So I decided to do a marathon of one of my favorite movie franchises of all time: Lord of The Ri- no, lord no. I mean the “Harry Potter” movies.

I’m part of “generation HP,” the era of kids who grew up watching the movies as their first introduction to the franchise rather than reading the books. I first started with the first three movies as a youngin’ of nine, then read books two through seven long after they came out, watched movie eight, read book one, and then finally concluded with movies four through seven (if you kept up with that tale, well done!). But it’s been quite the hot minute since I’ve taken a few hours (days, more like it) to sit down and watch all eight movies, which I remember as being the gold standards of filmmaking.

Let’s just say, the charm’s (see what I did there?) still there, but maybe the effect’s starting to fade. But let me tell you why you should spend your quarantine watching these movies.

A friend of mine recently described the movies as being “the truest escapism.” And that’s exactly the kind of thing we need to keep ourselves sane during this time. There’s a pure childlike wonder that comes with immersing yourself into the world of Harry James Potter. The movies offer a truly sensory and encapsulating experience. Dare I say, they’re… magical?

The HP film franchise is a true feat of production and cinematography, creating works of film that are just as impressive nearly two decades down the line (feel old yet?). The detailed work on the set pieces, first rate visual effects, and CGI, all make for a visually stunning piece of cinema. Honorable mention to the John Williams scoring as well, iconic in its own right.

The movies truly come together due to the impeccable, IMPECCABLE casting. Having Emma Watson, an actress with a slight air of perfectionism, play Hermione Granger makes her an insufferable know-it-all that you can’t help but root for. Evanna Lynch’s dreamy airhead look makes Luna Lovegood all the more endearing. Helena Bonham-Carter’s truly kooky demeanor is what makes Bellatrix Lestrange feel like a real threat. Even Daniel Radcliffe so easily captures the sort of boyish charm that Harry Potter has without making it too obvious (I’ll give him a pass for missing the green eyes).

Keeping that in mind, though, have you ever met one of those people who always go “umm, the book was better than the movie?” In this case, they’re right. You can argue it, but you’d probably be wrong. Every one of the books (except for book three, “The Prisoner of Azkaban”) was a story-telling marvel that I don’t think the movies could be. The books never overwhelmed us with characters or new developments in the wizarding world, yet managed to keep the storyline moving forward at a brisk pace. And the characters and plot points started to get more and more compelling and seemed to all connect.

In movie five, “Order of the Phoenix”, Sirius Black says, “The world isn’t split into good people and death eaters. There’s a light and dark inside all of us.” But, the thing is, most of the characters in the HP universe can quite conveniently be slotted into “good” or “bad” terms. It can be quite binary. Obviously, there are notable exceptions, like Harry himself, being both brash and intuitive; Severus Snape, loyal yet sardonic; even Ron Weasley, probably the most realistic character, who showcases that being adjacent to fame instead of actually famous isn’t as thrilling.

But that’s just what they are. Exceptions. And the movies make that very apparent, simply because there’s not enough time to explore each and every one of these characters. In the fourth movie, “The Goblet of Fire,” Triwizard champion Viktor Krum comes off as being arrogant and ruggedly handsome. That’s because he barely has any lines beyond grunting like a lunk from the stone age (petition to retroactively fire the actor, Stanislav Ianevski, for turning him into a plank of wood). In the books, however, he’s depicted as being arrogant, ruggedly handsome, secretly charming, awkwardly endearing, and a pretty decent chap. The screenplay often shows you everything that’s going on but shies away from going deeper lest it dive too much and run out of time.

My personal biggest critique would be the movie’s half-baked storylines that, fundamentally, seek to simply bring plots from the paper to film reel. Take, for instance, Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown’s hurricane of a romance in book six, “The Half-Blood Prince.” Lavender Brown had been a constantly recurring character throughout the books, albeit one of little significance. But when she develops a relationship with Ron (a cringeworthy one at that), it feels like an organic arc that brings a consistently cute background character to the forefront. In the movies, however, it just comes straight out of nowhere. Lavender makes her very first meaningful (and whitewashed) appearance in that movie itself and presents less as a “silly girl in love” and more “stalker with an obsessive infatuation.” It all seems too contrived and doesn’t come quite as naturally as it does in the books. #JusticeForLavenderBrown

Also, I consider it a heinous offence that the movies largely forget that the Patil sisters belong to different houses, often showing them both together in the Gryffindor common room, despite one being in Ravenclaw. As a fellow Indian, I demand accurate depiction!

