HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (Warner Bros.)
Directed by David Yates

For everything that has been written during what will undoubtedly be a 10-year reign in Hollywood when it’s all said and done, HARRY POTTER will go down as one of the best. And that’s not because Warner Bros. was smart enough back in 1998 to take this beloved series on, which was only two novels at the time, and put it on the big screen. The reason this series is among the best is because of J.K. Rowling’s vision; without that, this series and everything that goes along with it would cease to exist. And the funny thing is, the books were what started this craze and to this day are still very much loved by fans that can’t help but read them over and over again. 10 years later, several broken records and awards in her pocket, Rowling is more than a household name in the literary world and is regarded as one of the most successful authors of our time. Combine that with the success of the films, which have grossed billions of dollars at the box office and her name might live on forever. But, maybe all that isn’t enough, as the newest installment, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, proves that there’s still room for error when not enough attention is paid to detail.

In Harry Potter’s world, a year has passed since the dramatic events with the Dark Lord, a.k.a Voldemort, which opened his eyes to the darkness that was coming to the doorsteps of his beloved ‘home away from home,’ Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Darkness to the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and the rest of the so-called Death Eaters, who were beginning to weave their way into the indestructible confines of the famed school. A school protected by Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), but these days Dumbledore had a bit more on his mind, as Harry quickly found out one night when the great wizard showed up outside a local coffee shop he was dining at. Turns out, Dumbledore has this notion that an old colleague of his, Horace Slughorn was withholding critical knowledge that could help fight and possibly defeat the Dark Lord. After convincing him to rejoin Hogwarts as the new professor of potions, Dumbledore then asks Harry to get close to Slughorn, with the hope that he could get the information he needed out of him. Of course, doing so would be no easy task for the young wizard, especially when every roadblock he faced included Draco, who had his own plan to finish Hogwarts and Dumbedore. Finally, after a long and drunk-induced night at Hagrid’s, Harry was able to use his sneaky luck potion to get the crafty old professor to divulge the memories he so desperately was holding from Dumbeldore. Turns out these very memories revealed that the young Riddle (a.k.a. Voldemort) was seeking information on Horcruxes, devices that store a portion of the creator's soul, allowing them to become essentially immortal, unless all the scattered items are destroyed. After realizing he already had a couple of these items, Dumbledore and Harry set-off on a mission to locate more, in hopes of ending this threat, but right when they thought they were close, another threat pursued, throwing this happy ending into a tailspin that will have you shocked and a tad bit let down when it’s all said and done.

By, now if you don’t know who the cast is for this series, you might as well stop reading, because it won’t do you any good. Typically, the only time we get the chance to see young stars grow up in the ‘limelight’ is on a TV sitcom, like THE COSBY SHOW or HOME IMPROVEMENT, but this series has treated us over the past eight years with a group that has matured into something better than expected. Just look at Daniel Radcliffe, who has become Harry Potter inside and out, and to this day still believes he will break away from this series stronger when its all over in a few years. And it’s rare we get to see a young actor progress in the way that Radcliffe has and with this installment, he showed he could even throw around that uncomfortable humor when needed. Combine that with Radcliffe’s unforgiving ease with the role he has made his own and he can’t help but set the bar for everyone else around him to shine.

And like Radcliffe, we also have seen Emma Watson develop into something truly amazing over the years, as her Hermione still surprises me each time she enters a scene. And what’s great about Watson, who just recently confirmed her plan to go to one of our Ivy League college’s here in the U.S., is she continues to get better. So depending on what she does after college and the remaining two films to this series, we might be looking at the next great actress of her generation. Filling in nicely behind Radcliffe and Watson was one again the unflappable Rupert Grint, who’s Ron Weasley is still one of those characters that always seems win you over by films end, despite being a little hard to take at first. And as the third wheel to this group, that’s too shabby. But, overall, each and every member to this cast continues to contribute and make this series go, which is what you want when you’re dealing with a story as thick as this one.

