Beautiful and Poignant

It's been a bit of a crazy week so far and I realized I had yet to give any real closure to the Harry Potter series I started a while back. Over the course of the past few days I have seen Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince three times, and I plan to see it a fourth, and my thoughts on the film are utter amazement.

The latest Potter film is definitely the best film I've seen thus far this year, but not only that I think it might just be one of the finer Potter films to date. Prepare for an emotional thrill ride from start to finish.

This latest installment feels completely different than any of the others that have come before it, while still noticeably taking place in the same world. The story is more mature this time around, dark, but also charming.

The film downplays the epic scope of the wizarding world and takes a deeper look at the characters rather than relying on big flashy effects, and that is where the film finds its strength. David Yates, who has improved greatly since the fifth Potter, has done exactly what Alfonso Cuaron did in the third film, he made you feel for the characters and connect with them almost as well as you do when you're reading the books. Yates and cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel give the film a distinctive visual style that is so beautiful but haunting at the same time; every image looks like a wondrous painting or some other beautiful piece of art. Nicholas Hooper has improved big time this go around in regards to the musical score, bringing back a sense of fantasticalness that the music in the previous two films lacked. Course the acting in this film is probably the finest from this ensemble yet. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, and Jim Broadbent all in particular stand out upon first inspection, but nearly every single actor within the film turns in a fine, nuanced performance.

This particular Potter film plays up the comedy, but is also probably the most dramatic yet, making shifts from comedy to drama in just a blink of an eye, but thanks to Yates skillfull direction the film flows beautifully. As I said the comedy is played up this time about, nearly all in the cast get to ham it up at one point or another, in particular Rupert Grint under the influence of Love Potion and Daniel Radcliffe when Harry takes the Felix Felicis. The film also is highly romantic. The film deals with teenage love delicately. It is at times humorous, heartbreaking, and sweet. The way the romance is portrayed in this film is very honest and true, and is very idealistic and beautiful.

Course this is still a Harry Potter film and it would be nothing if it didn't have a few big action set pieces, which it does. Quidditch is back this time about and is faster and far more brutal than before. Quidditch genuinely feels like an authentic contact sport this time about rather than just a fantastical game made up by wizards. This sequence is truly electrifying and fun to watch. The attack on the Burrow is another electrifying scene, as well as the exquisitely realized bathroom blow out, but it's the cave scene at the end that winds up being the most memorable sequence of the film. The cave scene is handled extremely well, it is tense, frightening, and extremely beautiful.

I highly enjoyed this film. It is easily one of the finer Harry Potter films released thus far. While I am still not sure where the film stands in the overall series, I will say that I enjoy it more than the fourth and fifth installments already after just three viewings. Go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Movie Review: "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince might just be one of the better Harry Potter films released thus far. Director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves took the novel and translated the spirit and integrity of the story into moving images. Like the book it is more of a character piece than an adventure film, but the greater emphasis on character makes the emotional climax have a greater deal of resonance.

I see no real need in simply rehashing the story because my words couldn't do it justice. David Yates has improved a great deal since the previous film. He draws the focus on the characters so perfectly that you often forget all that is going on in the world. Yates has scaled the story down to its very essence. Probably any other director would try and make the film feel as epic as they can, but Yates takes a more subtle approach that serves the story beautifully.  On top of that, the acting is possibly be the best work from the Potter ensemble yet.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have all grown as actors since the last film and are truly transforming into very fine actors with promising careers ahead of them. As well, Michael Gambon turns in a performance that could rival Richard Harris's Dumbledore, being a deeply affecting performance that genuinely comes through in the cave scene. Plus, Jim Broadbent is superb as the new Potions Professor Horace Slughorn, playing the character with the right amounts of wit, charm, and tragedy. Though the actor that surprised me the most was Tom Felton as
Draco Malfoy. Tom hasn't had much to do in the previous Potter films, so we've never really been able to tell if he could pull off more than just the bully role, but he manages to achieve success and he plays his conflicted part here very well.  Of course, acting aside, I think it is safe to say that this is probably the prettiest Harry Potter film to date.

Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel does a superb job giving back a sense of fantasy to this world. The film looks very much like a painting and every image within is a genuine work of art. As well the special effects are taken up a notch this time around. ILM has done a wonderful job with the effects work, but it's how Yates utilizes the effects to service the story that truly makes them pop. Never does Yates do an in your face effects shot, to where you clearly know that you aren't looking at a real thing. Yates weaves the effects seamlessly within this world and you never truly think about them while watching, and that's the magic of cinema.  Though the biggest props on the film should go to Steve Kloves.

After sitting out the fifth film, Kloves returns to pen this installment of the franchise and what a welcome return it is. He has come back with a new energy that genuinely comes through in the script. He has trimmed much material from the 600 page book, but has left all of the major points to the story in tact, weaving them together and connecting the dots into a film that flows very fluidly from scene to scene. However Kloves' greatest accomplishment is how he brings out the humanity of J.K. Rowling's characters in his writing.  Half-Blood Prince is arguably the most human installment of Harry Potter to date. Some casual moviegoers may be disappointed to learn that this is not an action film, but rather a character piece that just happens to have a few thrilling sequences within, but those few sequences are electrifying. The Quidditch match is brutal and exciting, the attack on the Burrow is a fast-paced chase scene, the bathroom blow out is exquisitely realized, and the cave sequence is tense and frightening.  Plus, there are many moments of simple awe and wonder within this film, such as the scene where Dumbledore creates the ring of fire to fend off the inferi, or some of the sweeping shots of Hogwarts. Of course it's the emotional scenes that steal the show, such as the one between Harry and Hermione on the stairs, or the scene in Hagrid's Hut near the end. There are just too many great moments to mention them all.

When all is said and done, Half-Blood Prince is one of the more
satisfying filmgoing experiences I've had in a while. It's a beautiful
film that is actually quite funny, but is also quite moving at the same time.
It's definitely on my list of favorite films of the year. I can't
wait for Deathly Hallows. I'm extremely glad the duo of Yates and
Kloves are returning to finish out the series.

I give Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince an excellent 9 out of
10!

It's Finally Here!

It's July 14th, that means tonight at midnight we will finally be able to see the latest film in the Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

I'm not going to lie. When I first learned of Warner Bros. decision to delay the film for eight months last summer I was quite angry, especially when I learned that the reason for the delay was not because of the movie it was because Warners was lacking a big blockbuster this summer so they moved Harry Potter so they could have a financially more successful year. But now the frustration of the delay has become a distant memory and finally after two years of waiting Half-Blood Prince is about to be unleashed upon the legions of fans around the world. Today I'd like to take a look at some of my expectations for the new Potter film as well as what I know has been cut or changed from the book to film.

As most of you'll already know I wasn't too terribly fond of the last two Harry Potter films. While they both had their moments and were in the end entertaining, there was something missing. The films were not entirely faithful to their source material. While I am by no means a zealot of the books I do want to see them be at least faithful to the characters and the tone of the stories, and the past two Potter films were kinda mixed in this particular department.

Now I have always felt since this book first came out that the book was so cinematic that if done right it could end up being possibly the best of the entire series. The only other book that I thought was this cinematic was book seven, but I think the reason I feel these last two installments were so cinematic is just simply J.K. Rowling's writing had grown and become a lot more visual in style, but back to this particular installment. My expectations for this film are very high, so what do I expect from this latest Potter installment that'll make it better to me than the last two installments?

What I truly want from this latest Potter film is a film that is first and foremost a great film that genuinely feels magical. The next thing is I want to see the characters be the characters that we all know and love from the books. Some of the previous movies have been hit or miss in this department, so I'm hoping here it'll be a touch better. Then the last thing is I'd like to see majority of the major plot elements included in the film and realized as brilliantly as they were on the page, cause as I said earlier I felt the book lended itself so perfectly to a cinematic adaptation that so many of the plot strands could be a visual feast if done right. My expectations have compelled me to try and learn all that has been cut or altered.

Beginning a few months ago I was doing extensive research trying to learn everything that has been cut or changed from this particular installment and for the most part the film seems to be fairly faithful to the story. Majority of the major plot points seem to be in tact, which makes me very happy. Quidditch is back this time about and looks better than ever. The teenage romance from the books seems to be in full force within the film, which is definitely something that pleases me since that was my favorite aspect of the book.