Why do all of these problems matter, though?

People tend to get caught up in the overflowing emotion that the movies bring out, which is why they don’t really see what’s wrong with them. These nitpicks are only here because they could potentially take you away from the escapist element of the films, make you take a step back and, God forbid, remember what’s going on in the outside world. I’d call these disclaimers, maybe. A warning for things to look out for, perhaps.

However, the Harry Potter movies set box offices on fire and turned tomatoes “fresh” for more than a decade for good reason. It almostperfectly put to screen all the images we had in our heads and gave us some of the most memorable movie moments of recent times. Heck, cue Hedwig’s Theme (that familiar piano tune you hear at the beginning of each movie, for all you muggles) and that alone can elicit sighs, probably tears.

There’s something to be said for a series of films that take you on a journey quite like these do. Even if it is a journey of debate, it’s still better than sitting alone and going, “this disease will kill us all, farewell cruel world.”

Side note: would the Coronavirus have been a problem in the wizarding world? Nah, it’d probably be gone with one spell. That’s the reality we’d rather all be living in, as one collective community of Potterheads. And with JK Rowling launching the Hogwarts at Home hub to (slightly) experience some of the magic of wizardry, that might be more possible than you’d think.

Best movie: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” for achieving everything it set out to achieve and then some

Worst movie: “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” which is, quite frankly, unmemorable and driven by the most stale of the seven books. I almost screamed when I realized Alfonso Cuaron, he of “Y Tu Mama Tambien” fame, helmed this movie. Also, having the characters in street clothes, escandalo!

Best character: While Ron Weasley’s complex and realistic character sketch takes it in the books, I’d have to give it to Hermione Granger in this case, simply for Emma Watson’s fantastically exuberant portrayal (she made being a nerd “cool”)

Worst character: Michael Gambon’s Albus Dumbledore (aka the second one) for playing way too panicky, a stark contrast to the composed figure from the books

Overall film franchise rating: A solid 3.5/5 stars

On that note, let’s end with some of the biggest cues the movies unconsciously made, in my mind, to our present scenario. A checklist, if you will:

• Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, in movie six, decides to clap his hands in the air and vanish with his phoenix in a blaze of flamesbefore letting the Ministry of Magic get any closer. Say what you want about ol’ Dumbledore, he sure has style!
• Dolores Umbridge, as new Hogwarts Headmaster in movie five, makes a declaration that boys and girls should be “at least eight inches apart.” I’d change that to six feet, if I were her.
• Every time someone shook hands with someone else, or the members of the golden trio hugged each other, I was tempted tochannel Cardi B and scream “CORONAVIRUS!” I might’ve given in to that temptation once or twice.
• I’m inclined to believe that all the animals making the rounds in the wizarding world (owls, rats, centaurs, giants, to name a few) could viably spread a lot more than just viral infections.
• JK Rowling believing she might’ve had the coronavirus (don’t worry, Potterheads, she’s better now) is truly as meta as this gets.

Now excuse me while I go check my mailbox…

Tsk, my Hogwarts letter is now 11 years and 257 days late, that owl better not be social distancing right now!

The post Harry Potter and the Magical Malady of the Movies appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

No, this is not a joke or a drill. No, I’m not a stan. Uncertain times just call for uncertain measures.

Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, aka Cardi B, would not necessarily be the worst option for President of the United States. In fact, she might just be right up there, battling with the best of the Bidens and the Sanders’ and the Warren – well, not her anymore.

It’s not as asinine a notion as one would immediately think. B’s always been active when it comes to political commentary and speaking up about the failings of the government. And she’d be strutting into the race armed with an impressive knowledge of the American political system, governance, and the history of the office she’d be running for. She’s even taken down conservative political commentators like Tomi Lahren and Mindy Robinson. And focusing on the faults of the opposition instead of championing your own beliefs, isn’t that what being a Democrat is all about?

