REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Year: 2002
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Richard Harris
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG

Filming for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets started only three days after the release of the Sorcerer's Stone. Apparently, Warner Bros. knew the series was going to be big and green lit a sequel during post production for the first film. Chris Columbus who helmed the first film, agreed to return for the sequel with most of the other cast members already contracted to return. Actor Hugh Grant was first attached to star as Gilderoy Lockhart, but had to drop out due to his busy schedule. He was replaced by Kenneth Branagh on October 2001. Actor Richard Harris, who portrayed Albus Dumbledore in this film and the first film, died 2 weeks before the release of this film.

Plot Outline:
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is in his second year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is visited by a house-elf named Dobby and warned not to go back to Hogwarts. Harry ignores his warning, and returns. He is still famous, although still disliked by Snape (Alan Rickman), Malfoy (Tom Felton), and the rest of the Slytherins. But then, strange things start to happen. People are becoming petrified, and no-one knows what is doing it. Harry keeps hearing a voice.. a voice which seems to be coming from within the walls. They are told the story of the Chamber of Secrets. It is said that only Salazar Slytherin's true descendant will be able to open it. Harry, it turns out, is a Parsel-tongue. This means that he is able to speak/understand snakes. Everyone thinks that it's him that has opened the Chamber of Secrets because that is what Slytherin was famous for.

Plot:
The film is based on the second book titled "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by author J. K. Rowling. Just like the first film, this film stays pretty faithful to the novel and like the first film, it also changes some things around. The Chamber of Secrets easily feels like a worthy sequel and in many ways, it is. It seems like director Chris Columbus was finally able to give us his "true" version for what was his last outing as director of this series. I always believed that the first one felt more constrained and this was mostly due to the fact that it was the first film, and probably the hardest one to fully adapt onto the big screen. Since the main characters were already established, it definitely feels like he put some of his creative skills onto the screen. The Chamber of Secrets still retains the humor and charm that made the first one so great, while going a step deeper into the darker parts of the Harry Potter universe. Even with the darker approach, the Chamber of Secrets still remains as entertaining and fun as the first film. The story is told in a more film nor type style which is really effective and engrossing. The film also runs about 10 Min's longer than the Sorcerer's Stone and at times, it tends to feel a bit long. The action scenes are more spread out this time compared to the first film, but the second half still feels superior to the first half. The special effects are much more polished this time around and the set pieces still continue to amaze me.

Cast:
Daniel Radcliffe returns as the boy wizard, Harry Potter. The cast definitely feels like their at home this time around especially Radcliffe. Radcliffe is much more centered and focused compared to his first outing in the Sorcerer's Stone. I enjoyed him more in this film and hes definitely starting to grow on me with his acting. Rupert Grint also returns as Harry's red haired friend, Ron Weasley. Grint is just as amusing as he was in the last film, but his jokes are more limited this time around. Hes still fun to watch, but just not as enjoyable as he was in the last film. Emma Watson is another one who returns to her role as Hermione Granger. Just like the previous cast members, her acting also feels alot more stronger this time around. She still remains as the smart one in the group and I still enjoy her wonderful smile. We also have Tom Felton returning as Draco Malfoy. For some reason, I felt less satisfied with Felton's performance this time compared to the first film. He still remains as Harry's bitter rival, but I just don't believe the anger hes supposedly expressing. The late Richard Harris returns once more as Albus Dumbledore, in what was his last film before his unfortunate death. Even though Michael Gambon gives a good performance as Dumbledore in the later films, I always felt Harris was the better one. Hes just more fitting for the part and Ill truly miss his version of Dumbledore.

Picture:
The special effects in the Chamber of Secrets is a step up from the Sorcerer's Stone. Even though the film is only a year apart from the first film, the effects look more polished this time around. The CGI animation looks more fluid and the Quidditch scene actually looks less fake. While the special effects are better than the first film, they still don't hold a candle to some of the stuff out in theaters like Transformers 2. The films source is an good condition and theirs less grain here compared to the first film. The image remains mostly smooth for the most part, but does get alittle flat during the spider encounter scene. Colors also seem more muted this time mostly due to the darker change in the atmosphere. Hardly any scene is bursting with vibrant colors and everything seems more darkly lit. Black levels are strong and inky. The darker scenes don't suffer too much in terms of shadows and drop in detail. Flesh tones are warm and spot on perfect. You can easily make out everyone in the film. Detail is also better and more clear. Close up shots show more sweat and pores. The Chamber of Secrets is hardly the most detailed film I have seen, but it still looks great and is an improvement over the first film.

