Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – In cinemas now

As the next part of the Harry Potter saga hits our screens after its time again for the teenage wizard to get back to Hogwarts, get back to battling bad guys and get back to controlling his hormones.

In this instalment of the saga Harry ponders over who is the Half Blood Prince, how he can get into Professor Slugthorns good books and how he can get into Ginny Weasley’s embrace. Meanwhile Ron tries out for Quidditch, gets a girlfriend and nearly dies while Hermione wants Ron, wants to help Harry and wants to read more books. On the bad side the usual suspects minus Voldermort and Draco Malfoy all line up to overthrow Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore in the ongoing battle of good V’s evil.

It is always a difficult task the penultimate book (although now the last movie is going to be split into two we will have another penultimate film), it always seems like your waiting for the big finale which you know isn’t going to happen in this film, but never before have I watched a movie in this genre that has so little action and is not a stand alone film. It needs the other films to bracket it and subsequently it seemed to me like an intermission.

I also found it very disjointed (and Ithis has happened before in this film series), one line mentioned quickly is a pivotal point in the movie – if you blink you miss it. I have read the books and so I realised that my knowledge of the film also takes this into account whereas I wonder how much I would have been able to grasp if I had just watched the films alone.

It’s a funny movie – more of a Harry Potter and the raging hormones than the entitled Half Blood Prince, which is a shame. Also it seemed terribly wasteful to have some of the best actors in the UK reduced to mere cardboard cameos. Having said that I liked it, I like the rest of the series but I also tend to think the story (and directing) needs a bit of a different angle to save the next film from the same ‘intermission’ fate.

Watch it if you’re a fan – if your not you are going to be terribly confused.

Directed by David Yates

Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter
Rupert Grint – Ron Weasley
Emma Watson – Hermione Granger
Michael Gambon – Professor Albus Dumbledore
Alan Rickman – Professor Severus Snape

Click here for the official website

Twilight out on DVD now

Based on the first of Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling series of books Twilight tells the story of Bella Swan who moves from Phoenix Arizona to Forks the rainiest place in America, to live with her father. While at school she falls for Edward Cullen, a mysterious boy who actually isn’t human, he’s a vampire, and he’s trying to resist the lure of the biggest blood temptation he’s ever known in all of his life – Bella. Unfortunately while keeping Bella safe and close he alerts another hunter vampire to her presence and the chase is then on.

I should first confess that I have read the book and am a fan (although not a fanatic) of the story. There is something about the story that is impossibly romantic and it’s easy to see what appeals to the hordes of female fans of the series. Robert Pattinson looks great as Edward the brooding, forever-young man drawn to Bella while trying to resist his vampire nature. He does look at times like he is carved from marble while he plays against the well cast Stewart as Bella.

The film is shot is a dreamlike fashion although at times the effects look strange, like when Edward is running for instance. I also think that the drama of Edward and Bella and their situation could have been played out a little more – you had no sense of time passing and the slow cautious way Edward allows her closer and closer, unlike the book. There are of course some deviations from the book – it would be impossible to film everything but there are also additions to the story, which will upset purists.

It’s good and enjoyable if you’re already a fan then this will be old news, I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone but for a bit of escapism and romance its worth a view. I’m going to give it four starts because I’m already a convert and can’t wait for the next episode in the saga.

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Cast:

Kirsten Stewart – Bella Swan
Robert Pattinson – Edward Cullen
Billy Burke – Charlie Swan
Ashley Green – Alice Cullen

For the official website click here

For more information on Stephanie Meyer and the Twilight books click here

Ghost Town out on DVD now

Ghost Town is Ricky Gervais’s first lead role in a Hollywood movie after minor roles in Night at the Museum and Stardust. Ghost Town is the story of Bertram Pincus (Gervais) a dentist who goes to great lengths to avoid all contact with people, which is just as well because he completely lacks any social skills. This all changes when an accident leaves him with the ability to see and talk to ghosts and they seem to have a lot to say especially Frank (Kinnear) a man recently deceased. Frank wants Pincus to get a message to his widow Gwen (Leoni) which means that Pincus needs to fast track his social skills and stop avoiding people.

This film has a good cast and should on paper have worked but the plot was obvious and unsurprising and the film rolls on without offending but also without really pleasing either. Gervais plays Pincus well, his hatred of the human race is amusing as are his attempt to avoid people but I feel in this movie Gervais never really bares his comedy teeth. Kinnear is there to provide the human side to Pincus so it is strange then that that his character is misguided and not actually likeable.

Theres nothing much actually wrong with the movie but there also isn’t actually anything really successful in the film either. You watch the film but know you have seen similar movies done better.

Director: David Koepp

Cast:

Ricky Gervais – Bertram Pincus
Greg Kinnear - Frank Herlihy
Tea Leoni – Gwen

Click here for the offical website

Orlando (1992) – Available on DVD Certificate 15

Orlando (Swinton) is an Elizabethan nobleman living a privileged life when Queen Elizabeth I (Crisp) commands him to stay forever young, which he does. This film follows Orlando from 1600 to the present day when he searches for truth, beauty and love. This book is based on the Virgina Woolf book of the same name the story is also updated to reflect modern life.