Yes, B has a tendency to run her mouth on occasion. But so do many other world leaders. And being outspoken is definitely an important skill to have to rep for an entire nation. Also, imagine how entertaining it would be to have B in long french-tip nails and a leopard-print pantsuit, going “awhff” and expertly shutting down jabs in a Presidential Debate. Her ability to handle critique is evidenced by her entire discography.

Okay, B doesn’t necessarily have the “image” that you’d expect of a world leader. She joined a gang when she was 16 and started stripping when she was 19. And those acts are right below Nixon’s Watergate and Clinton’s Interngate. However, she has the kind of “started from the bottom” image that could easily pull in large crowds of working class and less financially stable voters. Her life spent trying to escape poverty and struggling to rise above her upbringing gives her an inspirational storyline, the kind they usually make cheesy biopics out of. She knows what working class Americans want, having spoken up about minimum wage, student debt, and even *gasp*, climate change. Although, I don’t think there’s much that can be done about her views of the poh-leeceses.

Fine, B has quite the scandalous relationship with profanity and a general lack of “sophistication” when she speaks. But…actually, no, that might be a problem.

The biggest thing standing in B’s way would be a general lack of acceptance. The American public would be largely unwilling to accept the fact that the woman who turned the coronavirus into a viral (pun unintended) meme and hit song could ever be worthy of office. That is, the part of the American public that even has a goddamn clue who she is. But, keep in mind, it’s that influence that got her video rant about the Coronavirus over 27 million views (and counting), as opposed to the daily White House live updates that garner over 100,000 views at best. If anyone can take us through the Coronavirus, it just might be Cardi B. Try not to let that scare you.

The presidential campaign is, when it comes down to it, a popularity contest. And, with her over 61 million Instagram followers, 10 million Twitter followers, and 12 million subscribers on YouTube, B easily outpaces most of her competition in terms of following and clout. The TYLT even ran a poll ascertaining whether she should run, and almost 27% voters agreed that she should give it a shot (73% voters did think that she should “stick to music,” but we won’t talk about that).

She’s committed to promoting political awareness among the lesser privileged and the youth of America, both her biggest markets should she decide to run. She’s considered a modern musical icon and would be able to bring a lot of young voters to the booths, more than the current candidates, most of whom classify strictly as “old, white, passé.” She’s also bilingual and has Dominican and Trinidadian heritage, which would garner the votes of the immigrant population, already frustrated with having to potentially use their spare toilet paper to fortify the Wall.

Her mere presence would shift the narrative from “Could a woman be President?” to “Could Cardi B be President?” And once you realize that she, possibly, maybe, surprisingly, stands a chance, the sexist conversation would grind to a halt. She has the relatability of a Warren, the ubiquitous reach of a Clinton, and, mind you, the support and friendship of one Bernie Sanders, who she’s had political discussions with. In fact, People for Bernie even created a mock campaign sign for her, ensuring her the votes of the Bernie Bros.

What separates B from her celebrity contemporaries is that she doesn’t simply try to be a part of the political conversation because she feels like she needs to. She tries because she wants to. She truly cares about her country and its governance and shows a desire to grow and work on her flaws. Behind all the “okurrr” and “awhn” toting, there’s a semblance of brilliance. You just have to look deep… no, deeper, beyond the ample bosom and illegal butt injections.

But B’s practical. She’s spoken about her political aspirations in the past, but is smart enough to know that her lack of a college education could be a detriment. She’s mentioned how she wants to go back to school, pick up some knowledge points, and then start a political career by running for Congress. Now if only everyone had the foresight to work their way up to the big leagues…

No matter what you (and everyone else) think and what you (and everyone else) say, you can’t deny, there’s a certain charisma to B’s cadence. Like a true millennial influencer, she draws you in and convinces you to at least give what she’s selling a chance. She may be a little too raw for such high aspirations at present (and a tad bit late for the 2020 run), but one image makeover and artful montage later, she just might be what we need to…make America great again (I apologize).

