July 14, 2011
Johannes Ruckstuhl
Action, Fantasy, Film
Alan Rickman, Alexandre Desplat, Daniel Radcliffe, David Thewlis, David Yates, Deathly Hallows, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Film, film music, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hedwig's Theme, Helena Bonham-Carter, Hogwarts, J.K. Rowling, Jim Broadbent, John Hurt, John Williams, Julie Walters, Maggie Smith, Matthew Lewis, Michael Gambon, movies, Nicholas Hooper, Part 2, picture, poster, Ralph Fiennes, review, Robbie Coltrane, Rupert Grint, score, soundtrack, Steve Kloves
To talk about the end of an era is probably an understatement. The extent to which J.K. Rowling’s books and their subsequent adaptions for the silver screen have impacted teenage culture is a phenomenon quite beyond compare. For the countless fans who have grown up with their beloved characters, this final half of a chapter marks the end of a decade of midnight queueing, hopes, fears and expectations as all the emotional ballast of seven predecessors sets down on Part 2’s shoulders. For those loyally devoted and indeed for the filmmakers and our trio of protagonists it will be a bittersweet ending as they come to terms with the fact that it really does all end here as the teaser posters touted. To live up to such hype is no easy task for any filmmaker but as before, director David Yates and his crew of muggles have diligently captured the magic of the series that only the books themselves can top.
After the rather slowly paced “Part 1,” this hits the ground running and very rarely lets up throughout as out hero and his friends hunt for the final horcruxes and do battle with the dark lord and his minions. After a dangerous journey to the high-security wizard bank Gringotts, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) make it to Hogwarts. Their presence cannot go unnoticed however and soon You Know Who (Ralph Fiennes) and Co are on their way to attack the castle and settle things once and for all. There follows a desperate race against time as all the remaining wizards try to keep the forces of evil at bay while trying to find and destroy those bits of Voldemort’s soul with which he cannot be truly killed. It’s an action-spectacle of the highest order, that maintains a breakneck pace and almost non-stop carnage. And heavy stuff it is too: Hogwarts is being blasted to rubble, the Quidditch pitch burns, so much that we and the characters have come to love is under serious threat here. With such few moments of respite, the racing story draws on the viewer as each and every character reaches his or her own personal climax within the sprawling and incredibly dense plot.
Yates and Steve Kloves’ screenplay manage to walk that fine line of balancing very moving and personal moments amidst the action and this will ultimately prove the real payoff for fans. With such an enormous supporting cast that includes Maggie Smith (sorely missed in previous episodes), Michael Gambon, Robbie Coltrane, John Hurt, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Emma Thompson, David Thewlis and so many more besides, it’s good news that room has been found and the need for closure recognised even for minor characters. Matthew Lewis as Neville and Evanna Lynch as Luna too, both long regarded as some of the finer casting choices among the “child” actors, get to shine in their roles. Perhaps most satisfying of all is the detour that’s taken (at a climatic point nonetheless) to finally reveal the motivation behind Alan Rickman’s shady and complicated Snape. It’s a very fitting send-off and it’s worth seeing the film purely for this as it perfectly embodies the sense of magic, wonder and drama present in the books as a whole. Meanwhile, Daniel Radcliffe manages to hold it all together even though his personal tale threatens to be overshadowed by the sheer scale of things. Hie performance is perfectly judged and never gives in to sentimentality. A few tears may well flow.
The film is not perfect by any means though the few flaws are much more easily forgivable that in the previous film. For instance, intimate knowledge of the plot is a prerequisite and non-fans will have their work cut out for them in trying to follow who, what and when. Despite being only half a book, Rowling has so much ground to cover that incredulously the film seems rushed at times. The lengthy battle between Harry and Voldemort is a prime suspect here, one that could have been more cleverly devised and could have peeled the villain’s “pure evil” aspect back to reveal his insecurity and motives for being evil in the first place. Furthermore, Yates is unsure as how to handle the resolution of the present-day story, first needing to explain an important plot point gets in the way of what it all means for the protagonists’ journeys. Were it not for the excellent epilogue, the emotional climax could even have been described as underwhelming. However, fans can be forgiven for passing over these minor detriments and in reality, they do not hurt the film in any great capacity.