Sound:
The soundtrack in the Chamber of Secrets is just as beautiful and fun to listen to as the one in the Sorcerer's Stone. John Williams returns once again to compose the music for the film. William Ross, another talented composer was lucky enough to help finish John's score since he was unable to finish it due to his busy schedule. I really didn't notice a difference and most people probably wont either. That same great Harry Potter theme is back and still manages to stick to your head. The bass in the Chamber of Secrets is also a winner. The sequel is definitely alot more action packed and the bass doesn't disappoint. Its more spread out this time , but still remains mostly front centered for some reason. The dialogue is clean and clear. While I still wouldn't call the Chamber of Secrets pure reference material, it still sounds wonderful and is definitely going to sound good on your home entertainment system.

Conclusion:
Even though the Prisoner of Azkaban remains as my favorite book in the series, the Chamber of Secrets comes in at a close second. I enjoyed this movie alot more than I did the first film simply because it felt like a worthy successor. The story is more engrossing and the characters are well developed. Everything seems to be heading in the right direction and the sequel definitely feels like the film the director wanted to make with the first film. The cast is great and most of the previous members from the first film are back. I also enjoyed the acting more this time than with the first film. The special effects are much more polished and look more fluid. The soundtrack is still a winner and still very wonderful to listen to. The bass delivers on most fronts and the second half sounds pretty awesome. I can recommend this to those looking for a good Friday night popcorn movie. Its better than the Sorcerer's Stone and feels like a step in the right direction.

Grade: B-

REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Year: 2001
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Richard Harris
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG

In 1997, producer David Heyman looked almost everywhere for a children's book that he thought could be adapted into a successful film. After his plans for a film adaptation of "The Ogre Downstairs" fell apart, some of his staff members suggested Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Heyman pitched it to Warner Bros. and that same year, author J. K. Rowling sold the company rights for the first four books for nearly $2 million. Rowling demanded that the principal cast be kept strictly British. Steven Spielberg was attached to direct and wanted to make the film into an animated feature, but later dropped out to film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. The studio began talking with many directors with Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire) and Terry Gilliam (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Tideland) being the final two choices. Rowling wanted Gilliam, but the studio went with Columbus because he has already made family films before. Writer Steve Kloves was brought on board to write the screenplay with Rowling getting creative control over the script.

Plot Outline:
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is an average 11 year old boy who has lived with the Dursley family ever since his parents died in a car crash. For some reason the family has always mistreated him. On his 11th birthday a giant man named Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) hands him a letter telling him that he has been accepted as a student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry learns that his parents were wizards and were killed by an evil wizard Voldemort, a truth that was hidden from him all these years. He embarks for his new life as a student, gathering two good friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) along the way. They soon learn that something very valuable is hidden somewhere inside the school and Voldemort is very anxious to lay his hands on it.

Plot:
The film is based on the novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by author J. K. Rowling. The story is pretty faithful to the novel in terms of key parts, but it does have a few alterations. I actually read the first three books back in 5th grade and I still enjoyed the movie even with the small changes. While the book the film was based on was simply great, the movie doesn't feel quite the same. I think mainly its because of the cast. While I think the cast is perfect for the characters they had to play, they just seem to be lacking the charisma and excitement that I was expecting from them. I guess I shouldn't be too hard on this considering this is the first Harry Potter film and also the biggest film for most of the cast, but its just something that tends to come up when I'm watching the film. The story also feels like its moving at a slow pace especially for a family/adventure film. The first half can tend to get somewhat tedious with the second half being much more action oriented. Still, the film maintains its entertainment values and builds upon its characters with alot of development. We soon begin to cheer and root for Harry and his friends. The atmosphere and costume designs are simply wonderful. Seeing parts of the novel come to life for the very first time, is like a childhood dream coming true. While the Sorcerer's Stone might be the weakest one out of the films, it still does a good job of establishing its characters and settings.

