Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

As the seventh movie starts to approach I have started to get excited for it and so when I came across Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on TV I could not help but watch it. The third film as well as the book are really the point where I started to truly get into the Harry Potter phenomenon. This is the point where all the characters start to grow up and so to me everything became more intriguing. This is the moment within the series where the actors have grown that your main young characters of Harry, Ron and Hermoine show how much they have improved and that they can really act.

Of course with this being the point where I became the full fledged Harry Potter fan, at the time this was my favorite Harry Potter movie. For me the dementors were amazing, while I believe they are shown briefly in the second film, I don't really remember them, so seeing them in this third film was unique. While they were nothing like I envisioned them in the book they are truly nasty and scary on film. Visually, this is a much darker movie then the previous two and it really ends up being an amazing treat for the eyes. The details in the sets are so intricate that it is impossible to take all of it in just with one viewing.

One thing that I really loved about this movie was that it stayed true to the book, yet when it deviates it does so based on an understanding of the story and characters. This is evident in the way they show, for example, the Knight Bus; Hermione's overstuffed schedule; and the introduction of the Marauder's Map, a scene that captures the twins' mischievous personalities. The changes are clever and funny, and they help compensate for the movie's loss in other areas. Certainly this has to do with the new director and his direction. Cuaron's approach was to stick to the books as literally as possible, often draining them of their subtlety. For instance, where the books only hint that Dumbledore can see through the invisibility cloak, the earlier movies make it unmistakable. The new director never condescends to the audience in that way.

One of the best performances in this film is that of Gary Oldman. It is almost as if this character was created specifically for him. He has such a natural creepiness with just a slight dose of humanity that he truly brings the character to life. Daniel Radcliffe has grown into his role of Harry Potter. He is able to bring such a power to the role that he has shown his ability to move from child actor to adult actor. I think after the series he will not be only viewed as the actor who play Harry Potter.

Yet part of what makes the movie work is the book itself. The story is gripping from start to finish, because the threat looming over the school is established early on. Harry's personal life is sharply intertwined with the plot. We feel for him as we watch his disastrous (but hilarious) attempts to escape his uncle and aunt, and his humiliating reaction to the dementors. The story avoids common devices such as the talking killer or deus ex machina, which the other books have in abundance. The ending is nicely bittersweet and ambiguous. The plot is so complicated, however, that the book spends several chapters explaining it all. The movie wisely includes only very little of this, allowing the plot twists to become understood as the story progresses. I was surprised to see certain events that were in the movie but not the book lend support to an important theory some fans have had about what is to be revealed at the end of the series. Of course, it is well-hidden and won't give anything away for those who aren't looking for the clues.

The visuals were so dark and entertaining. The new director showed his great abilities and really brought the book to life. Since this is the point where I truly became a fan of the series I am giving Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban four buckets of popcorn out of five. This is definitely one that any movie enthusiast should not only see but also own for their own collection.

-The Movie Man-

Back to the Future Part III

Well I decided that it was time to finish up the trilogy of Back to the Future. Marty and Doc Brown are back with another time traveling adventure for all of us. The third movie picks up right where the second movie left off. After having seen the Delorean vanish from lightning Marty is left back in 1955. After fixing up the time machine (which was left in a cave) Marty travels back in time to the Old West to prevent Doc Brown (of 1985) from being shot by "Mad Dog" Tannen. Zemeckis brings the trilogy to a close with a great finish.

Being no different then Part II, you have a couple of the actors playing multiple roles. Michael J. Fox not only plays Marty, but his ancestor Shamus who is Irish, Fox shows his versatility once again. He seamlessly moves from character to character and while you know it is Fox, he brings depth to both characters.

One of the great successes for not only this movie, but the trilogy as a whole has a couple of great themes. While the first movie deals mostly with the great theme of sticking up for yourself and the importance of not being bullied. The third movie plays on the theme of what it means to truly be a man and that means that you do not always have to meet every challenge and fear that if you don't that you are a chicken. Zemeckis does a great job throughout the all three films and is truly a genius in his writing. In each film he has taken little pieces from the previous films and make them essential to what's happening. For instance, if you've seen the second part there is a short scene that is extremely relevant to what goes on in the finale. When originally viewing it in Part II, I'm sure you never gave it a second thought. When the pay off comes in this film, you can't help but chuckle and say, oh I see.

