TRON Legacy Review
starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde
director: Joseph Kosinski
I first saw this movie for the first time last night at a really early hour on Justin.tv in high quality. I thought I would stay awake long enough to see if this movie was going to be any good because I have heard that this movie has a lot of fans. The people in the chat room were raving about the music during the entirety of the film, the beats and electronic sounds were incredibly suitable for the theme and setting of TRON. After the first 10 minutes, I got the impression that the creators of TRON Legacy wanted to make an Epic film. Epic films, in my opinion, are movies like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, the newer Batman's, Avatar etc. I liked the movie, but I wouldn't exactly put it in the same category as those titles.
TRON seemed to take a lot of things from other movies, but that didn't stop it from being somewhat original. The fast-paced music during relatively silent moments in the film reminded me a lot of Batman, not to mention the dark settings. I also thought that some of the fight scenes were reminiscent of The Matrix Trilogy.
I have never really appreciated the acting skills that Olivia Wilde possesses until I was watching her portrayal of Quorra in this movie. Her style is unique, and it transitioned well from House MD to TRON Legacy. Her eyes can tell you whether she is happy, sad, or frightened with ease. Which, I think, is a talent that is difficult to master (her gorgeous looks is a huge perk as well). I would also like to give a nod to Garrett Hedlund. He did a great job of being the main character and having a roll in virtually every scene after the first 10 minutes or so. Everyone else in this movie came off as sort of generic. It may have been their lack of back-story, or limited parts, but the supporting cast made me feel like this movie wasn't terribly meaningful like some of the other movies it would like to be compared with.
Overall I thought it was a pretty decent movie. Olivia Wilde gave me the most interest in watching, since I happen to be such a huge House MD fan, and I was really pleased with her performance. The story was cool, but I personally just didn't like the trademark TRON wardrobe and overwhelming white/orange lines everywhere. I do think this movie is worth a look, but perhaps maybe not a second.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Review
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Robbie Coltrane
director: Chris Columbus
I remember the first time I went to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I think I was 12 years old and I had no idea what Harry Potter was about. I knew that this was the book that everyone in my class was going crazy over, so I was feeling good to finally SEE what all the fuss was about. I immediately got hooked. The Harry Potter franchise, in general, has made my life so much better, I am grateful for such a wonderful story to be upcoming and new during my generation.
John Williams did a fantastic job of composing a beautiful tune that we all know as 'the Harry Potter theme' in Hedwig's Theme. Like all epic movie series, it had a song at the very beginning. I liked how the story was just told, and not explained like some of the future HP movies. I finally knew who Dumbledore and Hagrid were, and the story of Harry Potter. The movie, however, seemed to be going a bit fast with the music and such, but the pace slowed down after a little while.
I thought Richard Griffiths' facial expressions towards Harry were hilarious, especially during the scene where Aunt Petunia was finally revealing the story of Lily and James Potter to Harry. Uncle Vernon looked so evil and disgusted at the same time, it's so funny. Fiona Shaw did a great job at showing some deep emotion while she was talking about her sister whom she was so jealous of.
The whole Diagon Alley portion of the film was magical in every sense of the word. It made you feel wonder, excitement, and amazement all at the same time. Gringotts, Harry's vault, Olivander's, and Hedwig all made me feel like 'damn, being in this reality is quite boring.' The wonders that haven't been explored in the wizarding world of Harry Potter were all opening up in this movie and I was thrilled to have my own personal relationship with this series from here on out.
Everything in this entire movie, and the second one, looks so crisp. The wardrobe, settings and props all looked so great together. The effort that was put into this first movie showed a lot. The only things that looked somewhat out of place were the CGI characters like the Sorting Hat, and Fluffy. However the Quidditch and Invisibility Cloak scenes looked great. The unicorn's blood looked like nothing I had ever seen before, like liquid metal all over the ground that you could see your reflection off of.
I enjoyed watching the Trio battle their way through the trials to get to the Sorcerer's Stone. Especially Ron's scene with the huge game of Wizards Chess. Seeing the pieces get blown up and shredded was awesome. This trial showed how their friendship and wizarding skills could get them through anything, which was basically the theme throughout the entire series. Although, I thought the split second where Harry was actually considering giving Voldemort the Sorcerer's Stone was out of character.
