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20 years of Harry Potter: A glance at what we learned from the wizarding world

By  in April 18th 2022   No Comment »
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Twenty years ago, the muggle world witnessed the birth of Harry Potter on the big screen, and the rest is all history. Yes, it has been 20 years since the first Harry Potter film was released. We are old, but some stories are written for a lifetime, and Harry Potter is one of them.

‘The boy who lived’ became the dream for many, but before Harry Potter took over the cinematic front, the books were already making headlines, selling lakhs of copies and making history.

Let us use the Pensieve to go back in time. Let us remember our innocent days, when we used to read Harry Potter in libraries, during bus rides, under the quilts with our torches, etc.

Yes, those were the days when we were all invested in the magical world. In fact, for many of us, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ was probably the first book that we picked from the book store because every other kid was obsessed with it.

For many, it was a great escape from reality, including myself. While the majority of people have become familiar with the mischievous, brave, and loveable trio on the big screens; for us, the journey to Hogwarts began back in 1997 itself.

Some might say that the Harry Potter books are just for kids and teens. However, this is not entirely true. The Harry Potter universe comes alive thanks to the magic weaved by JK Rowling through her words.

Each book in the seven-book series is a stepping stone in Harry’s life as he makes his way to his teen years. Each book focuses on some particular emotions and thoughts that give a mirror image of our teen lives and the society that we are a part of.

Each book taught us something important with relevance to a specific age group. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your brooms, wands, and robes as we are about to dive into the magical world of Harry Potter once again.

The importance of friendship

Don’t lie to yourself. When we were teens, we all dreamed of having our trio, our own clever and intelligent Hermione, the ever-clumsy yet helpful Ron, and someone as caring, loving, and strong as Harry. Well, many of us still seek this.

The very first lesson we receive from Harry Potter is the importance of friends. You can never succeed in your life without a little help from your friends. Just take a look at your past, and you will see that your friends were always there when you needed them.

The support of teachers

For many of us, our school and college days are over, and we can all take a breath of relief as we are safe from our teachers’ scolding. However, as we remember, we all wanted someone like Professor McGonagall.

And many of us were lucky to get a teacher like her in real life — that one teacher who taught us, supported us, loved us, and helped us in many ways. It is their hard work and love that shaped us the way we are today.

However, a few teachers were not too friendly with the students, but they also did their best in molding us into good human beings — of course, we all know how that whole moulding-us-into-shape business turned out with Snape.

The love of family

The word ‘family’ holds immense power. But what is family? Is it your parents? Your cousins? Your friends? No, family is something where you feel safe, loved, protective, happy, and satisfied.

Many of us are lucky to live with our parents, and for us, this is family. But, many others don’t have parents or are living with people who don’t love them. These people find shelter with their friends, colleagues, or even strangers.

Similar was the case of Harry. At a young age, we were sympathetic towards Harry. But, as we grew old, we realised that Harry had a very loving family.

He was always welcomed and loved by the Weasleys, by his friends, and Hogwarts was his home, where he felt happy, safe, and satisfied.

No woman is less. No man is invulnerable

JK Rowling was clear about one thing: girls are as strong as boys, it is normal for a guy to cry, and no one is invulnerable.

There are several episodes where we see Hermione, Jinny, Luna saving the boys from deadly situations. We also saw Harry, Ron, Nevill, Draco showing their emotions in front of their loved ones.

It makes you believe that it is okay to be in touch with your emotions because feelings have nothing to do with your gender!

It has helped several millennials and Gen Z to break the structured notion that defined the qualities of a man and a woman.

The world of powerful, corrupt, and fearful

As we entered the later books of Harry Potter, we saw how power, corruption, responsibility, and fear move together. Harry Potter taught us tolerance; it told us how no one is inherently good or bad, and that power is a concept, and it is our nature how we use it.

And it is not only in books, but it is the harsh reality in which we are all living. Look around, and you’ll see many powerful faces using their powers in wrongdoing. But, many use their power for a good cause too.

The books taught us what happens to corrupt souls and power-hungry beings.

