Tag: movie review

Review: ‘Smile Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story’

smiletilithurtsmovie

Of all the strange and powerful and crazy and life-altering events that occurred in the 1960’s the UP WITH PEOPLE chorus was among the most defining, but as the documentary film SMILE TIL IT HURTS suggests, it wasn’t always a positively defining undertaking. The film consists of two very basic elements, contemporary interviews with the individuals who were involved at the time and archival footage of the events of that bygone era. However, the film becomes anything but very basic as it opens the flood gates of knowledge about an era of turbulence of which many younger generations likely have no understanding.

Directed by Lee Storey, SMILE TIL IT HURTS utilizes the contrast of the perfect, utopian Brady Bunch appeal of the UP WITH PEOPLE sing-outs with the underlying implications of the Moral Re-Armament movement that supported and backed the UP WITH PEOPLE front. On the surface, UP WITH PEOPLE was an organization that seemed incapable of flaw, but in reality many of the group’s members would come to find themselves torn between their own genuine beliefs that what they were doing could change the world for the better, yet at the same time it was being exploited and perverted for purposes that didn’t always align with their beliefs.

The various documented reels of film that are used in SMILE TIL IT HURTS are a lesson in history, one which you’ll not find it textbooks. The film’s interviews, while less dynamic than the archival footage, contain the bulk of the substance in the film. An interview with one minority cast member of UP WITH PEOPLE builds to an emotional moment as she reveals her first real experience with the extreme cruelty of racism, recollecting a moment in which she faced a man with a gun, intent on standing his prejudiced ground and all she could muster the courage and ability to do was to start singing one of the UP WITH PEOPLE songs titled WHAT COLOR IS GOD’S SKIN? It’s a powerful scene that beautifully illustrates the one aspect of life in the 60’s.

One of the most amazingly unbelievable pieces of archival footage, surreal in it’s appearance, is when members of the Up With People cast are visiting a native African tribe in their homeland and performing their trademark song, Up With People, in the tribe’s native tongue. The image created of these 1950’s style teens wearing cardigans with their guitars strapped around their necks as the African people being performed for sort of casually dance and appear to have a good time, almost as though they were doing so to be polite.

As the story of UP WITH PEOPLE unfolds before our eyes, it becomes apparent that the powers that be at the top of the MRA and UP WITH PEOPLE were not holding true and sincere to their stated cause, abusing the organization’s incredible popularity and influence as a means to secure power and sway the flow of politics and even to support the continuation of the Vietnam War. One of the truly shocking revelations of SMILE TIL IT HURTS is that there are so many former members that speak their minds in this film that it’s hard to believe the organization was ever perceived as a meaningful movement with good intentions.

SMILE TIL IT HURTS is a surprisingly shocking, funny and informative documentary. At one moment disturbing, at another moment humorous, the film bounces back and forth as not to become a completely depressing journey. Some of the lighter moments include one member’s recollections of what it was like having to make yourself smile all the time, an act that should represent and bring joy that at times produced pain and discomfort for those cast members. Another former cast member recalls UP WITH PEOPLE’s epic half-time performance in 1982 during Super Bowl XVI in Detroit.

Whether you see SMILE TIL IT HURTS as an informative documentary, a humorous flashback to another time and place or as a valuable social commentary, the film is certainly worth seeing and deserves attention. While the film is a historical peice, it also has equally as much value in today’s world, in politics, corporate policies and social relations. The film is likely to have as many people tearing it down as it will have cheering it’s praises. My only advice would be to view the film with an open mind and a desire to learn about another piece of our history from the horse’s mouths, so to speak.

SMILE TIL IT HURTS: THE UP WITH PEOPLE STORY will be screening in the DocuWeeks Film Festival from July 31 through August 20 in Los Angeles and New York.

LA Screenings: July 31 – Aug 6
NY Screenings: Aug 7 – 13

Review: ‘Revanche’

revanchemovie

REVANCHE, which is German for revenge, is a hard sell. An Austrian production, the film is in both German and Russian with tiny little white subtitles. The primary reason I start off by mentioning the subtitles is because a film as slow and generally uninteresting as REVANCHE is made even more difficult to appreciate by it’s often difficult to follow subtitles written in broken English.

Written and directed by Götz Spielmann, REVANCHE follows an ex-con named Alex (Johannes Krisch) as he plans a bank robbery he perceives as no fail. He intends to escape his insignificant life, running away with an attractive prostitute named Tamara (Irina Potapenko) who only wants to escape the sex business. Ironically, Alex has an unquenchable sex drive, but he cares deeply for Tamara and they get along well.

