Love the movies? How about blu-ray movies? Maybe movie merchandise? Learn more about your favorite movies past, present, and future, whether at the movie theatre, on blu-ray or on DVD. Find some unusual gift ideas for movie fans, including yourself. Join the fun and discover a new movie or two!
After my recent Harry Potter invisibility cloak post I wondered if it is even possible to create a real invisibility cloak. I discovered this History Channel special quite simply called, Invisibility Cloaks in which the television show That's Impossible looks at the science of a cloak.
They say that humans have been searching forever for a way to be invisible and that this power is getting closer. Watch this program to see the technology that may eventually allow us to be unseen. It looks at everything from battle tanks and cities disappearing to camouflage and cloaks and discusses the good and bad of such a possibility.
Cloaks of invisibility are relatively rare in folklore; although they do occur in some fairy tales, such as The Twelve Dancing Princesses, a more common trope is the cap of invisibility.
The world searches for the ultimate Harry Potter invisibility cloak and we found one.
This cloak has been designed to look like the one used in the movie. Using an app, which is included with the cape, you can make the cloak disappear. Wear it with the patterned side out and it is visible; flip it around with the green outside and whoever is wearing it disappears on the screen.
"Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility grants the wearer the power of invisibility."
You can own a cloak of invisibility in the form of this hand-blown glass Hallmark Christmas ornament produced in Poland for the Keepsake collection in 2023. It was produced in a limited quantity by Warner Bros. for their 100th anniversary and measures 6 inches tall. It comes in a gift box for presentation, storage and protection. A fantastic Christmas gift idea for your Harry Potter fan or maybe even yourself.
WHO WILL LOVE THE HARRY POTTER REMOTE CONTROL WAND?
Harry Potter fans are going to love this television remote control. Imagine lounging on the couch and, with a flourish of your wand, changing the channel.
A novelty gift item that is a perfect Christmas gift idea for fans of Harry Potter, wizardry and magic lovers everywhere. Kymera's wand remote control allows you to be the wizard. You can master any of the items in your home for which you have a remote control including but not limited to your television, ceiling fans and lighting. The wand will memorize up to thirteen remote control codes and allow you to use them according to your gestures. You will be able to turn things on and off as well as up and down.
Your wand will arrive packaged in a beautiful box with detailed instructions. Mugglenet.com, the fan website devoted to all things Harry Potter, finished their discussion with, "The Kymera magic wand is truly a puzzle piece of engineering." I agree. Read on to decide what YOU think.
The technology inside the wand is a universal remote control chip, which works in the same manner as any universal remote control.
I believe that user reviews are a great way to judge the quality of a product. K. Schlitz Nanney says that she purchased this remote control or magic wand for her husband who loves Harry Potter and remote controls. He was pleased and set about teaching it the commands it needed to know right away. She finds it a bit hard to get used to but she is not enthralled with HP the way he is. He has a lot of fun with it and enjoys showing it off to guests. It arrived in a lovely box which can be used to store and to display the wand. Nanney recommends Kymera's magic wand for anyone who loves magic and remote controls.
Frequency Cast says that this is an easy-to-use remote control. You program it to do what you want - like turning the television on or off and changing the volume and channel.
Please note that this review was written in 2010. I do not know how it will work with today's smart televisions.
The Best Harry Potter Decorative Gifts
True Harry Potter geeks seek great decorative items for gifts and for decorating their homes. Let this page be your guide...
This Harry Potter Dumbledore quote poster is an officially licensed collectible Harry Potter item produced by MightyPrint. It is made of material that is tear and fade resistant and measures 17 inches by 24 inches.
It features the words of Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, "Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic."
Pumpkin juice is, as my son was quick to point out, juice made from a pumpkin. However, the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWOHP) in Orlando, Florida has taken the interest in this unusual beverage to new heights because pumpkin juice is one of the beverages you can purchase when you visit the theme park.
In Harry Potter's world this juice a cold drink that is served at any time to wizards and students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . It is a juice that is consumed like orange juice is by muggles.
At The Wizarding World of Harry Potter you can buy attractively bottled juice that tastes, some say, like pumpkin pie cider. You can also buy a slightly different version of this drink called Pumpkin Fizz at Hogsmeade's The Three Broomsticks pub.
If, like me, you cannot make it to WWOHP, you can make your own version of this juice. There is a wealth of recipes available on line, a few of which I will share below.
PUMPKIN JUICE RECIPES
There are many types of pumpkin juice recipes available, you will certainly have your pick. There are recipes that really do seem like real pumpkin juice. I cannot imagine any juice more real than a recipe that starts with a real pumpkin. From there you will go to the other extreme with recipes that include mixes like iced tea. If neither one of those ideas appeals to you, you are bound to find a great recipe somewhere in the middle.