Throughout the books, we saw how power played a significant role. The Malfoys look down upon the Weasleys because they have the wealth, position, and power to do so.

Dobby represented the struggle of the poverty-stricken class as to how they are chained with eternal struggle and pain and how they don’t have the power to be free and can only be freed with the help of someone belonging to a powerful class.

Life and Death: Two faces of the same coin

Sometimes, we all wish to have the philosopher’s stone or the resurrection stone so that we can always keep our loved ones safe and live for hundreds of years. But, in reality, this is not possible.

All we have is a little time with our loved ones, as life is very unpredictable. One of the biggest learnings from Harry Potter was that even the powerful ones will one say fall and will fade away. You can never cheat death.

So, live your life to the fullest. Cherish the moments you have with your family, friends, and with yourself, as you can live it again. And this message was never more pronounced that now, as we near the aftermaths of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Until next time, mischief managed!

Read: From mundane to magical: Here is how Harry Potter shaped my life

Read: Why Harry Potter is the fairy tale we need now instead of Cinderella or Snow White

Read: Quotes from the greatest teachers of Harry Potter’s wizarding world

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits Will Be Able to Return to Valley Soon: RSS Chief

By  in April 18th 2022   No Comment »
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He also praised The Kashmir Files’ movie, saying it has created public awareness across the country and outside about the reality behind the exodus of Kashmiri pandits from the valley in 1990.(Twitter/RSS File photo)

Tesco launches half price Easter toy sale on Harry Potter, Paw Patrol and more

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The sale starts today, Thursday, March 24 and includes some of the most popular toy brands such as Fisher Price, Batman, Nerf, Paw Patrol, Go Play, Roblox, Preschool and Playdoh.

There are 60 toys in the sale and with all categories catered for, there’s something for everyone to play with. 

Tesco easter toy sale

Some of the standout offers in the Tesco sale include the following products:

Harry Potter Hedwig Plush       

This was £40 and is reduced to just £20. Perfect for the Harry Potter fans!

Tesco easter toy sale (Tesco)

Playdoh Canister

Also £40 reduced to £20, this playdoh cannister contains 20 cans of Play-Doh compound and 45 accessories.

Kids can make numbers, pretend foods, shapes, and more with the cutters, moulds, scissors, and other fantastic accessories, all for just £20!

Paw Patrol Pit Stock Vehicle

Another product here reduced to just £20, this Paw Patrol toy will have kids playing for hours with the entertaining ready, race and rescue accessories.

Demand for toys at Tesco increases over the Easter holidays by around 20 per cent as parents look to keep their kids entertained during the two week break.

Tesco Category Manager for Toys, Nursery and Sport, Anne Borrett explained: “Whatever the weather, rain or shine, we’ve got toys for all eventualities to keep the kids amused indoors or outside in the garden.

“We also have a trampoline in the sale as well as water tables and water blaster back packs plus play sand if it’s going to be sunny and the kids are going to be in the garden.

“But if it’s rainy or cooler then there’s plenty of action figures and games to play with indoors.”

The Tesco Easter Half Price Toy Sale runs until April 19, you can shop the deals on the website here. 

110 years after it sank, Titanic continues to capture the public’s imagination

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Although it sank 110 years ago during its maiden voyage, the RMS Titanic looms as large in the public’s imagination today as it ever did.

The stories associated with the great White Star Line ocean liner have moved seamlessly from traditional media — books and films — to social media where they continue to captivate.

Titanic struck an iceberg while speeding toward New York. It sank 700 nautical miles (1,296 kilometres) east of Halifax on April 15, 1912.

Roger Marsters, curator of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, says Titanic’s connection to Halifax was almost incidental as it was the nearest mainland port from which a recovery could be mounted.

Roger Marsters is curator of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

Titanic had a grip on the collective imagination prior to James Cameron’s 1997 film, Marsters said. But, by attaching star-crossed lovers to a story of hubris and extravagance, the film fixed the events in the public’s imagination.