The initial obstacle for Alex and Tamara is her boss Konecny, a big hulking gorilla of a man who has big plans for Tamara. Plans of which she holds no interest in pursuing and becomes the final straw, convincing the lovers to finally flee their mutual misery. They are both at risk of Konecny’s wrath as Alex also has been working for him as a sort of bouncer and miscellaneous hired hand.

All Alex and Tamara need to do to begin their new lives together is to pull off this one simple bank robbery and their free. When the robbery unexpectedly goes terribly wrong, Alex finds himself distraught with guilt and anger, leading him to pursue a path of vengeance. A simultaneously occurring story involves police officer Robert (Andreas Lust) and his wife Susanne (Ursula Strauss) who recently miscarried the married couple’s first child. The couple are having a rough go at recovering from their recent trauma and their story gradually becomes intertwined with that of Alex and Tamara’s.

As if the 121-minute running time wasn’t enough to make time itself feel cruel, the film is shot in a washed out palette that features tan and gray as it’s recurring color scheme. There is nothing dynamic in REVANCHE to hold the viewers sleepy eyes, aside from the frequently exposed breasts of actresses Irina Potapenko and Ursula Strauss. Static shots, a straight-forward perspective and a complete lack of cinematic energy, the film does have an essence of realism, but not necessarily the realism that beckons paying movie-watchers to stumble over each other in line to experience. The film is grainy and often just a tad overexposed. There is a lack of concern for things such as lens flares in the film.

I suppose REVANCHE could be considered a more successful film by definition of some social commentary, but the recent trend with some European films to take on this approach has left me cautious in my viewing habits. The movie attempts to suggest some moral philosophy at work on Alex, the film’s focus, but instead merely conveys some basic emotions brought upon by his own actions as he must deal with the consequences. The second half of REVANCHE builds to a climax that never occurs, favoring a more open-ended conclusion.

REVANCHE is not entirely unworthy of praise. Despite the length and slow pace of the film and the largely understated cinematography, the film has a solid, competently written script and the acting is perfectly acceptable. The overall arc and concept of REVANCHE’s story is sound enough and, in all honesty, does pick up a bit at the one hour mark as Alex begins to formulate his revenge. In accordance with the slight change of pace and tone in the second half, the additional attention to lighting and contrast in the second half also helps this hour pass more fluidly than the first. Unfortunately, the tension and emotional power intended in the second half of REVANCHE is never fully realized and falls significantly flat of it’s potential.

Review: ‘Not Quite Hollywood’

‘Not Quite Hollywood’ is more than just a documentary on Australian genre films, its an amazing and comprehensive look at movies that have influenced some of the greatest minds in cinema. When you watch this movie you better have a pen and something to write on because there are some “i cant believe I haven’t seen this film yet!” moments you will inevitably experience.

Mark Hartley wrote and directed this Australian(weird!) documentary with the help of Quentin Tarantino. Over the course of 5 years he interviewed 80+ writers, directors, actors and film critics which landed him with 250 hours of footage to edit. The doc premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2008 and took home the best documentary award at 50th Australian Film Institute Awards.

Being a huge fan of exploitation cinema I was absolutely amazed at how many of the movies featured here I hadn’t heard of. I am actually embarrassed that I didn’t know more about one of the greatest the cinema world had ever seen. I thought I had seen some vulgar/racy stuff from watching Russ Meyer films but over the course of the hour and 43 minutes I was aroused, repulsed and thoroughly ecstatic all at the same time!

The doc is broken down into different parts, each sub genre of ‘ploitation film gets its own topic discussion. First you get all of the sexploitation films which was something very new to Australian culture since they had just introduced the ‘R’ rating into the movie industry over there. This paved the way for lots of nudity, gratuitous sex and me wondering why I am not making sexploitation films!

After that you see all of the Horror/blood and guts films like ‘Howling III’, ‘Long Weekend’, ‘Next of Kin’ and ”Razorback’. There were some I had heard of but most were brand new to me but that really isnt my genre anyways. However the next topic of “Kung Fu and Action Films” was right up my alley.

They kick this one off with a look at ”The Man from Hong Kong’ and everyone delves into just how ridiculous and arrogant Jimmy Wang-Yu was while they were making this film. Being the first Australian martial arts film Wang-Yu came over thinking he was better than all of the costars in the film including George Lazenby who is the villain in the film. The stories the actors and directors tell about this movie is absolutely astonishing and I think they could probably pull off a documentary from the making of that movie alone.