The New York Times said, "Pumpkin juice in a cute, pumpkin-topped bottle is far more interesting than the park's butterbeer, perhaps because the actual pumpkin content seems minimal. It is more like a feisty apple cider with a little pumpkin thrown in."
MORE HARRY POTTER RECIPES
More recipes can be found in The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook: From Cauldron Cakes to Knickerbocker Glory--More Than 150 Magical Recipes for Wizards and Non-Wizards Alike. Unfortunately, there is not a butterbeer recipe. Find your copy of this cookbook here on Amazon.
Have you heard of pumpkin juice? Have you ever had pumpkin juice? Have you had The Wizarding World of Harry Potter's pumpkin juice?
Are you wondering who Lord Voldemort is? The Voldemort that is shown in this movie poster? That is, who played the most important villain in the Harry Potter movies?
Why that would be Ralph Fiennes, an English actor. The character of Voldemort was played by a number of different actors as it developed in the movies. However, this page is focused on the fully developed Voldemort as pictured here.
Even if you know actor Ralph Fiennes from his other films, you might not recognize him in this role as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who but you will probably know him from the list of movies that he has appeared in, which includes The English Patient, The Constant Gardener and Maid in Manhattan.
I believe that Lord Voldemort was brilliantly played. On this page you will learn a bit more about both Ralph Fiennes' and Lord Voldemort. If you are a fan, I think you will especially enjoy the videos, which discuss the development of Lord Voldemort's onscreen appearance and personality.
As if Lord Voldemort needs any introduction...Lord Voldemort is the main evil character in the Harry Potter book and movie series. He was born Tom Marvolo Riddle and is a descendent of Salazar Slytherin, who was one of the original founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Voldemort is featured as part of the story in all of the Harry Potter books except Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He is often referred to by the other characters in the story as "You-Know-Who," "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" or "the Dark Lord" because everyone is terrified to speak his name aloud.
See for yourself, the evil Dark Lord Voldemort. In this YouTube video you will be acquainted or reacquainted with Lord Voldemort. It is Voldemort as the child Tom Riddle that appears at the very beginning...
Ralph Fiennes' Biography
Ralph Fiennes was born the first of six children in Ipswhcih, England and is the son of a writer and a farmer and photographer. He trained in the dramatic arts and has been seen on the stage, in movies and on television.
Fiennes' film debut was in the 1992 and since then he has appeared in numerous movies including Wuthering Heights, Schindler's List (which saw him receive his first Academy Award nomination), Quiz Show, The English Patient (another Oscar-nominated performance), The Prince of Egypt, The Avengers, Maid in Manhattan and The Hurt Locker.
In the Harry Potter world, Fiennes became Lord Voldemort in 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He stayed on in that role in the movies Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 and 2.
Ralph Fiennes About Lord Voldemort Trailers
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In the following two YouTube videos you will hear from Ralph Fiennes and other cast and staff members about the process that they went through in developing the ultimate evil character, Lord Voldemort, including discussions about his appearance and his character.
Did you know who played Lord Voldemort before you visited this page?
My family was fortunate enough to own a few of the Harry Potter sets but of course we missed many of them like this discontinued and now rare and hard-to-find Hogwarts Express motorized train set from 2004. It is a 544 piece set, recommended for individuals aged 10 and up that works with other Lego train sets and it includes four mini-figures - Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Professor Lupin and a Dementor.
The first 30 seconds of this video shows the real train that was used in the film to recreate J.K. Rowling's and Harry Potter's Hogwarts Express. It will come as no surprise that they chose one of the most spectacular railroad journeys in the world for the Harry Potter movies.
Unfortunately, now that Lego's Harry Potter Motorized Hogwarts Express is discontinued, you will find that the price has gone up. However, if it is a set you are wanting to add to your Harry Potter collection, you can find it on eBay by clicking here. If you would like to have a train set but you do not need it to be the 2004 version, you can see all of the Lego Harry Potter train sets on eBay by clicking here.
If this existed in prior years, I missed it but I knew many knitters would be excited to see another source of inspiration for Harry Potter themed knitting. I love the ideas as mentioned on the cover of The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits, which include a Ginny inspired sweater, Albanian forest mittens and a Hagrid-style pullover.
Unfortunately, this book is out of print and hard to find. You will find it here on Amazonthough when I checked just now the price was quite high. You can also look for it on eBay by clicking here though as I write this, there are none available. Good luck with your search!
Previously, I found another Harry Potter Herbology themed poster on Etsy. However, it is no longer available so I went searching for another and found this one! I love the mandrake especially. How about you?