Not having read the infamous books, I have absolutely no idea what should or shouldn’t be included in this series. All I can do is trust the producers and director in compiling all the right pieces to make the story work. And after watching the last piece to this series, HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, I couldn’t wait to see what was next. Sure, readers of the books already knew, which is great, but when I went into this film, I had zero expectations. So, when this thing started, I was ready to be taken on a ride, much its predecessor’s done. And sure, after five successful installments, you start to wonder how fresh it can still be; yet still trusting the director will not let you down. In this case, David Yates may not be totally at fault, but somewhere during filming, someone forgot what got this series to this point. And that’s class and detail, none of which was a large part of HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, which felt more like the first piece to this series instead of the sixth. Maybe it was the new PG-rating that forced the writers to somewhat “dumb it down,” but either way it just didn’t feel right early on and had trouble recovering by films end. That’s a shame, because the cast and special effects were great, along with a story that was there to be had, but for some reason Yates and the writers chose to focus more on what I would call “fluff” than the intrigue of what was going on at this point in the storyline. If this film was meant to stand alone, maybe I would have a totally different opinion, but it’s not, so why should I make excuses for it not living up to the rest of the series? For the better part of the first 40-50 minutes, I actually felt like I was in a dream and that this couldn’t possibly be the new HARRY POTTER film. That’s how rough it was and even if the ending saved some face in many ways, I still can’t let David Yates and co. of the hook for releasing something as mediocre as this. I don’t know, maybe it’s because this film serves as the “bridge” before the big ending that will spread over two films, but to me that doesn’t change the fact they missed on this sixth piece to the series, which had the chance to be something great.

It’s hard to compare any series to HARRY POTTER, as it’s truly one-of-a-kind, given the great talent behind it in J.K. Rowling, but from a cinematic view, one might start to worry that it’s been a little too easy up till now. So, after five films to a series, the training wheels are off and with this latest installment, I think the writer’s and director failed to make sure it could ride without help, as this story struggled to get moving early and didn’t pick up enough steam by the time it needed it, resulting in a film that should have been so much better.


C+

PUBLIC ENEMIES

PUBLIC ENEMIES (Universal Pictures)
Written and Directed by Michael Mann

There just doesn’t seem to be enough reality when it comes to action/adventure flicks anymore. I know, such a genre has never teetered on everything looking and feeling completely real, but back in the day it was a bit more raw and rugged. We all remember those flicks where you could really feel the intensity build and build with each twist or turn of the camera. It's all too easy now with the emergence of CGI, too smooth and seamless, and although I appreciate how great this new technology is, sometimes I wish more directors took filmmaking back to its roots. Sure, it’s hard to do, considering all the money producers are putting up for a film these days, clearly with the idea that it needs to wow the audience visually, but there are those rare stories that thrive on old moviemaking techniques. It’s those stories that will wind up surprising you, especially if that so-called director is able to mix a little old with the new, as far as special effects and camerawork go. That’s when you have found a hidden gem and even though it may not be that often, I relish when one of these films comes around, because it tells me there’s still a few directors out there that appreciate the art of moviemaking in its most vulnerable form. Michael Mann is that type of director, and with his film, PUBLIC ENEMIES, proves there is still room for this type of film in todays CGI era.

Adapted from Bryan Burrough’s non-fiction book, Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34; the film's story follows the trials and tribulations of FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) as he attempts to catch and put away famed bank robber’s like Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham), Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum) and John Dillinger (Johnny Depp). Set during the depression era, these so-called ‘public enemies’ became cult heroes of sorts, as each would leave their mark in some special way. After catching and killing Floyd, Purvis is promoted by FBI director J.Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) and told to catch and bring down public enemy #1, Dillinger, once and for all. Of course, doing so was no easy task, as each time Purvis drew near, Dillinger got away, leading to one insane goose chase after another. And at the center of it all, laughing his way in and out of the very banks he was robbing was Dillinger, who was becoming a celebrity overnight. But, it was just all too easy and when Dillinger meets Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), his entire world gets turned upside down. What he thought would only be another piece to his ever-growing entourage, becomes much more, resulting in his guard being lowered, leaving himself wide open to the FBI and their vastly improving tactics. And it is at this point when the story takes a turn into the unknown, leading the viewer down a road filled with good-old-fashioned gun fighting and wonder that will sure to have you fired up when it’s all said and done.

