Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

This may very well be the first no-nonsense Harry Potter film of the series yet. Viewers are immediately launched into the world of our title character, and done so with no background or catching up. Perhaps the filmmakers realized, and rightly so, that by the sixth entry of a seven entry series, audiences should know characters and locations without silly exposition to explain everything to newcomers. And I'm glad for that. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an exceptional film, and perhaps the best of the series. The Prisoner of Azkaban was reigning title holder, at least in this reviewers eyes, until now. While I applaud Alfonso Cuaron for taking us into a darker, more grown-up world of Harry Potter, I think what David Yates and Steve Kloves, the director and writer respectively, have done here is more striking. All the fat of the novel - and yes, each of the Harry Potter novels had fat that would be an unnecessary burden for a film adaptation - is entirely cut from the movie, leaving only a rich and beautifully told story that essentially acts as a bridge between the beginning entries and the final chapter. But that isn't a bad thing, not in the least. We still get characterization, smart writing, funny one-liners, and excellent directing. Some characters, especially fan favorites, are pushed to the back, given only the briefest amount of screen time, appearing only to serve as a reminder of who will play a part in the final films. As long as you can embrace the Part 1 of 2 (or 3 to be technical) nature of the film, there is little doubt you'll enjoy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Genre - Fantasy (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (3)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Moon

I'm going to try and make it through this review using the least amount of space puns as possible, so wish me luck. Moon is a quiet little science fiction indie that you likely haven't heard of, even less likely to have seen, but is one you should seek out. Even for you non-sci-fi'ers, Moon features an amazing performance by Sam Rockwell, who mostly owns all the screen time, that is when the Kevin Spacey voiced robotic assistant GERTY isn't around. But even on the science fiction itself, there isn't much to alienate viewers unfamiliar to the genre, as the story is more grounded in human issues than space ones. Most will talk about the twist that takes place in the middle of the film, but there is more to the film than that. Moral issues of right and wrong are the focus, and that is what director - and son of David Bowie - Duncan Jones wants you to pay attention to. Moon has touches of other classic sci-fi films layered within, but it also subverts cliches by tweaking what you may think will happen. That is perhaps the best part of Moon outside Rockwell's stellar acting. As with any thoughtful science fiction movie, Moon demands to be digested, to ponder the implications of the events that take place inside the film. Warning: there are very few actions scenes, and many scenes of Rockwell going about his day, figuring out the mystery he has uncovered, so you Transformers/explosion oriented sci-fi watchers be wary. Other than that, you've got nothing to worry about.

Genre -Sci-Fi (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

John From Cincinnati (Season 1)

Watching John from Cincinnati made me think about a world where Lost ended its run long before questions could be answered. Chilling, for sure, but more importantly, it would be unfair. That's how I felt with John from Cincinnati. Questions were being asked, but the show never really got a chance to answer them. But where Lost began more conventionally, only later delving into intense mythology, and thus allowing additional seasons, John from Cincinnati jumps right into it, leaving viewers confused. Apparently, most were not willing to wait for the story to unravel, and abandoned ship before anything truly powerful could be developed. But the episodes that do make up the first, and only, season are quite good. The show follows the famous, surfing Yost family - a group as great at surfing as they are at being completely dysfunctional. Everyone has problems, even the peripheral characters who enter into their lives, leaving a stranger named John, likely not from Cincinnati as he states (read: mimics), who has some mysterious powers and seems to be able to read the future, yet cannot string together a coherent sentence unless he repeats others. Suffice it to say, John is an interesting character, and the way he interacts with the Yost's is compelling enough to lead you through the first season even though you know there is nothing to follow. Which, as it happens, is what I advise you to do. Now. Go forth and discover the mind-bending world of John from Cincinnati. Okay, that's it.

