Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Review

Directed by David Yates

For the longest time, I was indifferent to the whole Harry Potter phenomenon. Then, as it continued to grow in popularity, I started to be opposed to everything Harry Potter simply because I did not know what all the fuss was over having never read one of the books or seen one of the movies. After some time, my indifference that had turned to hate slowly developed into curiosity. Last fall, my curiosity finally got the best of me. I decided to see why everyone was so obsessed about what was going on in Hogwarts. Now I know.

This film franchise has brought on an imagination and creative touch not seen since the Star Wars franchise. It sets up a wonderfully magical world that enhances the wild adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. After viewing the first film, I was hooked. Every chance I had to watch a movie, I was going back to Hogwarts to see what kind of trouble the three friends could get into now. I worked my way through the first six films in time to catch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in theatres last November. Needless to say, Part 2 became one of my most anticipated films of 2011. After seeing it, it did not disappoint as it gave a very fitting end to the Harry Potter saga.

For those that have not seen the first six Harry Potter movies, I will try not to give anything away. However, it is going to be almost impossible to understand what the plot points even mean if you don't know anything about the Harry Potter world.

The first thing I noticed about Part 2 was that it did not feel like a sequel at all. There was no backtracking to bring everyone up to speed on what had been going on; no rehashing of previous events. The last image of Part 1 becomes the first image of Part 2, and the movie is off on its wild ride. It is a true continuation really making the two parts feel like a four and a half hour complete story. So the first thing we see is Voldemort finding the elder wand, which is one-third of the Deathly Hallows. Now Voldemort feels powerful enough to destroy Harry. In the meantime, Harry and his friends are once again in hiding from all of Volemort's agents that are out to find him. However, Harry is continuing his hunt for the final horcruxes to destroy Voldemort. All this leads Harry back to Hogwarts, and eventually into the final battle everyone has been waiting for against Voldemort.

As with all the Harry Potter films, the visual effects are outstanding. However, what really starts to stand out in the final few films, Part 2 included, is how talented the three young leads are. When Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson first started their journeys in J.K. Rowling's magical world, they were just 12, 13, and 11 years old respectfully. Now, 10 years later, the cute little kids that started it all are now 22, 23, and 21 years old and have become three extremely talented actors. This is shown as they are able to hold their own on screen with industry heavyweights like Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, Maggie Smith, and Michael Gambon. This leads to the next thing that makes these films amazing. There is so much talent involved with these films, it is almost laughable. When you have minor side characters played by the likes of Oscar winners Emma Thompson and Jim Broadbent, you have a stacked cast. At times, it got to the point where it was harder to name a British actor that was not involved in the Harry Potter franchise than one that was. All this talent involved helped make the Harry Potter saga that much more exciting.

It is hard to evaluate a film like this without thinking of it as the culmination of the previous 7 installments. On its own, it is a solid film. One complaint I have is something I find myself saying more and more often: it could have been longer. At times as the end of the story was unfolding, it felt somewhat rushed which was unusual for this franchise. All the other films did such a good job explaining every aspect of the Harry Potter world that you could understand everything that was happening whether you read all the books or never heard of Harry Potter before. At times in Part 2, this is not the case as it tries to explain complicated and intricate plot points through rushed and slightly confusing flashbacks. It is the one film out of the eight that I needed to talk to someone who had read the books to get some clarification on what actually happened with some of the closing plot points.

Like I said though, it is impossible to look at this film as its own entity similar to Return of the King or even Return of the Jedi. It has to also be considered as the closing chapter to a franchise that has been a decade in the making and has become one of the most successful franchises of films of all time. One thing I point to that sets this franchise apart from many others is the continuity of the series. So many franchises are simply disconnected new adventures of the main group of characters in the franchise. Although this is the case to an extent in the Harry Potter films, it also shows an incredible amount of continuity and forethought. Nothing is done randomly. From the first film to the last, everything is connected. There are events that take place in the first, second, third, fourth installments that become significant plot points in the conclusion of the story. This makes Harry Potter one of the most fascinating and exciting franchises I have seen from start to finish.

