Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Review

As in all things there is a beginning and an end. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as directed by David Yates bring to the screen that final instalment we have waited nearly ten years for. Over those ten years we have been introduced to a rich tapestry of characters and over the course of the series watched them grow and shine.

   This film is the third act to part 1, the payoff for its predecessors set up . A third act of dramatic reveals, secrets exposed and the final battle of Hogwarts and the unleashing of Voldermorts forces against our heroes. 

  This is a fitting conclusion but to me not wholly satisfying for once this is a Potter film that left me wanting more. I was approaching the tale as someone who hasn’t read the last three books. I know in any adaption sacrifices have to be made, but in this final film characters we have grown to know and love and who die do not get the dramatic send-off they so richly deserve.  

   The special effects are again breathtaking, the vision at work here is to be applauded but the final battle seemed a little flat to this viewer, due to the emotional gaps , characters flitting in an out as nods to films gone by, but treated little more than as set dressing.

  But a plaudit to Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom who in this film gets his chance to shine; also to Yates  expert well crafted and delivered conclusion to Severus Snapes tale, hankies will be required and well earned Alan Rickman nails this one down, with subtlety and grace.

 This is the conclusion this series deserves, it’s not perfect but I feel  this is down to time constraints but I came away feeling  a mixture of happiness and sadness. Unless J K Rowlings has a change of heart there will be no more Potters .

 I saw the 3D version, there are some great stand out moments but hampered by the fact that much of the film takes place at night, so with the added effects of the 3D glasses this dims the film further making for a less than satisfying visual experience. All is not lost but I feel the 2D version would be preferable due to the image being brighter.

Green Lantern Review

Now right off the bat I will state clearly I’m a marvel boy. My childhood heroes were Spiderman, Thor, The Hulk, due to rady availability of their adventures through the British incarnation of Marvel. The Cardiff of my youth did not have ready access to the rich pantheon of DC characters. Batman and Superman comics, imported were available but not in rich supply. My awareness therefore of the DC universe was through the TV, with animated Saturday morning children’s entertainment and, of course, the camp Batman 60’s show with Adam West.

       All that was to change in my late teens thanks to the arrival of Forbidden Planet and also a little comic’s supplier I discovered in Jacobs Market.  The reason I’m telling you this is simple. I know nothing of the rich back history of the Green Lantern so going into this movie I was totally unbiased and I took in the experience as a movie goer .

     Now I’m totally aware of the criticism levelled at this film, mostly by people who do understand the history of this character. Reading their views I fully expected to walk into a complete travesty of a movie. The trailers I must admit did nothing to excite. But Saturday was a cold damp and windy.  All I wanted was to escape into a fantasy world and, well lose, myself for an hour or two.

    In my humble opinion this is not Spiderman 3, this is not the Fantastic Four and it is not Judge Dredd, three films I do class as cinematic road crashes. In the same breath it is flawed and a series of missed opportunities. But I was entertained but I do wish some care had been taken with the writing.  This film rigidly follows the origins template and as such certain characters came across as roughly sketched rather than fully rounded. For example we have a best friend, who seems to serve no real purpose and could quite easily have been omitted from the film without being missed. We also have a character that comes across pathetic and poorly written yet who we are asked to accept as one of the films principal villains.

      Just one last comment, Marvel films have created the expectation of post credit sequence. This highlights the missed opportunity and at the same time display’s the sloppy writing at the heart of this film. Mark Strong a brilliant actor  recently seen in Kick Ass plays Sinestro. Now through the initial training scenes there is an obvious undercurrent of contempt for Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern.  In the closing credits he does something that clearly sets up a sequel but for it to work as a sequence it has to be earned. Nothing preceding the closing events would lead you to believe he would make the choice he does. It’s a cheat and displays lazyness in the scripting of the character.    

        By sticking to a rigid origin set up this film gets by on good will but in a summer glut of such movies and with Thor having already made its mark this just comes of as a reasonable diversion I liked this film,  but im not in love with this film .  To have such a brilliant group of actors, and not backing them up with a great solid script thats real  crime for me. The bar has been set high by Marvel and this DC movie just fails to clear it.

