If you have not read through Book 7 and plan to see the upcoming movie, stop here and do not read further unless you don’t mind finding out exactly what remains for Harry Potter and friends to destroy in order to be rid of Lord Voldemort once and for all.

In the world of magic, there is a children’s story about 3 wizards that manage to cheat death. Not just avoid death, but literally… Death himself was not happy these 3 had managed to escape. But still impressed with their skill, Death offered a reward to each of the brothers. The rewards were named the Deathly Hallows and were: a wand more powerful than any other wand (The Elder Wand), the second was a resurection stone (thought to have been the Sorcerer’s Stone that was destroyed by Dumbledore in the 1st movie), the 3rd was a Cloak of Invisibility that could hide even from Death itself. The latter was a gift to Harry Potter (presumably by Dumbledore but the benefactor did not say who he or she was). So far the movies have stayed away from the dark secret of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Perhaps the filmmakers do not want to tarnish the reputation of their symbol of everything that is good.

But in Book 7 we discover that Harry’s mentor and figure of greatness did indeed have a serious flaw. At some point in his career he became aware of the Horcruxes of Voldemort but he was also seduced by the mystique of the Deathly Hallows. Possessing them was something Dumbledore had decided to pursue. So when he found out about the Horcruxes, it became clear to him that his pursuit would need to be one… or the other. He chose to pursue the 3 objects, not entirely out of greed but out of a desire to prolong his life and to do good. But this decision only means someone else will have to go after the Horcruxes. That someone is just-turned-17 Harry Potter.

To make matters worse, Voldemort discovers that the Elder Wand was buried with Dumbledore after his death. So he steals the wand and prepares to put an end to his greatest enemy… Harry Potter himself. But a wand that is stolen can sometimes be unpredictable.

The so-called Horcrux is an item, or creature that becomes a vessel for a portion of one’s soul. Basically in the world of Harry Potter and the magical community written by J.K. Rowling, a witch or wizard can achieve a kind of immortality by preserving a part of his or her soul. This feat requires one to commit an act of murder and with some enchantment (spell) a part of the soul leaves the body and enters the desired vessel. It’s all pretty fantastic stuff and you just have to use your imagination. Suffice to say one gets the feeling of sheer evil to even consider such an act. Also, one is never entirely the same afterward. Imagine only being half a person, the rest a mindless, soulless zombie-like thing…

Our main villain is Thomas Marvolo Riddle, who hates his non-magical name and calls himself Lord Voldemort. Not only does he create one Horcrux, but in fact creates 6 of them. The information - contained in several discussions and blogs - is not entirely true about what these horcruxes are.

The first horcrux was Tom Riddle’s diary (a book that Harry Potter destroyed in his first year at Hogwart’s School)

The second to be destroyed was a ring that was a Gaunt family heirloom (owned by Marvolo Gaunt and passed down the male line) but stolen by Tom Riddle. Tom’s connection to the Gaunt family was his mother, Merope Gaunt.

The third to be destroyed was a locket that Harry and Dumbledore sought during Harry’s sixth year at Hogwart’s. Alas, the object they found was indeed a fake. But Harry along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, found the other locket. (Book and movie differ on the details of where it was found.) The Horcrux was a locket that had belonged to one of the founders of Hogwarts (Salazar Slytherin). The fake belonged to Regulus Black, one of the pureblood families of the wizard world.

This brings us up to the current state of affairs and without giving details the remaining Horcruxes are:

A cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff (another of Hogwart’s 4 founders)

A tiara belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw (another founder)

Nagini (the snake under Voldemort’s command and never seen far from him)

Lastly Harry Potter himself contains the 7th “piece” of soul. This last part gets a bit fuzzy because Voldemort names Harry “as his equal”; Dumbledore and Harry never say it aloud but both of them suspect that Harry will need to sacrifice himself in order to destroy all that remains of Voldemort. Since the movies have diverged from Rowling’s version of many of these finer “details” it may be that this too will get special treatment by Hollywood. But according to Rowling, Harry became a Horcrux the night his parents were murdered. A fact that may have been unknown to Lord Voldemort himself (at least not consciously).

Voldemort had managed to use 3 of the 4 founders of Hogwarts to aid him with immortality. The one which could not, would not, suffice was the only remaining artifact of Godric Gryffindor and head of Gryffindor House, to which Harry Potter belongs. That artifact is the sword of Gryffindor. Ironically it was used to kill the Basilisk (a serpentlike beast living under the castle at Hogwart’s school). The sword, having been used to defeat that mythical creature, absorbed much of the power of the Basilisk’s blood. In so doing, it became a useful method for destroying the remaining Horcruxes.

Suffice to say that Harry, Ron and Hermione will need to break in (and out) of Gringott’s Bank as well as get past a dragon in the final movie. But the real test, and final battle, will take them back to Hogwart’s School where good and evil will face one another; some who were thought to be evil are in fact, the most courageous and honorable. And some will give their lives. But this modern mythological tale of heroism promises to be very satisfactory indeed on the big screen.