In a film that really doesn’t require a big cast, director Michael Mann sure put one together for the ages. And leading them all was the infallible Johnny Depp, who can pretty much do anything he wants in Hollywood these days. When I first saw he was going to play this role, I actually questioned it, unsure if he could pull off a character as diverse as John Dillinger. To my surprise, he did and truly impressed me every step of the way, as I couldn’t help but be engrossed in every move Depp made on the big screen. Maybe it was the crafty camerawork by Mann, but Depp had this ease at which he operated, thus making you love his character, which ironically was about as conniving a character as one could become. So no matter what great costar stepped into his shadow, Depp prevailed as the major character in and out of virtually every scene.

Costars like Oscar winner Marion Cotillard, who I thought was brilliant in her small role and one that I would have never pictured for her, came through time after time, making her presence pop alongside the screen giants Depp and Bale. And for Christian Bale, who seems to be in every other movie these days, he prevailed yet again, this time pulling off a southern accent of all things, as the head FBI agent Melvin Purvis. Other notables like Billy Crudup, Jason Clarke, Giovanni Ribisi, Leelee Sobieski and Stephen Dorff all hit their marks in short spurts, rounding out this cast, which on the surface didn’t seem to be all that packed, until you started watching the events unfold within the story.

A lot of people may not realize this, but Michael Mann is not your typical Hollywood director. He won’t just rattle off one meaningless film after another, like some directors seem prone to do. Maybe that’s because he is also a writer and producer, but either way, I like waiting for his films to come around every few years. Many have no clue who Mann is, and frankly couldn’t name more than one movie he has directed or produced, but he’s one of my favorite directors for one simple reason, which is he never does too much. You will be hard pressed to watch one of his films and find something that was overdone or not well-thought-out. And if you don’t believe me, go back and watch HEAT, ALI or even THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS. I guarantee you won’t walk away thinking something was overdone, and to me, that’s the cornerstone of a great director and why I like Mann so much. Sure, he may not choose that real tough drama all the time like THE INSIDER, which in my opinion should have won more Academy Awards at the time, but no matter the project, Mann seems to always make it all feel so simple. If anything, this might work against him sometimes, but to me, it’s a prime example of why he succeeds with stories like PUBLIC ENEMIES. And after watching this film, I get the feeling he has wanted to make this story for while. It was too easy to feel Mann’s touch in places, often going out of his way with extended gun fights and action sequences, in a manner that was never too much and in-line with the era this story was built around. So even though the running time ran close to two and half hours, it didn’t deter the enjoyment you had watching this great cast move in out of some truly incredible shot sequences by a director that should be more of a household name.

PUBLIC ENEMIES certainly won’t draw like some summer blockbusters might, but it’s not meant to and frankly, that’s a good thing. Too often we expect a story to take us through a series of peaks and valleys with the notion that in the end, we will find some sort of twist or “pay-off.” Sometimes the story is not meant to do a whole lot and so with this film, Mann kept it simple and to the point, which to me worked well with what was going on. So pay no mind to all the naysayers and watch this film, for it will entertain you in a way you won’t expect.

B+

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (DreamWorks)
Directed by Michael Bay

Believe it or not, it’s been nearly two years since we last saw TRANSFORMERS moving across the big screen in classic fashion. Knowing there would be more to come, I doubt anyone was shocked by all the ‘hoopla’ surrounding this film, especially with Michael Bay back behind the camera. But, hey, that’s what summer blockbusters are all about, right; overblown hype and chatter leading up to what will no doubt be a huge first weekend at the box office? It’s almost too easy to predict, and yet people still have a hard time accepting these films for what they are. And I guess I can break it down like this; it’s a film based on or around a very popular toy and/or action figure that Hasbro created and made millions on, long before any talk of it actually becoming a major motion picture one day. And that’s even after the mildly successful stint as a cartoon on TV, that some still relish to this day. So, please, let’s not place this series in some category of quality it doesn’t belong in, or throw around some notion that it should actually make sense. Of course it’s farfetched, but that’s why TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN is so much fun to watch and endure, especially when a director like Michael Bay is behind it. Love him or hate him, he loves to put anything and everything into his films, no matter how ridiculous it might be at times. And you know what, that’s fine by me because at the end of day, he will make sure you are entertained, which for this type of film makes perfect sense.