Alan Silvestri brings once again a great score to the film. For me the amazing part is his cohesiveness throughout the entire trilogy of the music, even though he has different eras to represent in each film. The transformation of the Hill Valley from the first two films to one of the Old West is brilliant and you can not help but see how it will form over the years to the city in 1985. While I know there are those that are critics and criticize all the time continuum flaws, this movie is simply a great entertainment. And with my belief in past reviews those that are out to harp on things that are not real in movies, I say unless it is a true story or based on a true story then it does not have to be perfect in what is actually possible.

Back to the Future III, is a fun time travel movie that gives us a test of the old west. Zemeckis did a great job at giving us a trilogy that allows each movie to stand on its own. Part III brings us some great laughs and action. Because of the fact that ZZ Top is in this movie among all the other great aspects I am giving it four buckets of popcorn out of five. The Back to the Future trilogy is one worth owning, as it is great for families to watch on those rainy days.

-The Movie Man-

Star Wars

Star Wars is a tough movie to review just because everyone has there own feelings on this sci-fi epic trilogy.

This is a movie that really has a little bit of everything from action, suspense, romance. We are introduced to a whole new universe that has a vast array of not only different creatures but interesting creatures, not to mention this great feeling throughout the universe that is known as "The Force". We are dropped in the middle of an intergalactic war between an empire and a rebellion that has raged for years and left the universe in ruin.

I sat down to watch this movie with my nearly one year old to see if it could hold his attention. The greatest moment of watching this with Daxton came at one point when a TIE fighter was blown up and he simply looked at the screen and went, "Ooooo!" Which for me was just amazing because I can remember myself just thinking "wow" when I first saw Star Wars.

The casting was a simple triumph and really made this film. Harrison Ford is brilliant and charismatic as Han Solo. This really helped catapult Ford to being one of the greatest heroes over the past thirty years. He was the cocky sure of himself rebel that every boy wanted to be after seeing Star Wars. Probably though Lucas' greatest character is that of Darth Vader. Dressed in all black he is not only intimidating, but to me he is one of the best villains ever to hit the movies. The voice of James Earl Jones is the icing on the cake to completing this character.

The special effects used in this film really were the start to the special effects that are used today. For 1977, these effects were very creative and really have helped Star Wars to have such a great power even after thirty years. To match the amazing visual effects, John Williams provides an amazing score. The music helps to give the audience the the emotions of every character from the anger of Darth Vader to the innocence of the young Luke.

I know some may contend with the brilliance but the storyline is amazing. The back story between the characters you know is very significant and that there is a lot more to it (Which we get with the prequel trilogy). The story really ends up being a timeless classic, surprisingly this movie was expected to fail. It is amazing how even Lucas was wrong in thinking that his film would not be successful and that his trilogy has become a timeless classic.

Star Wars is a sci-fi masterpiece. It has created a group of characters that everyone can relate to. This movie is one that everyone must see to truly appreciate movies. I am giving this movie four buckets of popcorn out of five. This is one that everyone needs to have in their movie collection.

-The Movie Man-

Echelon Conspiracy

Echelon Conspiracy is a decent action thriller. Now I know a lot of people after seeing this may say well isn't this movie just like Eagle Eye and Enemy of the State. While they all follow a very similar storyline along political lines, Echelon Conspiracy takes its own view and makes the story its own. Truthfully, anyone that is that picky about a movie should maybe not watch movies because there are a lot of movies that are very similar, and it is important to remember tat a movie is meant to entertain. This movie did a great job at keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire film.

The acting in this film is alright with nothing spectacular. Martin Sheen is probably the biggest name in this movie and really just ends up having a fairly small role and plays the typical head of any three lettered agency and really does not bring anything new to this stereotypical role. Shane West as the lead is nothing special, but does a solid job. He has his believable moments, but then others where he really struggles to be the lead and the hero that you want to root for.

However the acting may have been better with possibly a better script. It really could have been a lot better right off the bat if they would have just not tried to have the humor.  These attempts at humor ultimately fail and really make the film look a little childish at times. Surprisingly, one of the things that really makes this film for me are the visuals and the music. They do a great job at giving you the feeling for the different cities that the film takes place in.

It's only let down is when the conspiracy is uncovered, leading to an ending that is resolved in a very cliché manor, which is a shame, as it could have made the movie more enjoyable if new aspects were brought in, giving it a better twist. Also, some of the characters play seemingly, very confused roles, switching sides from 'good' to 'bad' with no real explanation as such.