It’s time for the summer movie season to kick in. Along with many others, I am looking forward to several films and will eagerly fork over up to $9 to be one of the first to see my favorites. For others I am willing to wait for Netflix. For some people, there is a 3^rd alternative. That is to wait a few weeks and go to independent theatres or to Cinemark theatres where one can still see movies on the big screen for $1. Sadly this option is rare in New England. If anyone knows of a good $1 theatre between Boston and Portland, ME please comment to this post.

The movie I am most looking forward to is “Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 2”.

I enjoyed all 7 books of the series and enjoyed all of the movies, some more than others. This last installment includes the final battle between forces of good and forces of evil. Of all summer options, this is the one that has the least suckage potential in my opinion. I will definitely be looking for a venue that shows Parts 1 and 2 back to back. Movie Insider has a complete list of release dates. I will not comment on all of them, only on those that interest me (for good or bad). Next to each title will be my take: M for those I will pay to see in the theatre, N for those I will wait to catch on Netflix or iTunes, P for those I will pass (ignore).

X-Men: First Class – M (compelling storylines and the fact that Marvel transitions very well to the big screen)

Kung Fu Panda 2 – N (entertaining for the kids but not worth the price to take the whole family to the movies)

Thor – N+ (came close but these days I can’t pay $$ for movies)

Bridesmaids – P (comedy that has to rely on sex and/or bad behavior ain’t my cup o’ tea)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – P (apologies to Johnny Depp but enough already)

The Lion of Judah – M (will take the kids to see this one)

Super 8 – M (J.J. Abrams makes this a must-see)

Judy Moody And The NOT Bummer Summer – P (for being overly superficial and stereotyping)

Green Lantern – M (has the potential to suck lemons, but it’s Hal Jordan)

Mr. Popper’s Penguins – N (despite not being a fan of Jim Carrey, this lighthearted tale based on a 1938 classic is worth a shot as a family night)

Cars 2 – N (same reason as Kung Fu Panda 2; is there nothing original?)

Turtle: The Incredible Journey – M (will take the boys to see it in 3D)

General Orders No. 9 – N (could be off the wall enough to be worth a view; cinematography promises to be Oscar-worthy)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon – P (would have taken the older son if Hollywood could have removed adult themes)

…still looking for a good chick flick to see with my 18 yo daughter…

Terri – N+ (still waiting to hear more about this one but as a teacher it has my interest piqued)

Cold Fish – N+ (I enjoy independent films, sometimes more than the overly hyped Hollywood blockbusters. This one is no exception. Would love to see it at The Music Hall in Portsmouth)

Zookeeper – M- (ok I know it’s cliché, but this would be a fun family movie for mid-summer heat)

Winnie the Pooh – N+ (silly ol’ bear)

Captain America: The First Avenger – M (one of my top 5 for the summer)

Another Earth – P (would have seen without the nudity – concept is compelling)

Sarah’s Key – M (my best choice this summer for a “best friend” “girl’s night out” movie)

Life In a Day – N+ (plug for National Geographic Entertainment)

The Smurfs – M (my choice for a mom-daughter day at the mall)

Cowboys and Aliens – N (space-age cowboys versus aliens are cool but not cool enough to risk $)

Rise of the Planet of the Apes – M (WETA Digital and Andy Serkis, that’s why)

Glee Live! 3D! – P (run away; run far, far, away)

(not so) Final Destination 5 – P (some sequels just never should be made)

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World – N (kids like this series)

Conan the Barbarian 3D – P (I didn’t like the Rocky series either… for the same reasons)

One Day – P (Anne Hathaway could have done better; cliché and unoriginal)

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark – N (best potential for this summer’s “cuddle film”)

Our Idiot Brother – N (potential to be the best comedy of 2011)

The Debt – N (I enjoy historical fiction; this has potential as a suspense/thriller)

Apollo 18 – M (good date movie)

My general impressions based solely on movie synopses, who is involved (director/cast) and ratings description prove once again that things don’t change where Hollywood is involved. Time will tell if my predictions hold true but here are my conclusions for summer, 2011:

1) When having to choose between a plethora of superhero movies, go with Marvel over DC 9 times out of 10.

2) Limited release, low budget, non-hyped movies can be diamonds in the rough.

3) Only 1 out of every 10 comedies has enough depth of character and poignancy to be worth anyone’s time. Where are Steve Martin and Dustin Hoffman?

4) Documentaries - with attention to capturing real life events through a lens that most of us will never see – rock.

5) Violent brutality and explicit sexuality in graphic detail are 2 things that harm all on an emotional level. There are some things that no one should sit and watch; the inevitable result is detached lack of sensitivity and inability to be touched by simple stimuli.