Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie Review.

We have come to it at last, the final Harry Potter film. Not only is it the end of the film film franchise but it feels like the end of Harry Potter, at least for me. Harry potter has been a part of my life from the late 1990s all the way up to now. I have read all the books and seen all the films. When I read the final book in 2007 I did not feel as I do now because at the time I still had a few movie adaptions to look forward to, but now there is nothing. All I have is a head full of memories. With that said the The last film will probably go down as a favorite amongst fans. While watching this film it is so difficult to not compare book to film and be objective but I will try to do my best in this review. Book lovers need to look at these films with a non-book point of view or else they will be really disappointed because the books are vastly superior to any of the films.

The stakes have never been higher, the epic scope has never been larger. This film has what the the fans of fantasy love, magic, dragons, epic battles etc. You finally get to see the Wizards and Witches do battle, there is destruction, carnage and death. Gone are the light happy times that we saw in the earlier films. The world is dark, gritty, and extremely dangerous. The wizarding world has been that way now for several movies, but now it has reached its peak in all out war. The ultimate battle of Good vs. Evil and the setting for this epic battle is none other than Hogwarts.


Yes, as already known by long time fans of the books, the majority of the last film takes place at Hogwarts in the midst of a final battle. As expected the action was amped up for this film and it was an awesome spectacle to watch. Normally I would object to such mindless action because I prefer plot and character development, but this is the 8th and final film. It also is essentially the second part of one long film. The first part is where the plot is laid out as well as the character development.


I am not a fan at all of the David Yates Directed films of the Harry Potter franchise, but the one compliment I can pay him is that he really captures the look and atmosphere well. The visual style that he chose to use for his Harry Potter films was good. The same can be said for this film as well.  The special effects for this film were on par with the previous Yates films and they did a very good job of depicting the magical world of Harry Potter.  The viewer is very much drawn into the film and that world created by JK Rowling. All of that is a credit too Yates' visual direction of his films.


Another thing I also must comment on is the acting. Throughout the entire series we have seen the young cast grow not only physically but professionally. This was a decade long film franchise that was able to maintain the core cast for the entire time. They have improved immensely in their acting ability throughout the franchise. Watching this film and then going back and watching an earlier film and one can see the difference in acting. Daniel Radcliffe especially did a good job in this film and throughout the series. Portraying the most popular literary character in the last 20 years on the screen is no small task. Rupert Grint also did well in this last installment. He has always fit the role well in my opinion. Emma Watson has been the weakest in my opinion throughout the franchise, as Hermione but she too improved for these last few films. Alan Rickman has been the most consistently great actor throughout this franchise and although he is only on the screen for a short time in this film he was still great.


The biggest gripe I have with Yates' Harry Potter films is the pacing is to fast. In my opinion it is because the films are just to short. This film is the shortest of all the films in the franchise with a runtime of 130 minutes. I know this is suppose to be the action part of the 7th film but you need to slow it down. There are also several deaths in this film that are briefly looked at and there is barely any pause to acknowledge the emotional weight of these deaths. I knew it was going to happen, the deaths of Lupin and Tonks was terribly done and if you had not read the books you would really not care at all about these characters. Those characters should have had more screen time in previous films to make the viewer actually care about their death. Also the death of one of the Weasley brothers needed more time as well, The deaths just seemed to rushed and lacked the emotional weight they deserved. The Yates films always seem to lack the extra emotion that the books were able to capture. I am not asking for an extra hour of footage but maybe 20 minutes or slightly more and you would have a film that flowed better.


There was one point in the film where it slowed down and I was so happy when it did. It was the scene when Harry views Snape's memories and the truth about Snape is revealed. Up to that point, I had the film at a 3.7 and that scene was what upped the rating for me. It was one of the non action scene that I liked. The final fight between Harry and Voldemort, while I understand why it needed to be longer than the book, started out well but grew into a bit of a mess. Especially when Harry and Voldemort were flying around Hogwarts.


Although I do have a lot of criticism for this film franchise, I still will re-watch it just because I am a fan. The franchise overall is disappointing because I feel that the later films could have been so much better had they been longer.

Also if you had not read the books you missed out on so much important details that were just ignored. But with all my problems with the series I will miss both the books and the films because I looked forward to their release. Overall I will give this film a 4.1/5 stars. Could have been better had it been longer.

First Blood: Part II Movie Review

To be honest, I probably give this more of a 2.7 or 2.8 stars. I would categorize this film as a cheesy 80s action film. For essentially the entire film you turn your brain off and watch Rambo kill people and explosions. The best part about this film is Rambo being Rambo. Yes they try to throw in an emotional factor with rescuing captured POWS in Vietnam for some reason I can not connect with it. I am too busy watching Rambo get his revenge.

The one thing I noticed in the first film was that Rambo did not talk much, well that is not the case in this film. He talks a lot more and the poor writing comes through. Especially his interaction with his love interest/guide which is really cheesy and laughable. Their brief relationship seemed forced and only necessary to force him into badass Rambo when she dies.