Cast:
Daniel Radcliffe plays as the wizard who lived, Harry Potter. Radcliffe auditioned for the part after director Chris Columbus saw him in the David Copperfield BBC adaptation. Rowling approved of Radcliffe's casting, stating that "having seen his screen test I don't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry." I too think Radcliffe was a great choice and hes enjoyable in this film. Its just too bad you don't see him giving an emotional performance until the third or fourth movie. Rupert Grint plays as Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley. Grint was lucky enough to get the part after sending the producers an audition tape of him rapping, yes rapping. I also think Grint was an excellent casting choice because he seems to be the only one cracking small jokes here and their to break the tension. Emma Watson plays as Harry's other friend that happens to be a girl, Hermione Granger. Granger auditioned for the part after her theater teacher recommended her to casting agents. Granger makes for another perfect casting call and I enjoyed the smart-ness she brought to her character. Tom Felton plays as Harry's confident rival, Draco Malfoy. Felton actually seems to be the only one that's really having fun with his role and it translates to the screen nicely.

Picture:
The visual look of the Sorcerer's Stone is pretty great. The special effects aren't bad for a film that came out in 2001. While the CGI animation does look a bit clunky especially during the scene where the students are trying to learn how to fly on their brooms, it still manages to work seamlessly. The films source is in good condition, but their is a thin layer of grain present through out the film. Being the first and oldest of the films, this shouldn't come off as a surprise. I also didn't notice any micro-blocking or scratches on the image which seemed pretty smooth through out the two and a half hour run time. Colors seem nicely saturated and do pop occasionally. I was actually expecting it to be much more vibrant especially during the scene in Diagon Alley, but it isn't. Black levels are strong considering the films 8 year age difference, but its definitely not the best I have seen. Flesh tones are pretty great and have that warm feeling to them. Skin tones also look natural and not tampered with. Detail is very good for an 8 year old film, but its definitely the weakest in the series. Close ups show a good amount of detail and the environments never fail impress. This is the best the film is ever going to look.

Sound:
The soundtrack in the Sorcerer's Stone is simply fantastic. Just about everyone of the Harry Potter films tend to have some really amazing music and its no different here. The films original music is composed by John Williams who has scored other great films such as Star Wars and Jurassic Park. His score for this film is fantastic and really mesmerizing. It goes up their with the Star Wars theme as another classic score. It fits the Harry Potter universe very nicely and is just catchy to listen to. The Sorcerer's Stone also happens to have a very good amount of bass. While the film is mostly dialogue driven considering its the first in the series, it still has some awesome scenes such as the Quidditch scene. The bass isn't as loud and crystal clear as Transformers 2, but its still pretty good. Its mostly front centered, but also makes some use of the other open channels. While I wouldn't call it reference material, the Sorcerer's Stone still sounds damn good.

Conclusion:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is an entertaining film that's very much suitable for just about anyone. The film stays pretty faithful to the novel except for a few changes. I enjoyed the amount of character development and detail that was present in the film. I thought the cast was pretty much perfect, but definitely seemed to lack charisma. The special effects are pretty good for an 8 year old film, but some of the animation can tend to look ugly upon closer viewing. The soundtrack is pretty brilliant and John Williams delivers another classic score that's going to be remembered for years to come. While I cant say I loved the Sorcerer's Stone, I still enjoyed it and thought it was a pretty good film. Its definitely the weakest in the series in terms of actual plot and memorable fight scenes, but this was expected considering that we have to start somewhere right. I can definitely recommend this film to those looking for a fun family film.

Grade: C+

Cameron Diaz In Talks For Green Hornet

Cameron Diaz is considering an offer to play the female lead in Green Hornet, opposite Seth Rogen.

A deal hasn't been sealed yet, but sources tell EW that she is in early talks for the role. Her reps at CAA declined comment.

Michel Gondry is set to direct the film based on a script by Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg. Shooting is supposed to begin shortly, with a release date already set for July 9, 2010.

Thoughts:
I'm still debating if this movie is even going to be that good. I don't even remember the last that Cameron Diaz was in a good movie.

Gary Ross Set To Rewrite Spider-Man 4

Gary Ross has come aboard to rewrite the script for “Spider-Man 4,” the Sam Raimi-directed film that Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios will put into production early next year.