This movie is just a good time. It will not blow your socks off with anything, but does give a solid performance that one could sit and enjoy. With this just being a decent film I am giving it three buckets of popcorn out of five. This is one that if bored and looking for a good thriller rent and give it a try.

-The Movie Man-

The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend

The Pistol is the story of the early years of Pete Maravich. While this movie is anything but amazing in its production value, what it lacks in the production it makes up for with heart. The whole movie mainly focuses around the struggles and successes of Maravich in the 8th grade. One of the things that really makes this movie a solid one is that it is a great family film.

The first half of the film was particularly fascinating to me because Adam Guier is credible in his exhibiting the tremendous ball handling skills that Maravich had for a kid his age. Adam Guier does a great job as well in portraying the awkwardness of an 8th grader playing on the varsity team, who really just has a longing to be liked by his classmates and teammates. This movie was made to describe the basketball history of Pete Maravich, and shows a special relationship between Pete and his father, which I thought was refreshing. It's a joy to see a parent who did his best to establish common ground with his child so that they could relate to each other.

While the production value is not amazing the film still manages to capture great shots throughout. While many times they used a lot of the same shots over and over throughout games it was still a fun film to watch that helped to capture a lot of the intensity of a high school basketball game. Not too mention it would really help any youngster with heart to see a bunch of different ball handling skills.

My only complaint is the second half of the movie becomes so Hollywood cliched. Now I am sure parts of it are correct to the actual story, but I am sure there are still those that do not accept Maravich, but in all this is a strong movie.

I really enjoyed this movie. While it is not a big Hollywood backed movie it is still enjoyable. It is well worth watching every now and then. I am giving this film two and a half buckets of popcorn out of five. This is a movie that is well worth the price of renting.

-The Movie Man-

The Blind Side

As with any sports movie, you must have an underdog to cheer for, and Michael Oher is that underdog. Having been removed by CPS from his crack-addicted mother's home as a child and bounced from foster home to foster home, Oher has been staying on a friend's couch. He is reluctantly accepted to a private school when the football coach sees potential in him and pressures the school's admissions board to give him a chance.

Unfortunately, being an undereducated black youth in a predominantly white private school doesn't magically turn his life around, and in addition to struggling to understand his classes, he finds himself sleeping in an all night laundromat after the stay at the friend's house ends. While walking on a cold, rainy night , Oher is offered a ride and then a place to sleep for the night by Leigh Anne Tuohy, whose children attend the same school Michael does. It's this single act of kindness that begins a chain of events that will change this underdog's life, eventually resulting in his being a top 2009 NFL draft pick and signing with the Baltimore Ravens.

Sandra Bullock is powerful in her performance of Leigh Anne Touhy. This is far from an easy character to portray as she is very headstrong and knows what she wants in life and won't let down. I really feel that the portrayal is what the real Mrs. Touhy is like and that I would not see differences. I am really happy that she won the best actress Oscar for her amazing performance. For me though Jae Head steals the show with is perfromance as S.J. You can not help but simply smile anytime he is on camera because his smile is definitely contagious. Most of the laughs and clever sayings come from him and his interactions especially during the recruiting process.

This movie does exactly what a sports movie does, it uplifts and inspires. The telling of this story does a great job at giving this feeling through all the different ups and downs. As the audience if we can feel for the character then we will root for him. Quinton Aaron does a great job as Michael Oher, you really feel not only his shyness but his awkwardness at being this giant of a teenager in a very unfamiliar setting for him. While he does not have a ton of dialogue within the film he tells his story from his create facial reactions and feelings that really shine through, yet when he does have lines they are great and he works so well with everyone.

A great aspect of this film is that it appeals to everyone. While it may be considered a sports movie, the football aspect is actually a tiny percent of the film. The real aspect of this film is how we can make differences in each others lives. It is a great story and while I am sure parts of it has been glitzed up by Hollywood, it is amazing to know this is a true story and that no matter how bad society is at times that stories like this still exist.

For this being such a great inspirational story, and such strong performance throughout, I am giving this movie four and half buckets of popcorn out of five. This is a great movie that one should make sure to have in their collection, because it can help to restore your faith in humanity.

-The Movie Man-

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Now I know some of you may claim that the Lord of the Rings is really just one big movie and that I should have reviewed it as such, but to me I went the way I did because each film was released separately and well it is my blog so I will do however I please and you all just have to deal with it. Since all three epics were filmed simultaneously, each individually has the feel of being part of a larger picture - except for this one. `The Return of the King' is just too big, the most epic of a set of epic films. Now that director Peter Jackson has brilliantly constructed the characters and plot lines throughout the first two films, he puts them to use. The Return of the King is the final chapter, and since it is the climax and resolution of the epic journey, it has a little more intensity and urgency than the previous installments.