Now while they have cut certain things, like Dumbledore's Funeral and the big battle at the end of the film, the film didn't necessarily need these two things in order to tell the story so I can accept the reasoning as to why these were omitted, plus there are rumors that the filmmakers are saving Dumbledore's Funeral for the beginning of film seven. Some of the biggest news about the latest installment is that the filmmakers have added a new action sequence in the middle of the film where the Death Eaters attack the Burrow. They got J.K. Rowling's permission to add the sequence and I'm fairly excited to see it, it looks really cool and could potentially add some great drama in the middle of the film.

Overall I am highly excited for this latest Harry Potter film. I'm trying not to get too excited because I've had my fair share of disappointments in the past, but I have been fairly impressed with all that I have seen thus far from this film so here's hoping the film lives up to its potential. I really think that it can. We'll know for sure tonight.

I'll be back tomorrow to give my full review on the latest Harry Potter film.

Same Old Charm with some Changes on the Horizon

Entourage returned to television last night kicking off its sixth season. After a very strong season five that sported some very rich character development for all of the major characters, it was going to be interesting to see how the show would move on. Would the show continue to evolve or would it simply revert back to its pre-season five days of frivolity? Both yes and no. Any worries I had were cast aside last night when Entourage came back with a genuine force.

The episode began a few months after the end of season five. Vince is prepping for the release of Marty Scorsese's The Great Gatsby. Vince's new film is getting a ton of buzz and has skyrocketed him back to superstardom. E's management company has grown and he has now very much become his own man, even contemplating renting his own house. Turtle and Jamie are still an item, madly in love. Lloyd is riding Ari on giving him a promotion, and well Drama didn't really have much going on in this episode other than a few good one liners here and there. Overall I'd say the episode was a very solid start to what is shaping up to be a very promising season.

The charm of Entourage returned with this episode. Last season was at times quite dramatic so it was kinda fun to see the guys actually enjoying life once more, but that isn't to say that all the drama they went through last season hasn't made a difference. All of the characters seem to have matured and become a touch wiser, even Vince. While the characters are still the same guys we all know and love, they all seem to be embracing their adulthood a lot better than they used to.

Turtle continues to come into his own. The show gave us some hints at the end of last season that Turtle was genuinely dissatisfied with the fact that he was nearly thirty and had no job other than being Vince's driver. Turtle continues to ponder upon this with the help of his girlfriend Jamie, who is pushing to Turtle to come out of his shell and be his own man, which I think has only strengthened a character that was generally only used for laughs in previous seasons. Course if anyone has become his own man since last season it's been E.

As mentioned earlier, E's company has become big, and with it becoming a genuine force in the entertainment industry E has gained some prestige around Hollywood. Not only that but E has morphed into a ladies man due to his new popularity, even rivaling Vince a bit for girls. Course E is still a hopeless romantic, and things get complicated for him once more when his ex-girlfriend Sloan comes back into the picture. Sloan tries to sublet her best friend's house to E. E thinks it's her way of trying to hook back up with him, but Sloan resists saying they're just friends, even though she invited him inside for a drink at the end of the episode and agreed to attend the premiere of The Great Gatsby with E. We pretty much all know they're gonna get back together again, but it's entertaining to watch it unfold.

Lloyd has returned this season with new fire, getting on Ari's case about a potential promotion. This upsets Ari, but by the end of the episode he caves and says he's going to give Lloyd one hundred days to prove he's agent material, and if Lloyd does it, he gets the promotion. These moments between Ari and Lloyd were some of the more brilliant from the episode and this potential plot thread has planted the seeds for quite possibly the most intriguing part of the season. Will Lloyd rise to the challenge and get the promotion? Time will tell.