Super 8

The latest from J J Abrahams is an homage to classic Spielberg, it is a modern day fusion of Jaw's, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and in its lead characters relationship The Goonies. At its heart like some of Spielbergs more classic films its about oridnary people coming to terms with life events and at the same time being plunged into extraidonary events.
      Super 8 at its heart is about the personal relationship between a father and son coming to terms with the death of a wife and mother. Its about the bond between the son and his friends who in their free time make Super 8 movies and its about a train crash and the strange events that occur around the community post crash.
     This is a film where the villains are not the most obvious. It captures a particular period of magic but with very modern effects which in some ways loses that Spielbergian spark. But really that doesnt matter taken on its own terms Super 8 is a great movie in the same way Goonies is a great but flawed fun ride. Super 8 delivers but its ending is a tad rushed and it feels in one or two moments like two movies competing against each other.
    This film has that old school feel and vibe to it, the music almost John Williams at his best, with its whismsical charm with an undercurrent of menace. A love child between his Close Encounters score and ET, but this is also a darker tale in the Jaws sense. Interspersed with moments of mystery box menace as in Close Encounters.

    I enjoyed the film for what it was a JJ Abrahams film, with great charaters, an air of menace its close but for me the ending was just a little off and this very much felt like two films fused at the join   This is a must see movie, but  expect a small intimate character driven movie and not a big event blockbuster. On the basis of this films young stars it can only be a matter of time before JJ delivers an oscar worthywinner.

Pirates of the Caribean 4 On Stranger Tides

Fortunately I saw this film before X Men First Class on the same day. I had read previous reviews and so my expectations were  low, in short I was prepared to give this film the benifit of the doubt. Also this film was to be my first experience of Real 3D
       I was expecting all the failings of parts 2 and 3, fight scenes outstaying their welcome,  a story all over the place, which though easy to follow stutters  from one action scene to another. Its like excess is good but bugger wonder, and tight pacing.
       So sad to report I came away feeling disapointed once again. This  film is one big  missed opportunity and yet for Disney its a sure fire money maker. No lesson to be learned there then. Missed opportunites abound, for example in the opening scene we are introduced to the films mcguffin, the fountain of youth and what you would assume would the films main villains in the form of the spanish right? All imposing and intense looking.
       Uh no, they are mere window dressing to events and so to the inital setup. Jack Sparrows is in London     without a ship or crew  for a pirate a very inhospitable place to be.
     In a series of set pieces we are reintroduced to the usual suspects Barbossa and Gibb. We are introduced to a king who again is merely a cameo and there to press gang  Sparrow. We learnthat an imposter is recruiting a crew by assuming his identity and so you would think the story would kick underway.
     To serve his King is an unneccessary plot when the Imposter angle would have been sufficent enough to get Sparrow on his way and sharing Blackbeards company. It wasn't even necessary to get Barbossa back onto the stage, as Blackbeard has the Black Pearl and that is legitimate reason enough for Barbossa's return.
    Enter Penolope Cruz as Angelica and old flame and would be Sparrow. More over uneccassary story elements after another then Black Beard enters the scene.  Ian McShane looks the part but this should have been a scenery chewing role to rule them all. Or at least as memorable as Bill Nighy's Davey Jones from 2 and 3
      This is  a by the numbers film lacking excitement and a memorable villain. Oh and the Spanish? oh over there in a race that lacks any urgency as mere background dressing.

  The only scene in the whole film that managed to get me excited was the mermaid scene. Then its back to the race that doesnt feel like a race but a slow athritic crawl. If they make a 5th film for god sake tighten the pacing, make the story lean and mean. Simple in this case is best especially for a family audience.
      Now I have had a few days to ponder and chew the real problem is, this film was done so much better as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and if you've seen this fourth installment then compare the two films especially the ending. If your going to steal an ending then you had better outdo your source material.

