. It shows Ron and Hermione having a rare moment alone as Ron teaches Hermione how to skip stones on a lake. It’s the first time since the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where we see such a carefree and intimate moment between just the two of them. (And no, I don’t count the hospital scene in Half-Blood Prince because Ron wasn’t even aware of it). And if I can speak for the many Ron/Hermione fans out there in the HP fandom, it’s long overdue.

You can see this – and other – deleted scenes when the DVD is released on April 15.

Image credit: Empire Magazine

The Quibbler headlines the MoM's declaration that Harry is "Undesirable No. 1"

Just under a minute in length, the scene shows viewers a different side to Petunia Dursley, one that book readers have had a brief glimpse of in the book version but one movie watchers have never seen until now. Personally, I think this one scene is one of the best filmed, and hope that in some future DVD release we’ll be able to see this – along with other deleted scenes – in an extended release of the film (hint, hint, Warner Bros.)

The scene may not resonate as important enough for fans who have only watched the films, but for fans of the original written work, the brief scene is a powerful reminder of how a few sentences of dialogue can change your whole outlook on who you think a character is. It also shows how much the omission of a simple scene could possibly have changed the whole tone of a film.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 will be released on DVD April 15.

Here is the published schedule for the weekend; please note that schedule is subject to change.

I will be attending Eyecon for the entire weekend, so you can check this blog for updates, or follow me on Twitter.

Events for the weekend will include Q&A sessions, autograph and photo op sessions, the Friday night Cocktail Carnival of Terror, Saturday Celebrity Banquet, the Mystic Masquerade Ball, and the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant.

More details on the con can be found at this link, or at the official website page at www.eyeconfla.com.

Eyecon: Vampire Diaries takes place March 25-27.

Image credit: The CW

The guest list so far looks very promising: Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore), Steven R. McQueen (Jeremy Gilbert), Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood), Robert Pralgo (Mayor Lockwood), Lauren Cohan (Rose), and Chris W. Martin (Zach Salvatore) have all been confirmed; more guests could be added at a later date. Activities will include Q&A panels, autograph and photo op sessions, a celebrity cocktail party, and a Saturday night Masquerade Ball.

EyeCon has quickly grown in size and popularity since its inception in 2006. Although the cons are smaller (generally around 600 or so people), the smaller size lends to a more friendly and intimate atmosphere which is enjoyed by guests and fans alike. One of my very first fan convention experiences was EyeCon’s first Supernatural event in 2007, where I got to meet several of the stars from the show, as well as some fans who have since become great friends. If you’re never been to an EyeCon convention, you should definitely check one out!

EyeCon: Vampire Diaries will take place March 25-27 at the Westin Atlanta Airport hotel. Details and ticket information can be found on EyeCon’s official website or on their Facebook page.

Hope to see you there!

EyeCon: Vampire Diaries image used with permission.

Dragon*Con is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film. Every Labor Day weekend, about 40,000 people crowd the streets and take over the hotels of downtown Atlanta to meet friends, celebrities, cosplay and totally geek out. I first attended in 2007 and it has now become a must-attend event for me.

I’m hoping that with these two confirmed, we will be able to 1) get more stars from the series here at Dragon*Con, and 2) get more “Supernatural” themed panels at Dragon*Con.

If you want to read more about my experiences at Dragon*Cons past, you can find my blog entries at this link.

Dragon*Con takes place every Labor Day weekend in downtown Atlanta. Ticket information can be found on the official website.

NEW YORK, NY (January 14, 2011) – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, will host a special International Fan Event, featuring Twilight fans from around the world.  Ten fans will be chosen to have a once-in-a-lifetime intimate meeting with international bestselling author Stephenie Meyer.  The event coincides with the upcoming release of The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide (April 12, 2011; $24.99).

Little, Brown is partnering with the Twilight Saga publishers in Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Taiwan and the United Kingdom to bring together each country’s respective Twilight fan.  The fan selected from each country will receive an advance copy of The Official Illustrated Guide and get to talk extensively with Meyer, who will answer their Twilight-related questions.

“The one thing I miss most about my first book tour was the chance I had then to spend quality time with my readers,” said Meyer.  “At an event with just ten or twenty people, I was able to get to know everyone a little bit.  I could also more effectively answer each person’s questions.  I’m so excited to have that opportunity again, and to get to spend time with fans from many different places and backgrounds.”

“We receive hundreds of travel requests for Stephenie from our foreign publishing partners every year,” said Megan Tingley, Senior Vice President and Publisher of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.  “Since it is physically impossible for one author to be in so many places, we thought this would be a great way to bring some fans to her.”

The Official Rules for the sweepstakes to select the fan from the United States (as well as one from Canada), including entry details and eligibility requirements, can be found on TheTwilightSaga.com.

Due to the intimate nature of this event, details regarding the location and timing are being kept confidential.  Photos and additional details will be distributed upon the event’s conclusion.

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide provides readers with exclusive new material and everything they need to further explore the unforgettable world Stephenie Meyer created in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.  The Guide also includes character profiles, outtakes, a conversation with Meyer, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references, and much more.  Originally announced as “The Official Guide,” The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide includes illustrations from several artists, including Young Kim, the illustrator behind the #1 New York Times bestselling Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1.

In five years, Stephenie Meyer has become a worldwide publishing phenomenon.  The Twilight Saga’s translation rights have been sold in nearly 50 countries and 116 million copies have been sold worldwide.

Hachette Book Group (HBG) is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second-largest publisher in the world. HBG publishes under the divisions of Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords, Center Street, Orbit, and Hachette Digital.

The supernatural element of time-traveling added to the appeal of this book for me, but overall, it was the love story that sucked me in and made me fall in love with it. Being a hopeless romantic myself, to read a story that talks about not only romantic love, but maternal love and how powerful and impactful they can both be was very moving for me. The story shows that love really can transcend time and space, and who doesn’t want that kind of love in their life?

I think the only thing that slightly bothered me was the age difference and some interactions between Henry and Clare when he was older, traveling back to see her younger self. But again, in this instance since they ended up married anyway, it wasn’t so bad; just a bit weird to read.

All in all, I think this was a great story, and I’m glad that I chose it to kick of my year of reading for 2011.

“Camelot” stars Jamie Campbell Bower as King Arthur; Bower is probably best known to audiences these days as Caius, one of the Volturi in The Twilight Saga franchise (he also had a small part as young Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1). Other cast members include Joseph Fiennes as Merlin (another Harry Potter connection; his brother Ralph plays Lord Voldemort), Tasmin Egerton as Guinevere, Claire Forlani as Queen Igraine, and Eva Green as Morgan le Fay.