Although this film may not be the best of the series, it brings about the perfect ending to an amazing franchise that has become a part of our culture. It has skyrocketed the three main starts to a legendary status reached by very few. Don't be surprised if you find this film on the list of Oscar Best Picture nominees at the end of the year. If you are one like me and resisted Harry Potter because it seemed silly, childish, or just too much of a craze to be worth your time, it is time to introduce yourself to the landmark world of Harry Potter.

Rating: 3.5 stars

First Half of 2011

The first half of 2011 has been about as unremarkable as any first half of a year in recent memory. Aside from The Tree of Life, almost no films with any buzz around them have been released. Of the 52 movies that I have seen thus far, only 18 have actually garnered a 3-star rating or higher. Only two films would have even been in consideration for my top 10 last year. At this time in 2010, there were already about 7 or 8 movies that were held up to that standard. So, simply doing my top 5 of the year would be somewhat pathetic, so I will run down my major category lineups for the first half as well. Here is how January-June has shaken down so far:

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

5. I Saw the Devil

4. Everything Must Go

3. Barney’s Version

2. The Adjustment Bureau

1. Tyrannosaur

This group of nominees is somewhat admirable. I Saw the Devil was not a great film, but the screenplay is definitely what made it most appealing. The other four are definitely achievements in screenplay, and I would not be too upset if any of them wind up being close to my top 5 by year’s end.

Possible year-end nominees: Tyrannosaur

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

5. Rubber

4. Source Code

3. The Tree of Life

2. Midnight in Paris

1. Cedar Rapids

This is an odd group so far. Rubber is about the weirdest movie of the year, yet with its brilliantly deranged screenplay and commentary on voyeuristic movie elements, it certainly should rank with the best screenplays. Source Code and The Tree of Life are mentioned mainly for their artistic handling of their original stories. The two comedies at the top are basically even with some considerable distance between them and the others listed.

Possible year-end nominees: Cedar Rapids, Midnight in Paris

BEST DIRECTOR

5. Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris

4. J.J. Abrams – Super 8

3. Duncan Jones – Source Code

2. Paddy Considine - Tyrannosaur

1. Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life

This director lineup is made up of some rather big names. Woody Allen has only twice been in my Best Director lineup, and he has almost no shot at remaining there this year. J.J. Abrams and Duncan Jones have become strong sci-fi directors, and their beautiful direction is recognized here. The top two are the two best films of the year, Considine making his directorial debut and Malick making his fifth film over the past 38 years. Malick may not be dethroned of this title. His vision and style are beyond breathtaking.

Possible year-end nominees: Terrence Malick, Paddy Considine

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

5. Elle Fanning – Super 8

4. Jessica Chastain – The Tree of Life

3. Anne Heche – Cedar Rapids

2. Rosamund Pike – Barney’s Version

1. Lisa Kudrow – The Other Woman

This is an odd group of nominees so far. Elle Fanning was superb in her scene-stealing part in Super 8. She will be an Oscar nominee in no time. Jessica Chastain is going to have a huge year, and she started off very strong with her work in Malick’s film. Anne Heche gave her best performance since Donnie Brasco. Rosamund Pike was subtle and brilliant in Barney’s Version opposite Paul Giamatti. Finally, Lisa Kudrow, who has been nominated by me once in the past (The Opposite of Sex), gives potentially her best dramatic work ever in what was a decent film. The acting is what made the film worth watching, and no one was better than her antagonistic character.