“We have people from all over the world coming to Fairview Lawn and to Mount Olivet to visit the graves of people they’ve never met and have never known, but with whom they feel a strong connection because of the powerful, imaginative grip of the Titanic story,” he said.

Rafael Avila shares Titanic information on his social media platforms as the Titanic Guy. (© 2017 Stephen James Hutchinson)

As the port where recovered bodies were brought to in the wake of the tragedy, Halifax is home to 150 Titanic graves — the most in the world.

Marsters said the Titanic story seems to refresh itself with each generation. From the point of view of the museum, it is a way to bring new people to maritime history.

Rafael Avila, a 32-year-old social media personality better known online as the Titanic Guy, spends his time presenting trivia about Titanic and correcting inaccurate information about the ship he sees online.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, left, are shown in the movie Titanic. (paramount Pictures/Associated Press)

His TikTok channel has over 600,000 subscribers and almost 34 million likes.

Avila said he was seven in 1997 when he saw a documentary about a ship that sank and he asked his father what it was about. 

Titanic graves at Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax. (Vernon Ramesar/CBC)

His father told him it was about a famous ship that was one of the biggest in the world and was brand new when it sank.

Fascinated by the story, Avila said he convinced his parents to take him to see the popular film in December of that year and that solidified his interest.

Avila said that the Titanic story was largely forgotten in the years after the sinking.

The book A Night to Remember, published in 1955, and a subsequent film in 1958 rekindled interest, he said.

The release of Cameron’s film led to an exponential growth in interest, according to Avila, and it then moved into the sphere of social media.

“It represented all these different things, grandeur, hope, opportunity, and then for it to come crashing down with something so simple as an iceberg,” Avila said. “It was like a theatre that played out in the middle of the ocean.”

Historian and author Bob Chaulk has written two books on the SS Atlantic. (Jon Tattrie/CBC)

The Toronto-based Avila said he has never been to Halifax but he knows he will visit one day to see artifacts and visit the Titanic graves in person.

Although Titanic is undoubtedly the most famous of them, three ships connected to the company left an indelible mark on the province.

In 1873, the SS Atlantic crashed into a rock near Prospect Bay, resulting in the deaths of around 550 people. 

According to Bob Chaulk, the author of two books on the SS Atlantic, the ship bound for New York had 950 passengers on board. 

Chaulk said the chief engineer determined a week into the journey that there wasn’t enough coal on board. The captain decided to divert to Halifax to refuel, which would turn out to be a fatal decision.

Victims of the SS Atlantic are rescued from the wreck on April 1, 1873. (Nova Scotia Archives [William Notman photograph, W.R. MacAskill accession no. 1987-453 no. 3249])

Of the four deck officers, Chaulk said, only one had sailed into Halifax before. 

As the ship approached Halifax at night, the ship ran aground on a rock that was quite close to shore. The bow of the ship rode up on the rock and the stern immediately submerged, Chaulk said. 

Because it happened in the early hours of the morning, Chaulk said most passengers were below deck with women and children sleeping below deck in the stern area. 

Some of the victims of the wreck of the SS Atlantic were buried in a mass grave in Terence Bay. (Nova Scotia Archives/W.Chase, neg. no.: N-0719)

No women survived the disaster and only one child was rescued.

“It was [3 a.m.], some of them just drowned in their beds, didn’t even get out of bed,” he said.

Chaulk said the real miracle to him was that 400 people survived. He said that was largely because of the heroic efforts of residents of Lower Prospect and Terence Bay who mounted a rescue effort.

A monument to those who perished on the SS Atlantic was erected in Prospect in 1915. (CBC)

To this day it remains the worst shipwreck in Nova Scotia history and the second worst in Canadian history after the Empress of Ireland, according to Chaulk.

In 1917, the former White Star Line SS Runic had by far the biggest impact on the history of Nova Scotia.

From its launch date in 1889 until the vessel was sold in 1895, it served to carry livestock and passengers for the White Star Line. 

On Dec. 6, 1917, the ship, by then renamed the SS Imo, collided with the ammunition ship SS Mont-Blanc in Halifax harbour, triggering an explosion that killed 1,600 people and caused widespread destruction.