The Quibbler headlines the MoM's declaration that Harry is "Undesirable No. 1"

First thing’s first: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2 (c’mon now, you knew this would be first in the list!):  The end of 2010 brought Harry Potter fans part 1 of the adaptation of the final HP novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. While DHP1 was probably one of the best films in the series, for me it only cemented the fact that Part 2 will be EPIC in terms of storytelling and properly closing out the franchise. I am very much looking forward to the scenes in Gringott’s Bank, Harry’s walk towards death, Snape’s memories, and – oh yes – Ron and Hermione’s much anticipated kiss. However, I do not look forward to the sense of loss I will feel when the closing credits begin to play, and will probably sit through until the very end just to confirm to myself that yes, it is indeed over.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: I have to admit that in regard to Breaking Dawn, I’m only interested in seeing it because I want to see how in the world this story will translate onscreen, period. Anyone who knows me knows that while I loved the novel at first glance, the more and more I pondered how the final chapter in Bella’s story was told, the more and more I disliked it, and my dislike for Breaking Dawn eventually killed my fangirl love for the series as a whole. I still like the story, but the way that Stephenie Meyer completely changes her characters in the final novel just didn’t sit right with me, and because of this I’ve had almost no interest in any news regarding the fourth-and-fifth films in the franchise. However, me being who I am, I wouldn’t feel right not seeing the franchise through until the very end, so here’s hoping that the onscreen version of BD will peak my interest again long enough for me to sit through the film. Also, any chance to drool over Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Kellan Lutz is okay with me.

“Supernatural”: 2010 also brought an unexpected treat for “Supernatural” fans, as the always-underrated but highly popular CW show was renewed for a sixth season (it was originally supposed to be a five-season show). Sam and Dean were able to stop the coming Apocalypse, but not without heavy losses and serious consequences. Fans who were expecting a Sam/Dean reunion only got part of what they wanted, as Sam returned a bit…different than he was when he left. This turn of events has given us a different look at the brothers Winchester, and I absolutely love not knowing what to expect with these two. The show is currently on winter hiatus, but will be back on January 28th to draw fans back into the increasing conflict and drama, and I for one will be glued to the television set when it does.

“Vampire Diaries”: I can’t even begin to state how much I am enjoying this show right now!!! When VD was first being pitched, I really thought this would be a Twilight ripoff (yes, I know that the VD books were written WAY before Twilight, but since Twilight hit the screen first, you know…). However, this show is what Twilight wants to be but never will. The writers for this show have taken the L.J. Smith’s story and expanded it in ways I never expected, and I LOVE it!! The Elena/Stefan/Damon/Katherine storyline stays fresh and interesting, and Nina Dobrev is amazing pulling double duty between being sinfully sweet Elena and wickedly irresistible Katherine. The promos for the second half of season 2 looks very promising, as we will see what happens when Tyler shifts for the first time, and the “I-saw-it-coming” love triangle between Tyler/Caroline/Matt. It also looks like Rose will have an interesting storyline to deal with as well when the show returns to TV January 27th.

“V”: FINALLY returns to TV on Tuesday night after a too-damn-long hiatus! ABC re-aired the last episode of “V”, and I think the accompanying promo for the new episodes have gotten me excited for this show again. Anna is angry and hell-bent on destroying the humans, and it will be fun to watch what happens as she also struggles with the fact that she is experiencing the unexpected: human emotion. I’m not completely hooked on this show yet, but I’m invested enough to continue watching to see where it will go.

Aeternitas 2011 : Aeternitas is a Harry Potter fan convention that will take place in Laconia, N.H. the last weekend in April. I’m very excited to attend this event, as there will be nothing but HP fans in attendance and since it’s a smaller convention, there will be more chances for me to really get to know some of the online friends I’ve had for years.

Eyecon Vampire Diaries: Eyecon was one of the very first themed fan conventions I had been to, and to this day it has been one of – if not the best convention I’ve ever been to. The smaller size of attendees lends to a more intimate setting, where fans actually get the chance to “hang out” with the guests in attendance. Eyecon 2008 was Supernatural themed, and I got a chance to chat in length with Jim Beaver (Bobby) and Samantha Ferris (Ellen Harvelle), and hung out with some of the others stars from the show. It was truly a great experience, and one that I’m hoping to repeat in March when Eyecon comes to Atlanta for its first ever Vampire Diaries convention. Any chance that I get to fully geek out and fangirl – especially in my own back yard – I’m all for it!!

CREATION Salute to Supernatural, Nashville: As much as the high prices of Creation Cons make me cringe, the fact that they are bringing a Supernatural convention down south – with BOTH Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles – is too much of a good thing for me to miss.

Dragon*Con: My home away from home for the past 3 years, Dragon*Con is my “must-attend” event every year. I have gotten to know so many cool people because of this convention, and it is always one of the best weekends of the year for me.

There’s certainly a lot more that I’m looking forward to in 2011, but I will post some of those later. My goal is to do a better job keeping up this blog this year, and I hope that you guys will continue to come along for the ride.

Ron, from the official Harry Potter Facebook page

Have you guys heard me and Fancy Fembot dish on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 yet? If not, you totally should.

(BTW, this episode is totally spoilery, so if you have not read the books – really, what the hell are you waiting for?? – then prepare to be spoiled).

Sci-Fi Party Line Episode #86

“With her knack for being in trouble’s way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte’s, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit – and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can’t ‘read’ vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his ‘child’ Pam well – and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human – and that there is a new Queen on the board . . . ”

Looks like Sookie just can’t stay out of trouble, can she?

As a fan who has been disappointed in the past by the majority of the changes that has been made to canon, I was pleasantly surprised that there were fewer changes in this film than in the past four. Yes, there were changes and omissions that did bug me, but I feel that overall, David Yates and company did a fabulous job of giving the story the proper respect it deserves. The casting of new characters (Rufus Scrimgeour, Bathilda Bagshot, Pius Thicknesse) was spot-on, as usual and the performances given by the veterans was some of the best I’ve seen. Here are some of my likes and dislikes of the film, and I will include a few spoilers as possible.

LIKES:

• The Tale of the Three Brothers – This sequence in the movie was the BEST in the film, and in my opinion probably the best scene in ANY of the Harry Potter films to date. The look and feel of the animation was so completely different from anything we’ve previously seen in the franchise, and really gave the tale a sort of haunted quality when accompanied by Hermione’s voice.

• RUPERT GRINT – I may be a bit biased in this assessment as Ron is my favorite character, but Rupert Grint was fucking BRILLIANT in this film!! Finally the writing and direction has given Rupert something worthy to work with and to show why Ron is one of the best characters in the series, period. Whether he was being comical, talking some sense into Harry, being affectionate with Hermione, or being vulnerable, Rupert hit the nail on the head every. single. time. with his performance. If he isn’t nominated for any of the usual awards that Dan and Emma are nominated for (People’s Choice, MTV, etc) then I will be ready to Avada Kedavra someone. It is obvious from Rupert’s performances in this film (and also in Half-Blood Prince) that he is the most talented of the trio, although he rarely gets to shine as he has in these past two films.

Dobby

I have been neglecting my duties here on my blog, but I am going to make up for my absence with lots of goodies, especially where Harry Potter is concerned.

As the release date approaches for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Nov. 19), many new clips have been making their way onto the internet and causing quite a stir.

