Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

(Guest Review by Jack)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: If you haven’t figured what this series is about by part 8 out of 8, you obviously don’t get to the movies that much- so why are you reading this blog? (Note from Monique: Don't answer that. I don't care about your reasons. Just read, read away!)

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The same little kids from the first 7 movies- only 10 years less cute-looking now.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Even if you have not seen all the rest of them, they have plenty of recap dialogue to catch you up, and this one is a fine way to end it! That said, you may want still want to (re)visit the last one on Blu Ray, because it's fun!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are a couple of forced moments with Filch (The Hogwarts Caretaker), but it's mainly just an action movie.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it should have. Again, they missed the emotional mark with this series– at least in comparison to the books.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: As usual, the tech credits are all top notch. People have started talking about the Academy finally recognizing the series, but really, it's no Lord of the Rings in terms of overall storytelling and creative excellence.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The best thing about the series is the casting. They really got lucky with those kids!

Q: How is the Directing?

A: David Yates provides plenty of exciting sequences and the movie starts even before you see the WB logo – so get ready, because it's action packed from the moment it fades in. (BTW, I saw this in 2D because all the others were that way – and I was already feeling dizzy that night. But my sister saw it in 3D and says that the added dimension actually makes some of the epic battle scenes easier to follow.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The book was great. This movie, like most of its predecessors, feels like Cliff’s Notes. But because this film only covers one third of the last book, it is not nearly as bad off as many of the previous films. In fact, between you and me, the only other HP movie that really worked for me was Order of the Phoenix. Too often, these movies have failed to capture the emotional power of the books. Thankfully, this is one of the good ones.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: This is the final chapter in the Harry Potter saga… For some of you out there, this brings a sigh of relief. You never have to hear of HP again. For the rest of us, who have loved the books and wished they never ended, this is like a death in the family. We will miss them dearly, but we must be grateful for the joy our loved ones brought us while they were relevant to pop culture.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Trailer

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Sucker Punch

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When an evil step-father institutionalizes his daughter (Emily Browning) to cover up a murder he committed, she meets four other girls (Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, & Jamie Chung) who are presumably not crazy like her and together they come up with a plan to escape the mental asylum by navigating three levels of reality.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed With Caution. Fans of computer games will probably like it, with the caution that you don't get to actually be any of the characters. Every one else – you know, the average person who goes to a movie to be entertained by a well-told visual story? Well if that's you, your mileage may vary.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It's a downer thanks to its subject matter. I can't remember a single time I laughed, or even cracked a smile. But my mouth was agape a few times over the shots this director pulled off.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Even without much of a story, the ending is kind of touching thanks to the talent of Abbie Cornish. So if you wind up crying, don't say you haven't been warned.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I think the executives responsible for 'greenlighting' this project should be given awards. Pink ones. Made out of paper.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: After you get past the fact that this film mainly exists to dress up hot young girls in slutty school girl outfits fabricated to make them appear as whoreish as possible, you might vaguely recall that all of these actresses did good work in the past. The acting talent shines through a little at a time, like sunlight through a bullet-ridden wall, but they can only do so much with the cardboard cutout characters the script provided them with. Maybe because she's older, Carla Gugino fares better. I didn't even know it was her until the end credits, but she's a definite highlight here.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: : I will confess that after the back-to-back awesomeness of Dawn of the Dead and 300, Zack Snyder became one of my favorite directors. With this film he continues to show what a talented visual stylist he is, like the one long continuous take of two actors sitting at mirrors that is so amazing it should be featured on one of those shows where that masked magician reveals how the trick was actually done. But he's also in charge of telling a cohesive and engaging story, and on that side of the spectrum, I'm afraid he grades out to an F this time.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There's a good conceit in which the film gets into the main character's head by using three levels of 'reality' to tell the story. Considering it's set in a mental institution, the idea is a logical one. Beyond that though, the heroine's journey becomes repetitive, boring and a bit non-sensical, and then just when you think it can't get any more depressing, it does. Maybe the Sucker Punch of the title refers to how most people will feel after paying money to see this.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Sucker Punch Trailer

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