More Than Harry's Magic (July 17,2007)

More Than Harry’s Magic
By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

I was going eccentric. If you didn’t know exactly reason why I was hysterical, you’ll think I was possessed by some uncanny spirit. I went inside the movie house with my knees wobbling in all directions, knowing that my almost two years of waiting has finally paid off. My classmates, who were encouraged on viewing the movie on its opening day due to my rampaging persuasions, struggled to calm me down as we occupied the de luxe center seats of the cinema. Then, I found myself sitting in the cozy chair with my eyes goggling towards the huge screen where the bespectacled wizard with his lightning bolt shaped scar would make his most awaited apparition.

But something struck me more, that day. It wasn’t Harry Potter’s charming aura, or his wand flicking and swishing. Neither of the astounding visual effects and flawless choreography jinxed me more than what I noticed that day. Sadly, even the Harry-Cho seven seconds kissing scene didn’t make much impact compared to what I had learned that day. Actually what caught my eye was not flashed on the big screen, they were those found just within our seats, just within the popcorn buckets and junk food wrappers, just within the common nuisance me and my classmates did throughout the whole movie. With that, I would like to extend my heartfelt apologies to people behind our seats who suffered the terrible noisy fate.

I saw my classmates’ faces gleaming with smiles amidst the dim atmosphere of the cinema. It’s heartwarming to see smiles that offer no holding back, genuine smiles that were brought to life by a simple movie experience. Watching them smile would tickle my funny bone unto how different we would look when at school. There, we cram over our mind numbing quizzes, or copying off notes with our incomplete assignments, alas, we looked like wilted-out vegetables. The two hour break from reality and escape from responsibilities somehow reenergized us all from pressures the world constantly pours out. Not to mention made our smile muscles functional.

To my surprise, I discovered something naturally existing and obvious that day. Food connects people. Food promotes bonding among friends, most when it is shared. Several hands performed their stylish dives and back flips as they reached in into assorted corn chip, potato chip or pop corn containers. The cinema conducted a symphonic harmony of crunching, munching and chomping. Indeed we were part of this food orchestra. Amazing as it is, I saw smaller strikes to this portrait of gestures. The stampede of hands unto one unfortunate popcorn bucket seeks to portray a gesture of bonding and togetherness. Though how simple and usually ignored this act is, I see it differently. The crunching and munching with some added chomping weren’t just the musical sounds. Giggles, Chuckles, Laughs together with some “Thank You’s” and “Can I have some?” completed the melodic ensemble. Food + a good movie = magical movie experience and bonding.

I may seem to be such a symbolist, that I take simple things and spice them up with emotions. I can’t help myself seeing a plain gesture as something good enough for an Oscar nomination. I’m sorry if some might find it over reacting, but that is how I view life. To view a movie without noticing the less striking occurrences just beside your seats, wouldn’t make it a movie experience at all. It’s just like viewing it on DVD or on your cable television, nothing more, and nothing special. There’s a reason why the cinema can contain a large capacity of audience. Social activity can still happen within its reverberating walls. Mingling and awareness can still be felt together with the cool temperature. I pity people who wanted a perfect cinema experience; no noise, no disturbances, KKP (kanya-kanyang pagkain). Everything those people saw were simply just for personal consumption and fulfillment. They went inside the cinema, buy popcorn, view the movie, got their expectations reached or dismayed, then go home. So, where’s the fun?

I did what those people have done, but added some extra features to make my experience extra special. I realized I have extra sensory vision that can see smiles within the dark. I noticed that I have supersonic hearing that can identify the kinds of chips (may it be potato chips, corn chips or pop corn) just through the variations of munches and chomps. With these superpowers I detected within me, I guess I’ll rush myself down to merry ol’ London and help young Harry Potter in vanquishing Lord Voldemort.

In a few years, months, or weeks even I might forget how the visual effects drooled me to hypnosis, I might fail to remember how Harry maneuvered his lips in his kissing scene with Cho, or even fail to recall some quotable lines which I’m currently hoping to memorize. But I’m sure that those unwavering sweet smiles of my classmates, all of our shrieks, giggles, and shivers, and even some of the lingering flavors of different corn chips (may they be barbeque or sour cream and onion) will forever be intact and untouched in my time capsule of memories.

In the end of the movie, (don’t worry this isn’t a spoiler) Harry gave focus to how his life was given more meaning because of friendship and love. Troubled as his experiences might be, and though how they linger in his dreams, the simple yet brighter memories lured him to wake up and face life all over again with a smile on his face and a wand ever ready in his pocket.

My two years of waiting was compressed into a few hours of cinematography. But during those few hours were learnings and realizations that’ll keep me smiling through several years more to come. That day ended more than spells and enchantments, more than broomsticks or Thestrals, more than Harry’s Magic.

(I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the readers who shared their reactions with regards to my previous write up “Of Quidditch and Chocolate Frogs”.)

(For comments and reactions please send an email to reylangarcia@yahoo.com or send an SMS to 09186363090).