One of the most anticipated scenes among fans is the “Malfoy Manor” scene, where Ron and Harry attempt to rescue a tortured Hermione from the clutches of the insanely evil Bellatrix. They get help from an unlikely source, which will lead to one of the most talked about scenes from Deathly Hallows. Watch the clip below:

While the majority of the spots include scenes we’ve already seen when the first two trailers were released earlier this summer, there are some new scenes added in that should have fans excited. We get to see a bit of the Harry/Ginny romance (and while the clip I saw was not how it was in the book, it was still interesting enough to satisfy my H/G fangirl); there’s also a few snippets of the “7 Potters” scene, which look as though they will be very fun to watch. Dobby and Xenophilius Lovegood are seen more, and we also see more of Voldemort’s terrorizing.

But how about I just shut up telling you about it, and let you get to actually watching it?

Anyhoo, there have been some major casting developments today, with regard to two vampires who change the course of the storyline. First, it was announced that actress Maggie Grace will play the role of Irina, the vampire of the Denali clan who maliciously sets things in motion for the Volturi and Cullens to battle it out. Maggie is probably best known as the irresponsible teenager-turned-kidnap victim in the thriller Taken with Liam Neeson.

The next casting rumor was recently posted – and has yet to be confirmed – but word is that 9-year old actress Mackenzie Foy will play the hybrid human/vampire daughter of Edward and Bella, Renesmee. It has not been determined yet if Foy will portray Renesmee in all aspects of her development; to keep things safe for the non-book fans, let’s just say that Renesmee goes through quite the growth spurt in “Breaking Dawn”.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn will be the 4th and 5th films in The Twilight Saga series; following in the footsteps of another popular film franchise (Harry Potter), Summit Entertainment made the decision to split the final book into two films. Part 1 isn’t scheduled to be released until November 18, 2011, followed by Part 2 a year later on November 16, 2012.

That is seriously the best word I can think of to describe what I’ve already watched about 7 times so far: the latest trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The trailer was released tonight, promptly at 9pm EST (6pm PST) on the official Harry Potter Facebook page. It can be seen below, and I know you want to look, so go look, and then we’ll talk.

I need some time to process this, and then tomorrow – when I’ve had a chance to slow my brain down – I’ll make a more detailed post.

Also, I just recorded an episode of Comic Book Road Show with Lorrie about the trailer; I’ll post that link here when it’s ready.

PLEASE NOTE: This post is VERY SPOILER HEAVY for those fans who have only seen the movies (and not read the books).

All photos are the property of Warner Bros.

Yes, I’m well aware that I’m supposed to be in bed now, but my body obviously knew that something good was coming up, because it wouldn’t let me sleep. I was irritated at first, but after seeing what was posted to Facebook about 15 minutes ago, I’m a happy fangirl because we have new photos from Deathly Hallows!!!

In accordance with their “Join the Final Battle” promotion on Facebook, Warner Bros. has released four new photos from the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There are separate shots of each of the trio, and one other that looks to be Snatchers bringing in “suspects” to the Ministry of Magic.

In addition, Warner Bros. announced via Twitter that a brand new, full-length theatrical trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 will be released online tonight at 9PM EST/6PM PST. USA Today had a small preview on their site about the trailer, which included a photo of Harry and Hermione at Godric’s Hollow.

You know I’ll be watching – possible crying – and will post it as soon as it’s available.

Less than two months to go now!!!

UPDATE: A sixth photo has also made it’s way online, courtesy of the official Harry Potter Film Twitter page. It features Umbridge and others addressing a crowd at the Ministry of Magic, the “Magic is Might” sign prominently displayed.

Harry & Hermione at Godric's Hollow, USA Today

Harry, from the official Harry Potter Facebook page

Hermione, from the official Harry Potter Facebook page

Ron, from the official Harry Potter Facebook page

Snatchers, from the official Harry Potter Facebook page

Me with True Blood's Nelsan Ellis at Dragon*Con 2010

I know, I know…I promised more Dragon*Con updates and haven’t had the chance to post them! Real life has kept me busy, but never fear! Today I bring three videos from the first True Blood panel that was held on 9/3/10. Panelists included Kristen Bauer van Straten (Pam), Sam Trammell (Sam), and Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette). I will most likely edit this post later this weekend with more commentary (and hopefully, some transcription), but for now…enjoy.

True Blood panel at Dragon*Con, Part 1

True Blood panel at Dragon*Con, Part 2

True Blood panel at Dragon*Con, Part 3

Voldemort's followers are gathered at Malfoy Manor

Luckily the CW gave us this unexpected little gem during the show:

WARNING: THERE BE SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON!!!

There are several new scenes featured in this footage; let’s break them down:

* The commercial begins with Voldemort’s whispery voice, making an ominous statement: “Harry Potter, I have seen your heart, and it is mine.”

* Voldemort casting a bolt of lightening towards the sky while standing on top on Dumbledore’s grave; according to a fan account of the early screening that was held in Chicago last month, this is the point at which DH Part I will end.

* An image of a Death Eater flying away from a house, which looks like it could be the Lovegood house, based on a scene that appears later in the spot

* Ron backing away from the image casted by the locket Horcrux; quick shot of the chase during the “7 Potters” scene; the trio after fleeing from the Burrow

* Shot of Harry, another scene during the air chase, and a house crumbling to the ground (again, possibly the Lovegood house)

* Flashes of scenes from previous featurettes: Voldemort, Harry, the Death Eater stopping the Hogwarts Express; Ron fleeing inside the Ministry of Magic, Harry and Hagrid during the “7 Potters” chase, Bellatrix waving her wand.

* A new scene showing Nagini going in for an attack at Malfoy Manor; possibly during the scene where Charity Burbage meets her death?

* Quick flashes of Harry, then Hermione; a burst of light, and then Harry again before cutting to the Harry Potter storyboard.

And yes, I’m bouncing around in my seat as I watch the video and type this blog post. November 19 can’t come soon enough for me!!

Since I live in the Atlanta area and it only takes me approximately 10-15 minutes to get downtown, I usually drive back-and-forth to the convention every year. Since my first Dragon*Con in 2007, I’ve never been able to attend the Dragon*Con parade, and I had made plans to attend this year. However, my Blackberry had different plans, as it decided to reset itself sometime during the night, and I awoke on Saturday morning late, and to a white error screen instead of an alarm tone. I was SO. UPSET. that I’d missed the parade yet again, but I consider it a lesson well learned: I definitely plan to stay downtown next year, even if only for Friday night.

Moving right along, I got to Dragon*Con just in time to see the True Blood panel for the second day in a row. This time – in addition to previous guests Sam Trammell, Kristin Bauer van Straten, and Nelsan Ellis – Michelle Forbes joined the panel. I’m assuming the stars were able to get some rest, because they seemed more lively on Saturday than they did the previous day. I also think that the questions that were asked were better, and with Michelle joining the panel there was more variety on topics that were discussed, since fans could now ask questions about the whole Maenad storyline.

One of the sweet things about the panel was Kristen speaking of the “father/daughter” type relationship that we’ve seen evolve between Eric and Pam over the past couple of episodes; she actually began to choke up while speaking of it, and it seemed to be an emotional moment for her. There were lots of sighs in the audience, and I think it spoke to the strengths of the writers that she could be so touched by a scene like that.