He falls in love and is betrayed, he falls into a seven day sleep and awakens anew and travels to the Middle East as the UK ambassador where he discards the pomp and pageantry of the British courts. It is when he is here he witnesses a battle and he becomes disgusted with men and so falls into a deep sleep again and this time awakens a woman.

When she returns to England, essentially the same person but now a woman it is here that Orlando realises the restrictions, limitations and constraints on women in the 1750’s. Through Orlando the audience sees the gradual changes in the perceptions and rights of women right up until the present day.

The film is told in chapters and always with an ironic sense of fun and humour. Orlando moves through the chapters and through the ages, learning, loving and finally becoming whole. In some ways he / she seems like a witness to their own destiny rather than a real participant. In fact it is only when she meets Shelmerdine (Zane) that you have the feeling that she then begins to live properly.

It’s a beautiful film, the costumes are amazing, the sets are almost too beautiful – from the ice covered Thames to Orlandos house which even under dust sheets it looks a magical place. I began to wish I had seen this in the cinema as the visuals would have been so powerful and stunning. Swinton is amazing and mesmerising as Orlando, it is impossible to think of another actor who could have played the androgynous dreamlike character.

It is also an unfamiliar experience to see the changes in the perceptions of women over centuries through one character, and as a female it made me glad I live in an age when there are so few constraints in real terms. It is only in this age also that Orlando has found peace and happiness with herself.

This film won’t be popular with everyone, even the concept of a character changing sex part way through the film will be enough to put some people off. I though am glad I have seen it, the haunting visuals and the humour and subtle strength of Orlando’s character made the film for me well worth it.

Director: Sally Potter

Cast:

Tilda Swinton – Orlando

Billy Zane – Shelmerdine

Charlotte Valandrey – Princess Sasha

Lothaire Bluteau – The Khan

Quentin Crisp – Queen Elizabeth I

To view the trailer please click here

Step Brothers out on DVD now

After the marriage of Nancy Huff to Dr Robert Doback their respective sons, Brennan (Ferrell) and Dale (Reilly), have to learn how to live together. They fight, they sulk, they threaten each other and they hate each other. The problem is Brennan and Dale are two 40 year olds who are acting like 9 year olds.

Neither Brennan or Dale have worked a day in their lives they are both given an ultimatum – get a job or get out, which leads to them becoming friends although that still doesn’t lead to a peaceful household.

Will Ferrell has always been a bit hit or miss, for every Anchorman there is a Bewitched or Talladega Nights but Step Brothers is worth watching if you don’t expect too much. Its funny, silly and yes childish watching Ferrell and Reilly acting like spoilt kids. The films not perfect there are parts when the plot slows down also some of the story seems quite formulaic and this makes the plot predictable but for those minor problems its still fun. It won’t change the world but it should at least make you laugh.

Director: Adam McKay

Cast:

Will Ferrell – Brennan Huff
John C Reilly – Dale Doback
Mary Steenburgen – Nancy Huff
Richard Jenkins – Dr Robert Doback
Adam Scott – Derek Huff
Kathryn Hahn – Alice Huff

For the offical website click here

Gran Torino out on DVD now

Recently widowed Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) is isolated from his family, stuck in his ways cantankerous and grumpy. He saves his neighbour Thao (Vany), who is of Hmong descent, from a local gang an incident that begins a chain of events that will affect Kowalski and his neighbours forever.

Think Harry Callahan from the film Dirty Harry (1971), imagine him retired living in Michigan, surrounded by immigrant families, clinging to his old ways, hating his family, hating his neighbourhood and hating change, in fact the only thing he loves is his mint Gran Torino.

Eastwood is great, as always, as Walt, a man who relishes hating life so much he’s forgotten how to live. Its great to see this character dragged back into life, made to care despite himself. It’s a film of two halves, the first being funny as Walt sneers at everything and anything, treating everything with contempt, and the second dealing with much deeper more serious issues.

Watch it, you wont be disappointed.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood – Walt Kowalski
Christopher Carley – Father Janovich
Bee Vany – Thao Vang Lor
Ahney Her – Sue Lor

For the offical website click here

Che Part One out on DVD now

Detailing the start of the Cuban revolution in the 1950’s when the Cuban dictator Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro (Bichir) and Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara (Del Toro).

I was hoping that it would fill in some gaps in my knowledge of history from that time, as I have to confess I’m of the era when Che is more of an iconic poster image rather than knowing the details of what he actually did in history. Yes I’ve seen (and read) the Motor Cycle Diaries (2004), which documents Che’s early travels in South America I was hoping this film would add even more flesh to the bones, but sadly it didn’t.

The film looks great, and is well acted, (Del Toro totally dominates the screen as Che, and looks amazingly cool) but also it doesn’t really do anything, or go anywhere. I watched Che walk through the jungle, shooting, rebelling, deal with injustice treat people fairly and treat people medically. I saw Che in New York I saw Che in a jungle and that’s about it for me. For a film about a person who was so charismatic it seemed strange that there was no climax or focal point and also, and probably more disappointing for me, was I learnt nothing new about the man himself or even the real reasons behind the rebellion.

I’m hoping that Part Two delivers.

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast:
Benicio Del Toro – Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara
Demian Bichir – Fidel Castro

For the trailer click here