They of course also had to cover ‘Mad Max’ which is by far the most popular and well known “Ozploitation” film to ever come out, but definitely not the best. The film I am most looking forward to seeing is the Dennis Hopper starring ‘Mad Dog Morgan’. I not only want to see the movie because I love everything Hopper does, but all the stuff that happened behind the scenes stuff that went on sound both shocking and awe inspiring. Check out the trailer for this film below:

Watching the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dennis Hopper, George Lazenby, George Miller and countless others get so excited about what was going on in Australia at the time these films were hitting theaters just made me wish I had been born 20 years earlier so I could have seen these in an exploitation house somewhere along the way.

Everything about this is absolutely incredible, the only downside to this film is having to go out and find copies of all the films mentioned in the doc, which isn’t easy trust me I have already started my hunt. I actually found myself pausing the movie a few times and jumping to the internet(s) in an attempt to get my hands on some of these before the movie opens on Friday(July 31st). ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ is currently sitting pretty with a 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes which as most of you should know is no easy feat.

Review: CRIME SWEEPERS

crimesweepers

” — ” (That’s a blank stare and an empty thought with my jaw hanging open.) I’m all about being supportive of indie filmmakers and the films they want to make. With that said, it doesn’t mean I have to like the film. I’m glad Lance Mora got to make CRIME SWEEPERS, his 30-minute comedy short and I’m glad it has garnered him some festival booty. However, and I simply have to be perfectly honest, I really found little to enjoy in this film.

To be fair, let me explain… It was the final day of the CineVegas Film Festival 2009 and while hanging out in the food court of the Palms Casino before heading back to my hotel, a man stops me and hands me a burned DVD in a paper slip. The DVD has “CRIME SWEEPERS” written on it and the man introduces himself to me as Lance Mora and told me this was his film from “the other festival,” meaning the Las Vegas International Film Festival. He asked if I would like to check out his movie and, as I always respond to these encounters, I said “sure.”

Fast forward to now. Yeah, it took me a while to finally sit down with CRIME SWEEPERS, but I did follow through with my promise. Before I go any further, let me briefly explain the film and then I’ll go into more detail. CRIME SWEEPERS is a crime caper comedy that features characters that are brooms and mops… Yep.

The trend of vulgar, profane, risque, coarse and controversial comedy is growing and the success of films like BORAT and WAITING have made this trend more popular. I’m not going to sit here and knock on this genre, simply because there is a lot of it that works and is actually funny. The trick however, is that it can be tough to pull off. There are low-budget indie filmmakers that focus on this style of humor and are relatively successful, but CRIME SWEEPERS still needs some work.

CRIME SWEEPERS relies almost solely on profanity combined with cliched genre references and crude bathroom humor, including a vomiting broom cop and a perverted OB/GYN delivering a woman’s baby, uh… I mean, little broom. Which actually brings me to another point. I would have liked to see Mora either stick with the whole mop and broom gag the entire film, or else toss it out completely and just use real people characters. The Hot Lab Girl, played by Tonya Mora, and the OB/GYN are real person characters whereas the others are all brooms or mops.

Adding to the projectile vomiting at a crime scene is projectile bleeding during the birthing scene, followed by projectile peeing on the doctor by the, uh, little broom. One of the detective characters is called Tony Danza, but for what reason eludes me. Perhaps the most creative part of CRIME SWEEPERS is the bad guy, a character named Christopher Mopin. This character is intended to be like Christopher Walken, making an attempt to mimic both his gestures and his voice. Later in the story, Christopher Mopin busts Dennis Mopper (get it?) out of prison.

Half way through the film, the depravity takes the express lane into unpleasant territory. Then again, CRIME SWEEPERS was made in and the story is set in Las Vegas, so that explains a lot. Unfortunately, this didn’t stay in vegas. Look, I really don’t want end this on a negative note. The film, despite it’s many flaws, had potential as a gimmick-driven short sort of like the now defunct thumb-themed bits like THUMB WARS. There’ll be some out there that enjoy the film, I am certain of that… it just didn’t do anything for me.

Best Nevada Film – Las Vegas International Film Festival 2009
Best Comedy Short – Action on Film International Film Festival 2008

Review: ‘Deadgirl’

deadgirl

‘Deadgirl’ is a dark vision of teen angst, a somber coming of age tale about the immorality that can stem from social separation.  Deeply twisted yet strangely cerebral, it is a welcome entry into the horror genre that has become plagued with the ‘Saw’s and the ‘Hostel’s of the world.  While it’s surface narrative could draw similarities to those types of films (torture is part of the story), there is a deeper meaning behind what is going on that allows it to offer up more than your typical serving of torture porn.

