IT ALL ENDED.

Like millions of my peers, this weekend marked a very important date in our lifetimes: the end of the Harry Potter era. Most of us became fans when we were at the young age of 10 or 11 and grew into our twenties with Harry, Ron and Hermione right by our sides. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was one of the most highly anticipated feature films of all time and, to no surprise, it met all of its expectations.

I'll begin by saying this--as a Harry Potter fan, you MUST separate the books from the movies. If you step into that movie theater expecting a chapter-by-chapter replica of the novel, you will walk away disappointed (I guarantee it). I have approached every movie with an open mind and have understood that it is just impossible to translate every bit and piece of the novels. J.K. Rowling, being the literary genius that she is, has such a complex and intricate map of the wizarding world in her head. We get to read some of it in the Harry Potter books and we get even less from the movies. Would I have loved to see the Dumbledore/Grindelwald relationship in the movie? Yes. Would I have enjoyed to see Remus and Tonks' relationship developed? Yes. Would it have been better for the movie to include every single plot line, character, and twist? Probably not. At 130 minutes, Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the shortest movie of the 8 and it still leaves major aspects of the book out. But it was what had to be done to make the film the best it could be. 

The film is everything you want it to be. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be squirming in your seat and anxious (even though, for those who've read the books, you already know what is going to happen). The cinematography is astounding, as well as the special effects and, at the end of it all, it's incredible to see how much the cast has grown up. If you take the movies as they are, you will be more than satisfied. It is like graduating college;  you've been with Harry, Ron and Hermione from the start and understand that it is time to let them go. If you haven't seen it already, do it. And bring a box of tissues!

U.S.A.

I'm a few days late of July 4th, but I wanted to share this photo I took earlier in the week. American pride :)

Summer 2011 Playlist Pt. 1

I am the kind of person that can't get into my car without my iPod and I've been doing a lot of driving these past few weeks. Needless to say, I've crafted an extensive playlist of my favorite summer jams. These songs aren't necessarily new or even summer related, but there are some tunes out there that just have me hooked. I've decided to post a few songs from my Summer 2011 playlist and will continue to post more as the summer continues on :)

MELLISONANT MIND'S SUMMER 2011 PLAYLIST: Part 1

1. "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" by Coldplay -  Coldplay is one of my all-time favorite bands. I have to admit, "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" is far from the traditional Coldplay sound. But this song is the epitome of driving on the highway on a bright summer day with your sunglasses on and the windows rolled down. It's ridiculously catchy and the video is entrancing (which is no surprise, considering Coldplay always has awesome music videos).

2. "Sunlight" by Bag Raiders - This song just makes me want to dance. I fell in love with Bag Raider's after hearing "Shooting Stars" for the first time back in January when I was working retail (it was a track on the store CD.. needless to say, I was obsessed). "Sunlight" is such a fell-good song with a great hook and contagious beats. I love it.

3. "Set Fire to the Rain"  by Adele -  Adele is incredible. Anyone who says other wise is crazy. Her latest album 21 has nothing short of blown me away and I'm pretty much addicted to it. "Set Fire to the Rain" is one of my favorites off the album. The lyrics are so passionate and honest, I wish I could sing along with her. Sometimes I try, but it doesn't work out all too well. Either way, this song is a must-listen. The whole album is. Just do yourself a favorite and buy it.

4. "Games" by The Strokes - What's not to like about The Strokes? I was smitten with their musical return this year and had the chance to see them live at Madison Square Garden in April (it was awesome, just so you know). The new album, The Angles, has the same vibe as their other albums with a new-age flare. "Games" is a particular favorite of mine. It has a dance-influenced groove and Julian Casablanca's vocals couldn't be more enticing.

5. "Young Blood" by The Naked and Famous - As soon as I heard this song I loved it. The vocals, the beats, everything. This band definitely has mainstream potential and is already getting some exposure to the industry. "Young Blood" is a really good song and a genius first single. The rest of the album isn't particularly exciting, there are a few gems here and there, but this tune is first on my list.