After the True Blood panel, my friend Ashley and I went to grab lunch at the Metro Cafe (which was not as crowded as the more popular restaurants and the food was probably better), then we had planned to go to separate panels at 2pm. Her – to see Sean Astin (“Samwise Gamgee” from LOTR), and me – the Twilight panel with Tyson Houseman (Quil), Chaske Spencer (Sam) and Daniel Cudmore (Felix). Needless to say, due to the huge crowds and ridiculously long lines, neither one of us made it to the panels. I would have been very upset, but since I’d had a chance to see/meet all three of them at separate Twilight events earlier this year (Tyson and Chaske at the New Moon DVD launch party and Daniel at Twilight Night), it was okay. Also, did I mention that I ran into Tyson and Chaske in the food court? Yeah, my friends were jealous! Anyway, Ashley and I decided instead to travel down to the large vendor room in the Marriott.

The vendor room is a very fun place to visit, especially if you have plans to shop during Dragon*Con. T-shirts, toys/collectibles, trading cards, art, props, videos – you can find all of that and more in the vendor room. My friend Kat – who had joined us by this time – took me to her trading card dealer, Tony of Triangle Cards. I added the recently released “Heroes and Villains” trading card binder and card set to my collection, but struck out trying to purchase the Half-Blood Prince trading card binder, which I still do not have.

That evening, I participated in my very first Dragon*Con panel: “Freaks and Geeks in Harry Potter“. My co-panelists were: Racheline Maltese, MB Weston, and Davey Beauchamp. Racheline is the author of “The Harry Potter Book of Trifles, Trivias and Particularities“, and I’ve known her since I attended one of her DC panels on Adult Fan Fiction (very fun discussion!) at my first Dragon*Con back in 2007. MB Weston is a fantasy writer, author of the fantasy series, “The Elysian Chronicles”. Davey is best known for the “Writers for Relief” anthology series. Seriously, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of HP geeks to break my panel virginity with.

Our panel was scheduled to begin at 7pm, and people started coming into our panel room around 6:30. Ten minutes later, the room was full. We were all surprised! I guess the YA Lit people underestimated how popular that topic would be! We talked about Luna and Neville and all of the other “weird” and “unusual” characters in the series. Lots of audience participation, and a fun topic! I had a great time, and hope to have a chance to do it again!

me, Racheline Maltese, MB Weston, and Davey Beauchamp

After the HP panel, I tried to go to a panel for season 6 of “Supernatural”. However, I’m very much a spoilerphobe for that show, and the agenda for the panel was full of spoilers!! I practically ran out of the room! Decided to hang out with my friends, and people-watch, take photos, act silly and basically have a great time. I got to see some old friends, and got a chance to meet some online friends in person, which is always a fun thing for me. Needless to say, my day ended a lot better than it began!

My Dragon*Con began yesterday morning with the True Blood panel. Kristin Bauer, Nelsan Ellis, and Sam Trammell all took the stage (to thunderous applause) for a Q&A session with the fans. The room was completely filled, and the panel was well-paced. Kristin and Sam seemed to be the more boisterous of the three, making lots of jokes and very talkative. Nelsan, however, is a very shy guy – quiet and laid back, but also very funny once he gets going. All three actors had a lot of great things to say about their co-stars and their experiences working on the show.

Panel number two for the day was for the Weasley twins!!! James & Oliver Phelps returned to Dragon*Con after a three year absence, and it was great o see them again. They looked great, and at times seemed a little overwhelmed with the size of the crowd. I had fun at the panel, although I heard a few people complain that they didn’t enjoy it. For me, the only problem that made the panel “good” instead of “great” was some of the questions that were asked. I consider myself a HUGE HP fan, so there are things that I feel like I’m supposed to know. So questions like “have you ever met J.K. Rowling?”, “have you been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter yet” and “which twin plays Fred and which plays George?” – when those questions have been asked and answered over and over and over again in the past – seem a little redundant to me and takes away from other, quality questions that could have been asked. But that’s just my opinion.

The third panel I attended on Friday was the “Vampire Diaries” panel. I will be honest: with the guest cancellation of Paul Wesley, I did not expect to enjoy this panel as much as I did. I mean, VD is at the height of it’s popularity, and the only person for the panel was an actor whose character (supposedly) got killed in the season finale? How interesting would that be? Let me say it now: that Vampire Diaries panel with Robert Wade Pralgo (Mayor Lockwood) was one of the best panels I’ve been to. This man knows his craft, and loves it. His panel was interesting from start to finish, and you could tell from his demeanor that he was really glad to be there, and was having a great time.

After those panels, my friends and I hung out on the ballroom level of the Marriott Marquis (one of the host hotels) and just people-watched and took photos – which is one of my favorite ways to pass the time at Dragon*Con. This year, the costumes really impressed me, because there were some really original ideas walking around the convention. Also, there seemed to be a lot more children there than I can remember in past years, and their costumes always inspired a chorus of “Aw!!” wherever they went. The really cute ones were the kids who really got into their character! These kids are being raised right!

I am still in the process of getting my photos posted on Photobucket, and my videos on YouTube, but there are a couple more Dragon*Con posts that I need to write, so maybe I’ll stick a few in my other Dragon*Con posts

The media relations party was basically a chance for the press to mingle with each other and some of the stars. Gil Gerard (“Buck Rogers”), Richard Hatch (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Daniel Logan (Boba Fett, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) were all there, having fun and shooting pool, enjoying the food and drinks with the rest of us. If was a fun party, and I got a few good photos.

The convention officially begins tomorrow, and during the course of the weekend, I may have the opportunity to schedule interviews with some of the stars. So here’s what I need to know: take a look at this year’s guest list, and if there’s a star that you’d like me to ask a question to, let me know who and what the question is. I will definitely be asking for interviews with the Phelps twins, and possible the stars from Twilight and True Blood, if I can manage it.

Photos from Dragon*Con will be posted on my Photobucket page, and any Harry Potter-related coverage will be posted at my Hollywood News page.

With the premiere date for Season 2 steadily approaching, the CW has begun to roll out the promos and contests for The Vampire Diaries, which returns to Thursday nights (FINALLY!) beginning September 9.

I recently saw the promo spot for Season 2, and let me tell you: the writers ain’t playin’ this season!!! Katherine has come back in full force, and it seems that although Damon is still obsessed with her, she only wants one thing: Stefan. And it looks like she’ll do anything to have her way, and have some fun while she’s getting it.

Also of note: The Vampire Diaries Fansite is having a Twitter contest to win a prize pack, which will include the Season 1 DVD (to be released on August 31), Blu-ray t-shirt, hat and bookmark – courtesy of Warner Bros. Details for the contest can be found at this link.

Need a recap of what happened in Season 1, or need a reason to tune in (for those five of you who aren’t watching the show yet, tsk! tsk!)? Here’s a look at Season 1 in Mystic Falls.

The Vampire Diaries premiered on the CW network in the fall of 2009, based on the series of books by author L.J. Smith. It tells the tale of Elena, a typical teenager who is the object of affection for a set of feuding brothers, who both happen to be vampires. Stefan and Damon Salvatore have a complicated history and their habit of falling for the same women has major consequences Elena and the town of Mystic Falls. The talented cast is lead by Nina Dobrev (Degrassi, The Next Generation), Paul Wesley (American Dreams, Everwood), and Ian Somerhalder (LOST) and can be seen on the CW Network Thursday nights at 8pm beginning September 9.

