This is it: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 Review

July 14 was an anxious day.  I was watching earlier Harry Potter films all day and doing what I could to look for a job.  I was excited because that night I would get to see the final Harry Potter film at midnight with my wife.  It all started in 6th grade (2000) when I read the first four Potter books in under two weeks.  I never really got into reading until then.  Then the films started that next year.  I was there the day the first one came out.  I was first in line with my friend.  I was there for the first (or second) day or midnight showing for all 8 Harry Potter films.  This is a big deal for me.

Enough about me, what about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 (say that 5 times fast)?  Being the most talked about film this year, HP7.2 lived up and exceeded the hype.  The acting was free from hiccups that has riddled the young actors for years.  The older actors (Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, and more) were great.  All the actors delivered the action and emotion that was necessary to make this film near-perfect.

One element of the film-making that really impressed me for the second time in a row was the pacing.  Part 1 was meant to be a slower, anxious feeling film.  Part 2 was almost the opposite: a fast-paced action film loaded with emotion, well-placed humor, and answers to questions building since the first installment.

This film stays true to the book and will please both fans of the just the films or both films and books.  The film wasn't perfect, but I'm not going to complain.  How can you complain when [spoiler] Molly Weasley calls Bellatrix Lestrange a bitch and then kills her?  It's just awesome.  Ron and Hermione's kiss also did not disappoint.  The years of built up emotion released in the amazing on screen kiss.  I got shivers.  The feeling I got when this film was finished is still lingering: joy.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is rated PG-13 and runs 130 minutes.  This film is a lot of action, death, and scary scenes and a little language.  Just know this before you show your kids or kid siblings this flick.  I gave Part 1 ten ramheads out of 10.  This one was better even than that.  I give Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 10 ramheads out of 10.

This ghost is no Casper, but he's friendly

I've always enjoyed Ewan McGregor films. I haven't seen alot of them, but the one's I've seen have been excellent. He grows an awesome beard in Star Wars II and III, he is spectacular in Big Fish, and I love his first name. The Ghost Writer is no exception.

McGregor plays the character only named "The Ghost" in this brilliantly written suspenseful thriller. The difference between this thriller and alot of others out there is that this one is smart. The characters are very convincing, thanks to the acting. Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, and Olivia Williams all pull of award-worthy performances. The minor roles all had solid acting as well.

The other thing that sets this film apart is the ending. I'm not going to say how it ends, but I was extremely impressed. It is just good movie-making. It reminded me of how Citizen Kane ended.

The music in this film is very well done. Andre Desplat, the composer, did a great job assisting with the suspense and intrigue. The music in this film is putting me a little at ease about the fact that Desplat is doing the music for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1.

This film was bloody brilliant in my opinion and I would highly recommend it. The Ghost Writer runs 128 minutes minutes and is rated PG-13. This isn't too bad for kids, but younger ones probably wouldn't get it. I give this film 10 ramheads out of 10.

They're blue, but they're not Smurfs...*UPDATE*

*I SAW IT AGAIN IN 3D AND DECIDED TO UPDATE THIS REVIEW*

While watching Avatar for the first time, all I could think was, "Wow." Ever since I left, all I could think was, "I want to see it again." I actually did see it again. Yeah, I loved Avatar.

To start, James Cameron's epic was visually amazing. The Na'vi looked real. Pandora looked stunning. The creatures were convincing. The human weapons, ships, robots were also realistic and believable. But enough about the CG and special effects, what about the story?

Many action movies and sci-fi movies don't have much of a plot. Avatar does not fall in this category. Cameron layers this story, intertwining numerous different themes.

The first evident theme is shown by Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Quaritch is hardcore, hardened military man. He shows no mercy to his enemies and is quick to decide you are his enemy. He had an unwavering prejudice of the Na'vi and those who side with them. He is eager to fight them. The underlining theme here is that some like Quaritch fight first, ask questions later. Military is shown in a negative light in this film, but it really isn't military, they are hired "security". This brings me to the next theme woven into this film.

The next theme is that of corporate greed. Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) is trying to please shareholders by destroying the home of the Na'vi to get the conveniently named unobtainium. He needs to make money at all costs. We see this around us every day. Greed. Love of money above the lives of others. It is sad, but true.

Another theme I've noticed is that of love. Jake falls in love with Neytiri. Cameron is good at telling stories like these (Titanic). Just to be clear, though, this is NOT the main theme. Sure it is there, but it does not consume the story.

I've only touched on those themes that are evident to me and more obvious. I'm sure there are many more--I just thought of one: redemption--but I just wanted to convey that this film is much more than pretty visuals and action. There is a heart and soul to this movie.

There was solid acting all around. They aren't the biggest names in the film industry, but the actors in this film do their job. The musical score in this film is good, not great. James Horner's score in some places is spectacular and in others somewhat generic. I've listened to it separate outside the movie (and obviously during the film) and I like it. It doesn't match his work in Titanic, but it does the job well. On a side note, this movie doesn't feature unnecessary sex scenes, swearing, or any other garbage featured in a lot of today's movies; I was pleasantly surprised.