Possible year-end nominees: NONE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

5. Hunter McCracken – The Tree of Life

4. Tommy Lee Jones – The Company Men

3. Eddie Marsan – Tyrannosaur

2. John C. Reilly – Cedar Rapids

1. Brad Pitt – The Tree of Life

This is probably the strongest of the current acting lineups. Hunter McCracken was astonishing in The Tree of Life as the young version of Sean Penn. I don’t normally nominate children, but he was impossible to ignore. Tommy Lee Jones was the main highlight of The Company Men’s amazing cast. Eddie Marsan was great as usual, playing a character that is impossible to like or even empathize with. John C. Reilly stole every one of his scenes. Finally, Brad Pitt’s calm, powerful performance dominates this category and is a virtual lock for my year-end list as well as an eventual Oscar nomination.

Possible year-end nominees: Brad Pitt, John C. Reilly

BEST LEADING ACTRESS

5. Janet McTeer – Cat Run

4. Amber Heard – The Ward

3. Rashida Jones – Monogamy

2. Natalie Portman – The Other Woman

1. Olivia Colman – Tyrannosaur

This is a raggedy bunch of nominees. Janet McTeer was crazy in her old-lady assassin role in that grindhouse film of sorts. Amber Heard was good in The Ward and Drive Angry 3D, but neither is really award-worthy work. Rashida Jones is quite good in everything, and her work in the tiny budget Monogamy is the best of her blossoming career. Natalie Portman was strong as always in The Other Woman, but also very good in No Strings Attached. Olivia Colman was astonishing in Tyrannosaur, completely falling into her character. For an actress known more for comedy, she really can disappear into a character and show emotions seemingly effortlessly.

Possible year-end nominees: Olivia Colman

BEST LEADING ACTOR

5. Owen Wilson – Midnight in Paris

4. Will Ferrell – Everything Must Go

3. Ed Helms – Cedar Rapids

2. Peter Mullan – Tyrannosaur

1. Paul Giamatti – Barney’s Version

The three comedians in this category is not a normal thing for me. I have never nominated any of them for an award in an acting category. Owen Wilson somehow avoids the usual Woody Allen quirks and creates a real character. Will Ferrell shows once again that he has great dramatic talent when he wants to show it. El Helms is hilarious in his wonderfully quirky performance. Peter Mullan is hauntingly good in Tyrannosaur. Paul Giamatti, who won the Golden Globe last year, is hilarious, heartbreaking, and always amazing in his part. He has become perhaps the best character actor in the business, especially for these types of parts.

Possible year-end nominees: Paul Giamatti, Peter Mullan

BEST PICTURE

5. Rubber

4. Midnight in Paris

3. Cedar Rapids

2. The Tree of Life

1. Tyrannosaur

These are honestly my only 3.5-star and 4-star films I have seen this year (out of 52 overall). Rubber is on there because basically, I have not had more fun watching and deciphering a movie this year. I realize that it is not exactly art, but it really is hilarious and thrilling to watch. A movie about a serial-killing tire can only go so far, but this movie made it into something mildly fascinating. Midnight in Paris was the best Woody Allen film in at least 6 years in most critics’ views, but for me, it is his best since Bullets Over Broadway in 1994. I loved the Paris nightlife and shameless name-dropping. The script was beautifully put together, and the little cameos make the movie even more glorious. Cedar Rapids was one of the best darker comedies I have seen in quite some time. Ed Helms and company get lost in their roles, and it now ranks with some of my favorite workplace comedies. The Tree of Life is a movie experience that seems overwhelming at first, but only upon reflection later can the viewer really appreciate what they saw. Perhaps this is how it gets booed at Cannes, then wins the Palm D’or. Finally, Tyrannosaur (actually not released yet; screened at the Seattle International Film Festival) is the best movie I have seen in 2011. It is a brutal movie to watch. The characters do everything to push the audience away, but for some reason, we cannot stop watching. It is as intense of an experience as I have had at the theater this year, and it is a movie that I will not forget. It features the most powerful acting of any movie in the last year, and the ending will haunt you. See this movie whenever it gets a theatrical run. It is well worth it.