For those of you who would like to get up close and personal with members of the cast, Paul Wesley (Stefan) and Robert Wade Pralgo (Mayor Richard Lockwood) will be appearing at Dragon*Con in Atlanta next weekend, September 3-6. As of this post, they are scheduled for the following appearances (schedules are tentative and can be changed at any time):

Vampire Diaries panels – Friday 9/3 @ 1pm, Saturday 9/4 @ 5:30pm, Sunday 9/5 @ 7pm

In the first video, Daniel talks about how emotional he was at the end of filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and briefly mentions how excited he is to work on his new project, “The Woman in Black”.

In the second video, he compares the difference between both of the films; he says that part 1 is more like a “road movie”, and is the one where the friendships between the characters are “tested like they’ve never been tested before”, and how the absence of Hogwarts gives the film a different feel. He also talks about how awkward it is to watch himself in the earlier films.

The third clip finds Daniel talking about how much he admires the work of David Yates and why he feels it was important for David to direct Deathly Hallows; and which characters he would like to play if he were asked to come back and do a re-make in the future (he says if it’s 30 years down the line, Sirius; if it’s 50 years, Dumbledore). He mentions that working with Gary Oldman was like working with the “man of his dreams” (he has frequently mentioned Oldman as a role model/mentor) and how he could never play Snape because Alan Rickman is too “indelibly imprinted in his mind” to ever try to play the part. He then introduces the same clip that was played recently at San Diego Comic-Con (but which WB has not released publicly).

You can view the new photos below, and just in case you missed it in the title, there are SPOILERS in this post!!! And of course – since no one has seen the movie yet – the descriptions under the photos are all speculation at this point, based on my knowledge of what happened in the books.

Harry and Hermione with a copy of "The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore"

Xenophilius Lovegood

Hermione, casting a spell after escaping from the Ministry of Magic

Harry, reaching out for something

Harry and Ron doing recon at the Ministry of Magic

A Harry/Ginny moment

Harry and Hagrid escape from Privet Drive

Harry says goodbye to Hedwig *sniff*

Voldemort's followers are gathered at Malfoy Manor

The trio enter Grimmauld Place

The Quibbler headlines the MoM's declaration that Harry is "Undesirable No. 1"

For those of you who somehow don’t know, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released in two parts, with the first on November 19, and the final film arriving in theaters July 15, 2011.

That’s right folks. With less than 100 days until the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1), Harry Potter once again is leading the way for this fall’s most anticipated movies. (Many readers may recall that Harry was also on the cover of the Fall Movie Preview issue for 2008, which had the unfortunate timing of being released days prior to Warner Bros.’ shocking announcement that they would be moving the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to summer of 2009). Considering that part 2 of DH will be released in July 2011, I don’t think we have to worry about this year – I really think the fans would revolt.

Anyway, EW’s coverage includes interviews conducted with Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson towards the end of filming the last two films; new promo photos from the films – which includes a scene from the first chapter of the book (when Voldemort is holding court at Malfoy Manor), and an intro to the newest members of the Harry Potter cast. Full scans of the feature can be found here, courtesy of RupertGrint.net, but you can check out who’s new below:

The article also reveals for the first time exactly where the Part 1/Part 2 split will take place: I won’t reveal the spoiler, but click and drag your mouse over the following section if you would like to find out where the split is.

Start here: “Part I, by the way, will end at about Chapter 24 of the book, with Voldemort gaining possession of the Elder Wand, one of the three Deathly Hallows that allow the bearer to conquer death.”

I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. FOR. THIS. MOVIE!!!! CAN NOVEMBER 19 JUST GET HERE ALREADY?????

I got to meet the guys at my first Dragon*Con in 2007, and they were very humble, charismatic, and fun to listen too. I’m looking forward to seeing them again, and hopefully no one spills any water during their Q&A panel!

If you’d like to see videos from their 2007 appearance at Dragon*Con (and of the aforementioned water spill), please visit my YouTube page.

Dragon*Con takes place in downtown Atlanta every Labor Day weekend; this year’s will be held Sept. 3 – 6.

Photo credit: Hanako M. Ricks (hmrpotter). Do not use without permission or credit.

The hilarity that ensues in the 99th episode of the Comic Book Roadshow podcast.

I got invited to the podcast by Darrell Taylor of the Comic Book Roadshow/No Apologies website, and we were joined by Cat from Sci-Fi Party Line. This was my first appearance on CBRS, and the topic was supposed to be True Blood – which we did talk about – but of course, when you get three geeks together, a lot can happen.

In addition to True Blood, we also talked about Harry Potter (of course we did!), Twilight, Supernatural, Eureka, Caprica, Warehouse 13, and who knows what else in between. All in all, it was a very fun show to record, and I hope I get invited back again.

Take a listen!

CBRS Episode 99

The International Confederation of Wizards is the brainchild of Keith Cardin, the organizer for the Orlando area Harry Potter meetup group. His goal is simple: to send two deserving Harry Potter fans – who could not afford the trip on their own – on an all-expense paid trip to Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The trip would include round-trip airfare for the winners (applicants must reside in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom or South America), 4 night/3 day hotel accomodations at the Loews Royal Pacific Hotel, 3-day park-to-park access tickets, and $400 in spending money, each. Estimated retail cost is up to $4000.00.

In the spirit of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the motto of the International Confederation of Wizards is this famous quote from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:  ”Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who need it the most.” Keith and his co-staffer Tiffany are both long-time, die-hard Harry Potter fans who have already had a chance to experience the ultimate of Harry Potter experiences: to see Hogsmeade village come to life, to have a meal in The Three Broomsticks; to visit the shops and sip Butterbeer, and to walk through the halls of Hogwarts. There are thousands of Harry Potter fans who’ve been able to share in that experience (the Grown-Up Fangirl included), but how many simply can’t afford to do so? It is with this thought in mind that Keith decided to try to help make this dream a reality for someone, but he can’t do it alone.

So, how is the ICW planning to accomplish all of this? With the help of the fandom, and any other donors who wish to contribute. One of the things I’ve always admired about the Harry Potter fandom family is that in times of need, we have always rallied around each other to assist in whatever ways possible. Whether it’s helping someone who has lost their job to pay bills or groceries, or contributing to a fund so someone could attend the funeral of another fandom friend, we’ve always had that helpful spirit that Dumbledore spoke of. Now, if we can come together in times of hardship, can’t we come together for fun as well?

The fandom needs your help to make this happen! If you would like to find out if you qualify, or would like to apply, submissions guidelines can be found here.

For those of you who would like to donate, please click this link.

For those who would like to find out how they can help, the volunteer openings are listed here.

This year will also include some firsts for me, as I have been asked to sit on two panels for the Young Adult (YA) Literature track. The first panel, “Minorities in YA Lit” will focus on the role that minorities play in Young Adult Literature, and what trends are popular in regard to race, gender, religion, etc. So far, I am the only panelist listed (no pressure, right?)