I thought the endings in this movie were really touching. Gryffindor winning the house cup, the scrapbook that Hagrid gave Harry, and the scene where Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express and was off back to London were all very fine ways of ending a wonderful family film. Credit to the amazing author: J.K. Rowling for creating such beautiful stories.
This movie, like all of the other ones, are simply classics. Not once was I bored or uninterested with the movie. I think to truly love this movie and series, you have to come into it with an open mind because I know it is sort of hard to enjoy something when it has been over-hyped, but the hype was 100% spot on with Harry Potter.
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Robbie Coltrane
director: Chris Columbus
I remember the first time I went to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, I think I was 12 years old and I had no idea what Harry Potter was about. I knew that this was the book that everyone in my class was going crazy over, so I was feeling good to finally SEE what all the fuss was about. I immediately got hooked. The Harry Potter franchise, in general, has made my life so much better, I am grateful for such a wonderful story to be upcoming and new during my generation.
John Williams did a fantastic job of composing a beautiful tune that we all know as 'the Harry Potter theme' in Hedwig's Theme. Like all epic movie series, it had a song at the very beginning. I liked how the story was just told, and not explained like some of the future HP movies. I finally knew who Dumbledore and Hagrid were, and the story of Harry Potter. The movie, however, seemed to be going a bit fast with the music and such, but the pace slowed down after a little while.
I thought Richard Griffiths' facial expressions towards Harry were hilarious, especially during the scene where Aunt Petunia was finally revealing the story of Lily and James Potter to Harry. Uncle Vernon looked so evil and disgusted at the same time, it's so funny. Fiona Shaw did a great job at showing some deep emotion while she was talking about her sister whom she was so jealous of.
The whole Diagon Alley portion of the film was magical in every sense of the word. It made you feel wonder, excitement, and amazement all at the same time. Gringotts, Harry's vault, Olivander's, and Hedwig all made me feel like 'damn, being in this reality is quite boring.' The wonders that haven't been explored in the wizarding world of Harry Potter were all opening up in this movie and I was thrilled to have my own personal relationship with this series from here on out.
Everything in this entire movie, and the second one, looks so crisp. The wardrobe, settings and props all looked so great together. The effort that was put into this first movie showed a lot. The only things that looked somewhat out of place were the CGI characters like the Sorting Hat, and Fluffy. However the Quidditch and Invisibility Cloak scenes looked great. The unicorn's blood looked like nothing I had ever seen before, like liquid metal all over the ground that you could see your reflection off of.
I enjoyed watching the Trio battle their way through the trials to get to the Sorcerer's Stone. Especially Ron's scene with the huge game of Wizards Chess. Seeing the pieces get blown up and shredded was awesome. This trial showed how their friendship and wizarding skills could get them through anything, which was basically the theme throughout the entire series. Although, I thought the split second where Harry was actually considering giving Voldemort the Sorcerer's Stone was out of character.
I thought the endings in this movie were really touching. Gryffindor winning the house cup, the scrapbook that Hagrid gave Harry, and the scene where Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express and was off back to London were all very fine ways of ending a wonderful family film. Credit to the amazing author: J.K. Rowling for creating such beautiful stories.
This movie, like all of the other ones, are simply classics. Not once was I bored or uninterested with the movie. I think to truly love this movie and series, you have to come into it with an open mind because I know it is sort of hard to enjoy something when it has been over-hyped, but the hype was 100% spot on with Harry Potter.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris
director: Chris Columbus
The movie starts out wonderfully with a beautiful shot high above looking down onto hundreds of cookie-cutter style homes as it zooms into Harry's room. I like how we jump back into the same mind-set from the ending of the first movie to this one, even when the whole summer had passed. Harry looking at the moving pictures of his Mom and Dad, and of Ron and Hermione brought us right back to the story, reminding us of what had happened. As Uncle Vernon yelled for Harry to come downstairs, it was obvious that nothing substantial had changed. One of the first things I noticed was how deep everyone's voices got, especially Ron, Harry and Draco. It was a bit surprising at first, but that surprise wore off quick as the story progressed.