Tobey Maguire has top lined both of the films Ross has directed (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit), the “Spider-Man 4” deal should come as no surprise.

The “Spider-Man 4” script was originally written by James Vanderbilt, and then rewritten by David Lindsay-Abaire.

Thoughts:
I think this is good news because I usually tend to enjoy most of his films. I am alittle worried about the number of rewrites the film is getting. It makes it seem like Sony and the producers just don't know what to do with the web slinger. Here's hoping Ross is the last person to rewrite the script so we can finally get this bad boy in production early next year.

New District 9 Poster

Yahoo! Movies has released this new poster for the Neill Blomkamp-directed District 9, opening in theaters on August 14. Produced by Peter Jackson, the sci-fi film depicts a fictional world where extraterrestrials have become refugees in South Africa.

UPDATE: New trailer is now online and available here.

Thoughts:
Poster looks cool and I'm still excited to see this film. Well, it looks like the new trailer went up today. It looks pretty cool and a much better trailer than we first got.

REVIEW: Public Enemies

Public Enemies

Year: 2009
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

Writer Bryan Burrough -- who had written a non-fiction book titled "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34"-- pitched the idea of doing a movie based on America's notorious criminal John Dillinger, as a miniseries to the folks at HBO. They were very interested in the project and asked Burrough to write a screenplay. HBO started losing interest in the project because the screenplay wasn't quite finished. HBO than sold the rights back to production companies representing Michael Mann. Mann was attached to direct along with Leonardo DiCaprio cast as John Dillinger. Filming never got off the ground because Mann was busy with other projects which resulted in DiCaprio dropping out to star in Martin Scorsese's upcoming thriller, Shutter Island. In 2007, Michael Mann expressed interest in this project with Universal Pictures fully backing the film. The production company was lucky enough to get Johnny Depp who was already very fascinated with the character, on aboard. Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard also signed on after reading the script.

Plot Outline:
The year is 1933, it's the Great Depression. A time for the desperate to do the unthinkable. Crime was on the rise and people were suffering. For John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) it was a time of infinite possibilities and opportunities. To combat the sharp incline in rampant criminal activity, J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) forms the FBI, led by Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). Together they target Dillinger as public enemy number one. Relying on new methods of intelligence gathering (such as tracking the purchase location of a coat or recording phone conversations), the firepower of trained gunmen, and his own relentless nature, Purvis gets closer and closer to Dillinger and company.

Plot:
Public Enemies is essentially a film adaptation of Bryan Burrough's non-fiction book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933–34. The film is engaging, but also alittle slow. We don't get much character development so it becomes pretty hard to care about these characters. We hardly know anything about Dillinger's gang which really feels like a missed opportunity considering they played a big part in Dillinger's life. Their is also a romantic aspect of the film that involves John Dillinger and Billie Frechette, which works for the most part, but ultimately feels like it should have been fleshed out more. Thankfully the film has a wonderful cast that really delivers, which makes the lack of character development at least somewhat forgiving. Public Enemies is also a long movie which has now become a standard in most of director Michael Mann's films. While I personally didn't find the length to be an issue, I can see some audiences feeling alittle bored at times. Their were some scenes that I personally felt could have been cut or trimmed to make the overall film much more coherent. Luckily, the film does have its share of awesome shootouts which also has become a trademark from director Michael Mann. These scenes are nicely shot and looks fantastic. I also admire Mann's attention to detail and the film definitely shows it. Everything looks as it probably would have back in 1933 down to every little detail. The script is mostly historically accurate, but it might have stayed alittle too close to the source. Theirs one scene were we see Dillinger walk into a Police station and leave un-noticed. While this actually did happen in real life, it just comes off alittle silly especially compared to the audiences of today. I enjoyed the ending and it really felt natural to me.