Also returning for this final chapter is French composer Alexandre Desplat. His score for “Part 1” was polarising, some fans praising his orchestral diversity and style while others bemoaned his failure to establish a musical coherency for the franchise as a whole. His music for “Part 2” lives in a similar situation with very solid action music and reprisal of his own themes from the first part. These aspects are presented on the soundtrack album but in the film go somewhat unnoticed. This is because in several key scenes, by choice of either Desplat or the filmmakers, music by John Williams (and at one point Nicholas Hooper) composed for the first two films is simply inserted by copy and paste. The reasoning for this is debatable but the suspicion arises that Desplat’s score, while full of finesse, could not pack the emotional punch Yates was looking for and the album presentation of new music would support that argument. Unfortunately for Desplat, Williams’ music is far superior and as viewers leave the theatre “Hedwig’s Theme” is what they will remember. It’s disappointing that Desplat could not incorporate the existing themes with his own and make for a rounded and ultimately more satisfying listening experience. As it stands, the album is very enjoyable but hearing it in the film makes us nostalgic for what could have been if the great maestro John Williams had returned to score the final chapter.
“Deathly Hallows” 2.0 is everything the fan-base could have hoped for, delivering a worthy conclusion to one of the decade’s most defining franchises. Sadly, it is the end of an era and it’s time to say good bye.
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I hope you all enjoy going to see Harry Potter in the theatres. Why not share this review with your friends in advance on Facebook and Twitter? Thank you all for reading. Now, accio DVD boxset!
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November 20, 2010
Johannes Ruckstuhl
Adventure, Fantasy, Film
Alan Rickman, Alexandre Desplat, Bill Nighy, Bonnie Wright, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Radcliffe, David Yates, Emma Watson, Film, film music, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Imelda Staunton, J.K. Rowling, Jason Isaacs, John Williams, Julie Walters, Michael Gambon, movies, New Moon, Nicholas Hooper, Part 2, Part1, Patrick Doyle Hedwig's Theme, picture, Ralph Fiennes, review, Rhys Ifans, Robbie Coltrane, Rupert Grint, score, soundtrack, Steve Kloves, The Deathly Hallows, The Hobbit, The Philosopher's Stone, Timothy Spall, Twilight, Warner Bros.
So it all comes down to this: the beginning of the end. And in order to adapt the finale in more depth than the previous escapades, Warner Bros. decided to split “The Deathly Hallows” into two parts. It’s the beginning of a trend perhaps (“The Hobbit” and the “Twilight” series have followed in the footsteps) with the purpose, some would argue, to milk moviegoers as much as possible. Be that as it may, watching this “Part 1” what becomes quickly apparent is that director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves have indeed been able to include many more of fan’s favourite moments that might otherwise have ended up on the cutting room floor. Much of the novel’s first half is recreated quite faithfully, making this (with the exception of “The Philosopher’s Stone”) the film that sticks most closely to the source material.
Forget any notion of “this one is darker” or “Voldemort is getting stronger”. As Bill Nighy’s opening monologue explains we have moved from tensions lying dormant just beneath the surface to all-out war: The forces of evil as led by Lord Voldemort are rapidly tightening their grip on the wizarding and muggle worlds, taking over the Ministry and, in a final-solution like operation begin screening halfbloods, mudbloods and just about every blood in between. Somewhere in this carnage our hero Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) aided by his friends Ron and Hermione (Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) must complete the task entrusted to them by the late Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), that is to locate and destroy the remaining horcruxes, pieces of the dark lord’s soul with which he can never truly die. However tales of a mysterious fairytale leads to the “Deathly Hallows”, three powerful magical objects that may also help to destroy He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Also, there’s no chance of returning to Hogwarts which has been completely infiltrated so “Part 1” becomes a road-movie of sorts, the trio travelling extensively across Britain as they try to remain undetected. This means that the film dispenses with many of the elements so familiar: the castle, the teachers, classes and (most) of the yo-yoing hormones. As always there’s an awesome supporting cast (perhaps one of the greatest British ensembles ever): Robbie Coltrane, Brendan Gleeson, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Rhys Ifans, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright, Jason Isaacs, Timothy Spall and Imelda Staunton.