Etsy seller Kovvac created this image and she has a host of other great Harry Potter-themed items. You can find this print in her Esty store by clicking right here. Be sure to look around in her shop and see the other Harry Potter items that include but are not limited to a mandrake family, niffler items, stickers and greeting cards.
If you need extra help with your Herbology studies or just a plant- or garden-themed Harry Potter image, then this print is for you.
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. That is definitely the case with these attractive Harry Potter wallets. They feature themes from our favorite book and movie franchise and they are so cute that I hardly need say a word about them! A picture alone would do the job quite nicely.
Anyway, whether you prefer the Mischief Managed theme, you would like the Hogwarts Express wallet with the platform 9 3/4 reference or you always dreamed of an acceptance letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, there is a wallet for you.
You can read more about them and find them on eBay right now by clicking here. They seem reasonably priced for a product that is not leather. Yes, that is the obvious downside of these wallets. It would be great if they were leather but, if they were constructed from leather, no doubt they would be a lot more expensive.
Read all about it! Read all about it! There's a new version of the book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban being published and it is to be an illustrated edition. It is the third in the Harry Potter series to be done as an illustrated book featuring the artwork of Jim Kay.
This book brings more new pictures. The front cover features the magical three-level Knight Bus. Inside the new book, you will find Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Professor Trelawney and more. It will be published in a multitude of languages and is a testament to the continued popularity of our favorite boy wizard.
Obviously, I haven't seen the new book yet but I know without seeing it that it will make a great gift for someone you want to introduce to the Harry Potter series or for a fan.
The first illustrated book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, as seen here, is beautiful.
The second illustrated book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, can be seen here.
You can learn more about Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on Amazon by clicking here. You can also pre-order the book at that link. If you choose to do so, you will be protected by Amazon's pre-order price guarantee.
The book's release date is October 3, 2017 and once again, I am sure that it will be a very welcomed Harry Potter volume. What do you think?
In my world Harry Potter fans were totally pleased with the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when it was finally released in the movie theatres on November 18, 2016 and now there is another date to be excited about. I know that fans have been waiting and asking when will the DVD and Blu-ray disc for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them be released?
According to HDRoom, you will be able to start watching some versions of Fantastic Beasts at home on March 7, 2017 though they do not say which formats will be available on that date. However, they go on to say that the release date for Digital HD, DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray versions is March 28, 2017, timed to coincide with a new Harry Potter 4K release.
You can order your copy of Fantastic Beasts on Amazon by clicking hereright now. I see that Amazon has the various format options available and I know that they will protect you with their pre-order price guarantee. If the price goes down between now and the release date, that is the price you will be charged when they ship the movie.
I love the artwork, particularly on the DVD case shown above because it shows more of the characters. I've included the other images for interest sake. I know you won't be picking your copy of this movie based on the cover artwork but which cover is your favorite?
Kudos to J.K. Rowling and all of the folks at Warner Brothers who brought to life Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them on the big screen in November of 2016. I went to the movie with trepidation. Would this new movie live up to the expectation of the fans and the reputation of the Harry Potter series books and movies? I should not have worried; I totally enjoyed the movie. I don't often want to revisit a movie especially immediately after the fact but this is one that I could easily go and see again right away and I am betting that many fans feel the same way. Fantastic Beasts really was that good.
The movie left me wondering if someone who was not plugged into the Harry Potter franchise would enjoy it as much as the rest of us did and I am not sure. Newcomers might but they definitely would not understand all of the insider references. Since there are four more Fantastic Beasts movies to come, if you are keen and unacquainted, you might want to go back and read the Harry Potter books and then watch the movies.
Highlights for me were many but I know I laughed out loud quite a few times. I came away wanting some Gigglewater and a certain special umbrella for Christmas. Gigglewater is a wizarding alcoholic beverage that may cause you to laugh out loud when you drink it though apparently it is a real term from the 1920s.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an enjoyable film, well done, that sets us up for four more stories. Eddie Redmayne is outstanding as Newt Scamander, Dan Fogler is a good pairing as the no-maj Jacob Kowalski and Colin Farrell is good when he appears as Percival Graves, Director of Magical Security. I also particularly enjoyed the sister characters, Porpentina Goldstein as played by Katherine Waterston and Queenie Goldstein as played by Alison Sudol.
OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER
You likely don't need it but just in case you do, here is the final trailer for the movie.
MOVIE RATING
Fantastic Beasts is rated PG13. The Movie Momsays that it is given that rating based on fantasy action violence and she recommends it for middle school aged children. I think that is reasonable and this movie comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me particularly if you are involved in Harry Potter's world.
It's been a long while since I have had a new wand to write about. However, there's a new wizard in town and the folks at Noble Collection have created a wand for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them's wizard Newt Scamander. It is an authentic prop replica, officially licensed and comes complete with a collector's box.