Cast:
Johnny Depp plays as public enemy number one, John Dillinger. I have always been a fan of Johnny Depp because I think the man can just about play any part and make it special. He doesn't disappoint here and his take on John Dillinger is simply great. He plays this badass bank robber that literally never stops to think about tomorrow, but rather focus on today. Hes cocky, arrogant and very dangerous. Christian Bale plays as the FBI agent in charge of taking down John Dillinger, Melvin Purvis. Bale gives a pretty good performance, but its really not on par with Johnny Depp. Bale's character feels one dimensional at times, but I think this was due largely because of the script. Hes still good in this role, but it feels like he could have done better. Marion Cotillard plays as Dillinger's love interest, Billie Frechette. She gives a great performance that I really enjoyed. Shes sexy and displayed a good amount of emotion. I also think she was perfect opposite Johnny Depp, but I do wish that her role was more significant and longer. We also have the talented Billy Crudup playing as J. Edgar Hoover. He plays the part good, but it definitely ain't his best performance. I thought his acting was alot stronger in Watchmen, but maybe that's because he had more screen time in that movie. He does what he can with what little the script has of him.

Picture:
The visual look of Public Enemies is probably going to get the most mixed reaction from audiences. Mann chose to shoot the film using digital cinematography which involves shooting the film using HD cameras. Mann has done this with his 2004 crime thriller, Collateral and his recent 2006 film adaptation of Miami Vice. Those films worked using this type of camera because they were in present day, but Public Enemies focuses on 1933 era. I personally don't have a problem with Mann going with HD on this film, but it would have been interesting to see what the film might have looked like if used regular photographic film. With that said, the actual transfer of the film looks incredible. The films source is in great shape and contains a thin veil of grain through out the picture. The color palette is mostly muted to reflect the tone of the 1933 era, but their are also many scenes that just pop with color. The scene at the end with Dillinger at the theater looks really vivid. Black levels are strong, but really tend to drop off during the darker scenes at night. Detail is exceptionally strong which shouldn't come off as a surprise considering the movie was filmed using HD cameras. Close ups show a considerable amount of detail.

Sound:
The soundtrack in Public Enemies is pretty good, but does run into a few problems. The films sound level doesn't seem to be on the same page. The shootout/action scenes tend to be louder and more clean, while others are mostly softer and alittle hard to hear. The score is composed by Elliot Goldenthal who has scored other hit films such as Mann's heist thriller, Heat and 2002's Frida. His work here is good and works well with the tone of the film. Its wonderful to listen to and is used effectively through out the movie. Public Enemies also packs a powerful punch in the bass department. The shootout scenes really stand out and sound amazing. You can literally hear every bullet hit something in pristine clarity. This ain't Transformers 2 by any means, but its pretty impressive for a film like this to sound this good in the bass department. It felt dynamic and evenly spread out. I cant wait to hear this film on Blu Ray and its lossless soundtrack

Conclusion:
Public Enemies is a hyped up gangster film that could have been something special, but just ends up being a really good movie. The story is pretty good, but seems to be lacking in terms of character development and proper editing. Their were some scenes that I felt could have easily been trimmed or cut to make a better and cohesive film. The shootout scenes are some of the best Ive seen and definitely worth watching this film for. The cast is mostly good, but most of them feel one dimensional. Johnny Depp is great as Dillinger, but he seems to overshadow just about everyone in the film. The visual look of the movie is really unique. Although the film looks somewhat washed out because of the fast motion feeling of filming in HD, it still looks pretty cool. The soundtrack is pretty good, but their were a few instances where the audio was alittle muffled when characters spoke. Shootout scenes sound awesome and exceptionally crisp. Public Enemies ain't the next Godfather, but its still a really good movie. Sure it doesn't live up to the hype it has generated, mostly due to the amount of talent involved, but its still a really good movie that definitely worth watching. I would love to see an extended version like they did with Ridley Scott's American Gangster because I actually ended up favoring the extended version alot more.

Grade: B-

Poster For Surrogates

Superhero Hype! has your exclusive first look at the one-sheet for Touchstone Picture's Surrogates, hitting theaters on September 25. Directed by Jonathan Mostow, the sci-fi thriller stars Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike, James Francis Ginty, Boris Kodjoe and Ving Rhames.

In the film, FBI agents investigate the mysterious murder of a college student linked to the man who helped create a high-tech surrogate phenomenon that allows people to purchase unflawed robotic versions of themselves—fit, good looking remotely controlled machines that ultimately assume their life roles—enabling people to experience life vicariously from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The murder spawns a quest for answers: in a world of masks, who's real and who can you trust?

Thoughts:

Looks pretty average to me, but I'm still anxious to see this film.