In parts the road-movie concept works very well. Yates is at this stage very adept at handling the magic and directs some truly great scenes at the beginning of the picture. Hermione’s farewell to her parents with a memory-wipe-charm is probably the best and something we never see in the book. Harry’s farewell to Privet Drive and the visit to his parents’ grave similarly set new heights for the series. In general the first act sets things up nicely, rolling at breakneck speed, filled with great action in the sky-battle, humour and at the same time finding the space for truly touching emotion and a sense of tragedy or impending doom. The trip to the Ministry to retrieve the locket from a certain Dolores Umbridge is also realised with a great eye for detail and is very entertaining. After the wedding escape though, things become a little hazy in the plot department. Unlike the novel where J.K. Rowling’s canvas to illustrate the to-ing and fro-ing is almost endless, the film struggles here. There’s a lot of woodland scenes which completely drain the energy, pace and urgency that graced the opening. In general there just seems to be nothing happening.
As such the film is also devoid of a truly satisfying climax. This is understandable in a way when one considers that the real drama and epic finale are still to come in “Part 2” but not really an excuse to neglect audience interest in the first part. It seems Yates is unsure how to proceed with the ever increasing sense of pessimism in the face of the overwhelming odds. To compensate for this downward momentum the filmmakers try to lighten things a little bit but this is something that comes across as trying too hard. The scene with Harry and Hermione dancing looks like it accidentally ended up in the wrong film. Most likely, when we’re able to view “The Deathly Hallows” in its complete form, the faults of part one will seem less significant but on its own, you will leave the theatre having seen some great material but dissatisfied nonetheless.
Following a lot of negative comments of his two Potter scores Nicholas Hooper did not return to write the music for “The Deathly Hallows”. In his stead rising talent, french composer Alexandre Desplat took the reins to carry the franchise further. Fans of the composer will find much to enjoy in his score and the soundtrack contains some really fantastic action material, the track “Sky Battle” is of particular note. Those expecting any sort of thematic consistency with the earlier films may be disappointed however as Desplat disregards all of the Williams, Doyle and Hooper material – with the exception of minimal statements of Hedwig’s Theme at the beginning. Neither does Desplat introduce a significant new theme as a replacement such as the elegant “New Moon” theme he wrote for the “Twilight” series. It’s a shame because this could well have been his magnum opus. Still, for most of us, this score will contain more than enough great music to chew on. And at this point it looks increasingly likely that Desplat will return to score “Part 2” so we can expect plenty more of the same.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” (bit of a mouthful, eh?) has an awful lot going for it. Fans of the franchise will find much to like about it. For everyone else it depends on whether or not you are willing to withhold your judgement until we see “Part 2” in July. It’s not the best “Harry Potter” of them all but should set up the really epic finale perfectly.