The last time we saw Optimus Prime and the Autobots, they were defending their territory and alliance with the humans from the dreaded Decepticons. After essentially retrieving the famed cube of power, a.k.a. AllSpark, and then subsequently destroying it, using Megatron’s own body, things seemed to be calming down for Sam (Shia Labeouf) and Mikaela (Megan Fox). But, when a loose piece of the AllSpark falls out of one of Sam’s new college textbooks, he knew something was up. Shortly thereafter, he started seeing Cybertronian symbols everywhere, forcing Mikaela to eventually come to his aid. But, before she arrives, he is met by Optimus Prime, who basically tells him his work is not over. Turns out the hidden leader of the Decepticons, The Fallen, has devised a plan to invade Earth in hopes of locating the ‘sun harvestor,’ said to be powerful enough to end all life on Earth, given its heritage and special activation using a Matrix key, believed to be hidden in the tomb of primes. Unhappy and frankly unwilling to accept this new fate, Sam shrugs off Optimus, only to later find his old friend in a mitts of a crucial battle with the Decepticons, including a resurrected Megatron, brought back to life by a another shard piece of the AllSpark, stolen by Ravage. And here Sam thought all this would go away when he went to college. Little did he know this was just the beginning to all the twists and turns he would go through on his adventure, resulting in one non-stop, action-laced ride into a conclusion that will have you on the edge of your seat until the credits start rolling.

Given all the amazing computer-generated (CGI) Transformers on the big screen, it’s hard to notice any cast, which here still includes Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, among others. Fact is, their roles are dwarfed by all the amazing visuals and action around them, despite how great Megan Fox looked throughout the entire film. Yeah, I said it, and why not, given how much she has blown up since the first installment of this film. Few knew who she was before TRANSFORMERS, but everyone knows who she is now, thanks to great media coverage and a director that leaves it all on the table. And although its still too early to tell of how good of an actress she may or may not be, who cares, as this isn’t the film to breakdown acting performances.

That being said, her counterpart, Shia LaBeouf was once again that constant energy that never cooled off, mostly because he didn’t have to. With everything going on in this film with the Transformers, he had free reign to do whatever he wanted, which I think works for him, given his typical body language and dialect. The guy never changes, no matter the role or story, and it’s taken me several films to accept this. Good thing is, it doesn’t affect your overall enjoyment of watching him on the big screen. And maybe that’s what we take away from his performance here, as this again is not the type of film to base any hard critique for acting; because at the end of the day, we still care more about Optimus Prime and Co., than any human operating around them.

Leaving all reality at the door is essential before sitting down to watch a film like TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, because otherwise, you’re just wasting your time. I mean, seriously, why even approach this film if you don’t intend to have an open mind about it? Reality is, if you keep your mind open, you should enjoy this film for everything it’s meant to do. If that means some over-the-top action sequence or retarded plotline, great, but either way Michael Bay will make sure you are having a good time watching his film. That’s a fact and given his resume, it’s hard to argue, especially when you start throwing in past projects like BAD BOYS or THE ROCK, which ironically were blended into the background quite well in one specific scene here. And, no matter the film, you better believe Bay will test his limits; but with this series, he has carefully made sure everything fits into the right spot within the story, ensuring he is not ruining its decorated history. Sure, there were a few moments where I wanted to pull my hair out, watching a couple of, what I would dub “side-kick” characters chew up screen time, but that’s Bay and without them I would have thought something was wrong. Fact is, they are never on the screen that long and just as quick as you begin to grow tired of their gimmick, the story switches. And truly, with all the amazing special effects and very detailed action sequences’, I could care less about a couple characters driving around making jokes. I still found myself in awe watching these vehicles transform and to the naked eye, it sure seems the CGI has gotten a little tighter and cleaner. That’s a credit to everyone involved on not settling for the same old routine, clearly wanting to go bigger and better, which if anything describes exactly what Michael Bay is as a director.

Some might dismiss TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN because it looks and feels just like another summer blockbuster out to make a lot of money; one where the action never stops and the special effects get more intense the longer you watch. Well, so what, is that a crime? I expect and look forward to the summer for movies just like this, so I commend Michael Bay for throwing it all out on the table again, for this movie was just about as fun as it gets when it’s all said and done.

B+