Harry Plotter: Movie 5

Molly Weasley fighting a Boggart: Cut Scene, but not forgotten

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the first movie in the series directed by David Yates, and the man wastes no time in making his mark. With Chris Columbus’ childish films HP1 and HP2 fading into unhappy memory, Alfonso Cuarón’s powerhouse directorial work in HP3 unfortunately forgotten, and Mike Newell’s direction of HP4 acting as a filmic palate cleanser, Yates was able to enter the arena on relatively solid ground. Unlike so many franchises that buckled under the pressure of repetition, the Harry Potter films still feel fresh, uninhibited by ridiculous side plots and accepted (and often beloved) by fans.  Still, the final three films represent a dramatic change in the series, shifting from the fun and not too

Harry Plotter: Movie 4

The fourth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was released in 2005, a mere 6 years ago. It was directed by Mike Newell, which makes it the last movie in the Harry Potter franchise to be directed by someone other than David Yates. While the book is a fluid, interesting, and captivating read (check out our review HERE), the movie often feels disjointed, rushed, and uninspired. It’s almost as if the filmmakers decided on where the action sequences should go and then just built the rest of the story around them. They don't seem to care when characters are left out or important story lines are dropped, and the reworking of certain events to fit into their specific narrative arc feels clunky. It’s unfortunate that such an engaging book was turned into such an odd movie. Yet, despite its obvious faults, the film does carry with it a certain magic, especially when the action stops long enough to leave room for the smaller, more human moments.

The Four Triwizard Tournament Champions

Flower of my Heart

First, let’s talk, as we often do, about casting. Most prominently

[Spoiler Alert] Best Picture Nominees #10: The King's Speech

And we come to the end of the review bonanza with The King's Speech, which is probably the best film of the year and is favored to win Best Picture at the Oscars. At its heart, the film stands as a testament to classic film-making and story structure. It unfolds as any