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November 2, 2010
Johannes Ruckstuhl
Preview
127 Hours, 3D, Alice in Wonderland, Andy Serkis, Anthony Hopkins, Area 51, Aron Ralston, Avatar, Barry Pepper, Beastly, Bella, Billy Elio, Breaking Dawn, Captain America, Cars 2, Centurion, Charlotte Bronte, Chicago, Chris Hemsworth, Cloverfield, Dakota Fanning, Daniel Radcliffe, Danny Boyle, David Thewlis, David Yates, Eclipse, Elle Fanning, Emily Watson, Ethan Coen, Event the Rain, Film, Final Destination 5, First Class, Future films, Geoffrey Rush, Ghost Protocol, Green Lantern, Hailee Steinfeld, Hans Zimmer, Happy Feet 2, Harry Potter, Herge, Ian McShane, Inception, Inglorious Basterds, Iron Man, J.K. Rowling, James Cameron, James Franco, Jamie Bell, Jane Eyre, Jayne Wiesner, Jeff Bridges, Jeremy Irvine, JJ Abrams, Joel Coen, John Wayne, Johnny Depp, Josh Brolin, Judy Dench, Kenneth Branagh, Kung Fu Panda, LOST, Marvel Comics, Matt Damon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Mia Waskiowska, Michael Fassbender, Michael Morpurgo, Mission Impossible, movies, Natalie Portman, Never Let Me Go, Nick Frost, On Stranger Tides, Order of the Phoenix, Oscars, Penelope Cruz, Peter Jackson, Peter Mullan, picture, Pirates of the Caribbean, Private Peaceful, Puss in Boots, Restless, Rob Marshall, Sally Hawkins, Scream 4, Sherlock Holmes, Simon Pegg, Sinbad, Slumdog Millionaire, Star Trek, Stephanie Meyers, Steven Spielberg, Straw Dogs, Super 8, The Adventures of Tintin, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Fifth Voyage, The First Avenger, The Green Hornet, The Hobbit, The Kaboom of Doom, The Mighty Thor, The Secret of the Unicorn, The Smurfs, Thor, Tintin, True Grit, Twilight, War Horse, X-Men
I get asked sometimes: What good films are coming out soon that I should go see? Well for all of you who’d like to know, here’s my take on the best of 2011 and a bit of an icebreaker for all the hype buzzing around your ears. 10 films, 10 dates (9 actually, but let’s not get technical) that you should write in your diary. Now there’s a new-years resolution! Enjoy!
All links take you to IMDb.
Release Date: 18th November (USA)
This of course, depends highly on whether you’re a fan or not. However a phenomenon “Twilight” has become and with “Eclipse” garnering praise from many corners, it’s only fair that this gets a place on the list. Following in the footsteps of “Harry Potter” and “The Hobbit”, the as of yet final chapter of Stephenie Meyers’ vampire phenomenon has been broken into two parts. It seems Bella has chosen Necrophilia over Bestiality and is expecting a vampire child (it all sounds so charming when put that way…). But it’s all to go pear-shaped if the Quileute or Volturi have anything to say about it. Expect queues of hysterical and screaming teenage girls.
Release Date: 6th May (USA)
If ye seek a hammer-wielding superhero, attend this motion picture which cometh your way in May! Also known as “The Mighty Thor”, this promises to be among the best of a rake of superhero movies descending upon 2011. And it’s directed by Kenneth Branagh, a man known more usually known for his adaptations of the Bard’s plays, this could be an absolute blast. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of Asgard and has to make do with living on Earth amongst us humans, and ultimately becomes its defender. Also starring Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, Marvel Comics might just be delivering next year’s “Iron Man” – let’s hope so. But “Thor” is only one of many. Also being released in 2011 in the same genre: Captain America: The First Avenger (22nd Jul), The Green Hornet (14th Jan), Green Lantern (17th Jun) and X-Men: First Class (3rd Jun).
Release Date: 10th June (USA)
At number eight we have an appropriate title. But really nobody knows what the heck this one is about apart from the fact it’s being produced by Steven Spielberg and written and directed by JJ Abrams (the man behind LOST, the Star Trek reboot and Cloverfield ) and the tagline “Next Summer, It Arrives”. We could call this pulling an Inception. It’s also sci-fi and a bit of horror, with aliens and Area 51 and what not, starring Elle Fanning (Dakota’s younger sister). And if it’s in any way as good as Nolan’s we sure ain’t complaining! Think you might like this? Also look forward to Beastly (8th Mar), Final Destination 5 (26th Aug), Scream 4 (15th Apr).