The second panel is the one I’m most excited about, “Freaks and Geeks in Harry Potter”, where we discuss the “oddballs” in the HP universe, such as Neville and Luna. My co-panelists include Racheline Maltese (author of The Book of Harry Potter Trifles, Trivias and Particularities), Todd McCaffrey (who co-writes the Dragonriders of Pern series with his mother, novelist Anne McCaffrey), Davey Beauchamp (Writers for Relief anthologies), and M.B. Weston (author of The Elysian Chronicles series).  How the hell I was able to get on such a distinguished panel confuses the hell out of me, and I will try not to feel intimidated. Try being the operative word.

But you guys want to know about the guests, don’t you? You can view the complete Dragon*Con guest list here, but this is the list of the people I’m excited to see and the movie/books/shows I loved them in (the ones in red are musts for autograph/photos).

• Lee Arenberg (you know, the “Ello, Poppet!” pirate on Jack Sparrow’s crew in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy)
• Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy)
• Rene Auberjonois (Odo from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”)
• Morena Baccarin (Anna on the ABC Series “V” and Adria/the Orici on” Stargate SG-1″)
• Kristin Bauer (Pam from “True Blood”)
• Robert Beltran (Chakotay on “Star Trek: Voyager”)
• Avery Brooks (Benjamin Sisko in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”)
• Ben Browder (Col. Cameron Mitchell in “Stargate SG-1″)
• Chris Bruno (Sheriff Bannerman on “The Dead Zone”)
• LeVar Burton (READING RAINBOW!!! Oh yeah, and he played Geordi in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)
• Jim Butcher (author of The Dresden Files books)
• Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)
• Daniel Cudmore (Felix in the Twilight movies, and Colossus in X2 and X-Men 3)
• Lexa Doig (Rommie in the series “Andromeda”)
• Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette in “True Blood”) THIS IS A MUST!!!!
• Michelle Forbes (Maryann in “True Blood”)
• Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte in “True Blood”)
• Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)
• Joel Gretsch (Father Landry in “V”; Tom Baldwin in “The 4400)
• Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing in “Dallas”)
• David Hewlett (Rodney McKay in “Stargate SG-1″, “Stargate: Atlantis”)
• Christopher Judge (Teal’c in “Stargate SG-1″)
• Sherrilyn Kenyon (author of the Dark-Hunter series)
• Martin Klebba (Marty from the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy)
• Stan Lee (do you really need an explanation of who he is?)
• Paul McGillion (Carson Beckett on “Stargate: Atlantis”)
• Alex Meraz (Paul in the Twilight movies)
• Corin Nemec (Parker Lewis in “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose” and Jonas Quinn in “Stargate SG-1″)
• Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson in “Stargate SG-1″ and “Stargate: Atlantis”)
• Mark Sheppard (demon Crowley in “Supernatural”)
• Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)
• Chaske Spencer (Sam Uley in Twilight: New Moon and Twilight: Eclipse)
• Brent Spiner (Data in “Star Trek: Te Next Generation”)
• Laura Vandervoort (Kara/Supergirl in “Smallville” and Lisa in “V”)
• Garrett Wang (Harry Kim on “Star Trek: Voyager”)
• Paul Wesley (Stefan in “The Vampire Diaries”)

I believe that the guest list for Dragon*Con has been capped this year at 400, so I don’t think anyone else will be added to the list. It would be nice, however, if they could add some more stars from “The Vampire Diaries” (especially since they film the show here in Atlanta). Some Harry Potter stars would be nice as well, as they were the main reasons I’ve been there the past three years.

But just because I’m a spoilerphobe doesn’t mean that everyone is, and with that in mind, I am including links to Alice’s interviews from Comic-Con, where she got to participate in roundtable discussions with the show’s cast. It is killing me to not read these, but I will be a good fangirl and wait patiently until Supernatural returns to the tube on September 24.

Quick Update fro Supernatural Press Room – SPOILER ALERT!!

Jared Padalecki Interview

Jensen Ackles Interview

Ben Edlund Interview

Eric Kripke Interview

Jim Beaver Interview

You can find The Winchester Family Business on the web, and on Twitter.

It’s Johnny Depp. It’s Jack Sparrow. What’s not to get excited about?

Harry Potter: Last weekend I attended Infinitus 2010 in Orlando, and got a chance to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I have yet to sit down and gather my thoughts about the convention, but I did manage to do a write-up about the park, which can be found at my Hollywood News blog here. I will say that it was one of the best experiences I’ve had, as I’ve gotten to meet a lot of “online” friends and they’ve now become real life friends, which is great. I can always use more Harry Potter fanatics in my life.

True Blood: With the frenzy I’ve faced over the last two weeks preparing for Infinitus, I had completely missed the two most recent episodes of True Blood. I finally got a chance to watch them last night and WOW. I don’t even know where to start!!! I am loving the additions of Alcide and Jesus (OMG his scenes with Lafayette!!), and the casting for Debbie Pelt was perfect! Batshit crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it!! And I’m loving James Frain’s version of Franklin Mott; he’s creepy but so pathetic at the same time, while being scary. There’s just a lot going on in this show so far, and we’re only what, four episodes into this season? Speaking of which, a new trailer for the second half of season 3 premiered at Comic-Con and holy hell!! This season is about to get even more intense!!

The Tudors: After getting completely hooked onto this series this past February, I wasn’t ready for it to end. This was a series brilliantly done, and has some of the best casting I’ve seen. The series ended on a very classy note, although I was sad to see the death of one of my favorite characters, Charles Brandon. I would really like for Showtime to re-visit this series and cast, possibly showing the reign of Mary Tudor, especially with Sarah Bolger as Mary. Would be a very good show, indeed.

The Vampire Diaries returns to the CW for its second season on Thursday, September 9 at 8pm. Supernatural follows two weeks later when its new Friday night schedule premieres on September 24. Both of these dates seem so far away, but at least it’s not January, which is when Caprica is scheduled to return.

So for awhile, at least, I may have to find a few new shows to watch/catch up on, and believe me, there has been no shortage of suggestions. I’ll do my best to keep up this blog a bit better, but don’t forget, for all of my Harry Potter related news, check me out on Hollywood News.

Darth Vader (McQuarrie Concept)

Limited Edition, 2500 pieces

$75.00, available exclusively at Comic-Con

Star Wars Stormtrooper – 12″ Jumbo Vintage Kenner Figure

Limited Edition: 1500 pieces

$85.00, available exclusively at Comic-Con

Azkaban Lucius Malfoy

Limited Edition: 550 pieces

$65.00, available exclusively at Comic-Con

The Pan’s Labyrinth busts will be available at the Gentle Giant beginning on Wednesday (Preview Night) through Saturday; purchasers can also have these busts signed by Guillermo del Toro and Doug Jones on Saturday, July 24. More information on the signings can be found on the Gentle Giant website.