The first two films really let us see how visionary Peter Jackson is with the shots of the sweeping  New Zealand landscapes. Yet even with how great the vision is in the first two films, Jackson though really saves the best for the end. With arguably the most stunning and breathtaking visuals, Jackson makes the Return of the King a true feast for the eyes. Jackson shows such great restraint though in never allowing the visuals to be too over the top. Jackson stays very grounded in the characters, not letting the effects tell the story, but only assist the characters and perfect dialogue. Think of Return of the King as a mix of Fellowship and Two Towers, with enough action and character development worthy of ending a film event of this magnitude.

This film is so great as well because all of the characters have their best moments in this film. Aragorn and the path he goes down to realize his destiny as the king of men is played with such a great strength and stoicness by Viggo Mortensen. And the competition between Gimli and Legolas is a great comedic release, the two of them work so well together that you can not help but enjoy there portrayal. Andy Serkis is once again amazing as Gollum and creates such a character that is so flawed that we cannot help but want him to be released from the hold that "the precious" has on him. While all of these characters are great, they all pale in comparison to Elijah Wood's portrayal of Frodo. He continues his descent into corruption with an incredible talent that many could not pull off. Wood's performance is so critical to the film because it determines the ring's power to corrupt, which, needless to say, is absolute. It is amazing to see the contrast in his character from the beginning of the first film to what the ring has done to him by not only the end of the third movie, but by the beginning of the third film.

Now some of you may ask how it is that this film did not get a full five buckets, the reason it did not for me was the dragging twenty minute ending to the film. While I know this is true to the book. I would have been happy not to have all the loose ends tied up in the way the book does it - the film should have ended on a high but instead it seems to crawl to an end in a way that is not in line with the momentum of the film (if not the whole trilogy). This problem is minor on the grand scheme of things, but I would rather have left the cinema on my high than be made to wonder when's this ending? Is this the end now? Oh, maybe this is it now?' - but I do understand why it was done this way.

Jackson gave us a truly great trilogy that will go down with some of the best trilogy movies of all time. With his great vision and the fact that he let a strong script tell the story and not inundate us with visual effect after visual effect. The great cast all give great performances. For all of this I am giving this film four and a half buckets of popcorn out of five. This is one that any movie watcher needs to have in their collection and for those that may have only seen it in the theater need to see the extended edition because it will not disappoint.

-The Movie Man-

Batman Returns

It is interesting that having watched this movie recently after having seen Christopher Nolan's two adaptations it has really created a high standard for even the Batman films that preceded the film. Had I never seen these my overall rating may have been higher. Overall this is a good movie, is far from perfect and is really enjoyable to watch for some great entertainment. I don't necessarily know if it is true or not, but for me I believe Tim Burton's interpretation of the villains is the way that the villains of a comic book need to be portrayed and may have helped Nolan in his way to create the portrayal of the villains.

Michael Keaton with his portrayal will always be the second best Batman behind Christian Bale. He gives the portrayal of Batman with a great balance of weirdo loner and cool crime fighter. Danny DeVito is perfect in his role of the Penguin. He becomes so fully engrossed in his character that many of his scenes actually are a little disturbing and hard for me to watch. What is really great though is the fact that we are given some great depth with the villains. These are not superficial villains that we experience with some of the other villains that have been portrayed in Batman movies. Christopher Walken is his typical self and really does a great job being spooky. Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman was a perfect fit, as she is able to give a great portrayal in a way that is realistic and she makes leather look really good.

Batman Returns is a film that once you watch, you know instantly is a Tim Burton film. Gotham City has a great Gothic feel throughout and is definitely the darkest of the original four films. It was really interesting to me that as I watched the film that Burton does not actually focus this film on Batman. It is almost as if he views Batman to be a bit boring and stale after the first film. Instead, the Penguin becomes the main focus throughout the film. While many may view this as a flaw for some reason this works and it really tells a great story of the Penguin that I actually feel sorry for Penguin by the end of the film. Howard Shore gives a much better score this time around with great themes that really help give the darker Gothic feel to the film.