JT and Ricky are best friends, outcasts together at their local high school.  They spend their days skipping school, running off to secluded spots around town, drinking beers, and basically expressing their teen-aged anger in the best way they know how.  They find their own, personal Pleasure Island in an abandoned mental institution.  Once there, they proceed to trash the place from top to bottom, ultimately finding themselves in the tunnels below the asylum.

It is here where they find the girl, wrapped in clear plastic, naked, and dead.  Only she isn’t quite dead in the way they initially believe.  In fact, this girl cannot be killed, and JT, being the more destructive of the two, takes this opportunity to turn the girl into his own sex slave.  He chains her up in the basement of the building, shutting out the rest of the world and, ultimately, Ricky who wants nothing to do with the girl.  As with any good, horror movie, things quickly spiral crazily out of control.

More than a standard, run-of-the-mill horror film, ‘Deadgirl’ is a depiction of a twisted social experiment. What would social outcasts do to a helpless and naked woman who A.) cannot be killed and B.) is chained up in a dark basement. With Ricky and JT, we get two answers to the same question, and the writer and directors behind ‘Deadgirl’ (Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel helmed the film with Trent Haaga serving as screenwriter) give each of the film’s two leads equal screen presence. Ricky is the clear protagonist here, but even his character falls into the gray area at times where you aren’t quite clear what choices, moral or immoral, he is going to make.

Ricky pines over one of the popular girls at school, a girl he was childhood friends with, and it is through these gazes to her that we see where Ricky is coming from. He wants more for himself than just being the outcast. JT, on the other hand, has accepted his place in the world, and, because of that, he takes whatever opportunities he can.

More than the dichotomy of the characters, the directors and screenwriter have created a grand setup for a horrific finale. Without giving anything away, let’s just say the fact that the girl cannot be killed comes into play. Though we never get an explanation of who she is or where she came from, the filmmakers behind ‘Deadgirl’ end up setting rules to what her indestructible nature entails.

Unfortunately, it is in these rules where some of the film’s latter incoherency comes into play. There are several unanswered questions before the end of the film, questions that aren’t left open for dramatic or narrative effect. They are just raised and then forgotten about. By the film’s end, we get an idea of where the overall narrative has taken us, but there are definite side roads that should have been explored.

The film’s budget caused much of these issues, I’m sure. ‘Deadgirl’ simply can’t fulfill the potential of its screenplay. Sarmiento and Harel do the best they can. The abandoned asylum and its basement are very atmospheric locations whether they are found built sets. The directors and DP, Harris Charalambous, do an excellent job setting the tone of the film with lighting and composition.

‘Deadgirl’ is a film that will divide audiences.  Most will be turned off by its violent and sexual nature.  For much of the film, those two elements go hand in hand, as JT’s sexuality towards the helpless girl grows ever more violent. Naturally, screenwriter Haaga couldn’t just have the film be two hours of a girl being chained up and raped, so, by the end of it, the film falls into the gore-soaked trappings of so many horror films before it.  This isn’t a negative against the film.  The co-directors handle the violence superbly, and most horror junkies will be right with the film all the way up to it’s twisted denouement.  Twisted and unpredictable, ‘Deadgirl’ is a film that, despite certain script issues and the limitations of its budget, will satisfy fans of the genre across the board.

Review: ‘Orphan’

orphanmovie2

There are some movies that catch me off guard.   Sometimes walking into a film with low expectations can make that film shine even brighter.   Did ‘Orphan’ do just that?   Read on to find out!

Continue reading Review: ‘Orphan’

Review: ‘The Ugly Truth’

uglytruthmovie2

He Said:

So, when Jennifer said “I want to see that,” I looked up from my laptop and asked “see what?” She quickly backed up the Tivo and showed me a commercial for ‘The Ugly Truth’. All I remember thinking was… oh no, not again.

Fast forward and we’re at the premier and sitting in our seats eagerly awaiting the raging suck fest that most romantic comedies are. I said most. Not all. There are, in fact, a number of fantastic romantic comedies out there. Though, most of the ones I can think of involve Meg Ryan. Weird. So anyway, the movie begins and follows the path of Abby, a TV producer and neurotic control freak who is surprisingly well versed in handling her crew and talent. Knowing just what to say to keep them happily in line. She also shows off her ability to think on the fly when the guest chef on her show causes a small uprising with the dish he makes.