Why not participate in the Photo Scavenger Hunt? We will be providing teams of up to four Infinitus attendees with a list of characters, scenes, and crazy creatures related to the wizarding world. It is up to each team to find the things listed and take a picture of them that can be uploaded onto Flickr. From there the pictures will be judged by creativity, magical ingenious, and just plain hilarity for the chance to win fabulous prizes. The winn … Read More

via Infinitus 2010

If you have a ticket to Night of a Thousand Wizards, we'll be selling tickets for a special raffle – six lucky people will have the chance to fly through Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with either Chris Rankin or Christian Coulson! Raffle tickets will cost $5 each, and will be available at the Registration Add-Ons desk on Thursday, and on Friday until 2 p.m. – we may have them on Wednesday, too, but … Read More

via Infinitus 2010

Welcome to our Vendors! Infinitus welcomes the following vendors who will be joining us at the conference.  They include: The Basket Tree Facepainting Electric Lemonade The Feather Emporium The House of Wormwood HP Fan Trips HP Wall Art Lush Midsummer Knights Dream Nerdrockstar Orlando Attractions Magazine Whimsic Alley The Vendor Room, which is located just inside the entrance to the Royal Pacific Resort Conference Area, will be open: Thursday, … Read More

via Infinitus 2010

So here’s the newly released poster; what do you think?

Eclipse is probably the only movie in the Twilight series that I can say I loved, and will probably still love a year from now (unlike the other two, which I’ve grown more and more disenchanted with as time goes on). Everything was just better in this film, in my opinion. The acting was better (not a lot of ‘overacting’ in this one). Secondary characters were able to shine a little more in this movie. And there was more than one fight scene!

Basically I’m saying all of this to waste space, so that anyone who doesn’t want to be spoiled can have time to look away before I go into specifics on what I did and didn’t like.

THE LIKES:

Flashback scenes: For me, the best part of the movie were the flashback scenes, especially Rosalie’s. In Eclipse, Rosalie went to being the vampire bitch with immortal PMS to being a sympathetic character, and an unlikely ally for Bella (in her desire for Bella to remain human). The movie delivered that scene perfectly, and Nikki Reed was finally allowed to shine. She said recently in an interview that they did film the part where Rosalie is flying up and down the hallway in her wedding gown, torturing Royce before she kills him, but that it was cut from the final product. I’d have loved to see that scene.

Jasper’s flashback scene was very short and to the point, but it was also done pretty well, and allowed Jasper and Bella to intereact more in the movie.

The story of the third wife was one I did not think they would put in the movie, so I was very glad to see it there. Any scenes where we get history on the secondary characters have always been my favorites in the books, because it’s refreshing to hear about someone other than Bella all of the time.

Love triangle: I think the love triangle was done pretty well; not too biased one way or the other. Taylor Lautner played Jacob with just the right amount of confidence and vulnerability, and Robert Pattinson didn’t overdo his character. In the book, Edward is a lot more comfortable around Bella, and for me, that really came across in this movie. All three actors seemed a lot more comfortable with each other.

The “birds and the bees talk” between Charlie and Bella: Probably one of the best and funniest scenes in the movie. Period.

The humor and playfulness between the Cullens: We got to see a little of the fun interactions of the Cullens in Twilight, but no real “family” interaction with them since the baseball scene. Here, we saw some playfulness with Alice and Jasper (not to mention a kiss, finally!). Emmett was his usually cocky and playful self, and it was very fun to see. The training scenes where the Cullens take turns sparring against each other was probably the most we’ve seen them together, as a family.

Abs, abs, and more abs: Let’s face it, aside from Kellan Lutz (who is – after all – a model for Calvin Klein underwear!) Taylor Lautner probably has the best body on the set. And Eclipse gave us plenty of opportunity to verify that fact. The rest of the wolf pack aren’t so bad, either, but since they only got minimal screen time, Taylor was the one who received the cheers and sighs from my fellow movie watchers.

THE DISLIKES:

Victoria: Nothing against Bryce Dallas Howard, but she is so not Victoria. Where Rachelle Lefevre played Victoria with a certain arrogance and confidence, Bryce’s Victoria seemed unsure, vulnerable and scared.

The over-hyped character of Bree Tanner: Yes, I read “The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner” and felt a connection to this character, which is what I’m sure Stephenie Meyer wanted. But seriously? All the press, interviews and references to this character during promotion for the movie, and she was on screen for maybe a total of five minutes. If that. She probably spoke three lines the entire movie. Why go through the trouble of making us care about this character beforehand, just to have us question it when she’s treated as an afterthought in the movie? Oh yeah, to make more money off of Twilight fans. “The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner” has sold over a million copies since it’s June 5, so I guess Stephenie Meyer and her team accomplished that much, at least.

These are all probably the most prevalent thoughts I have towards the movie at this time. Again, compared to Twilight and New Moon, this film was less “cheesy” and has better direction, and I can sit through the majority of this movie without feeling like I want to cringe (a reaction that I have now almost every time I watch Twilight). Seeing as how Breaking Dawn was my least favorite book, I hope that the director who helms that movie will do as good a job as David Slade did with this one.

With that being said, let’s get this out first: I liked it. I went into it not having grand expectations, and it did entertain me. Although a lot of the guys around me didn’t seem to care for it much; someone actually walked out of the theater booing it. Here’s a few things I really want to point out.

The race issue: Honestly, I was pretty upset when I first heard that White actors had been cast in the movie, especially after the travesty that was Dragonball Evolution (don’t even get me started on that one!). But honestly, after that first acknowledgement that the actors weren’t Asian, it really wasn’t an issue for me in the movie. I think the actors (Noah Ringer, Jackson Rathbone and Nicola Peltz) did a decent job. I can’t think of any particular Asian actors who would have done it any better. Was it Oscar worthy? No. But did you really expect it to be?

Storyline: The storyline did seem a bit lacking to me, but that was until I realized that the movie is made with the intention that it will be a three-part series. People in the theater had a reaction similar to the way my husband said they reacted when he went to go see the first LOTR movie. The “that’s it?” question came up with people grumbling that the movie only focused on Aang’s quest to master water bending. That’s why the movie began with the words “Part One: Water”.

Pronunciation: The moment Sokka’s name was first spoken, the people all around me began complaining: “that’s not how you’re supposed to say it!”. The same of Aang’s name. I have to disagree with them on this point. “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (the show), is anime, meaning it is Asian in origin. The pronunciations used in the movie are the correct way to pronounce the names. Not the westernized version. I’m glad he got at least that part of their identity correct.

Special Effects and Choreography: I will say that these areas are the ones that greatly disappointed me. After seeing the promos, I really expected to see some mind-blowing special effects, and for me, they were just okay. I think I saw some similar effects in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief, and I wasn’t too impressed with those, either. The fight choreography also left something to be desired. I’m a huge fan of martial arts films, so a fight scene really has to pop off the screen to impress me. I was not impressed by the fight scenes in this movie, and the camera angles during the scenes made it kind of hard to enjoy them; almost like they were trying to hide the fact that the scenes weren’t that great.

Altogether, it was a film that interested me; at least enough to make me want to pay more attention to the anime series on which it’s based. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it, either. And most importantly, my son enjoyed it and thought it was cool, so there you go.

