Yowazzup: A Directory of Happening Things

The latest Harry Potter installment, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince broke the midnight record and made $22m from midnight screenings. The sixth Harry Potter movie made $104m in total for its first day release. In my opinion, it is bound to become one of the top 10 highest earning films pretty soon.

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Robert Knox, 18, who is set to appear in the new Harry Potter film was stabbed to death in the early hours of yesterday during a fight at a bar. He was murdered outside the Metro bar in Sidcup, southeast London, as he tried to protect his brother Jamie, 17, from a knifeman. The attack also left three other people with serious stab wounds.

Knox had just finished filming a small part for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which is due at cinemas in November. He plays a Ravenclaw student called Marcus Belby.

(Source: Times Online)

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Warner Bros. will split the final installment of the Harry Potter movie franchise into two parts, six months apart. Warner Bros. is set to release the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in November 2010 with the second part of the finale opening in May 2011. Both movies will be directed by David Yates and written by Steve Kloves.

The movies will be shot simulataneously, and it’s not yet known at what point in the story, adapted from J.K. Rowling’s 784-page book, the films will break. The seventh and final novel sees Harry and his friends battle arch nemesis Voldemort to the death. The seventh book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sold a record 11 million copies during the first 24 hours after its release last July. The sixth movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, also directed by Yates, will open this November. Daniel Radcliffe and the rest of the cast from the sixth movie are already confirmed for the finale.

Why does Warner Bros. split the book into two movies? Is this a profit-making scheme or is the book really that long?

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Okay, now this is damn hilarious! Make sure you read the lyrics too!

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There could hardly have been a bigger sensation if Russell Crowe, Rod Stewart or Sven-Goran Eriksson had come out of the closet. Millions of fans around the world were yesterday digesting the news that one of the main characters in the Harry Potter novels, Albus Dumbledore, is gay.

The revelation came from author JK Rowling during a question-and-answer session at New York’s Carnegie Hall. It instantly hurtled around the internet and the world. News websites in China and Germany announced starkly: ‘JK Rowling: “Dumbledore is gay”.’ One blogger wrote on a fansite: ‘My head is spinning. Wow. One more reason to love gay men.’

Read the rest of Dumbledore Was Gay, JK Rowling Tells Fans

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The scenario: Hypermarkets, Carrefour and Tesco decided to sell Harry Potter latest book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at a much lower price, MYR 69.90 (approx. USD 20.55) compared to the retail price of MYR 109.90 (approx. USD 32.31) and three bookstores, namely MPH, Popular Bookstore and Times decided not to sell the book.

In the U.S., Walmart is selling the book at USD 17.87 (approx. MYR 60.77) and is currently out of stock. Borders bookstore is selling at USD 17.99 (MYR 61.18). The price is not even discounted yet. The competition in the States and elsewhere is much higher even though these retailers are actually losing money but they are hoping customers would cash in on their other products.

You can get the book at USD 17.99 (MYR 61.18) by buying it online here at Yowazzup! Store. *Update*: If you live in Malaysia, please note that Amazon does ship books to Malaysia.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Good day!

• Now, I have more reasons to eat slower. So, don’t complain when you have a meal with me.
• Harry Potter casts magic on workplace.
• Another Simple Life’s star in DUI. Life is so simple, you know.

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The movie’s getting hotter and hotter.

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Year 2007 will be year of more sequels and the remaining are mostly adapted from novels or comic books or derived from TV series.

Below, I have compiled a list of the movies not to be missed for 2007 (with opening dates for US in bracket).

Cartoons / Animations

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (March 23)
• Transformers (July 7)
• The Simpsons Movie (July 23)

Adaption – Novel / Comic books / Video Games

• Ghost Riders (February 16)
• Nancy Drew (June 15)

Sequels

• Spider-man 3 (May 4)
• Shrek the Third (May 13)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (May 25)
• Ocean’s Thirteen (June 8 )
• Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (June 15)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (July 13)
• The Bourne Ultimatum (August 3)
• Rush Hour 3 (August 10)
• Resident Evil: Extinction (September 21)
• Mr. Bean’s Holiday (September 28)

Sadly, The Smurf will only be out in 2008. And The Hobbit won’t make it in 2007 as well. Well, enjoy!

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Attention all Harry Potter fans! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) is now available for pre-order. This title will only be released on July 21, 2007, so be the first to get the book. Promotional price for the hardcover is $18.89 while the original price is at $34.99!

Pre-order now and be one of the first to receive Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!

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