As a subcategory of the horror genre, the exorcism film does not have the best reputation. For every The Exorcist, there are a dozen Posessed’s and Beyond the Door’s. Yet, when done well, there is rarely something as profoundly [...]
American history texts often display World War II as a time of rare moral clarity, where the bad guys were bad and the good guys were good. The bad guys were so bad that they took on the fatalistic qualities of “pure evil” villains generally only seen in the bombastic pages of comic books, and it was up to the earnest stock of American farm boys to grow into the heroes on the front line. Captain America: The First Avenger brings this equation from the comics to the screen in a straightforward story of good versus evil, and the would-be emblem of America.
Captain America follows Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a young man whose dreams of joining the army are snuffed out by his small stature and laundry list of medical conditions. When a government scientist (the charming Stanley Tucci) inducts him into the ranks for the purpose of a super-soldier experiment, Rogers undergoes a massive transformation to become Captain America.
While Captain America’s corresponding villain could have simply been the historically portrayed evil “Axis Powers,” the film pits him against his traditional antagonist, Red Skull. Originally named Johann Schmidt, the Nazi scientist is played by the rare talent of Hugo Weaving. The casting alone gives the character a shade of dark intelligence behind his superior physical strength, and the true scope of his terrorist plan involving a tesseract energy source is artfully handled so as not to appear too silly or outrageous. It is important to note that Schmidt’s association with a clandestine group called Hydra separates him from the Nazis; the film skirts the stickiness of appearing a U.S. versus Them equation while still pulling off the appropriate propagandic arrangement of siding America with the cause of “good.”
Beyond this, the film acknowledges the propaganda inherent in a film called Captain America with a winking sense of humor. When Rogers first receives his new physique and powers, he doesn’t plunge into the fray at the front lines, but rather steps on stage to perform for a lengthy PR tour intended to sell war bonds. In addition, the character of Captain America is played with a careful humility by Evans, who does not bring any of his standard playful arrogance to the role. His American is quietly confident, sincere, and devoted to aiding those in need. This is the American that doesn’t stand for bullying, the friend of the underdog. By poking fun at the historical examples of propaganda, the film establishes a far more flattering image of America.
This effect is further developed with the over the top action. The action scenes are simultaneously expansive and intimate--while we often see Captain America in true-superhero action, equal time is spent with him fighting at the forefront of an army, more like a King Arthur before his knights than a lone Superman figure. The more excessive scenes, like a shot that frames Captain America on a motorcycle, soaring in front of a massive explosion while military planes pass in the background, are just excessive enough to be tongue in cheek.
Perhaps the American sense of confidence is too pervasive; there is not a moment where the viewer fears for the hero. Generally, superhero films pose an endangered female counterpart to generate the sense of risk and suspense, whether it’s Batman’s Rachel, Spiderman’s Mary Jane, Superman’s Lois Lane. The fact that Captain America’s leading lady is not so weak may decrease the film’s tension, but Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) is a breath of fresh air. Captain America trades a damsel in distress for a military officer who is by turns brave, sassy, and discerning.
Atwell’s is not the film’s only noteworthy performance. Captain America is joined by Colonel Chester Phillips, played by the surly Tommy Lee Jones who plays a pit bull military officer with seasoned humor. Dominic Cooper also brings his suave wit to the cast as Howard Stark, with his arrogant genius a cheeky gesture toward the later events of Iron Man.
In the end, Captain America’s great strength is in its simplicity. The hero has no otherworldly powers or props, the character behind the shield is guileless and likable, and the story is clear. Captain America is a straightforward superhero movie that calls back to the history of American action to create something new and exciting. Let’s hope The Avengers follows suit.
Captain America follows Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), a young man whose dreams of joining the army are snuffed out by his small stature and laundry list of medical conditions. When a government scientist (the charming Stanley Tucci) inducts him into the ranks for the purpose of a super-soldier experiment, Rogers undergoes a massive transformation to become Captain America.
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| Hugo Weaving plays Red Skull |
Beyond this, the film acknowledges the propaganda inherent in a film called Captain America with a winking sense of humor. When Rogers first receives his new physique and powers, he doesn’t plunge into the fray at the front lines, but rather steps on stage to perform for a lengthy PR tour intended to sell war bonds. In addition, the character of Captain America is played with a careful humility by Evans, who does not bring any of his standard playful arrogance to the role. His American is quietly confident, sincere, and devoted to aiding those in need. This is the American that doesn’t stand for bullying, the friend of the underdog. By poking fun at the historical examples of propaganda, the film establishes a far more flattering image of America.
This effect is further developed with the over the top action. The action scenes are simultaneously expansive and intimate--while we often see Captain America in true-superhero action, equal time is spent with him fighting at the forefront of an army, more like a King Arthur before his knights than a lone Superman figure. The more excessive scenes, like a shot that frames Captain America on a motorcycle, soaring in front of a massive explosion while military planes pass in the background, are just excessive enough to be tongue in cheek.
 |
| Hayley Atwell shines as Peggy Carter |
Atwell’s is not the film’s only noteworthy performance. Captain America is joined by Colonel Chester Phillips, played by the surly Tommy Lee Jones who plays a pit bull military officer with seasoned humor. Dominic Cooper also brings his suave wit to the cast as Howard Stark, with his arrogant genius a cheeky gesture toward the later events of Iron Man.