The action in this film compared to the last is like night and day in terms of quantity. The problem with having so much action in this film is that you see the glaring flaws in the special effects at the time. Granted I am viewing a 1985 film in 2011 but the flaws are still there.

I must admit that I was disappointed in this film. It had a chance to improve upon the first one and balance both action and story, but instead it goes full tilt action and the story is just secondary. POWs still being in Vietnam so many years after the war should be something I should take seriously but when you surround it with cheesy action and acting it loses its emotional weight. Although I had a similar problem like this with the first film, that one feels a lot more serious than this one. Do I still recommend this film? Yes, but only if you want a cheesy 80s action film to watch

Leaving Las Vegas Movie Review

One of the most depressing films I have ever seen, but the acting was incredible. Nicolas Cage won an Oscar for Best actor in 1995 for this role and he most definitely deserved it. Elisabeth Shue was also nominated for Best Actress but lost to Susan Sarandon in the film Dead Man Walking, but in my opinion Shue should have won.

Nicolas Cage's performance in this film is one of the finest I have ever seen. Could I possibly be going out on a limb by saying that, yes. But, it is definitely not a stretch to say that this was his greatest performance of his career. There comes a point in this film where you are no longer watching Cage play a role but you are literally watching a human being attempting to drink himself to death.

Elisabeth Shue also has a career performance. Her performance like Cage's is such an emotional roller coaster, mostly a depressing emotion but it is conveyed very well. Similar to Cage while watching Shue you believe that she is indeed a very lonely hooker who has finally found true love. The emotion that we see from these characters, whether it is interacting with each other or individually.

I like my films dark and gritty and this film is dark and gritty from beginning to end, with slim moments of lightness. But towards the end of the film it is just straight dark and depressing. At the end of this film I literally said " Wow, that was depressing" and it was. There is another film that made me feel like this film at the end and that was Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream." While the imagery at the end of that film is more graphic, feeling I get after watching both films is the same. It also does something that we do not see very often, it makes Las Vegas not look like its usual bright and cool place.

The one thing that bothers me during the film is that I understand that Cage's character Ben has this plan where he is going to get all the money he can and go to Vegas and drink himself to death. He is divorced, just got fired from his job and is a depressed alcoholic. Those I all understand but the one thing is that when he meets Shue's character Sera, he falls in love with her and she fall unconditionally in love with him, why does he continue to drink himself to death? I know she is a hooker, but that is besides the point, the love is still there and it is real. Granted, yes if the film had gone the typical, happy, love conquers all ending then the film would not be as good as it is.

There is also a re-watchability problem with this film, at least for me. Like Requiem for a dream it hits with huge emotional fists, the final blow being the final scenes that just leave you reeling. So I can not see myself watching these types of films over and over again. I will also say that this film is not for everyone, the graphic, dark, and gritty nature of the film will put a lot of people off. Final thoughts is, dark, depressing, but extremely well acted, highly recommend for people who like great acting and can withstand this type of film. 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

First Blood Movie review

An interesting look at a post Vietnam Vet who is still reeling from the war, but I did not feel that it reached the emotional level it could have. There are two roles that Sylvester Stallone will be known for, John Rambo and Rocky Balboa. John Rambo is a completely different character than Rocky, more reserved, psychologically traumatized, just different.

What I like most about this film and where you are able to see what Vietnam has done to him is in the beginning and the end. The middle is Rambo being a badass and essentially going to war against an entire town's police force. Do not get me wrong while watching the film you instantly know that Rambo is a highly trained badass Green Beret. Yes the Vietnam war basically turned him into that and that is what the viewer needs to constantly remember. The ending of the film is actually where you see Rambo go through a mental breakdown and see how psychologically damaged he is and I thought that is what was missing throughout the film.

Where it loses stars with me is that the film basically slips into a popcorn action flick in the middle and then at the end it delves into the serious stuff but in a very brief moment. What I thought was odd, perhaps not negative, was that you had a main character that hardly ever spoke so we never really got to know much about him. In the final moments when he broke down is probably the most he spoke in the entire film combined.

Is this film worth a watch? Yes. It is considered a classic 80s action film and that is true, but with that expect 80s effects as well. The effects are quite dated compared to even a 90s action film. But most of what Rambo does in this film is on a lower scale, like setting up traps and things like that, while First Blood part II is where the action is ramped up. This is not the best film that has to do with Vietnam, I would suggest watching Oliver Stone's Platoon or the Legendary Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. This film is however well known in our film culture and it is good to watch it at least once. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Blue Valentine Movie Review

The Performances by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling are absolutely fantastic. They are called upon to play the same character but in two vastly different ways and they are great. They literally go from one extreme to the next and they pull it off so well. I think in part this has to do with the chemistry between Williams and Gosling and how natural it is which is what the director intended especially in the scenes that take place when they first start their relationship. What the director essentially did was not tell one actor what the other actor was going to say therefore the reaction you get is so much more natural. With the entire film based around these two characters and how they interact the acting had to be outstanding and it was.

