Fantasy

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
  • IMDB: link

There is a point not too far into Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 where Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) informs Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) that everything going on, the sacrifices being made, the world falling into darkness, isn’t only about him. This is a sentiment backed-up by the rest of the film. Harry might still be the most important character, but he’s certainly not the only character.

There are several telling differences here. The first scene in the film doesn’t involve Harry at all, but Hermoine (Emma Watson) and the difficult choice she makes with respect to her “Muggle” parents (Ian Kelly, Michelle Fairley). If this dramatic opening isn’t enough to clue you in we’re in for a far darker Harry Potter then scene directly following will leave you no doubt.

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How to Train Your Dragon

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: How to Train Your Dragon
  • IMDb: link

Aside from the fact that How to Train Your Dragon includes Vikings and dragons it’s very similar to many teenage comedies Hollywood has put out over the years. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is your typical Ugly Duckling character. Although the term “nerd” is never uttered it’s fair to say if the Vikings had a word for Hiccup this would be the modern translation. On the Viking island of Berk the clumsy Hiccup is as far from the Viking ideal as one could get, and a constant irritation to his father (Gerard Butler).

Much like nerds of our era, Hiccup struggles with his ineptitude. He thinks too much, makes crazy inventions, and is the butt of jokes by not only the gang his own age but everyone in the village. And, of course, our hero has a crush on a girl (America Ferrera) who’s everything he’s not: athletic, self-assured, and a true warrior. Though he might not be a typical Viking, Hiccup does want to take part in his peoples’ most important mission – fighting dragons. After trapping a dragon with one of his many inventions Hiccup is unable to kill the wounded creature and instead decides to try and help the creature fly once more.

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Discover for yourself Where the Wild Things Are

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Where the Wild Things Are
  • IMDB: link

where-the-wild-things-are-posterThere will no doubt be critics and film professors who dismiss Where the Wild Things Are for it’s lack of story and structure. There will also be those who find immediate emotional attachment to this primal story of a child struggling with a world he can’t control.

Although I do have some qualms about the film mainly dealing with its length (and I thought it could use a bit more polish plot-wise), and didn’t have the emotional attachment to the story I expected, I will freely admit the film is worth a long look.

Aside from the bookends of his normal life, the entire movie takes place in a world Max (Max Records) discovers while trying to escape problems at home he can neither deal with nor articulate. In running away Max discovers a refuge on island of monsters (voiced by James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O’Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, and Lauren Ambrose).

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • IMDB: link

Being a Harry Potter fan and a film snob is not easy. Though Chris Columbus’ films were decent, the only adaptation that really worked was 2004’s The Prisoner of Azkaban. With that single concession, we the faithful have just had to sit around and take it from Warner Bros. as they haphazardly adapted the books into competent but lacking films.

On various occasions, I admit, I day-dreamt of getting that phone call offering me the job of directing the next HP feature – which I’d nail and rock the pants off of, obviously. But having just seen The Half-Blood Prince, I’m shocked but very pleased to say that my services were not at all needed on this sixth movie.

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Inkheart

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Inkheart
  • IMDB: link

inkheart-posterHow much do you like fantasy films aimed at kids? That’s really the only question to ask yourself when considering seeing Inkheart. If you enjoyed similar films such as The NeverEnding Story, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and Eragon, you might want to give it a chance. Maybe.

Brendan Fraser stars as a good-hearted but slightly dimwitted hero (hmm, sound familiar?) Mo Folchart. Years ago, accidently, Mo discovered he had the ability to read characters, objects and events out of books. That’s kinda cool, right? But there is a catch – whenever something, or someone, comes out of a book something, or someone, must take its place.

Years have passed with Mo hiding his gift from his daughter (Eliza Bennett) and searching for a copy of a book which holds something precious to them both locked deep inside. Things come to a head when characters from the book finally catch up to the “Silvertongue” with their own demands on how he should use his gift.

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