Harru Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the seventh film in the famous Harry Potter series, about a boy's adventures as he goes to wizarding school, and fights the evil Lord Voldemort. It is directed by David Yates, screenplay by Steve Kloves, and stars the usual trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.
It is the beginning of the end. A decade of Quidditch, spells, and gingers. It comes to this. Dumbledore is dead. Hogwarts has fallen to the Death Eaters, with the Ministry of Magic soon to follow. Our favorite characters are dying across the board; Hedwig, Mad-Eye Moody, even Dobby. (DOBBY? NO!!!!)
As the end draws closer, Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione, start traveling to find the remaining Horcruxes, and destroy them. A mysterious R.A.B. has taken one of the Horcruxes, Salazar Slytherin's locket, and replaced it with a phony. The bulk of this film shows them traveling with this locket, attempting to find ways to destroy it.
This film was very different than the others, and yet, felt so familiar. Despite the majority of this film showing them traveling, and not at their familiar Hogwarts, it still has that classic Harry Potter feel to it, which is a good thing. We see our main characters have now grown up. They are no longer arguing over how you really say, "Wingardium Leviosa," but instead dealing with their adult situations in adult ways. Just with wands as well. The actors have grown with them, being extremely tremendous in their roles. They can hold this entire film, and do, successfully and tremendously. Along with them, we also have a strong British cast, including newcomers to the series, Bill Nighy as new Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeor, Rhys Ifans as Quibbler editor Xenophilius Lovegood, and Jaime Campbell Bower as the teenage dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. However, this film isn't about them, it's about our three leads. We see less of everyone, including Snape, Voldemort, and McGonnagall (who doesn't even make an appearance). They all take a backseat to our leads, and thank god for it.
This film also tried some new things. There was an animated sequence in the film, which surprisingly works. It looks amazing as well. They also went for something in this film that is sure to make some fan-fiction writers happy. I'm not spoiling anything, but it was Harry, and not Ron. Ron has yet to happen.
Overall, this was a very good film, it's only problem is that it ended, and we have to wait 8 months to find out what happens. I give this film a 9/10. I would recommend it, but it's very likely that everyone has seen it already.
That's it for this review, and I'll see you in the next review.
P.S. There was one bit in the film, I get the feeling it wasn't well noticed, but they put it in anyways. Hermione is telling a story, and she says something like, "in the twilight," and Ron corrects her with midnight. When Hermione looks at him with anger, he quickly says, "Twilight's not bad."
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Buried
Buried premiered at Sundance on January 23, 2010, was picked up by Lionsgate, and given a limted release on September 24, with a more widespread release on October 8. It is directed by Rodrigo Cortes, written by Chris Sparling, and starring Ryan Reynolds.
The plot involves a man, Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds), a truck driver in Irag, 2006, kidnapped and buried alive by a group of Iraqis, who demand $5 million by 9 P.M., or he will be left to die. He only has a Zippo and a cell phone.
This film is arguably, the toughest film ever to do for a writer, director, and especially actor. The entire film is inside of a coffin. That's right, inside of a coffin. Not one single frame shows us outside of the coffin.
Ryan Reynolds, the popular Canadian actor, has an extremely tough job in this film, as the film takes place entirely in the coffin. Ryan Reynolds has to carry the enitre film on his shoulders, attempting to make us believe that he is in fact, stuck inside of a coffin. He was astounding. Simply astounding. I have never really liked Ryan Reynolds, but here, he was AMAZING. He showed true fear, as if he really was inside of a coffin, buried alive. A lot of the praise here also has to go to Rodrigo Cortes, the director, and Chris Sparling, the writer. One of the most interesting things that Rodrigo Cortes did was having a vairety of shots, where they took part of the coffin away, and moved the camera back very slowly, showing us Reynolds from a distance, while still in the coffin. These shots looked beautiful, and were some of my favorite parts of the movie. Also, kudos to Chris Sparling, who had to write the majority of the film as a monologue for Reynolds, but credit is also due for his dialogue, where Reynolds talks on the phone to his wife, boss, the man who is trying to rescue him, and the Iraqis that put him there.
This film was so incredible, that I can't even call it a film. I have to call it an experience. It still only plays in limited theatres, but if you ever get the chance, go see it. Every second I sat in the theatre, I was scared for Paul Conroy, hoping he would live. And I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but, my God. That's all I say.
This film was extremely amazing, well acted, well directed, and well written. It was well everything. I give this film a perfect 10/10.
That's it for this review, and I'll see you in the next review.
The plot involves a man, Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds), a truck driver in Irag, 2006, kidnapped and buried alive by a group of Iraqis, who demand $5 million by 9 P.M., or he will be left to die. He only has a Zippo and a cell phone.
This film is arguably, the toughest film ever to do for a writer, director, and especially actor. The entire film is inside of a coffin. That's right, inside of a coffin. Not one single frame shows us outside of the coffin.
Ryan Reynolds, the popular Canadian actor, has an extremely tough job in this film, as the film takes place entirely in the coffin. Ryan Reynolds has to carry the enitre film on his shoulders, attempting to make us believe that he is in fact, stuck inside of a coffin. He was astounding. Simply astounding. I have never really liked Ryan Reynolds, but here, he was AMAZING. He showed true fear, as if he really was inside of a coffin, buried alive. A lot of the praise here also has to go to Rodrigo Cortes, the director, and Chris Sparling, the writer. One of the most interesting things that Rodrigo Cortes did was having a vairety of shots, where they took part of the coffin away, and moved the camera back very slowly, showing us Reynolds from a distance, while still in the coffin. These shots looked beautiful, and were some of my favorite parts of the movie. Also, kudos to Chris Sparling, who had to write the majority of the film as a monologue for Reynolds, but credit is also due for his dialogue, where Reynolds talks on the phone to his wife, boss, the man who is trying to rescue him, and the Iraqis that put him there.
This film was so incredible, that I can't even call it a film. I have to call it an experience. It still only plays in limited theatres, but if you ever get the chance, go see it. Every second I sat in the theatre, I was scared for Paul Conroy, hoping he would live. And I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but, my God. That's all I say.
This film was extremely amazing, well acted, well directed, and well written. It was well everything. I give this film a perfect 10/10.
That's it for this review, and I'll see you in the next review.
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