Possible year-end nominees: Tyrannosaur, The Tree of Life

So, there you have it. Have you seen any other great movies, performances, or screenplays that I may have neglected? Let me know.

Horrible Bosses (2011) Review

Directed by Seth Gordon

From the first time I caught wind of the projected cast for Horrible Bosses, it was immediately among my most anticipated comedies of the 2011. The trailer was good, the TV spots were fine, and the red band trailer was hilarious. I had extremely high hopes, and finally, in a year of trashy movies and many disappointments, this movie lives up to the hype. It is the funniest movie of the year so far.

Seth Gordon, probably most known for his hugely popular documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, directs this sharp, funny comedy with a lot of flair. It always looks great, almost in a Judd Apatow type of way. He is a director to watch for sure, even though he did direct that failure Four Christmases. But that is beyond the point. This movie showed a lot of potential.

The story is a brilliant one for a buddy comedy. Nick (Jason Bateman) is a businessman who is looking forward to his inevitable promotion to VP of Sales, when his prick boss Harken (Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey) just absorbs the responsibility himself, basically giving Nick the shaft. Dale (Charlie Day) is a dental assistant to Julia (Jennifer Aniston), who will stop at nothing to make Dale sleep with him. Doesn’t seem like too much of a plight, but he is engaged, so I suppose that changes it a bit. Finally, Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) works at an energy company for Jack (Donald Sutherland), a boss who he actually likes. He dies, and his son Bobby (Colin Farrell) takes over, who is a cocaine-addicted party animal who wants to drain the company of his money. The three best friends get a drunken idea one night to murder their bosses, and they pursue it. Following a meeting with Motherfucker Jones (Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx), a criminal who offers up some help, they try to put together the perfect series of murders.

Now, the movie on its surface might seem very slight and stupid. That might be a truth, because it seems like a Todd Phillips or Farrelly Brothers story. However, the writers are all basically making the first movie after spending several years in TV. The screenplay comes off as a slightly dirtier Apatow picture, which let’s be honest, is as good of a compliment as you can give a buddy comedy. There are flashes of absolute brilliance, and there are very few times when there are moments of eye-rolling or jokes that simply fall flat. There are some great passing movie references, which basically are Easter Eggs to avid moviegoers. I do not have too many complaints with the screenplay, other than the fact that the movie does dip into unnecessary action sequences and just stretches the limits of plausibility on several occasions. I realize that the movie isn’t supposed to be real, but sometimes keeping the plausibility can make the movie even better and an instant classic.

The acting in the movie is quite good on most fronts. Jason Bateman gives one of his finest performances. Normally when I see him in a movie it is always just him playing himself, but he kinda loses himself in the movie. It was really nice work. Jason Sudeikis is funny as usual, but it is almost a caricature. Relative newcomer Charlie Day of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is probably going to get the best in show marks from the average fan, playing the dumbest of the three dimwits, and while he definitely had his moments, some of it comes off as whiny and annoying. Jamie Foxx is hilarious. Colin Farrell plays widely against type and is brilliant. Jennifer Aniston plays as far away from type as possible. I cannot help but hope that this is the direction she will go from now on and finally shed her Rachel Green image that has been overshadowing her career for the past decade. The best performance by far and the main reason to see the movie is obviously Kevin Spacey. His work is basically the wet dream of what Lester Burnham would want to be like in his office. His character is such a badass and so cruel that it is an absolute pleasure to watch. I almost found myself rooting for him for no other reason than my hopes to see more of his character. Spacey is pure comic gold.

So, a movie like this is not going to be perfect. Hard-R comedy is so hard to pull off these days, and this is one of the better efforts that I have seen in the last year. The buddy comedy thing is done to death, but this collection of actors and semi-fresh premise make the movie a real joy. The past failed attempts by Todd Phillips and other might even juice up this movie’s reputation. I hope that people go see it, despite the relative lack of mass previews. This is one of the most enjoyable times I have had at the movies this year, and while it is far from an instant classic comedy, it is well worth your time.

