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.

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.