Victorian tourists visit the site of the SS Atlantic in Terence Bay, N.S. (Nova Scotia Archives [W. Chase no. 32/neg. no.: N-0720])

Marsters said the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has artifacts and exhibits from all three White Star Line vessels.

He said in some ways the story of the three ships is also a story of how Nova Scotians respond to tragedy.

“These three quite well-known White Star wrecks are indicative of broader processes of maritime activity that have meant that, for hundreds of years, people living in Mi’kma’ki, people living in Nova Scotia, have always stood by to help people who are in peril at sea,” he said.

“I think that’s a legacy that continues today and that is valuable to continue to cultivate.”

MORE TOP STORIES

Top Movies of 2021

By  in April 18th 2022   No Comment »
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8.

Finch
(2021)

PG-13
|
115 min
|

Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a robot, built to protect the life of his creator’s beloved dog learns about life, love, friendship and what it means to be human.

Director:
Miguel Sapochnik
|
Stars:
Tom Hanks,
Caleb Landry Jones,
Marie Wagenman,
Lora Martinez-Cunningham

Votes:
74,580

Hogwarts Legacy Is Apparently Coming To Nintendo Switch

By  in April 18th 2022   No Comment »
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@Astral-Grain

No worries, bud. I’m not offended in the least. I didn’t take it personally or anything, and like I said, I respect their right to do so. I don’t want to say too much and get another comment deleted again, but I will say that I’ve seen nothing but unwavering support for Ukraine–even among Republican circles. Perhaps it’s more divisive than I’m giving it credit for, but from my perspective, I’ve seen very little discourse about it.

I’m actually glad you tagged me in a reply, as I don’t think I ever got around to responding when you asked why I felt the need to say I “can’t stand” ASMR in another article a while back. I guess it was a bit of a social experiment to see how people would respond. You were upset by it–as I figured someone would be–but it gave me the opportunity to express from my personal experience why “toxic positivity” can be as damaging to one’s mental health as negativity. So, I knew I was stirring the pot, and though I don’t like to cause beef (that’s two unintentional stew metaphors in one sentence), I thought it would be a worthwhile learning experience.

I think you and I both gained a little insight from it and maybe let go of some pre-conceived notions; you probably thought I sounded like a jerk from my initial comment, and I thought similarly from your sarcastic reply, haha. But now, I quite like you–I think you’re a pretty cool dude! I don’t know if you had a chance to see my comment before it got deleted, but that’s a lot of what I was talking about in it–how censorship, cancel culture, etc. causes people to keep their feelings bottled up when they cannot freely express their viewpoints. This, I think, leads to a lot of animosity and misunderstandings; if we hadn’t talked things out, we’d both still be harboring negative perceptions of each other. So to me, open and honest discussion about sensitive and polarizing subjects is like growing pains–uncomfortable, but ultimately a necessary part of life that is incredibly worthwhile.

(Plz, for the love of Iwata in heaven, Nintendo Life, don’t delete this one, I’m begging you.)

New Re-Release Trailer for 70s Stuntman Action Movie ‘Stunt Rock’

By  in April 17th 2022   No Comment »
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New Re-Release Trailer for 70s Stuntman Action Movie ‘Stunt Rock’

by
February 28, 2022
Source: YouTube

“It’s super human! Super music. Super magic. And super amazing.” Kino Lorber has dropped a new trailer for the long lost action classic Stunt Rock, an Australian stuntman film from 1978 that’s being re-released as a 4K restoration. While working on a TV show in L.A., famed Australian stuntman Grant Page helps an up-and-coming fantasy-themed rock band develop special FX and dangerous stunts for their act. “Exploding onto screens nationwide March 25!” Helmed by Ozploitation legend Brian Trenchard-Smith (of BMX Bandits, Deathcheaters), Stunt Rock is a breathless, action-packed 90-minute trailer. Footage from other of his films (as well as licensed clips from the original Gone in 60 Seconds) pad out the impressive new stunts and the Spinal Tap-esque musical excursions of Sorcery, featuring an on-stage battle between good and evil, magic, a wizard, and a flame-throwing devil… Stunt Rock is danger as you never imagined it! Uh this sounds and looks totally badass, why did no one tell me about this film before?! I need to watch this! What a trailer.