As soon as Dobby showed up, I immediately thought "Oh no, another Jar Jar Binks character," but I was gladly proven otherwise. Upon watching this film, I had not read a single page out of the Harry Potter movies and so the story presented to me on the big screen was all incredibly new to me. Dobby, even to this day, still looks amazing in that movie. The artists that made him and put him on the screen are genius because he doesn't look out of place at all. Dobby, the flying car, the bewitched knitting, and the bewitched dishwashing all looked fantastic. People certainly do not make movies like that anymore, actually using something tangible instead of creating it as a CGI figure/item.
The funniest person in the entire Harry Potter series makes his debut in this movie. Professor Gilderoy Lockheart, played by Kenneth Branagh, was simply hilarious. His timing and facial expressions were priceless, and I will always remember the lines he said. One of my favorites is "celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that" while talking to Harry, then suddenly looks away with the funniest smirk ever. I felt kind of sorry for him that he wasn't, or shall I say couldn't be in the final battle during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. I believe he would have redeemed himself after what took place in the Chamber of Secretes.
Another person who makes his debut in the film is Lucius Malfoy, played by Jason Isaacs. I thought he played Lucius perfect throughout the entire series, as he is an amazing actor. The way he can turn up his intensity so immediately is inspiring.
I am truly thankful that they did not make a CGI Whomping Willow, because the scenes of Ron and Harry crashing into it were awesome. Perhaps the movies got a bigger budget, or that is how a director like Chris Columbus likes it, either way I enjoyed watching handmade material. I don't know exactly what happened to where Chris Columbus wasn't directing any of the other films, but I think Warner Bros. should have let him continue making them because he made them work. The CGI characters did not seem like they were CGI, unlike some of the other future films.
I am really quite sad that Richard Harris passed away after this movie. He was the perfect man to play as Albus Dumbledore. Really a great cast. He would have been amazing in the other battles and scenes in the other films.
The spider scenes were pretty intense. I, like Ron, hate spiders, so it was eerie watching hundreds of HUGE spiders rushing after the boys and Fang, Hagrid's dog. That would be one of my worst nightmares if spiders that big were actually real. Not to mention the Basilisk. The Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets is GIGANTIC. Anyone controlling that huge snake is truly evil. Christian Coulson played a very convincing part as Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Voldemort. I think he deserved to be cast in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince to make the films come together more (kind of like how George Lucas put in Hayden Christensen in the last scene of Star Wars Return of the Jedi as Anakin Skywalker's ghost during the Rebel Alliance celebration).
Overall this movie is fantastic, I have it on my computer so I can watch it whenever I please, along with some of the other HP films. Wonderful job by everyone who was involved, I think it's a classic that will be remembered throughout history and they should never remake this one, let alone any of the other HP movies. Also, a little Easter Egg: if you watch until after the credits have finished, you get to see Gilderoy Lockheart's latest book title :(
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris
director: Chris Columbus
The movie starts out wonderfully with a beautiful shot high above looking down onto hundreds of cookie-cutter style homes as it zooms into Harry's room. I like how we jump back into the same mind-set from the ending of the first movie to this one, even when the whole summer had passed. Harry looking at the moving pictures of his Mom and Dad, and of Ron and Hermione brought us right back to the story, reminding us of what had happened. As Uncle Vernon yelled for Harry to come downstairs, it was obvious that nothing substantial had changed. One of the first things I noticed was how deep everyone's voices got, especially Ron, Harry and Draco. It was a bit surprising at first, but that surprise wore off quick as the story progressed.
As soon as Dobby showed up, I immediately thought "Oh no, another Jar Jar Binks character," but I was gladly proven otherwise. Upon watching this film, I had not read a single page out of the Harry Potter movies and so the story presented to me on the big screen was all incredibly new to me. Dobby, even to this day, still looks amazing in that movie. The artists that made him and put him on the screen are genius because he doesn't look out of place at all. Dobby, the flying car, the bewitched knitting, and the bewitched dishwashing all looked fantastic. People certainly do not make movies like that anymore, actually using something tangible instead of creating it as a CGI figure/item.
The funniest person in the entire Harry Potter series makes his debut in this movie. Professor Gilderoy Lockheart, played by Kenneth Branagh, was simply hilarious. His timing and facial expressions were priceless, and I will always remember the lines he said. One of my favorites is "celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that" while talking to Harry, then suddenly looks away with the funniest smirk ever. I felt kind of sorry for him that he wasn't, or shall I say couldn't be in the final battle during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. I believe he would have redeemed himself after what took place in the Chamber of Secretes.
