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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Casino Jack and the United States of Money

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A documentary about how lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, manipulated the system for personal profit, and how it's not really his fault that he's super clever, because the system was set up for him to be able to do that.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Real Washington mucky-mucks.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. It's really long for a movie that's basically a well told history lesson, and you practically need a Phd in political science and 5 or more years working in Washington D.C. to follow parts of it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Some of the soundtrack choices are humorous.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, because if you cared about the sorry state of the US government, you probably would've gotten up off your lazy butt and tried to do something to make it better. But I guess, you, like I have lost all hope of actually being able to make a difference, so I forgive you. And as the movie points out, you can't get anything done without powerful connections and lots of money to pay them to agree to push through your ideas (without reading them, of course).

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: "A" for effort. At least this movie is trying to start a conversation and make a point. Then again, I think the point may have been, "Our country is screwed, it always has been, and it always will be. That's what you idiots get for worshiping money."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Some of these criminals are really good at acting like they were the victims.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: There are several distracting shots of people's hands, kankles, and crotches. I would think that the director/producer of a vast majority of the important documentaries of our time would be able to find something a little more pertinent and interesting to cut away to when he needs to tighten the dialogue. But I guess he didn't have time to find those shots, since this is only one of three movies Alex Gibney has directed, that are coming out this year.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: If you know stuff about stuff you may not learn anything you didn't know. And if you don't know stuff about stuff, you'll learn some stuff, but you'll also be really confused about stuff, because stuff is complicated.

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

A: There's a fictionalized biopic about this very same thing, coming out in the future, starring Kevin Spacey. I enjoyed that one more, as it was easier to follow, and had more entertainment value. But stuff was still complicated.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/casino-jack-and-the-united-states-of/10025113/trailers

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A Prophet (un prophète)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young Arab man (Tahar Rahim) goes to prison, where he is forced to kill or be killed. Before he knows it, he is rising through the ranks in a gang of Corsican natives who hate Arabs.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Hichem Yacoubi, Reda Kateb, Jean-Philippe Ricci, Jean-Emmanuel Pagni, Leila Bekhti, Slimane Dazi, Rabah Loucif, Frederic Graziani

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Navigating politics is never easy, but navigating prison politics is so hard, you'd have to be some kind of prophet to do it. This film plays out like a season of Survivor, where if you get caught lying and manipulating, you get your flame snuffed out-- but literally.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: More than you'd expect from a film filled with blood and murder. But for me the funniest bit was a conversation about conjugating the French subjonctif plus-que-parfait, which reminded me of the time I spent in French school asking the teachers why, if nobody used it anymore, I (along with every other French child in the world) was required to learn it? It would be like Americans having to learn old English... or new English, for that matter.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you didn't want to go to prison before seeing this, then after seeing this film, you really won't want to go there. You might even get scared right into passing your GED.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: All of them. Here's a condensed list of the ones it's already won: BAFTA, Cesar, National Board of Review USA, European Film Awards, Cannes... And this weekend we'll see if it adds Spirit Award and Oscar to the list. I think it will.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: There were actors in this film? I didn't recognize any of them.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The movie is way too long, but there is a lot of information to get out, and certainly some moments when you notice how interestingly that information is gotten out.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Intricate, intense, original, and with an Arab protagonist, who is not a good guy, but only doing bad things because he has to. He is also smarter than anyone else in the room, and more honest, so you never stop feeling for him, despite the fact that he's not usually doing anything that commendable.

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

A: As a native French speaker, I wondered if it would be confusing to mono-linguists watching subtitles where the Corsicans often speak their language, and the Arabs often speak their language, and there is no differentiation on screen for those who don't know that they're no longer speaking French-- which is relevant because it means certain people in the room can no longer understand what is being said. And what is being said could potentially at any time be, "Kill that guy."

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/a-prophet-un-prophete/38552/trailers

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