Vince is prepping for his new movie about the life of the racecar driver and founder of Farrari, Enzo Farrari. Vince is getting ready for the role by taking driving lessons from Turtle and trying to get his driver's liscense. It's safe to say Vince is a horrible driver, and his scenes driving are some of the funniest of the episode. The look on Turtle's face when he gets out of the car after Vince parallel parks is priceless. When Vince takes his driver's test he takes out countless cones, but succeeds in getting his liscense by bribing the instructor with a free pass to the upcoming Great Gatsby premiere, which I just thought was brilliant and was classic Vince. Later in the episode Vince goes on Jay Leno to promote his new film and jokes about his driver's test with Jay. Then by the end Vince experiences the true freedom that driving brings him when he gets a date in another funny scene.

Though the biggest plot in the episode was whether or not E was going to move out of the house or not. After a talk with Vince, Vince convinced E to take the house claiming it didn't bother him, but then at the end of the episode Vince returns to his empty home for the first time ever and sits alone in the darkness. It was a very touching moment, showing us that Vince truly doesn't like being alone and is literally dependent on all those around him.

While the episode was not as big in scale in terms of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood as past season premieres it was still a well constructed episode that was funny and engaging. While certain characters like Drama kinda felt a little left out of the procceedings, it was a very strong start to what looks to be another great season. I really hope the seeds planted within this episode are allowed to continue to grow and the characters will continue to develop and evolve, cause this episode showed some genuine promise for some very rich character development this upcoming season.

Next week the boys attend the premiere of The Great Gatsby. It looks to be an episode bigger in scale and looks to have the glamour that this premiere lacked. I can't wait. Hopefully Scorsese will pop in.

Queen's Boulevard Strikes Back

The boys from Queens return for a new season filled with excitement this evening. Vince, E, Turtle, Ari, Drama, Lloyd, they're all back! Entourage season 6 starts today!

I'll simply start off by saying that anyone who personally knows me knows how odd it is that I enjoy this show. Entourage is one of my favorite television programs of all-time. I find it genuinely funny and encapsulating. If I have a guilty pleasure this is undoubtedly it.

Last season the guys went through some literal drama. Vince couldn't get a job after the trainwreck that was Medellin, E was struggling to get his management company off the ground, Drama, well Drama remained the same. Turtle actually got himself a girlfriend in the form of Jamie Lynn Siegler from Sopranos fame. And Ari, well he had some tough choices to make too, such as whether or not he should take the Warner Bros. studio head job so he could put Vince in a Werner Herzog film that would get him back on top. Course Ari didn't take it, remaining Vince's agent, and Vince eventually got the film he wanted to do, but after just two days into production the film shut down when Werner fired Vince off the film.

The season all culminated when a defeated Vince returned to his hometown of Queens, New York. Vince was ready to throw in the towel, but E wasn't, going out of his way to get Vince a Gus Van Sant movie. E failed and Vince lost his cool for the first time in the show's history, firing E. Course E's hard work payed off when Vince got a call from Marty Scorsese who offered Vince the lead role in a remake of The Great Gatsby, and it was all thanks to E's doing. Of course Vince and E patched things up and are now best friends once more.

Last season was a genuine roller coaster ride, actually advancing the characters and developing them far further than they ever have gone before. I genuinely felt that last season was the strongest season of the show thus far, so this new season has got some pretty big shoes to fill, and from what I understand there are some big changes in store for the show this season.

First off Turtle and Jamie are still madly in love. Drama is being given a love interest on the NBC show Five Towns. E is contemplating moving out of the house and on his own. Lloyd is wanting a promotion. And Vince is taking driving lessons so he can get his driver's liscense. Nearly every major character has something big going on this season and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

I am most interested in seeing how The Great Gatsby pans out for Vince, whether or not it gets him back on top of the heap and possibly even an Oscar, or whether it flops and Vince will go back to flipping burgers in Queens. Then there's the reintroduction of E's old flame Sloan being thrown back into the mix which could help strengthen the show even more. Though what I most want to see is more potential guest appearances from Marty Scorsese. That blew my mind last season when Scorsese showed up in the finale, and I'm genuinely hoping he at least returns for season six's premiere. As well Gary Cole is coming onto the show as a series regular this season, after turning in some very likable guest spots last season as Ari's old time friend and new partner at the agency.

There are some genuine changes in store, and it'll be interesting to see if Entourage can pull them all off and keep up the same momentum it's had for five years. We'll know tonight. Watch it on HBO at 9:30 central time. I will be.