I saw this when it first came out in 2006, one of two dueling magician movies; the other one being The Illusionist. It stars Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as competing magicians themselves in Victorian London and is directed by Christopher Nolan, post-Batman Begins. Saw it again recently so it’s time for a review.
What I Liked:
Christopher Nolan is as Christopher Nolan does. (Sorry, Forrest) And this story has all the marks of this great director: non-chronological narrative, story within a story…within a story (wasn’t there a Simpsons episode like that?), and complex themes. Read the rest of this entry »
First footage for the Sherlock Holmes sequel premiered on Entertainment Tonight a day or 2 ago, but it’s quality (the footage itself, not the movie) was so poor I didn’t bother with it, knowing the trailer couldn’t be far behind. And here it is. I was a little concerned, before viewing, that it might be a bit too explode-y. I liked the action in the first movie but I don’t think fans want to see the series depart too much from what made Sherlock, well, Sherlock; namely, his wits! The story still seems like great fun and all the working elements from the first movie seem to be here, especially the chemistry between Holmes & Watson.
Best Line While Hanging From A Moving Train: I’M ON MY (kicks Holmes in butt) HONEYMOON!
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows opens December 16th.
A second production video blog has been posted on Peter Jackson’s Facebook page. Another ten minutes full of behind the scenes. It’s really amazing how much work and coordination have to go into these films but it shows in the end products. Also nice to see a lot of the major players in the crew returning like DP Andrew Lesnie, Tolkien artists John Howe & Alan Lee, and Art Director Dan Henneh. Yay!
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms wide open, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.
“Welcome!” he said. ”Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”
It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew - and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents - that there was all the difference in the world.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
J.K. Rowling
A slew of interesting trailers came out last week. It looks like the fall will be exciting!
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Based on the 1974 novel, this film is packed with British acting heavyweights. The movie looks tense and tightly put together but I’ll be going mostly because of the amazing cast. Opens November 18th. Read the rest of this entry »
When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family.
Now this is the kind of technology that gets my little geeky heart going pitter-patter! Perfect for travelers/movie fans. I don’t even own a smartphone (hope to by January, random, I know) but I will definitely be buying this app.
In case you didn’t know, they are currently filming J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit in New Zealand. After several years of pre-production woes, lawsuits, and a revolving door of directors, filming finally started in March. Peter Jackson, who was originally slated as producer, is directing. All is well with the world. The man who spent more than a decade bringing The Lord of the Rings Trilogy to the screen should be in charge of its prequel. The Lord of the Rings had a huge impact on me creatively, spiritually, and in many other ways. The commitment, passion, craftsmanship, and excellence poured into that story is inspiring. And it appears the same care is being taken with The Hobbit. As proof, I offer this squeal-inducing video published on The Hobbit Blog a few months ago which you can watch here.
I’m happy to report that a huge number of the original cast are returning, at least appropriate cast. Read the rest of this entry »