According to the website Fandom, Newton Scamander’s wand was likely purchased from Ollivander's Wand Shop and was constructed from lime with a bone core and some shell at the end. It was of unknown length though the one offered here from the Noble Collection is 14 inches long.
How exciting that Eddie Redmayne, who portrays Newt Scamander in the film, gave away wands to 6,000 fans at San Diego's Comic Con. Here's your chance to own one, too. I would like to wave my wand and give you one but I am pure muggle so I cannot employ magic to obtain a wand for you and I definitely do not have the connections that Redmayne has in order to be able to give you one so you will just have to followthis link to Amazon to buy your own.
Have you seen the movie yet? What did you think? Is there a wand in your future?
If you love Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Eddie Redmayne and the new movie spin off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and you are ready to choose your 2017 wall calendar, you might want to give this calendar a glance…
I know this calendar would make a great option for anyone who has been engrossed in J.K. Rowling’s world and who looks forward to and/or loves the Fantastic Beast expansion of that franchise.
Another fabulous Harry Potter themed find from Etsy! This time it is a very attractive t-shirt from a shop called Portkey Apparel that has a closet or maybe I should say a chest full of HP options for you.
I like this one because I LOVED the butterbeer when I had it at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I would go back just for the butterbeer. It was that good though I realize it may not be to everyone's taste.
I think this tee would be a great gift idea for any woman you know who loves the world of Harry Potter but don't despair. Portkey has men's options, too and other patterns like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry crests, Dobby and the Tri-wizard Tournament.
I love the fact that these Harry Potter clocks are recycled old vinyl records and that they feature scenes from and friends of Harry's world. While the clock part is new, the record is used meaning your clock is a piece of art and an upcycled piece of history.
These clocks are crafted by Vinyl Evolution and fortunately available directly from Amazon by clicking on any of the pictures on this page or by clicking right here. Of note is the fact that it does take a while for one of them to be made for you and to be delivered so be sure to read the details about delivery time carefully.
I love them all but am particularly drawn to the top one that shows Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger and the second one, which features Harry playing Quidditch. Which one would you choose?
Also, if you love the idea of a movie-themed clock but want to pick another movie, Vinyl Evolution has many movies to choose from including but not limited to Beauty and the Beast, Pokemon Go, Zelda, Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins and the Walking Dead.
Look what I've found, Harry Potter fans! More Harry Potter signs though this time they aren't posters but they are real, handcrafted wooden signs.
Canadian artisan Pete Vassilakos hand makes these signs in his home and you can see for yourself how handsome they are!
They are not mass produced. Instead, they are carefully crafted by hand with attention to detail. In the case of the Hogwarts Railways sign, which I think is my favorite, each rivet was placed by hand. The logo was hand painted and the crest an applied print.
Of the Knockturn Alley sign one buyer said, "Honestly I did not expect this to be of such high quality. This is truly an art piece. I purchased this to hang outside for Halloween. However, once I saw the quality of this item I knew I couldn't hang it outside. Even my wife insisted that we hang it up in the house. And, it looks fantastic! Amazing attention to detail." Need I say more, Harry Potter fans?
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Pete sells his work on Etsy under the name Vass Designs and you can find his Harry Potter works by clicking any of the photographs on this page or by visiting this link. However, his creations are not limited to Harry Potter but also includes themes like nautical, polar exploration, sports, war time, old west, space and Star Trek and Star Wars. You will find them all on Etsy.
I am looking forward to Etsy's Made in Canada national pop-up event on September 24 though I have never attended an event before. If you are interested in checking out the event yourself, you can find the list of locations on Etsy here. You'll see cities listed from coast to coast including Halifax and Vancouver and many cities in between. What a great opportunity to support Canadian artisans!
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Updated 2024. It appears that Pete is no longer making Harry Potter-themed items but if you follow the link below to his shop on Etsy you will find some other wonderful movie-themed items.
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I found another fabulous Harry Potter themed poster print. Dried nettles, devil's snare and leaping toadstools are but a few of the ingredients illustrated on this Harry Potter Herbology chart, which Etsy seller Well Said Creations hand illustrated. She created the image and then uploaded it to her computer to add colour and texture and to distress it.
If you need extra help with your Herbology studies, then this print is for you. Muggles, wizards and witches alike will find it helpful. They will also like that it is is available in pink, black, white or cream to suit your decor whether you choose to display it in your library, bedroom, kitchen or even your baby's nursery.
EDITED TO NOTE: Regretfully, this poster is no longer available and I am unable to locate the original shop owner, Leah on Etsy. However, to find another great Herbology poster, please visit my second page here.
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