I am so confused. I was brought up that during this period of mourning on the Jewish calendar we have no parties, host no weddings, don’t listen to music – live or otherwise, even acappella –and there is no going to the movies or to the theatre or any live entertainment. I didn’t grow up ultra orthodox. We were modern orthodox as were many of the people around us.
So last night the new Harry Potter movie came out. My boys didn’t even think to ask me to take them because it’s the three weeks. A no brainer. But in reading FaceBook and Twitter many of my more religious friends did just that – went to the movies to watch it. Now these are people that I would think know that in the 3 weeks we don’t go to movies.
Is it a North American Jewry thing, or am I machmir by default?
In the Pink 
I don’t go to the movies in the three weeks either but yesterday I did go to see “My sister’s keeper”. It is a very sad movie and I felt it was appropriate for the three weeks. I did tell the kids that they have to wait to see Harry Potter until after Tisha Bav.
that’s true-a lot of my daughter’s friends went to harry potter last night at midnight…we don’t go to movies either during the 3 weeks but i think the prohibitions are much greater during the 9 days & my guess is that since harry potter is not a comedy, perhaps it is not such a problem during the 3 weeks. i would agree that a sad movie like my sister’s keeper is fine for the 3 weeks but probably not during the 9 days since that is a much more serious & solemn time.
A lot of people I know aren’t sooo strict during the three weeks but definitely are more so during the 9 days…
alot of people feel that recorded music is still okay, and especially if it keeps the kids occupied.
So, although it might not be appropriate for an adult to go out and do something that is entertaining, if it is for a child who might not understand the significance of the three weeks, then it might be permissible.
What people do is not often an indicator of the correct halacha, but in the case of mourning practises it sometimes is. That being said, I would be uncomfortable going to a movie in the theatre during the Three Weeks, because it is a public gathering of sorts…
My wife has told me that she is holding off on going to see Harry Potter until after Tisha B’Av. Take that for what it’s worth.
I actually found your post after a quick google search about the 3 weeks and movies, because I was thinking the exact same thing. I see people posting about seeing Bruno and HP, and I’m so surprised. I was also raised MO and not Ultra at all. It’s odd.
Maybe these people are Sfardim and go to movies until shavuah shechal bo.
since the 3 weeks start on tuesday there really isn’t a problem yet