So, enter the struggle as poor Abby, played by Katherine Heigel (Knocked Up, 27 Dresses), is trying to save her failing show and find the ideal mate at the same time. When by chance, her cat changes the channel on the TV to ‘The Ugly Truth’, a show on public access TV hosted by Mike, played by Gerard Butler (300, RocknRolla).

Mike’s show is all about exposing the little fantasies we all have about dating and love. All the while making fun of the masks and slight of hand we use in our pursuit of romantic relationships. It was kind of refreshing to hear a man talk about being a man. Talking about what our real motivations are and how they relate to male and female interactions. If there is not a show like this one on the air now, there really should be.

After a very embarrassing moment as a caller on Mike’s cable access show, Abby finds herself in the unfortunate position of being Mike’s producer after he is brought onto Abby’s show as a weekly guest. The powers that be think that Mike is just the sort of audacious flare that the dieing show needs.

This is a fantastic movie. Heigle and Butler have a strong on-screen chemistry. Their fight scenes have sexually charged energy that makes them engaging to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It occurred to me as we sat watching the credits and waiting for the theater to clear out that this is a guy movie disguised as a chick flick. Take that Coyote Ugly!

— Chad

She Said:

The truth about romantic comedies is that they all follow a pattern. An established set of rules that you can check off as you work your way through the movie. ‘The Ugly Truth’ starring Katherine Heigel and Gerard Butler hits all of the required notes and unfolds exactly as you might expect. What I did not expect was the raunchy humor, explicit language and profanity. And yet, somehow they made it all work.

Tightly wound morning show producer Abby runs a tight ship at her Sacramento television studio (look for Cheryl Hines and John Michael Higgins as a hilarious husband/wife anchor team). Ratings are down, so her manager decides to liven things up by bringing in the host of a local cable access show known for sparking controversy about the truth about the sexes. Mike (Gerard Butler) is everything that Abby is not. She is determined to get him off of her show by any means necessary.

Opportunity presents itself on two fronts when Abby meets handsome Dr. Andrews (Eric Winter is the perfect Ken to Heigel’s Barbie). To help her land the man of her dreams, Mike offers to coach her on the ways of seduction and lust. If he is right, she gets Dr. Andrews. If his plan does not work, Mike will leave the show.

While I am sure we all know how the film ends I will not give away the ending. I will however warn the faint of heart that the blue screened ending scene is in jarring contrast to the rest of the beautifully shot film. I actually think that the special effects in ‘Plan 9 From Outer Space’ may have been better.

‘The Ugly Truth’ opens in theaters Friday July 24, 2009 and is rated ‘R’.

— Jennifer

Review: ‘G-Force’

gforce

They’re cute.   They’re cuddly.   They’re a special force of secret agents funded by the government.   But, most importantly, they’re boring.   Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, ‘G-Force’ certainly has a lot going on in it.   Presented in RealD 3D, the visuals bombard you left and right.   Unfortunately, much like a hamster/guinea pig/gerbil/pick your rodent on a wheel, the film goes absolutely nowhere fast. Continue reading Review: ‘G-Force’

Review: ‘(500) Days of Summer’

500daysofsummermovie

I went into this film knowing essentially two things:

1) It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, and
2) It’s not a love story but rather a story about love

In my opinion, that’s the best way to see this (or any) film, so if you’re a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Zooey Deschanel, or if you’re intrigued by the idea of a romantic comedy that, against all odds, isn’t a generic, boring, waste of time, then by all means, go and see this film as soon as it opens tomorrow (7/24). However, if you’re still on the fence about it, here’s my take on the film.

Since Scott and Jeremy reviewed (500) Days of Summer when it was screened at Sundance and Cinevegas, HERE and HERE, and I completely agree with both of their takes on it, I’ll try to take a different approach. About a third into the movie, during a particularly ingenious musical number, the thought hit me, “this feels like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off!” Not because it was ripping off Ferris Bueller, in fact the two stories couldn’t be more different, but because of the strong emphasis on characters over story and the general likability of the entire cast.

The film takes place through the eyes of Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). He’s universally loved by his coworkers, he’s fun to hang out with, and he’s an all around great guy. (Sound familiar?) But that’s only on his good days. Throughout the film, we get to see glimpses into the 500 days that Tom spends with his love at first sight (Zooey Deschanel) and when he’s on a good day everything is pretty great. On the bad days? Not so much.