Genre - Drama (3.5)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (2)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Public Enemies

Walking into the theater to see Public Enemies had me feeling a number of emotions. I had high expectations: Michael Mann, Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, some excellent trailers. Then came the underwhelming reviews, discounting the film as entertaining, but not thoughtful enough when examining the man John Dillinger. I think I came down somewhere in the middle. Dillinger's story wasn't something I knew an awful lot about, so the intrigue surrounding his bank robberies, public reception, and inevitable death was fun to learn about. The only real issue I had was the running time (nearing 2 and a half hours), causing only a couple of moments drag time. But the action was tense and exciting, graphic enough to make you realize real people died, not the actors, but the people those actors played. Mann, who likes his films shot in a certain style, didn't overdo it here. Kind of like a mix between his movies Heat and Collateral, both awesome, but stylistically different in ways, at least from a surface level. Depp and Bale both played their parts well, which isn't that shocking, so maybe I should only consider their acting when they do a poor job. By the end of the film, I learned a little bit about famous bank robber John Dillinger, watched some fun heist scenes and bloody shootouts, so I left the theater a happy man. A little more insight into Dillinger would have been welcome, but some of the mystery behind him keeps things interesting as well.

Genre - Drama/Action (3)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (3)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

Doubt

Doubt is an important and necessary part of life. While it can be frustrating, doubt may mean more when seeking the truth than certainty and faith when evidence is lacking. That is what I drew from Doubt, the film by John Patrick Shanley, based on his play. Set in the mid-sixties, Doubt concerns itself with a priest who may have had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a young boy and the nun who is dead set on taking him down. Unfortunately, there is nary a scrap of proof to back either case, so the two battle each other from a faith standpoint, hoping they have the right side of the story. This battle would hardly be convincing if not for the star power behind the central characters. Philip Seymour Hoffman, as if he needed any praise at all, does a fantastic job playing the questioned priest, making you want to believe in him, but leaving you uncertain. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams are two nuns who take very opposing standpoints on the issue, and the hard-nosed Streep character and adorable, innocent Adams character are just two more forces that muddy the waters of the alleged incident. Shanley directed the film from a script adapted from his play, and for the most part he pulls it off. The script is sound enough, and the movie doesn't often feel like a play being filmed, yet moments have staged aspects. But in the end, the mystery that surrounds doubt is integral to the point. Sometimes you don't know, thus, Doubt.

Genre - Drama (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

Away We Go

Away We Go is something to be appreciated. It is a comedy (an indie comedy no less) that remembers it is a comedy the entire way through. There is no half-way, three-quarter's-way amnesia where the indie drama takes over and the whole time you were laughing seemed like another film. No, Away We Go stays steadily funny the whole way through, adding enough deep emotion to make the whole experience worthwhile, which is a combination few movies fully comprehend. Credit is mostly due to the stars: John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. The two defy their television character roles and avoid indie stereotypes, which finds them comfortable in their characters. The reason they pull this off so well? Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, the two who penned the screenplay. Without them, this would have been another typical indie com/dram that all of us have seen before. Luckily, we get something fresh out of Away We Go, and the perfectly timed soundtrack doesn't hurt at all. Sam Mendes, the big name director of the film, is the weakest link (though by no means bad at all, just in comparison), utilizing one too many obvious "indie shots" over the course of the film. When he isn't trying to pay homage to greater films, Mendes does a credible job. I guess I just needed something to pick on, as I found myself enjoying Away We Go far more than I thought I would. It's one of those things, having to complain about something because it might make the whole review more credible. But despite what I said above, I really enjoyed Mendes' work, and I don't have any real problem with "indie" anythings (in fact, I usually love them), it just can be overdone sometimes. But enough justifying, go see the movie.

Genre - Comedy (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (2)

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 1)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was and continues to be one of my favorite television series of all time. It was influential, not only because it was a bad ass supernatural show, but because it also was the beginning of creator Joss Whedon's long and, at times, frustrating career. Bringing Buffy to television was a way for Whedon to fix what went wrong with the film version from the early nineties. Season one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is by no means perfect, in fact it is a little stilted, but maybe it's the series quirky charm, or the irresistible pull of nostalgia, that makes me care so little. I assume that if I'm watching a Joss Whedon show, especially one so young, that there will be complications (from the studio or otherwise) and rocky episodes. Kinks will be worked out, so I have little to fear. The scripting on a number of episodes is outstanding, and so is the directing, but neither are consistent enough to make the first season perfect. Same with the acting, but each of the series leads grow into their parts by the finale to make the journey worthwhile. Luckily, six more seasons would follow, most of them exceptional. But, all said and done, season one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was what hooked me, so that is all the praise it needs.