Here’s the new re-release trailer for Brian Trenchard-Smith’s Stunt Rock, direct from YouTube:

Part documentary, part rock film, and all kinds of crazy. Stunt Rock from 1978 is a feature length ode to fearless Australian stuntman Grant Page (of the Mad Max films, Road Games, The Gods Of Egypt). Real-life stuntman Grant Page travels to Los Angeles to work on a television series, and in his spare time lends his expertise to his cousin’s rock band Sorcery – helping them develop pyrotechnic magic tricks for their stage shows. All while finding himself in a budding romance with reporter Lois Wills (Margaret Gerard). Stunt Rock is directed by Anglo Australian filmmaker Brian Trenchard-Smith, his third feature film at the time, just a few years before he’d go on to make BMX Bandits in the 1980s. The screenplay is written by Paulmichel Mielche Jr. and Brian Trenchard-Smith. The film originally showed up in the US in 1980, after first opening in the UK back in 1978. Kino Lorber will re-release the action classic Stunt Rock in select US theaters nationwide starting March 25th, 2022. For more info, visit the official site. Who wants to watch?

Find more posts: To Watch, Trailer

Katherine Waterston’s Absence From Fantastic Beasts

By  in April 17th 2022   No Comment »
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She’s just, you know, the female lead. No big deal. 

The Kashmir Files: Section 144 enforced in Rajasthan’s Kota in view of film’s screening

By  in April 17th 2022   No Comment »
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Authorities in Rajasthan’s Kota have imposed Section 144 in the city from March 22 to April 21 in order to maintain law and order during the screening of the recently released film ‘The Kashmir Files.’

“Section 144 will be imposed in Kota from tomorrow, March 22, till April 21, in view of maintaining law order with the screening of ‘The Kashmir Files’,” read the order.

According to the order, there should be no crowd gathering to watch the movie. The upcoming festival in the district should be conducted in a ceremonial manner and people should not take baths in rivers, including canals.

On the order of imposing Section 144, Kota North ex-BJP MLA Prahlad Gunjal hit out at the government, saying, “A huge ‘Chandi march’ will be held in the Kota North assembly constituency on Tuesday, therefore Section 144 was imposed and ‘The Kashmir Files’ is just an excuse.”

“Earlier, a similar clause was invoked a day before the protest. Women and girls are being raped, and a minister terms Rajasthan as ‘the state of men’. This has hurt the self-esteem of women. They will proceed with the rally tomorrow,” he added.

“The government is so scared that Section 144 has been imposed. No power in the world can stop the ‘Chandi March’ tomorrow, whether the police resort to lathi-charge or arrest,” stated Gunjal.

The Vivek Agnihotri-directed film, which depicts atrocities against Kashmir Pandits and their displacement due to Pakistan-backed terrorists, has become a huge box office success, despite critics accusing the filmmakers of communalism in the way the narrative is framed.

Several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tripura, Goa, and Uttarakhand, have declared the film tax-free to encourage people to watch the Anupam Kher-starrer.

As of Sunday, the film’s total earnings had surpassed Rs 167 crore, with a final tally of Rs 167.45 crore. On Friday, the film earned Rs 19.15 crore, and on Saturday, it earned Rs 24.80 crore.

The film’s total collections have crossed Rs 167 crore to settle at Rs 167.45 crore. The film raked in Rs 19.15 crore on Friday and went on to collect Rs 24.80 crore at the box office on Saturday.

(With inputs from Sanjay Verma)

READ | Donate ‘The Kashmir Files’ earnings to charity, says MP IAS officer; Vivek Agnihotri responds

READ | Aamir Khan urges every Indian to watch The Kashmir Files, says he’s happy with the film’s success

7 Heartbreaking moments from the Harry Potter series

By  in April 17th 2022   No Comment »
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