Release Date: 20th May (USA)
After their last escapade “At World’s End” in 2007 Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his motley crew of pirates set sail into theatres once again. This time around they’re on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth, a giver of eternal life. New director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) should give the series a bit of fresh life. Geoffrey Rush returns as Captain Barbossa while Ian McShane and Penelope Cruz join the cast as notorious pirate Blackbeard and his daughter respectively. Will and Elizabeth will not be back but that’s not really a bad thing, their romance was getting tiresome anyway. We’re also looking forward to another cracking score by Hans Zimmer. More action and adventure releases include Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom (27th May), Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (16th Dec), Sherlock Holmes 2 (16th Dec), Sinbad: The Fifth Voyage (1st Jan).
Release Date: 11th March (USA)
One of the greatest novels of all time gets yet another adaption for the big screen. It’s a star-studded affair and looks to be one of the bigger hitters of the year in the drama department. Finding employment at Thornfield Hall, the young Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska – Alice in Wonderland) finds herself falling in love the with the house’s master the stern Mr. Rochester played by Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds, Centurion) only to discover the terrible secret that lurks in his attic. Sally Hawkins, Jamie Bell, Jayne Wiesner and Dame Judy Dench (who stars in virtually every period film) make this a must see if you’re in any way interested in the genre. But you (probably) shouldn’t expect a light and schmaltzy rom-com. More possibilities for lightening your wallet may include Even the Rain (Feb TBA), Never Let Me Go (21st Jan, UK), Restless (28th Jan), Straw Dogs (16th Sep).
Release Date: 7th January (UK)
Two years ago, Danny Boyle made a small film in India which went on to win a few Oscars. Now he’s trying to pull the “Slumdog Millionaire” trick again with the true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco). Mountaineering in Utah, he gets his arm trapped under a rock. Over the following five days, he examines his life through video recordings on his camera and eventually decides to amputate his arm with his penknife. The ending isn’t exactly secret but it’s an extremely fascinating premise: With only one main character which is on screen basically all the time. And the actual amputation? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. As far as we know, the film won’t actually be 127 hours long.
Release Date: 14th January (UK)
Now that the Coen Brothers have achieved cult status any picture they release will generate a certain amount of buzz. When they decide to remake a 1969 John Wayne classic of the same name we all have something to write home about. A 14 year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) hires a U.S. Marshall (badass Jeff Bridges) to track down her father’s murderer. Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper also star. The trailer looks fantastic and an altogether darker affair than the original. It’s going to be a tale of bloody revenge. Not easy but essential viewing.
Release Date: 28th December
Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Michael Morpurogo’s novel is highly anticipated to say the least and could very well be one of the big Christmas films vying for Oscar attention. Because when Spielberg does serious, he means business. It concerns a young man (Jeremy Irvine) and a horse named Joey. When Joey is sent to the front of World War I, Albert enlists in the army to save him. Like with Morpurgo’s other acclaimed novel “Private Peaceful” it’s a tear-jerker but in a very good way. Prepare to cry rivers. Apart from some British veterans like David Thewlis, Emily Watson and Peter Mullan, there’s no huge names in the cast but we know that’s not a problem.
Release Date: 15th July
We come to it at last: The end of the end. A franchise that began almost a decade ago with wide-eyed Daniel Radcliffe as the bespectacled wizard which fate has chosen to do great things, comes to a close this summer with the awesomely epic looking “Deathly Hallows Part 2”. As has been the case since “Order of the Phoenix” director David Yates keeps expanding on the immense world of J.K. Rowling’s novels. If you need any incentive whatever to go and see this, just take a look at that teaser poster with Hogwarts in flames! We know how it’s going to end of course (unless you’ve lived on Mars – although even then you would have heard by now…) but we’re still salivating over the possibilities: The Gringotts break-in (dragon!), the final battle for the wizard-school, Dumbledore and of course the epilogue. In an interview Radcliffe himself speculated on using some of the ageing technology utilised on “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” for the main trio of actors. After all, it wouldn’t be good if after seven films, we couldn’t finish with the same actors. Better keep reading the Daily Prophet for updates.