Coming to Infinitus? Make sure you bring your appetite with you. Below are the menus for several key events at Infinitus2010 including our Welcome Feast, Leaving Feast, Keynote Luncheons and more. During the Welcome Feast in the Ballroom on Thursday from 1:30 – 2:45 p.m., Full and Merlin's Circle registrants and those with add-on Welcome Feast tickets will enjoy our buffet featuring the Ventana Stop  Light Salsa Bar with Tortilla Chips and Guacam … Read More

via Infinitus 2010

“Vampire Diaries” is first on the list, with a premiere date of September 9 at 8pm. This is the second season of the popular teen/vampire drama.

“Supernatural” fans will have to agonize for an additional two weeks; its new Friday night schedule won’t begin until September 24 at 9pm.

Additional schedules for other CW series can be found at www.ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/06/30/the-cw-announces-return-dates/

I am quite the spoilerphobe when it comes any and everything Supernatural, so you can imagine how upset I was when EW’s Michael Ausiello quite blatantly blurted out a huge spoiler regarding one of season 6′s recurring roles this morning on Twitter. However, once I got over my ire, I was immediately intrigued by the return of this character, who was one of the many killed during the course of season 5.

For my fellow spoilerphobes, I won’t reveal who’s making the return; I will just say that his/her return will possibly answer some long-unanswered questions regarding Sam and Dean’s  history. If you want to read about who’s returning, go check it out in the Ausiello Files.

Universal Orlando sent us its costume policy for July 16, 2010. Please note that the policy applies to all Infinitus registrants from 2:00 in the afternoon until the close of Islands of Adventure, and applies to Night of a Thousand Wizards ticketholders through that event and until attendees return to their hotels or vehicles. "It has been decided that leniency with our costume policy will be extended specifically for our Infinitus Night of a Tho … Read More

via Infinitus 2010

I admit, I cried.

The beginning of the end is upon Potter fans, as the first full-length theatrical trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been released. I have posted a scene-by-scene breakdown and my reaction over at my Hollywood News HP blog, which you can find here.

So Potterholics, what did you think?

Before I drown myself in Potter goodness for today, let me hurry up and get my thoughts down about the Twilight Night event I attended this past Saturday.

The event, which was one of several held across the country, was held in the courtyard of Midtown’s Atlantic Station community and attended by several hundred people. Summit gave fans a red carpet, where photos could be taken against one of three backdrops. The first 200 fans received a gift bag, which contained an Eclipse t-shirt, key chain, mini-poster and a New Moon ink pen.

Free t-shirt included in gift bags

There were free vendors everywhere: the popcorn stand where fans received an “I was there!” button commemorating the event; the Luna Twilight make-up booth where two technicians gave free Twilight makeovers; free snack vendors; and Atlanta radio station Q-100 conducted a live broadcast, complete with about 20 pairs of tickets given away to an advanced screening scheduled for tonight (which I unfortunately did not win). There was free face painting and temporary tattoos, and a game booth as well.

There were also vendors where – for a low cost – you could purchase candied apples, ice cream, Italian ice, funnel cakes and other goodies. The event was set up very much like a street fair, and even with the crowds, there wasn’t a feeling of being overwhelmed or crowded.

The event officially began with a live performance by local band Stellate, who played some of their original tunes, as well as “Decode”, Paramore’s track from the original Twilight movie. This band is awesome; you should go check out their music on their Myspace page.

There were some contests as well; five contestants had to make up Twilight-related poems and recite them on stage; the winner received a VIP package that included tickets to the advanced screening and some autographed items from our guest, Daniel Cudmore (who plays Volturi member Felix in the movie). There was supposed to be a costume contest, but if anyone there was better than these two girls, I didn’t see them!

Daniel then came onstage and participated in judging the trivia contest – where at one point he stated, “what am I even doing here? They know more than I know!” He also answered questions from Q-100′s Brandon, and was generally very fun to listen to; very humorous, very funny, and very humble. Did I forget to mention he’s very good-looking? My daughter had a great seat up front, so we have proof! Daniel was also very nice enough to sign a few books/magazines for my daughters, one of which included my current issue of Film Fantasy: Eclipse.

Daniel Cudmore during Q&A

After the Q&A, there was a screening on the green of  New Moon, which we did not stay for. By this time, we had been outside in Atlanta heat for almost five hours, and the children were demanding food. But we got freebies, photos and autographs, so it was a day well spent.

Daniel Cudmore is scheduled to return to Atlanta during Labor Day weekend, as a guest at Dragon*Con. For more information, visit the Dragon*Con website.

Bellatrix still looks crazy

Wandmaker Gregorovitch

Ron being tortured by the Horcrux

The trio escape from Death Eater attack at Bill's wedding

Are you excited?

Filch walking the corridors of Hogwarts

Harry in profile

Wide-screen shot of Harry

With that being said, USA Today has me staying up a lot later than I should be, because they just posted some awesome photos from the Deathly Hallows trailer that is due tomorrow. Wanna see?

This is – of course – the infamous breakout scene from Gringott’s.

This scene takes place during the battle at Hogwarts, and is a visual embellishment created specifically for the movie.

Hermione, possibly casting the spell that hid the trio from sight of any Death Eaters

Harry and Hagrid on Sirius’ motorbike, during the Seven Potters scene

Harry, after escaping the clutches of Death Eaters at the Ministry and at Grimmauld Place

Ron, in one of his most heroic moments ever, destroying the Horcrux (you guys know how I love my Ron!!)

Voldemort and his Death Eaters

Harry and Voldemort, probably during the penultimate scene of the movie

The last two photos, courtesy of Snitchseeker, show close-ups of Harry and Voldemort during the final battle scene, where their wands are locked.

So now, after seeing these photos, do you think Warner Bros. has stayed closer to the book in this  the final adaptation? Do you think that they are revealing too much, too soon? Or do you think IT’S ABOUT TIME!!

I think tomorrow, we can officially begin the countdown.

Ron and Hermione at Shell Cottage

Images have appeared online from the new trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which is scheduled to be released online tomorrow. The trailer, which will also be shown during previews for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, was screened last week at Cinema Expo and a reviewer had this to say on Twitter:

New Harry Potter teaser will play with Twilight’s #Eclipse next week and includes footage of both part I & II. Best trailer of year so far! Based on the FANTASTIC teaser at CinemaExpo, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, 2D looks amazing in itself– no need for 3D

I will be posting the trailer tomorrow at my HollywoodNews Harry Potter blog, but in the meantime, I’ll leave you with these photos…

Harry's confrontation with Voldemort

Hogwarts under attack

This Grown-Up Fangirl is currently sitting in Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta, enjoying the atmostphere at Summit’s “Twilight Night” Event. The official activities just began, with free popcorn and snacks, free face-painting and temporary tattoos, free makeovers by the “Luna Twilight” make-up team, and gift bags to the first 200 fans. The gift bags included an Eclipse tee, keychain, mini-poster and a New Moon ink pen.

There’s a stage set up for a live band, and the inflatable projector just went up for the screening of New Moon. Atlanta’s Q-100 radio station is also broadcasting live from the event. They are also giving away 2 tickets to an advanced Monday night screening of Eclipse.

Photos are available at my Photobucket, which you can find at www.photobucket.com/hmrpotter