Finally, the 3D is cool, but not needed. I think in someways it really adds, but really, the film doesn't need 3D to be a great film.

P.S. Cameron said if Avatar is successful, he might make up to 2 sequels to it.

I expected to enjoy this movie, but not this much. I'm not going to give any more away. I was truly drawn into the Avatar experience. I think you can be too.

Avatar runs 162 minutes and is rated PG-13. I give it 10 ramheads out of 10.

NEW Relient K Album

Well, it is finally here. Kinda. Forget and Not Slow Down is streaming the FULL album on Absolute Punk. Currently, I'm on my 7th time through listening to it. Yeah, I'm a little obsessed. You know what? You should be too. It is an AWESOME album. It is musically awesome, it is written from a thoughtful, Christian point of view, and IT ROCKS. Yeah, it is more rock than pop, which is good.

(Good lyrics + Good music + Jesus)Relient K = Forget and Not Slow Down.

It makes me happy and it will make you happy too. Listen.

I am going to give it 9 ramheads out of 10. The only thing that is missing is their signature fun song.

He throws phones and kicks butt....

Most people remember when Russell Crowe threw a phone at a housekeeping worker at a hotel. That was really funny, but kind of a letdown. Russell Crowe is a tremendous actor and I hope he lives a good life off screen. Gladiator, however, was no letdown.

This film also co-stars Jacquin Phoenix, who went AWOL with acting and had an awkward experience on Letterman in February. Phoenix is a great actor and does an awesome job as the villain in this film, and you really hate him.

The story was severely entertaining and superbly written. There was action a-plenty. The acting was near perfect. Hans Zimmer's music is tremendous (but weirdly Pirate-esque). The special effects were seamless, especially when you realize that this film was released almost 10 years ago.

I had only one problem with this film. There are a few lines here and there that are mumbled and quiet that I had to rewind and listen to again (sometimes 3 times). That got to be a little annoying.

This film is an epic. It is rated R (i'm sure for violence) so any desensitized kid is ok watching it. I wouldn't recommend it, but if they are already messed up with video game violence, this film won't hurt any. It runs 155 minutes (unless you get the extended version on DVD). I give this really cool film 9 ramheads out of 10.

One quick Relient K note....

So they FINALLY posted a song from their new album...here it is :



P.S. This is "Forget and Not Slow Down"....A.K.A. The title track for their new album.

A....L....M....O.....S....T T.....H....E.....R.....E...

School is almost done for me. I have next week of classes, then a week of exams, and then I am done. Well, just about. I'll be going to Europe for my college choir tour. Two weeks in England, France, Luxembourg, and Germany. Then after that, what's next? Well, I'll be workin' two summer jobs, making some cash to pay for school. Oh yeah, and there are some pretty sweet movies coming out this summer: X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Angels & Demons, Land of the Lost, Transformers 2, and of course HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (which I'll be seeing at midnight on July 15). Also, RELIENT K is recording their new album to be released sometime this summer (date unannounced yet).

I think this summer is shaping up to be a big one for the movies, lots of sequels (HP6, Angels & Demons--which is actually a prequel, X-Men--again, a prequel, and Transformers...)

Liam Neeson is the MAN

Last night I decided to watch Taken instead of going to bed. I do not at all regret this decision. Taken may have gotten some mixed review, many of which are bad, but I thoroughly enjoyed this short (about an hour and a half) action packed thriller.

Taken stars Liam Neeson as a retired "Preventer" that worked for the U.S. government. He retired to spend time with his now 17 year-old daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), who lives with his ex-wife and her rich husband. The first fifteen or so minutes get you to really feel for the guy, he's such a smart, genuine man who wants to patch up the relationship he has with his teenage daughter. Then his daughter wants to go to Paris with her friend, and, being underage needs her father's approval. He's hesitant but in an effort to preserve the thin relationship with his daughter and with the comfort of a satellite phone, he approves under certain conditions. After a couple of hours in Paris, Kim and her friend are kidnapped while Kim is on the phone with her father. He promises to find her. I won't spoil it for you, but I'll say he keeps his promise and does much more.

The film features a decent story, I thought it was compelling. It was slightly unrealistic in the abilities this man has, but it was severly entertaining. The special effects were tremendous, the action was fast paced, focused, and nearly non-stopped. I thought of Neeson's character as a much cooler, more dangerous James Bond. Also, especially in the beginning of the movie, the music was AMAZING. The music played a critical role in captivating me. I felt like I was part of the film.

The film is rated PG-13 and runs 93 mins. I wouldn't recommend it for children under 8th grade do to some pretty freakin' awesome violent scenes. I give it 8 ramheads out of 10.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho...A Pirate's Life For ME

It's almost Halloween, and I've been in a piratey mood lately. This essentially means that I watched Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, downloaded the soundtracks, and I'm writing this post. I've decided to review the entire DISNEY'S PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN GENRE. Yeah, that's right, I'm hardcore.