But what do I know? I’m from India, it’s not like I can vote. Maybe I’ll just leave it to the American population to decide whether they want to vote for a former reality TV star with a lack of social tact. Oh, wait…

Ahad Sanwari is a graduate student in NYU’s Magazine and Digital Storytelling program.

The post #CardiForPresident appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

New Hampshire has been hosting presidential primaries since 1916 and started its tradition of being the first presidential primary in 1920. But as you drive into the state on the way to the center of all the activity, Manchester, you’re greeted by large tracts of open land and wilderness, biting winds, and snow. Less political hub, more winter wonderland, despite the occasional shop or restaurant with a window sign declaring their political affiliation.

Being the first primary didn’t always require risking frostbite. New Hampshire state law stipulates that the primary take place on the second Tuesday in March. But it’s been pushed earlier and earlier to resist the efforts of other states that shifted their primaries earlier to acquire some of the action and influence that being first provides. Is it time for New Hampshire to give it up?

For New Hampshire residents, primary season in New Hampshire, like the leap year, is a once-in-four-years celebration that isn’t unlike the Olympics. For many of the residents here, it’s the biggest thing that happens and they’re incredibly proud of it. “No one even really knows where New Hampshire is on the map. So I don’t blame them for wanting to hold on to what makes people think of the state,” says Ethan Manning, who moved to Manchester from Massachusetts three years ago and is voting in his first New Hampshire primary. But his brother, Jonah, thinks differently. “I certainly don’t see any rational reason to have it here.”

Temperatures during the weekend before the Feb. 11 primary were defiantly sub-zero in the main cities/towns/hamlets/what-have-you that saw some buzz. A pro-life campaigner, who wanted to be known as Kirsch,  battled the cold like many others outside St. Anselm College. As signs were blown away and hands started to go numb, she contemplated whether shifting the New Hampshire primaries back a couple weeks wouldn’t be such a bad idea. “It definitely is freezing,” she said, trying to keep her coat from flying off.

A Warren campaign sign lies in the snow outside of St Anselm’s college in Manchester, New Hampshire ,the site of Friday night’s Democratic Debate. Photo by Ahad Sanwari.

Martin Flink, a journalist who came to Manchester from Denmark, spent the 2016 primaries in sunny (well, sunnier) Florida. He argues that there are more strikes against New Hampshire than just snow. “If they could find states that were more representative of the whole country,” he says, “I think it would be a better direction for the candidates.” New Hampshire is one of the least ethnically diverse states in the country, with 92% of the population consisting of non-Hispanic whites (according to the 2010 census).

What is it that keeps people coming back? Is it Elizabeth Warren’s campaigning playlist that encompasses everything from Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”? Is it the prospect of seeing the Yang gang parading around with their giant 1000 dollar bill with Andrew Yang’s face on it? Is it the incredibly catchy “Boot, Edge, Edge” chant? Is it the the joy of seeing Tom Steyer at the McIntyre Shaheen dinner talk about how many times he wants to “kick Trump’s ass” (a count was kept: six times)?

It just might be the willingness of the candidates themselves to bear the cold (how Elizabeth Warren survives in that minimal coat is a mystery) that drives the masses. Warren, in particular, lured out quite a few canvassers at an event Saturday (?) at Manchester Community College. This included Isaac Norwich, who drove up from Boston with a group of other Boston Warren supporters. “It’s part of the process,” he says. “We brought gloves, we brought hand warmers, we brought hats — what we gotta do to reach other people and get the message out.”

A town hall event at Rochester brought together over 1100 people in support of Senator Sanders. “I feel like if you’re inspired enough by your candidate,” says Jonah, “the weather is a non-factor.”

Access might be the most important factor in the prevalence of New Hampshire as a primary starting point. “I think it’s hard to find any other place to get as close to the candidates with all the town halls and debates going on,” says Flink. “Access is very good in order to keep an open democracy, be transparent and letting the voters get to know you and ask the questions they want to.”

It doesn’t seem like New Hampshire’s status as numero uno might be changing anytime soon, no matter how hard the other states try. As long as it doesn’t end up like the 2020 Iowa caucus, America can take pleasure in knowing that maybe, just maybe, New Hampshire might yield their next president.

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