X Men First Class

After the disappointment of Pirates 4 I needed perking up. As an origin tale this film delivers  like an express train.  No opportunity is wasted,  no excess baggage just nice tight story telling that efficently propels you through the tale being told.
      Kevin Bacon makes for an impressive understated villain Sebastien Shaw. Having it in the 60's makes for a classy affair. Of a special note Michael Fassbender as Eric Lensherr (Magneto) steals the film reminding me of Connery in his Bond heyday. and James McCafoy as Professor X delivers as well from an overly  self absorbed playboy figure into the founder and guiding light of the X Men .
     
     Damn it this feels like a Bond film, with mutants. It has that 60's chic, a worthy opponent with global ambitions , gadgets. Femme fatals and explosive action. Hell I even loved the music.

 Like Blond this is a globe trotting affair but on speed with some outstanding set pieces and is a great return to form for the franchise. With some nice cameo's included to boot. As an origin tale it works well, the birth of Magneto is stunning from a man obsessesed with hunting down Nazis's in a brutal and vengful fashion this tale pulls no punches.



Eric Lensherr's quest leads to a ruthless excercise in revenge at a  Bank that had my teeth on edge and Argentina figures in another scene made me think Fassbender would make a great Bond if Craig ever leaves the role. His journey to becoming Magneto is a painful and at the same time redeeming journey and he holds the screen.
The journey is well worth taking and at the moment I feel spoiled , what with Thor and now this I can't wait for the other biggies heading my way. Next week I hope to see Super 8 and as a Spielberg fan I just hope things keep getting better.

Paul

This is a Simon Pegg and Nick Frost co-written Sci Fi comedy that tells the tale of two lads visiting the US comic con and touring the US UFO hot-spots. On their travels they have their own close encounter of the 3rd Kind with an escapee of Area 51 the alien of the title Paul voiced by Seth Rogan. A prisoner for over 60 years they are persuaded to assist him in his attempts to reunite with his mother ship.
      As you can tell this is a love letter to Spielberg's ET and Close Encounters of the third Kind. Simon Peggs previous collaborations Sean of the Dead and Hot Fuzz have been with Edgar Wright. This time Greg Mottola directs with a more laid back less frenetic style which suits the tale being told. This gives the film a heart so don't be put off by the films trailers which highlight the more profane and crude elements which though present and lead to some of the best laughs this film  has a real heart. Paul comes cross as the perfect foil for Mr Pegg and Frost.
    I loved this movie, it seems a natural extension of their Spaced relationship and for once Nick Frost is the more intelligent of our heroes.
    This has a great cast, some inspired moments and though it starts off slow once on the road this film gathers pace leading to a great chase in the last third and laugh out ending.
   I saw this late in the game, but it made up for a lackluster two weeks of releases. Much of which has been spent catching up with my wishlist of missed cinema opportunities from last year courtesy of the Rialto channel so more to follow.

Thor 3D Review

This latest Marvel character to reach the big screen does so with an Epic and energetic debut which sets it apart from his predecessors.
     A powerful but arrogant warrior, Thor ( Chris Hemsworth)  is cast out from Asgard by his father Odin for reigniting an age old conflict with the Frost Giants. Banished to Earth stripped of his powers he must learn humility and what it is to be human with the assistance of Jane Foster (Natalie Portman)
     Employing Kenneth Branagh to direct is inspired, from Henry V, through to Pete's Friends and Hamlet this is an actor who has proved himself an excellant director and visual stylist. He has proved he can mix character and spectacle which this film calls for. Though some characters yearn for fleshing out such as the warriors 3 no doubt to keeping things at a fast pace there is so much that is right. Tom Hiddelston as Thor's brother Loki is well fleshed out and three dimensional. Anthony Hopkins brings a commanding performance to Odin conflicted by his roles of Father and leader. Also Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig and Idris Elba's Heimdall warrant special mention. In fact the casting is what makes this film.
    Thor's abilities on the page could have translated to the big screen as ridiculous in lesser hands but in this they are eye candy.
    This film delivers, it has weight, spectacle and leave's you wanting more. My only critism is the use of 3D. In some scenes it is well used, but in the darker scenes is hardly noticeable. So its down to choice if you see the 3D version of 2D. You will not really be missing out. Roll on Captain America I eagerly await his arrival.