Rating: 3 stars

Fourth of July

I realized that there is almost never talk about the Fourth of July in movies. There are a few scenes that take place during the holiday, but never (other than perhaps Independence Day or some historical account of 1776) actually center on that day. So, I decided to do a few things to kind of make up for this. First, I will go over some random movie 4s in film. I will give my 4^th favorite in certain categories, and then finally give my two favorite movie Fourth of July sequences. Here it goes…

Best 4^th feature film by a director: ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

HM: SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS (Preston Sturges)

The answer to this was obvious if you know anything about me. Almost Famous is my second favorite movie of all time, and since Crowe only did Say Anything, Singles, and Jerry Maguire prior to it, it had to be my answer. I was happy to also get a mention of Preston Sturges in one of these articles. Sullivan’s Travels is one of the 5 funniest movies ever made. Check it out if you are unfamiliar with it.

Best love rectangle: CLOSER

HM: WE DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE

Love triangles are much more common, but the love rectangle is has become somewhat of a staple with dramas in the past decades. Closer is one of my favorites and the clear answer to this question, but the second choice was tougher. I like We Don’t Live Here Anymore, but I would hardly call it a great film. The portrayal of the rectangle was superb, though. So I had to go with it for lack of many more options (Note: I haven’t seen Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice).

Best 4^th installment in a series: LAND OF THE DEAD

HM: PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING

I didn’t realize how ugly this list was going to be until I looked at it. Land

of the Dead is one of the weaker George A. Romero movies, but it still quite easily tops this list. Psycho IV, while having its really good parts, it is still a frequently flawed film. However, these are the only two films in the category that I actually give three stars to. Terminator: Salvation and Phantom Menace are probably next in line, with Live Free or Die Hard not too far behind. Yeah…I guess basically all good series stop at three (Note: I haven’t seen the Star Trek and Harry Potter franchises).

Best movie with 4 (for, fore, four) in the title: DIAL M FOR MURDER

HM: REQUIEM FOR A DREAM

This was probably the easiest couple answers to come up with, simply because it is already mapped out in my top 100. The next film that would have been mentioned is No Country for Old Men.

Best movie foursome: DEADLY VIPER ASSASSINATION SQUAD from KILL BILL

HM: GORDIE, CHRIS, TEDDY, VERN from STAND BY ME

There are quite a few great groups of four in film, but these two groups stand alone for me. It would have been perfectly acceptable to list the Ghostbusters, Stillwater, or Dorothy and company from The Wizard of Oz. However, the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and the kids from Stand by Me are basically perfect. One is the definition of awesome, and the other holds a special place in my heart. It is hard to argue with either one of them.

4^TH FAVORITES

Film: GOODFELLAS

Actor: GENE HACKMAN

Actress: JODIE FOSTER

Director: QUENTIN TARANTINO

Screenplay: ON GOLDEN POND

Performance: JODIE FOSTER in TAXI DRIVER

Film of 2011 so far: CEDAR RAPIDS

Best Fourth of July scenes:

THE SANDLOT

This one was quite simple. That scene is basically my childhood, having a block barbeque and playing baseball for hours under the firework lights on the Fourth. Also, the choice of song in that scene (Ray Charles’s rendition of “America the Beautiful” is beyond perfection. I cannot imagine a greater or more effective scene for the day in question.

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

The Fourth of July scene in Brokeback Mountain is not so much for what the scene has to say about the Fourth, but about the importance of the scene. It just happened to take place then. The scene, which I will not give away, it absolutely pivotal to the film, and it features what may be the most gorgeous shot in the entire movie.

So, there you have it. Pathetic that there is not really much more to talk about as far as film goes in regards to one of the best holidays. What are your thoughts? Any other interesting 4s in film? I tried to come up with best performance by a 4 year old, but that was too hard. Any Fourth of July scenes you think are better? Your fourth favorites in those categories? Let me know with your comments.