Another person who makes his debut in the film is Lucius Malfoy, played by Jason Isaacs. I thought he played Lucius perfect throughout the entire series, as he is an amazing actor. The way he can turn up his intensity so immediately is inspiring.
I am truly thankful that they did not make a CGI Whomping Willow, because the scenes of Ron and Harry crashing into it were awesome. Perhaps the movies got a bigger budget, or that is how a director like Chris Columbus likes it, either way I enjoyed watching handmade material. I don't know exactly what happened to where Chris Columbus wasn't directing any of the other films, but I think Warner Bros. should have let him continue making them because he made them work. The CGI characters did not seem like they were CGI, unlike some of the other future films.
I am really quite sad that Richard Harris passed away after this movie. He was the perfect man to play as Albus Dumbledore. Really a great cast. He would have been amazing in the other battles and scenes in the other films.
The spider scenes were pretty intense. I, like Ron, hate spiders, so it was eerie watching hundreds of HUGE spiders rushing after the boys and Fang, Hagrid's dog. That would be one of my worst nightmares if spiders that big were actually real. Not to mention the Basilisk. The Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets is GIGANTIC. Anyone controlling that huge snake is truly evil. Christian Coulson played a very convincing part as Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Voldemort. I think he deserved to be cast in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince to make the films come together more (kind of like how George Lucas put in Hayden Christensen in the last scene of Star Wars Return of the Jedi as Anakin Skywalker's ghost during the Rebel Alliance celebration).
Overall this movie is fantastic, I have it on my computer so I can watch it whenever I please, along with some of the other HP films. Wonderful job by everyone who was involved, I think it's a classic that will be remembered throughout history and they should never remake this one, let alone any of the other HP movies. Also, a little Easter Egg: if you watch until after the credits have finished, you get to see Gilderoy Lockheart's latest book title :(
Monday, August 15, 2011
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Review
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Gary Oldman
director: Alfonso Cuaron
After the whole Dobby fiasco, Harry Potter seemed to be content with how his life was going. Until a man named Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban prison (kind of like Alcatraz in San Fransico), which no one had ever done before because it is heavily guarded by surrounding Dementors.
I felt nice and warm watching another Harry Potter movie again for the first time (which was a very long time ago). The moment that the Monster Book of Monster's started to open it's eyes and become alive underneath Harry's bed made me feel happy that I had finally fallen into another Harry Potter adventure.
Hogwarts never looked better, since after this movie, the whole series would take a completely drastic turn. I love watching the classroom scenes, the Quidditch matches, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione hanging out together. I wonder if this movie got approved for a bigger budget because it seemed like this movie looked more like an epic film compared to the first two, in a good way. The Whomping Willow, Sirius as Padfoot, Buckbeak, the Dementors, Remus Lupin, and the Marauder's Map all looked incredibly well done and fit perfectly with the setting and lighting of the movie.
I thought the director did an amazing job at portraying the whole back-in-time sequences. At first I was a little confused when Harry and Hermione were actually back in time watching themselves. I would question whether the dialogue that was being said coincided with what they were seeing, and after re-watches of the movie, they were perfect. Everything fit amazingly well, I thought it was completed spot on for how complex the story-line was for that particular portion of the film.
I really love the fact that John Williams (whom I am a big fan of) composed the music for the first three Harry Potter films. The scene where Harry was riding Buckbeak over the Black Lake with John Williams's music in the background was simply refreshing and touching. You could just 'feel' that Harry began to trust Buckbeak when he spread his arms out and shouted with excitement. I also thought the point where Buckbeak glided over and touched the water was a brilliant shot as well.
Some of the more powerful scenes to me in this movie was when Professor Snape got Expelliarmus'd by Harry while in the Shrieking Shack. Harry finally taking control and being the powerful wizard that we all wish for him to be glistened in that part. Another part was, of course, the scene where Harry used his Patronus Charm and blasted away hundreds of Dementors coming down on him and his godfather Sirius Black. Harry realizing it was himself that he saw saving them was spectacular, Daniel Radcliffe made me a believer.
The whole movie is amazing, and I wonder what the other Harry Potter movies would look like if either Chris Columbus or Alfonso Cuaron directed the remaining films. I believe they would have more of a sense of loving between the relationship of Harry and the audience, but I am not complaining at all, I cherish the movies immensely.
