Free Harry Potter Film Festival Continues at the Library

What to do on a rainy day...

Over the last two weeks we've had a chance to show and watch the first two installments of the Harry Potter epic in our auditorium theater, which has a pull-down screen, built-in sound, and seats 300. Children AND adults have flocked to watch these excellent movies and seek out shelter from recent torrential downpours--I can't think of a better FREE way to spend a rainy day! This film festival is taking place in preparation for the big release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in mid July at local movie theaters. Library moviegoers also have the chance to participate in our free drawing to win the entire box set of Harry Potter books 1-7.

Here is the upcoming schedule of free Movie Mondays at Providence Public Library, 150 Empire Street, Providence:

Monday, June 29 -- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Two showings: 1:00 & 5:30pm (run time: approx. 142 min), rated PG
Harry, Ron and Hermione return to for their third year to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An escaped prisoner named Sirius Black seems to pose a threat to Harry but is he really a foe...or a friend. The answer provides a shocking revelation about what happened 12 years ago when Harry got his famous scar!

Monday, July 6 -- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Two showings: 1:00pm & 6:30pm (run time: approx. 157 min), rated PG-13
"Difficult times lay ahead, Harry." This is the warning that meets our favorite wizard in training as he heads back for his fourth year at Hogwart's School. Harry is mysteriously entered into the dangerous Tri-wizard Tournament even though he is underage. He must train for many challenging and the possible return of his nemesis, the evil Lord Voldemort.

Monday, July 13 -- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Two showings: 1:00pm & 6:30pm (run time: approx. 138 min), rated PG-13
Our hero has to battle the Ministry of Magic as they seize more power at Hogwarts and refuse to believe that the evil Voldemort has returned. Harry's overwhelming school work, changes in the Quiddich team, and the increased threat from his nemesis make for his most challenging and darkest year yet.

WHAT YOU'VE MISSED so far...
To catch you up (spoiler alert for those living under rocks): in movie number one (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) Harry finds out that he's a wizard by accident, of course, and gets delivered from his domestic muggle hell family to Hogwarts for the year by Hagrid, the only one to recognize his birthday. He realizes he's famous in the wizard world for being the only one to survive a run-in with the evil wizard Voldemort (whose power he turned against him to subdue him). Harry also becomes a "seeker" on the Quiddich team, gets his very own invisibility cloak and fancy broomstick, and learns that Professor Snape isn't all bad... after Harry saves the day.

In movie number two (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Harry learns that he can speak parseltongue (snake language), a rare and scary talent, which raises suspicion. After a number of students, including Hermione, become petrified (literally), Harry must solve the mystery of Tom Riddle, rescue the captive Ginny Weasley, and break the Slytherin-Voldemort curse of the mighty basilisk before its killing spree of muggle-morn wizards beings. With the help of a fairly massive spider and Fawkes the Phoenix, all is well at Hogwarts once again, although the über-blond Malfoy family is miffed. You also get to see Ron barf slugs and barely manage his father's flying car in this one but, unfortunately in my opinion, you have to suffer the annoying, third-person antics of Dobby the House Elf.

Don't forget to check out Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where Gary Oldman comes on board as Sirius Black--how cool IS he, anyway? In my book, he and Alan Rickman, take the Harry Potter prize for coolest adults in a children's series.





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