Release Date: 28th December (USA)
You can have all the vampires, pirates and wizards in the world, but the No1 film to look forward to in 2011 is undoubtedly Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the beloved comic book series by Hérge. The first official images have just been released and boy does that CGI look great. Furthering some of the great advancement’s of James Cameron’s “Avatar”, the film will use a sort of motion capture and will then be created completely in the computer. Jamie Bell (Billy Eliot) takes centre stage as our hero with his trusty dog, motion capture pro (he did both Gollum and King Kong) Andy Serkis is the creative-insults machine Captain Haddock while comedy duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost don the bowlers of Thomson and Thompson. While the title is officially “The Secret of the Unicorn”, it seems that the film will take elements from different books and meld them together for a great Tintin adventure. Spielberg directs and Jackson produces – they will switch roles for the sequel in 2012. Note that the release date is the same as “War Horse” which means Spielberg has a double whammy when taking on theatres next Christmas. Anyway – we can’t wait! Also in the animation or CG genre we can expect films like Cars 2 (24th Jun), Happy Feet 2 (18th Nov), Puss in Boots (4th Nov) and The Smurfs 3D (3rd Aug).
Awesome roundup! Whatever your taste, there’s plenty of movies to keep you entertained coming along next year. But as always there’s not just good movies, there’s always a few crappy ones as well. Here’s our predictions:
Five movies you (probably) don’t need to see in 2011:
5. Piranha 3DD (Aug TBA)
4. Transformers: The Dark of the Moon (1st Jul)
3. A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (23rd Dec)
2. Alvin and the Chipmunks 3D (16th Dec)
1. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (18th Feb)
So that’s it! What films are you looking forward to in 2011? Leave us a comment!
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To talk about the end of an era is probably an understatement. The extent to which J.K. Rowling’s books and their subsequent adaptions for the silver screen have impacted teenage culture is a phenomenon quite beyond compare. For the countless fans who have grown up with their beloved characters, this final half of a chapter marks the end of a decade of midnight queueing, hopes, fears and expectations as all the emotional ballast of seven predecessors sets down on Part 2’s shoulders. For those loyally devoted and indeed for the filmmakers and our trio of protagonists it will be a bittersweet ending as they come to terms with the fact that it really does all end here as the teaser posters touted. To live up to such hype is no easy task for any filmmaker but as before, director David Yates and his crew of muggles have diligently captured the magic of the series that only the books themselves can top.
Also returning for this final chapter is French composer Alexandre Desplat. His score for “Part 1” was polarising, some fans praising his orchestral diversity and style while others bemoaned his failure to establish a musical coherency for the franchise as a whole. His music for “Part 2” lives in a similar situation with very solid action music and reprisal of his own themes from the first part. These aspects are presented on the soundtrack album but in the film go somewhat unnoticed. This is because in several key scenes, by choice of either Desplat or the filmmakers, music by John Williams (and at one point Nicholas Hooper) composed for the first two films is simply inserted by copy and paste. The reasoning for this is debatable but the suspicion arises that Desplat’s score, while full of finesse, could not pack the emotional punch Yates was looking for and the album presentation of new music would support that argument. Unfortunately for Desplat, Williams’ music is far superior and as viewers leave the theatre “Hedwig’s Theme” is what they will remember. It’s disappointing that Desplat could not incorporate the existing themes with his own and make for a rounded and ultimately more satisfying listening experience. As it stands, the album is very enjoyable but hearing it in the film makes us nostalgic for what could have been if the great maestro John Williams had returned to score the final chapter.