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Gary Oldman
director: Alfonso Cuaron
After the whole Dobby fiasco, Harry Potter seemed to be content with how his life was going. Until a man named Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban prison (kind of like Alcatraz in San Fransico), which no one had ever done before because it is heavily guarded by surrounding Dementors.
I felt nice and warm watching another Harry Potter movie again for the first time (which was a very long time ago). The moment that the Monster Book of Monster's started to open it's eyes and become alive underneath Harry's bed made me feel happy that I had finally fallen into another Harry Potter adventure.
Hogwarts never looked better, since after this movie, the whole series would take a completely drastic turn. I love watching the classroom scenes, the Quidditch matches, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione hanging out together. I wonder if this movie got approved for a bigger budget because it seemed like this movie looked more like an epic film compared to the first two, in a good way. The Whomping Willow, Sirius as Padfoot, Buckbeak, the Dementors, Remus Lupin, and the Marauder's Map all looked incredibly well done and fit perfectly with the setting and lighting of the movie.
I thought the director did an amazing job at portraying the whole back-in-time sequences. At first I was a little confused when Harry and Hermione were actually back in time watching themselves. I would question whether the dialogue that was being said coincided with what they were seeing, and after re-watches of the movie, they were perfect. Everything fit amazingly well, I thought it was completed spot on for how complex the story-line was for that particular portion of the film.
I really love the fact that John Williams (whom I am a big fan of) composed the music for the first three Harry Potter films. The scene where Harry was riding Buckbeak over the Black Lake with John Williams's music in the background was simply refreshing and touching. You could just 'feel' that Harry began to trust Buckbeak when he spread his arms out and shouted with excitement. I also thought the point where Buckbeak glided over and touched the water was a brilliant shot as well.
Some of the more powerful scenes to me in this movie was when Professor Snape got Expelliarmus'd by Harry while in the Shrieking Shack. Harry finally taking control and being the powerful wizard that we all wish for him to be glistened in that part. Another part was, of course, the scene where Harry used his Patronus Charm and blasted away hundreds of Dementors coming down on him and his godfather Sirius Black. Harry realizing it was himself that he saw saving them was spectacular, Daniel Radcliffe made me a believer.
The whole movie is amazing, and I wonder what the other Harry Potter movies would look like if either Chris Columbus or Alfonso Cuaron directed the remaining films. I believe they would have more of a sense of loving between the relationship of Harry and the audience, but I am not complaining at all, I cherish the movies immensely.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Review
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Robert Pattinson
director: Mike Newell
Along with the first three movies, I watched The Goblet of Fire before reading a single page out of the Harry Potter series. At this point, I had never missed the opening day of a Harry Potter movie and didn't plan to with this one either. The theater was packed with people, so I was lucky to get a good enough seat to enjoy the movie without hurting my neck from looking straight up.
With so many new characters coming on in this movie, it felt a little bit overwhelming at first, but after a few more times of watching it, everything fell in to order. The wizarding world opened up so much more during this movie than from the other three. The Quidditch World Cup, the Dark Mark, the Goblet of Fire, the Unforgivable Curses, dragons, and international wizards were all very new to the series that we as the audience didn't know before. I thought there could be no limit from here on out, this installment was the reason I wanted to start reading the books, beginning with #1 (The Sorcerer's Stone).
This was the first movie where someone had perished. Unfortunately, it was the Hufflepuff Hero, Cedric Diggory played by Robert Pattinson. It was a complete shock to me the first time I watched this movie, I would have never expected for him to die, let alone to Wormtail. I thought Robert Pattinson did an excellent job on playing Cedric, he can unleash intensity and kindness simultaneously whenever needed, which is how I had pictured Cedric Diggory to be.
The first thing that I noticed about the Trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione), was that they had soooo much hair. Hermione has an excuse being that she is a girl, but Harry and Ron had loads of hair which was kind of distracting for the first 15 or so minutes into the film. I think Mike Newell wanted to have the Harry Potter film franchise take a drastic 180 degrees into adulthood with some of the scenes. For example when Hagrid was dancing with the giantess Madame Olympe Maxime during the Yule Ball and he slyly slithered down to grab some giant ass. Another is the tug and pull relationship developing between Ron and Hermione, especially during the Yule Ball, which happened to silence the people who were rooting for a Harry+Hermione relationship to happen. I could keep going with this list but I can't stop without pointing out one more, the part where the lovely ladies from the Beauxbatons Academy were striding along the middle of the Great Hall in Hogwarts and a scene cut straight to their butts, bloody hell indeed Ron.
