Reviews

The Harry Potter franchise, an exponential phenomenon since film one, doesn't fail to dazzle and delight with it's newest installment. To put it simply, the film is fun, full of palpable teenage dilemmas and nightmarish threats from the true forces of evil.

It lacks the emotional strength that drove "Azkaban", opting instead to present a foe that isn't covered in any Hogwarts classroom - a problem that no fourth year student is eager to deal with - puberty. In between action scenes, which are part of a traditional magic tournament of champions, our heroes fight awkward moments with the opposite sex. Harry stumbles upon his words as he attempts to ask Cho Chang to the school dance. And just like in real life, the girls seem to have it all figured out before the boys. As "After School Specially" that this may seem, the moments are broken up well, so we're not overwhelmed with embarrassing memories from our childhood.

The nightmare comes in the form of Voldemort, the evil wizard and leader of a gang known as the "Death Eaters". Voldemort - a disembodied nemesis thus-far, chills us with his slimy hissing voice. It isn't until this film that we finally see the real face of this creature, who happens to be Ralph Feinnes, and part of the eeriness disappears. The threat is eminent, but the mystery is gone, and once you look in your closet - the monster isn't so scary.

It's a fair adaptation (this having been my favorite book up until "Half Blood Prince") and proves worthy to stand in the library, but the emotional arc of Harry Potter seems to get lost in the picture somewhere. If this film was able to contain that fragile theme of being alone in the world, it would have been my favorite, but "Azkaban" wins that prize.

If you haven't seen "The War at Home", let me tell you what you've been missing. It's a show about ethnic diversity and sexuality that could have only been edgy and funny in the 60's. Where America has grown in it's acceptance of race, sexual preference, religion, etc... this show seems to argue with that progress. It's a backward step in America's evolution.

For example, one of the ongoing jokes of the show is that the WHITE daughter is dating a BLACK kid from school. This is obviously hilarious seeing as how you can't see that type of relationship at any mall in America. I've lived in both small towns and big cities, so don't give me some type of red state, blue state excuse. Not only is this the joke, but the father, who is supposedly not racist, finds this disturbing and asks his daughter repeatedly to break up with her boyfriend, which opposes his "he may sound like a racist, but he's just dumb" character.

If this isn't enough, a second running joke is that one of the sons, and soon to be metro-sexual, is ambiguous in his sexual orientation. The audience learns over and over that he isn't gay, but the father isn't convinced, so he constantly avoids his son, afraid perhaps that his son will hit on him, as all gay men are nymphomaniac wild men, who can't control their will. The father always comes to some acceptance of his son, once per show, but usually goes on avoiding him in the following episode.

The only way this show can cure itself in my eyes is if the continuous exposure to these "unnatural occurrences in life", open up the father's eyes a little, but that may be too much to ask - and besides, with jokes like these, I'm sure we'll have hilarity in episodes to come like - Episode 13, "Father Votes Against Women Voters", and Episode 14, "My Muslim Neighbor is a Terrorist".

Please drop this show, FOX. We're living in a different world from the one your execs grew up in.

Does everyone remember the obstacle course at the end? In one ear, out the other? Down the hatch, Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, The big wheel, Gumball machine, The big nose.

Marc Summers - "We come over here to the Sunday Slide. Run up this platform filled with slippery gook as fast as you can. Once you get to the top slide down the other side. You'll land in this giant scoop of ice cream. But you don't have any time to waste. Stand up, grab that flag, and you could win this."

Harvey "It's a trip to Universal Studios Florida. You and a guest will fly a round trip to Universal Studios where you'll stay at the luxurious Hyott. Hyatt - We Know Service. All this could be yours. Back to you Marc."

Forget anything you've ever learned about Batman from the previous films. Batman Begins takes the intensity to a new level. This isn't the Batman on your kid's underwear. Fear is a key ingredient in the screenplay, but not just for the characters on screen. Nightmarish imagery haunts the entire film, and gone are the batman villains who play silly games. There is a definite and eminent danger, far more threatening circumstances, and a fast paced gritty style that makes you feel like you're watching Humphrey Bogart in classic Noir.

Chris Nolan's previous accomplishments are noted, and it makes one wonder why there was any doubt at all here. The acting was on cue, especially Christian Bale, who no doubt sent an audio tape of his vengeful, raspy voice to the studio for an audition.

Move over Tim and Joel. We found what we've been looking for.

Immediately upon seeing the trailer for the film I thought style over substance, but was completely proved wrong after seeing the story in it's entirety. Three heroes - One using brawn, one brain, and one heart tell their stories through voice over which at first seems drowning, but lightens up and becomes quite interesting. The images go panel for panel with the comic (So I'm told) and each frame in the film is even more visually stunning than the last. Bloody, yet somewhat bizarre violence, produced a few laughs. The acting however was top of the line considering I've never heard so many cheesy lines spoken so believably. I was mesmerized with Sin City during my time there, and could recommend this film to anyone who enjoys Robert Rodriguez, Q T, comic books, originality, or just plain fun at the movies. A-

I disagree with a lot of the reviews of this film. Yes, it is true that it does glorify a lifestyle in an exaggerated and unfairly sublime way, but I think we're missing the point. This film is romanticism vs. modernism. It's purity vs. corruption. It's not so much the premise or believability, but the substance behind it.

Tom Cruise is an actor who is both idolized (by fans) and ridiculed (by critics) In this film he dazzles us as a drunken U.S General haunted by a bloody past. I was pushing for him to get an Oscar Nod, but alas, None came. "The Last Samurai" wasn't particularly well received and that was disconcerting to me. I'd recommend it to anyone with a taste for romance and for anyone who simply longs for a little less "celebrity wedding" and a little more "help the old lady across the road".

The part of Chilly Palmer might just as well've been played by a block of wood. His main function was to mosey around town, pissing other characters off - all of whom were FAR more interesting than he. Here is an example of a protagonist that relied on a group of supporters to survive in this lack luster freak-show.

That being said, some of those secondary characters could have their own feature film. E.G. The Rock - An in the closet homosexual and struggling actor who plays bodyguard to pimp, Vince Vaughn. In between his hits he finds time to rehearse his "Bring it On" monologues, and shop for drapes and cowboy boots. The character at least shows some type of passion, and is adorably flawed.

It's an Alice in Wonderland picture, where the norm brings out everyone else's idiosyncrasies. If only Alice at least wanted to find her way home.