Seattle International Film Festival Report #1

The Seattle International Film Festival is always a cool experience for any film lover. In the past two years, highlight films have included eventual Best Picture Oscar winner The Hurt Locker and the festival megahit Winter’s Bone. So, basically, there is some credibility to the festival. It is not just some random tiny festival without any real significant films included.

This year, the 37^th annual event had a tribute to Ewan McGregor. The opening night film was the buzzed indie film The First Grader. Who knows, maybe a major Oscar player will end up being played at some point during the duration of this festival. I wouldn’t put it past the selection committee. If anyone is in town May 19-June 12, I definitely recommend catching a film or two with some other avid film enthusiasts.

Tyrannosaur (directed by Paddy Considine)

Once I saw that Paddy Considine was directing a film at the festival, I had to see it. He has always been one of my favorite under-the-radar actors, and his relationship to director Shane Meadows gave great promise as to what Considine’s feature could entail. I am happy to say that this is one of the best movies I have seen in the last year or so. It is maybe the most devastating and honest film about trying to put your life back together since The Wrestler. I was so pleasantly surprised with this film’s power and emotional impact.

The film centers on Joseph (Peter Mullan, in an Oscar-worthy performance). He is an alcoholic widower who is being driven toward self-destruction by his drinking and violent rage. All he has is his dog (who is beaten to death in the opening scene) and his house. He wakes up, drinks, gets into trouble, and repeats. His future seems completely hopeless, especially after accidentally killing his only companion. One day, he stumbles upon a shop owned and operated by Hannah (Olivia Colman, equally good), a woman who is beaten by husband James (the great Eddie Marsan) and wants a way out of her commitment to him.

The film is totally brutal. The opening scene is incredibly hard to watch, and it is emotionally-wrenching. It is certainly not for everyone. Watch a Meadows film, and that will be about the tone to expect from this. The actors are phenomenal, and the impact and unexpected turns that the film takes in its second half are as satisfying as any that I have seen in quite some time. Perhaps it could end up being likened to last year’s Animal Kingdom or something, but that might be stretching it a bit. This is a small-scale, stripped-down intense drama that will not be easy to swallow. It challenges the audience in several ways, and that is about all you can ask for from a film like this. It is unquestionably the best movie I have seen this year, and a near shoo-in for my end of year top 10 list. See it at any cost…seriously.

Rating: 4 stars

The Ward (directed by John Carpenter)

The second film I saw at the festival was The Ward, the first film John Carpenter has made since 2001’s Ghosts of Mars. I had to see it. John Carpenter is one of the modern masters of shock horror-thrillers. His long drought in between films did not hurt his craft. There are some truly brilliant scenes in this film, but it is the screenplay that makes the film uneven and gives it less of an impact than some of his previous films. It is a bit more conventional, but it still has that Carpenter polished feeling, almost making it seem like it should be better than it actually is. That is a testament to his skills. There is a US release date in July. Definitely see it at midnight, as I did with a packed house at the festival. It is a cool movie, despite its flaws.

The film is about Kristen (Amber Heard), a young girl who is admitted to a mental institution and begins being terrorized by mysterious ghost that has apparently been haunting the other patients at the hospital as well. The committed doctor is Dr. Stringer (Jared Harris), who does everything in his power to help Kristen to get better. There are constant flashbacks and dreamlike sequences featuring Kristen or some of the other inmates. It is a fairly standard ghost story on the surface, but there is something more sinister going on.

The Ward is like the love child of Shutter Island and Girl, Interrupted. The latter in the sense that there are a bunch of beautiful and talented young actresses in a psych ward, and the former takes into account some of the story arcs. The horror film clichés are evident throughout some of the second half, and the twists can be easy to catch with some obvious foreshadowing. But, who am I kidding? This movie was a lot of fun to watch. At least Carpenter is back.

Rating: 2.5 stars