Despite having so much information, characters, and plot-lines to introduce to the audience, I thought the movie was made beautifully. Nothing seemed out of place, and I applaud everyone who worked on the film on how great it turned out. I also have to thank the talented author who made this entire series possible: J.K. Rowling, for with her incredible imagination, determination and success, I would not have the opportunity to have watched such a great film series.
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Robert Pattinson
director: Mike Newell
Along with the first three movies, I watched The Goblet of Fire before reading a single page out of the Harry Potter series. At this point, I had never missed the opening day of a Harry Potter movie and didn't plan to with this one either. The theater was packed with people, so I was lucky to get a good enough seat to enjoy the movie without hurting my neck from looking straight up.
With so many new characters coming on in this movie, it felt a little bit overwhelming at first, but after a few more times of watching it, everything fell in to order. The wizarding world opened up so much more during this movie than from the other three. The Quidditch World Cup, the Dark Mark, the Goblet of Fire, the Unforgivable Curses, dragons, and international wizards were all very new to the series that we as the audience didn't know before. I thought there could be no limit from here on out, this installment was the reason I wanted to start reading the books, beginning with #1 (The Sorcerer's Stone).
This was the first movie where someone had perished. Unfortunately, it was the Hufflepuff Hero, Cedric Diggory played by Robert Pattinson. It was a complete shock to me the first time I watched this movie, I would have never expected for him to die, let alone to Wormtail. I thought Robert Pattinson did an excellent job on playing Cedric, he can unleash intensity and kindness simultaneously whenever needed, which is how I had pictured Cedric Diggory to be.
The first thing that I noticed about the Trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione), was that they had soooo much hair. Hermione has an excuse being that she is a girl, but Harry and Ron had loads of hair which was kind of distracting for the first 15 or so minutes into the film. I think Mike Newell wanted to have the Harry Potter film franchise take a drastic 180 degrees into adulthood with some of the scenes. For example when Hagrid was dancing with the giantess Madame Olympe Maxime during the Yule Ball and he slyly slithered down to grab some giant ass. Another is the tug and pull relationship developing between Ron and Hermione, especially during the Yule Ball, which happened to silence the people who were rooting for a Harry+Hermione relationship to happen. I could keep going with this list but I can't stop without pointing out one more, the part where the lovely ladies from the Beauxbatons Academy were striding along the middle of the Great Hall in Hogwarts and a scene cut straight to their butts, bloody hell indeed Ron.
Despite having so much information, characters, and plot-lines to introduce to the audience, I thought the movie was made beautifully. Nothing seemed out of place, and I applaud everyone who worked on the film on how great it turned out. I also have to thank the talented author who made this entire series possible: J.K. Rowling, for with her incredible imagination, determination and success, I would not have the opportunity to have watched such a great film series.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Review
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Gary Oldman
director: David Yates
I give to the entire cast in the whole entire Harry Potter series. They do an incredible job and I thank them for giving me so many wonderful memories. The Order of the Phoenix is the first movie of the entire series that was directed by David Yates, and it is quite obvious, in a good way. The darker side, more... grown up side, of Harry Potter seemed to come out since David Yates took the lead on the Harry Potter film franchise. The dark blue shade captivated the essence of the film. I am particularly glad that David Yates still kept a lot of the classroom scenes in the movies because the classroom really started the exploration into magic as Harry learned through his interesting professors. I applaud David Yates on doing a wonderful job on his first Harry movie and I hope he continues to make more epic movies down the line.
The casting crew did an amazing job on acquiring Imelda Staunton for the roll of Dolores Umbridge. She played the part to perfection with her crack-whip dialogue and her little laughs that she did to herself. Her all-pink wardrobe completed the package as the perfectionist professor with a pleasant demeanor, but with a horribly cruel heart. I also thought that the little kitten plates in her office at Hogwarts was hilariously cute.