Through the film, we are greeted by title cards which let us know what the current day of summer is, and we also get a preview of how the day will turn out. (I could explain more, but it’s kind of cool to just see and experience for yourself. One of the many little touches that make this film great.) On the bad days Tom is more of a Cameron: whiny, moping, and full of hate. This contrast lets us know, right from the start, that all bets are off as to where this relationship will end up.

Like Ferris Bueller, this film is genuinely fun, funny, and manages to bring the dramatic bits without spoiling the humor in the end. If there’s one thing I hate about comedies, it’s when the first two acts are full of laughs and then as soon as the inevitable dramatic moment hits in the third act, everyone goes silent (basically every terrible romantic comedy out there). Partly because of the non-linear nature of the story, and partly because of the very tight editing (no fat here) the film never drags, and it never loses its momentum as a comedy. One of my favorite bits came totally unexpected, so I won’t spoil it here, but I’ll just say it was a brief cameo from a 1977 movie character…

While the Ferris Bueller character similarities pretty much end with Tom, this is really his story, so it’s a good fit. Go into the film with “Ferris Bueller’s (500) Days” in your mind, and I think you’ll see what I mean.

All in all, with (500) Days of Summer, you can expect a tightly woven, well-crafted, technically brilliant film that will leave you smiling (and possibly wishing that your girlfriend looked like Zooey Deschanel).

Review: ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’

harrypotterhalfbloodprince

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ is a fabulous mixture of extraordinary magic, teen angst, and the beginning of the end to the greatest franchise of the century.

It opens with our wizard friend, Harry, dealing with the murder of his godfather, Sirius Black. The dreaded Death-Eaters are massing and a final battle between good and evil is looming. Neither the Muggle World or Hogwarts are safe. Lucius Malfoy has been sent to Azkaban prison, leaving his son, Draco, to do the bidding of Lord Voldemort.  Draco’s been put in  the hands of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Professor Severus Snape (Alan Rickman),  who’s made an “Unbreakable Vow” to ensure Draco carry out his marching orders. It’s interesting to watch the dynamics between the two characters. Both torn between loyalties  to the Dark Lord and a gnawing,  guilty conscience eating away at them. Helena Bonham Carter also returns as the deliciously snarling Bellatrix Lestrange.

We’re introduced to the new Professor of Potions, Horace Slughorn, meticulously played by Jim Broadbent. Harry and Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), travel to enlist the aid of the previous instructor. The casting of the two thespians, Gambon and Broadbent, is top notch! Dumbledore relays to Harry that  Slughorn has the key to help them in the ultimate destruction of Lord Voldemort, particularly his knowledge of the 7 Horcruxes. Through his many murders, Voldemort’s soul scattered into these objects – one he keeps  with him, 2 have already been destroyed  and the remaining are up for grabs.

The Hogwarts students have battles at school of a different sort. First, Harry finally gives Draco a good ass-kicking by using a spell from the  Half-Blood Prince’s book. Draco is  badly hurt until Snape swoops in to save the day.  Second, teenage crushes and hormones are barreling through the school leading to the blossoming romances between Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny. It’s amazing how far the young actors, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, have come since we first saw them as little children back in November of 2001. My one beef? At times, the romantic subplots of these two couples overshadow the film with too much ‘Twilight’ and not enough Quidditch, battles, creatures,  and, dare I say, excitement.  The near-absence  of  these usual Harry Potter themes,  make the pacing slow and drawn out.

Die-hard fans will certainly notice the divergence  taken by the filmmakers with the ending. The Battle  at the Astronomy Tower, the true  identity  of the Half-Blood Prince, and the death of Hogwarts beloved Dumbledore  still come to the same conclusion.  However, it was gut-wrenching nonetheless  to witness the sacrifice of Albus Dumbledore for “The Chosen One.” I was awashed  by a feeling of helplessness at the death of Harry’s other father. Author J.K. Rowling’s constant theme throughout her series, sacrifice and the death of a parent, was never more strongly felt than with the direction of David Yates’s collective raising of the school’s wands in salute to their fallen headmaster. Just another in a slew of touching reminders of what makes these books so endearing.

The CGI, cinematography,  and sound-mixing  permeates the screen and  once again sets a foreboding and ominous mood that Harry and his friends are in for some dark times ahead. ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ is a complete, very fulfilling sixth chapter to a franchise that, like a vintage of “pumpkin juice” just keeps getting better with age.