It all started at Disneyland in 1967 with the audio-animatronic pirate boat ride and the theme song "Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me)". I give the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney (Disney World) 10 ramheads out of 10.It was left alone (aside from going to Disney World) until the early 1990s, when a couple of screen writers wrote a script based on the ride. It got pushed aside for Muppet's Treasure Island until 2002. Disney had some other screenwriters try and fail until they brought the original two back and here we are today with (Captain) Jack Sparrow.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released in 2003. I hadn't heard about it until it came out on DVD and some of my friends said it was good. I eventually got to watch it at my aunt and uncle's house. It was awesome. I was a Pirates fan. The acting is excellent, the music is excellent (and catchy--I listened to all the credits music), the special effects are near flawless, and the story is engaging. It was the first ever Disney movie to be rated PG-13. The movie runs 143 minutes and is a must see. I suggest that if you haven't seen it, see it ASAP and show your kids. 10 ramheads out of 10.
Moving on, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was released in 2006. It was very much anticipated (by me and others) because of the first movie's brilliance. It picks up a few months after the first movie left off and features more solid acting, intriguing story, excellent visual effects, and very good music. It is slightly more "out there", but once the movie gets going, it justifies itself. My only objection to this movie is the fact that it only sets up its sequel. This adventure runs 150 minutes and is rated PG-13. I give it 8 ramheads out of 10.Finally, Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End finished the trilogy and was released in 2007. Action was never in short supply in this film. It was a long one, but it still managed to pack it in and engage the viewer every minute. It got many negative reviews, but I thought it was an excellent movie. Every aspect was brilliant: acting, visuals, music, story, action, humor. It runs 168 minutes and is rated PG-13. I give this movie 9 ramheads out of 10. P.S. Watch the scene after the credits, it's good. Also, if you want an explanation of it click here (it is a post by the screenwriter explaining.)
OVERALL, The Pirates of the Caribbean is an amazing, fun, and immaginative genre that definitely has made itself a place in the hearts of many. I'm no exception. I give the genre itself 10 ramheads out of 10.

Yeah, I can review books too....

I just finished Brisingr by Christopher Paolini. It was pretty much the best book I've read since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I loved this book. It is quite awesome, by reading his books, to watch Paolini mature as a writer, along with his characters. I noticed this in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series as well. This book, though published by a children's book publisher, is definitely not a children's book. The descriptive violence (decapitation, crushing of skulls, etc.) it very well written and the plot is very well laid out and devised. Although Eragon had some flaws (taking ideas from other fantasy series), Eldest, got better and veered from the unoriginal ideas, Brisingr is even more original, the remnants of unoriginality are unnoticeable.

Brisingr is the most complex book in the series. It is filled with action, emotion, twists, and "oh yeah, that makes sense" moments. I'm not going to say any spoilers (it wouldn't matter because nobody reads this...) but I'll tell you this. If you like fantasy novels (LOTR, Harry Potter, His Dark Materials series[The Golden Compass]...) you should read this one. The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini is an excellent series that you will enjoy. Brisingr is already a best seller after 3 weeks.

10 ramheads out of 10

I am Iron Man...

No, I'm not...but it would be pretty darn cool if I were. Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. is the coolest movie I've seen in a long time. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is funny, he's cool, and he learns from his mistakes. What more could you ask from a superhero? Iron Man features a pretty all-star cast (Downey Jr., Terrance Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltro, and of course Stan Lee...), good acting from that cast, great special effects, and another comic book movie that you can take home to your mom.

The three things that made this movie one of my favorites are its (1) humor, (2) explosions/fighting, and (3) substantive plot. That's right, a movie with humor and explosions CAN have a plot.

Iron Man runs 126 minutes and is rated PG-13. It isn't too bad, I wouldn't mind bringing my 12 year old brother to it.

I give it 9 ramheads out of 10. (A.K.A. WATCH THIS MOVIE!)

The Demon Barber Cuts More Than Hair...

When I decided to watch Sweeney Todd, I knew it was a musical. I knew it had an all-star cast (Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman, Sasha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall). I knew it won an Oscar and was based on the Broadway musical. What I didn't know is how gorey it would be. It was GOREY. It was purposefully fake looking, but still very effective. (For me it was so gorey it was actually quite humorous.) Johnny Depp does an excellent job as the Demon Barber, Sweeney Todd who is trying to strike revenge on the evil Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). Depp also surprised (me at least) with an excellent singing voice. His great voice combined with excellent acting really got me into the movie; I was feeling for him. It got to the point where I was almost happy he was killing, because to me, he was the good guy and the people deserved it.

The music was very well written, well sung, and sometimes quite humorous. Tim Burton, not surprisingly, gave us his trademark all-the-good-guys-have-pale-skin routine and also makes London very gray.

The film is a musical, but don't fret: I'm not very fond of musicals, but it this one really was good. To be honest, this film would be nothing if it wasn't a musical.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street runs 116 minutes and is rated R (for graphic bloody violence). This means that this is NOT a child friendly film. Unless of course, the kid is SO desensitized from all the bloody video games, TV, and movies you've let him/her watch. If that is the case, by all means, show this to your younger counterpart.

I give this movie 8 ramheads out of 10.

Some Relient K videos I made....

Some Previews for The Office :)