I look up to Gary Oldman a lot as an actor because the passion seems to intensely flow through him. Whatever roll he plays, he plays it remarkably well and I am glad he was chosen for the roll as our friend Sirius Black. Sirius's fate turned out to have a very sad ending, however, he went out in true 'Top Level Wizard' fashion. His dueling near the veil alongside his godson Harry had epic written all over it, it was truly Sirius's best moment of the entire series in my opinion, aside from escaping from Azkaban and 'catching' Wormtail.
As soon as the mind-blowing fall of Sirius Black was calculated in your head, you then see Harry running after the culprit: Bellatrix Lestrange. This quick chase changed everything because our favorite wizard of all time used an unforgivable curse! The torture curse, Crucio, was released on Bellatrix, which didn't affect her enough because Harry is a good guy of course (and he needs to mean it, not to mention that was his first time ever).
I think the best duel of magic in the entire film series happened right after, Professore Albus Dumbledore vs. The Dark Lord, Voldemort. The darkness, the epicness, the glass shattering awesomeness that is this franchise unleashed into a battle of good versus evil. I was waiting a long time to see this battle and I was certainly not disappointed, I loved it.
Overall, I think this movie won't be forgotten any time soon, as it is one of the top films of the franchise, considering how much information needed to be explained to the audience who haven't seen the books. I could see how it could be confusing for someone who has not read the books, but I think the extra information gives the audience more incentive to actually read them. Great movie, please watch the series from 1-7 if you have not already.
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Gary Oldman
director: David Yates
I give to the entire cast in the whole entire Harry Potter series. They do an incredible job and I thank them for giving me so many wonderful memories. The Order of the Phoenix is the first movie of the entire series that was directed by David Yates, and it is quite obvious, in a good way. The darker side, more... grown up side, of Harry Potter seemed to come out since David Yates took the lead on the Harry Potter film franchise. The dark blue shade captivated the essence of the film. I am particularly glad that David Yates still kept a lot of the classroom scenes in the movies because the classroom really started the exploration into magic as Harry learned through his interesting professors. I applaud David Yates on doing a wonderful job on his first Harry movie and I hope he continues to make more epic movies down the line.
The casting crew did an amazing job on acquiring Imelda Staunton for the roll of Dolores Umbridge. She played the part to perfection with her crack-whip dialogue and her little laughs that she did to herself. Her all-pink wardrobe completed the package as the perfectionist professor with a pleasant demeanor, but with a horribly cruel heart. I also thought that the little kitten plates in her office at Hogwarts was hilariously cute.
I look up to Gary Oldman a lot as an actor because the passion seems to intensely flow through him. Whatever roll he plays, he plays it remarkably well and I am glad he was chosen for the roll as our friend Sirius Black. Sirius's fate turned out to have a very sad ending, however, he went out in true 'Top Level Wizard' fashion. His dueling near the veil alongside his godson Harry had epic written all over it, it was truly Sirius's best moment of the entire series in my opinion, aside from escaping from Azkaban and 'catching' Wormtail.
As soon as the mind-blowing fall of Sirius Black was calculated in your head, you then see Harry running after the culprit: Bellatrix Lestrange. This quick chase changed everything because our favorite wizard of all time used an unforgivable curse! The torture curse, Crucio, was released on Bellatrix, which didn't affect her enough because Harry is a good guy of course (and he needs to mean it, not to mention that was his first time ever).
I think the best duel of magic in the entire film series happened right after, Professore Albus Dumbledore vs. The Dark Lord, Voldemort. The darkness, the epicness, the glass shattering awesomeness that is this franchise unleashed into a battle of good versus evil. I was waiting a long time to see this battle and I was certainly not disappointed, I loved it.
Overall, I think this movie won't be forgotten any time soon, as it is one of the top films of the franchise, considering how much information needed to be explained to the audience who haven't seen the books. I could see how it could be confusing for someone who has not read the books, but I think the extra information gives the audience more incentive to actually read them. Great movie, please watch the series from 1-7 if you have not already.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince Review
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman
director: David Yates
The dark side of the Harry Potter series was cemented from the very start of this movie in my opinion. The theme and story itself became incredibly dim, which showed in every scene. I know there were a lot of things that were different or changed in this movie from the book, but I have no problem keeping them somewhat separate in my review because it is what it is and it cannot be changed anyways. I have said this before plenty of times out loud and I will repeat it here: In my opinion, I think the casting crew should have chosen a different actor to play Dumbledore. The first Dumbledore played by Richard Harris was beyond perfect, and I think Michael Gambon is a brilliant actor, but maybe wasn't the right fit for playing Albus Dumbledore. The scenes after Dumbledore came back out from the restroom at Slughorn's place was awkward instead of the planned approach that Dumbledore supposedly set up. As a viewer, I felt a sense of secured protection with Richard Harris, like an all-wise grandfather who would look out for you and teach you right from wrong the correct way, unlike the emotional outbursts and insecure feelings that Michael Gambon expressed.