As for the script, although there are minor problems including some non-sequiturs and bizarre decisions (in terms of logic) made by characters, it's clear that Burton and writers Sam Hamm and Daniel Waters are not exactly trying to tell a traditional story. A lot of the dialogue is pun-oriented, but often this is fairly subtle and/or complex (of course, sometimes it is very blatant or transparent, too). It helps to look at Batman Returns as a more "poetic" film, as I believe was the intention. This also carries over into more general plot and directorial decisions--plenty of odd character actions, including from minor characters, are done in service of a general mood or style, and that style works very well.

Batman Returns ends up being a good movie. While for me I may have given it a stronger rating had Nolan's movies had never come through. This is still just an overall enjoyable movie, that one can enjoy and watch. My suggestion to all movie watchers is if you have not seen any of the Batman movies be sure to watch the two Tim Burton films before watching the great films that Christopher Nolan has put together with Christian Bale. I am giving this film two and a half buckets of popcorn out of five. this is one that they ought to try to see at some point.

-The Movie Man-

Inception

Wow! I think that is probably the simplest saying for this movie. Inception is a great mind thinking thriller, with amazing visual effects and cinematography. Just when I thought that Nolan couldn't get any better  than "The Dark Knight" he outshines himself once again and delivers a great new masterpiece. This movie is so powerful and is really rich in the themes that have not been seen in theaters for a few years. Typically films that question illusions vs. reality make them weird and strange to watch, but Nolan is able to grip us in such an iron claw of the storyline that our attention is kept and I could not help it but find myself wanting to know what happens next with me sitting on the edge of my seat.

Christopher Nolan not only shows that he is a great director with Inception, but that he is one that will definitely go down with the great directors of years past. He has an amazing ability to seduce our eyes, ears and most importantly, mind, and then delivers everything to us with full force and impact. Rarely have blockbusters been daring enough to deliver films with such doses of imagination and intelligence at the same time. Not too mention it is a rarity that a movie brings intelligence and visuals/action together. Usually it is either all visual a la "Michael Bay" films or the exact opposite. In this film the excellently directed action sequences combined with immensely groundbreaking and jaw-dropping visual effects are combined smoothly with a heavy dose of intelligence and believability.

Of course, a film is not complete without the actors. Leo DiCaprio delivers an Oscar worthy performance. He shows glimpses of a flawed, grim, fragile man, who has knowledge about everything else but yet can't seem to come in grips with himself and his demons. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Marion Cottilard, Pete Postlethwaite, Lukas Haas... Nolan really brings out the best in this unusual yet extremely talented group of supporting actors who make their roles their own.
 
The visual effects within this movie are simply breathtaking and yet they do not overwhelm the audience or take away from the story, but simply enrich the story. The simplicity of the visuals is very unique when compared to a lot of the different films that come out nowadays. There are slow-motion shots, but no impossible kung fu fighting sequences. It's especially interesting when the film gets into the architecture of certain dreams, and impossible sequences are filmed in a way I've never seen other than in drawings.
 
No matter how great the visuals are it would all be for naught without the great storyline and all the layers that are laid out before us by Nolan's writing. There are many twists and turns in this film, but Nolan never loses his focus in the process of telling the story. A lot of directors could learn from Nolan's ability to still keep his film focused no matter the twists and turns.  Ideas have never felt more interesting and put to good use than in this film. This film is NOT for the popcorn muncher, rather it is a film for thinkers. Honestly I can't explain the plot for fear of spoiling the movie for you readers. Even the slightest hint will ruin the experience. The viewer will walk out of the cinema feeling dazed, confused and ultimately breathless. It's like a puzzle, both physically and mentally, and you have to pay attention throughout the film for the clues. However Nolan controls the spectacle of the film and is careful not to let it overwhelm the film's humanity, and this is where Inception shines. It is a very deep film that will have one thinking and asking questions for many years to come.

This is definitely a movie that will have the viewer wanting to see over and over again. Obviously with a movie that makes you think so much and really pay attention you are going to see something new every time. This is a film that requires multiple viewing for someone to truly comprehend the film's ambiguous themes, and will be discussed by many in the future.

It is definitely interesting to note that there are really two types of films out there: the crowd pleasing blockbuster and the intelligent indie/art film. Yet somehow Nolan gives us a meld of the two types into one brilliant film. This movie did not disappoint in any aspect, I left the theater and I do not think there was one thing that I was disappointed in from the movie. I am going to give this movie four buckets of popcorn out of five. This is definitely a movie that will be added to my collection. This movie is one that everyone will have to see in the theater and that I know I will see again so I can catch all the little nuances the second time around.

-The Movie Man-