There is essentially two plots to this film that the viewer is exposed to simultaneously. One is the present where you see the relationship between Cindy and Dean has deteriorated to the point where they are two miserable people. Then you have the past where you see them meet and fall in love and are two young happy people. For me it was such a bittersweet film to watch. The plot is not linear, the scenes intercut with one another so as a viewer you need to keep track of two plot lines. While I do not mind that because it gives me a better chance to compare and contrast the two periods of the relationship.

What I like about the premise of the film is that it is something that can very easily be seen in real life. People get married and divorced all the time, people fall in and out of love that is just a fact. The one Now with that being said the one big flaw I have with this film is that there is no middle to this story. We see the beginning and then we see the end of this relationship, we do not know what happened in the middle that gets these two characters to the point we see them in the present. Yes we can piece together some of things that happened to them during that time but we do not know when,why or how that happen. Is it necessary for everything to be laid out and explained to me , No, but I still would like to have seen how this young couple in love ended up the way they did.

While I liked this film and the acting was great, I can not say that this film will appeal to everyone it is a very dark and at times depressing film, especially the end, with the lighter moments sprinkled throughout with the views of the past. But for me I like the dark and gritty because it feels more real. I am tired of watching the fake performances and romances Hollywood shells out all the time. I recommend Blue Valentine, but know this going in, like real life there is not always a happy ending. 4.2 out of 5 stars

Gone Baby Gone Movie Review

This rating is more in the 3.8/3.9 stars out of 5. I wanted to give it a full 4 but I just could not, for a few reasons. One being the very up and down performance of Casey Affleck. the way he delivered his lines was sometimes ok and sometimes bad. Michelle Monaghan really did not do anything in this film and had very few lines that the viewer does not learn much about her. What saves this film is the solid writing and the great performances by Amy Ryan and Ed Harris. Morgan Freeman is in this film but for only brief moments.

What I find interesting about Affleck's performance is while it might be subpar in this film he would be nominated for an academy award for Best Supporting Actor in another film he was in the same year. So I will not categorize him as a bad actor he just had a subpar performance. Amy Ryan and Ed Harris play their characters very well and are the acting highlights for me. I feel Ed Harris is a very underrated actor who does not get enough recognition for his work.

The plot is thick with drama throughout the entire film and there is little to no light moments, which makes sense because it is a film about a child being kidnapped. There are many plot twists all are revealed in the end but you can tell while watching the film that somethings are not quite right and you are just waiting for the truth to be revealed. Affleck's decision at the end strikes up the conversation about what is right and what is best and what we should choose? I like this in that the viewer must make their own decision about the end and not have it given to them. I must worn people that there some very graphic scenes that some people may not be be to handle. But, with all the negative I have said I still enjoyed the film.

Die Hard With A Vengeance Movie Review

Such a fun action film. I would suggest to anyone who watches this to watch the first two films before hand so you have a basis of what you will be watching. Bruce Willis reprises his role as the badass cop John McClaine but this time he is accompanied by Samuel L. Jackson playing Zeus a Harlem shop owner who unfortunately gets thrown into a dangerous game put on by a terrorist played By Jeremy Irons.

Now while the affects are somewhat outdated and some stunts you can clearly see are fake the film is still very enjoyable. With a Run time of 2 hours and 8 minutes the plot actually moves quite quickly and does not lag. Willis is of course perfect in his role as John McClaine and Jackson provides his usual Jackson performance complete with hilarious dialogue between him and McClaine. He provides that extra something that makes the film more fun.

What I like most about this film is how it differs from the previous two in that John McClaine is not just at the wrong place at the wrong time but that there is a direct threat towards him at all time. While the ending is pretty similar to the previous film the rest of the film differs enough to exceed it in quality. Also while yes it is an action film, it is not a film you can entirely turn your brain off to. Highly recommend the entire Die Hard series, but this is may just be my favorite or at least tied with the original film. 4 out of 5 stars.

10 Things I Hate About You Movie Review

A slightly above average teen comedy from the late 90s. THis was Heath Ledger's first American Film role, which started off a litany of films he would do up until his untimely death in 2008. But here we see him in his first role and I have to say it was actually good. He had a role to play and he did it well. Julia Stiles also played her role well. These two strong performances save this film from from being a forgettable generic teen comedy.

Personally I am a Heath Ledger fan so I am somewhat bias about the film. I enjoyed many of his performances as well as this one. The other characters are an array of your usua teen comedy characters played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, Andrew Keegan,Larisa Oleynik, and David Krumholtz. They all fit the roles they are given.

The plot is pretty simple but yet enjoyable. The plot is a modern day take of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew". The film does have its comedic moments, a few times I bursted out laughing. An enjoyable film with descent performances overall and worth watching for Heath Ledger fans. 3.3 out of 5 stars.