Daniel Radcliffe did a great job portraying Harry in this movie as usual, I especially liked the scenes when he confronted Slughorn, and took the Felix Felicis that he won for brewing a perfect draft of Living Death. It was a completely different side of Harry and I thought Daniel pulled it off hysterically. He definitely doesn't get enough credit for the different little things that he does while being Harry.
As I said in my Deathly Hallows Part 1 Review, I thought that Emma Watson controlled the emotional flow of the Trio and basically the entire movie. Her reactions to Ron getting affection from another girl were very believable and I could 'feel' her hurt inside. Rupert Grint also did a wonderful job in another HP movie. It is obvious that he is completely comfortable playing the role of Ron Weasley.
My huge criticism about the movie is during the moments of Dumbledore's death. I truly believe that the crew could have made it more... epic. One of the most powerful wizards of all time just got hit with the Killing Curse and it was pure silence and slow motion as he was falling, falling, falling down from the Astronomy tower. I have re-watched the movie several times and I always hope for something more significant to be shown. However, the very last time I watched the scene, I was watching and feeling every moment and I definitely could see how the moments could seem perfect to someone else. In my opinion, I would have liked to see something more powerful for what actually happened.
Overall I loved the movie and the books. They put me in such an incredible mood when I watch them which is why I have seen every Harry Potter movie way beyond more than five times.
starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman
director: David Yates
The dark side of the Harry Potter series was cemented from the very start of this movie in my opinion. The theme and story itself became incredibly dim, which showed in every scene. I know there were a lot of things that were different or changed in this movie from the book, but I have no problem keeping them somewhat separate in my review because it is what it is and it cannot be changed anyways. I have said this before plenty of times out loud and I will repeat it here: In my opinion, I think the casting crew should have chosen a different actor to play Dumbledore. The first Dumbledore played by Richard Harris was beyond perfect, and I think Michael Gambon is a brilliant actor, but maybe wasn't the right fit for playing Albus Dumbledore. The scenes after Dumbledore came back out from the restroom at Slughorn's place was awkward instead of the planned approach that Dumbledore supposedly set up. As a viewer, I felt a sense of secured protection with Richard Harris, like an all-wise grandfather who would look out for you and teach you right from wrong the correct way, unlike the emotional outbursts and insecure feelings that Michael Gambon expressed.
Daniel Radcliffe did a great job portraying Harry in this movie as usual, I especially liked the scenes when he confronted Slughorn, and took the Felix Felicis that he won for brewing a perfect draft of Living Death. It was a completely different side of Harry and I thought Daniel pulled it off hysterically. He definitely doesn't get enough credit for the different little things that he does while being Harry.
As I said in my Deathly Hallows Part 1 Review, I thought that Emma Watson controlled the emotional flow of the Trio and basically the entire movie. Her reactions to Ron getting affection from another girl were very believable and I could 'feel' her hurt inside. Rupert Grint also did a wonderful job in another HP movie. It is obvious that he is completely comfortable playing the role of Ron Weasley.
My huge criticism about the movie is during the moments of Dumbledore's death. I truly believe that the crew could have made it more... epic. One of the most powerful wizards of all time just got hit with the Killing Curse and it was pure silence and slow motion as he was falling, falling, falling down from the Astronomy tower. I have re-watched the movie several times and I always hope for something more significant to be shown. However, the very last time I watched the scene, I was watching and feeling every moment and I definitely could see how the moments could seem perfect to someone else. In my opinion, I would have liked to see something more powerful for what actually happened.
Overall I loved the movie and the books. They put me in such an incredible mood when I watch them which is why I have seen every Harry Potter movie way beyond more than five times.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)