Genre - Supernatural (3)

Screenplay (2)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)

Gone Baby Gone

Ben Affleck makes me nervous. When I head into one of his movies, I ready myself in advance to be disappointed, at least by his performance. He isn't God awful, but certainly not someone I praise after leaving the theater. But then Gone Baby Gone came along, and I found myself eating my own words. Sure, he didn't have an acting part in the film, but he did help write the film, and was the man behind the camera, which is arguably more impressive. The film is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, an author whose work is among my favorite. So I was shocked to hear Affleck would be the main creative force behind the movie adaptation, especially because the novel is in the middle of a series. But Affleck and his crew handled every aspect deftly, making a dramatic and exciting film. His brother, Casey Affleck, stars with Michelle Monaghan, and I will say the younger Affleck has the acting chops Ben doesn't. He turns in a wonderful performance, one that shocked me as much as Ben's creative turnaround. The story involves child kidnappings and murders, which makes for some uncomfortable moments, all of which enhance the overall quality of the film. Like I said before, the novel Gone Baby Gone is the middle of a series, and while Affleck (of the Ben variety) morphed it into the first, I would love to see more. Maybe one day.

Genre - Drama (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (4)

The Hangover

Sometimes, my expectations are raised far higher than I ever thought possible. When going into The Hangover, I was worried about two things. One: that this would turn out like director Todd Phillips film Old School, a massively overrated comedy. Two: that The Hangover would follow too formulaic a story; i.e. by showing too much of the bachelor party and not focusing on the hangover/piecing-everything-together aspect. But Todd Phillips has surprised me. He didn't make that formulaic movie in The Hangover, he instead did exactly what I wanted but assumed I wouldn't get. The story, which follows three guys trying to find their friend (and soon to be groom) after a wild and crazy night in Las Vegas. The night is pieced together over the course of the film, and the quality of the humor in describing the events that took place in a drunken haze are pitch perfect. And to find that the final two-thirds of the film maintained the humor and not break down into too dense a romantic comedy storyline (I'm looking at you Apatow movies and Wedding Crashers). The cast was on the top of their game, the most buzz worthy of them being Zach Galifianakis, who played one of the best "idiots" put to screen in a long time. But credit really lies with screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. There were a number of paths they could have taken for a film like this, and most would have not been nearly as funny, yet they chose, in my esteemed opinion, the correct route. Multiple viewings and years later, I believe The Hangover will be just as hilarious.

Genre - Comedy (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (4)

Pontypool

Atmosphere is important, especially in a horror film. Creating dread, fear, anxiety is the hardest job a director has, and Pontypool manages to make those feelings real. The story follows Grant Mazzy, his producer, and tech girl at a small town radio station in the snowy Canadian city of Pontypool. Over the course of the day, reports come in about a riot, some massive uprising in the townspeople, a madness spreading over the city. Director Bruce McDonald confines the events of the day in the radio station hidden in the basement of a local church, leaving the audience to fear the unknown, experience the anxiety of the characters, who are forced to report on this chilling story without any actual evidence. Tony Burgess, the writer of both the screenplay and the novel it is based upon, handles the first two-thirds of the story expertly, keeping most of the action out of the radio station, thus distancing it from his characters. The final third is the far more convoluted, when too much exposition is employed to explain the madness changing the town into cannibals. None of this would have worked, however, if the main cast wasn't able to sell it. Stephen McHattie, as Grant Mazzy, really makes his character believable, not knowing if the trouble rising in Pontypool is real, or just some elaborate hoax being played on the once star radio host. Pontypool is a clever twist of the horror genre.

Genre - Horror (3)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (3)
Production (3)
Directing (3)