In the end, Captain America’s great strength is in its simplicity. The hero has no otherworldly powers or props, the character behind the shield is guileless and likable, and the story is clear. Captain America is a straightforward superhero movie that calls back to the history of American action to create something new and exciting. Let’s hope The Avengers follows suit.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
Apparently the lead actresses of Black Swan needed to show the world that they hadn’t committed fully to critically acclaimed, beautiful dramas by playing roles of women entangled in romance with their bestie guy friends. Where Natalie Portman put out No Strings Attached, a film that saw her trying to maintain a sex-only relationship with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis adds her friendmance to the mix with this weekend’s Friends with Benefits. To indicate how old the premise is, we can consider what might have happened if the couples were swapped–matching Kunis with Kutcher. That’s right, we’ve seen that before. Still, Kunis has the While the premise is old, Kunis has the right sort of magnetism to spice things up. The real point of interest is the somewhat puzzling Justin Timberlake. Plunging into his acting career, the pop star has selected an array of peripheral character roles without ever attempting a leading man. If he can convince the audience that a friend would actually want to be with him–and not one functioning off of NSYNC nostalgia–he might be able to sell this concept. Maybe.
Much praised at Sundance, this indie brings John C. Reilly back to the screen in another offbeat dramedy. The film evolves around the touching relationship between Reilly, a school principal, and an overweight teen outsider named Terri (Jacob Wysocki). While the film hasn’t gotten much hype, the review buzz should be enough to send viewers to the theaters. Anne Hornaday of the Washington Post describes it as “a small masterpiece of misdirection, a winsome, utterly unpredictable portrait of adolescence that flawlessly captures its cruelty and sweetness.”
Watch the Trailer:
While franchises spark many heated debates, most people agree on one thing: it’s almost impossible to find the right ending. J.K. Rowling concluded her much loved series in 2007 with the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to appreciation and praise. Aside from a few hiccups, the novel tied the plot and character conclusions in rewarding and, at times, poignant and stirring ways. Now, the film version that takes on the second part of the novel to give us reel after reel of Harry Potter’s heart-stopping climax, and the end of an era of fantasy and magic.
The film begins in the calm before the storm. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), having spent most of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on the run, searching for Horcruxes and fleeing the ever expanding influence of Voldemort, now turn toward more familiar locations. They still have a few Horcruxes to find and destroy before they can take on the Dark Lord, whose dedication to killing Harry grows only stronger as he becomes aware of the trio’s intent.
Director David Yates has a keen eye for pulling on—he turns all of the once comforting and familiar locations into darkly shrouded terrains with dangerous potential. Hogsmeade is no longer the butterbeer boasting, student packed village viewers remember from earlier films, with its promise of joke snacks and mischief. Instead, it is cast in dark shadows, blanketed in snow and armed with a crowing alarm system apparently designed to work against Harry’s entrance. Similarly, Hogwarts, a location that has changed and grown so much throughout the series that it might be considered a character in itself, is empty of the richly colored tapestries and the excitement of new spells. Instead it is is depicted as a cold castle whose defenses are not quite enough to protect those within.
This feeling of insecurity permeates the film effectively--there is no question as to what is at stake, and the viewer is positioned as a hopeless observer, a nervous first-year without the skill or knowledge to get involved as the main characters take their final stand. Where a film comprised solely of a climax might get bogged down in action movie cliches, or repetitive mechanisms, the film’s action is impeccable. The assault on Hogwarts is as heady as any Michael Bay film, but enhanced with the creative use of magic. There are no car chase scenes, but there is a werewolf chase. There are no bombs, but there are explosive spells thrown from Death Eaters’ wands. And while Radcliffe may not be the traditional action movie star, this is a very special type of action movie.
If anything, the action is too good for what Part 2 is about. There is so much attention devoted to the grandeur of the battle that many of the vital character deaths seem lost in the shuffle. Where readers of the last novel might have cried over this or that beloved character’s demise, the movie seems to sweep emotional responses aside in favor of charging onward. In this, Yates makes a grave mistake. The point of Harry Potter is not just the potential to triumph over great evil, but also the cost of such triumph. Most readers recalling their experience of the last book do not cite Harry’s final standoff as their preferred moment, but rather those that highlight the side characters, like Molly Weasley’s famous line, “Not my daughter, you bitch!” or a moment when Harry is visited by his deceased loved ones. If Yates had paid as much attention to these emotional cues as he did to his action sequences, his movie might have been just short of perfect.
That is not to say that the film fails in all aspects of emotion. Particularly noteworthy is Snape’s (Alan Rickman) back story seen through the Pensieve. Rickman is unfortunately scarce in the film due to his character arc, and the few minutes illustrating his relationship with Harry’s family are beautifully rendered with just the right amount of nostalgia and regret, a moving reward for the actor and character’s fans.
Viewers should be reminded that this is not a sequel to the previous Deathly Hallows, but rather the second half. As a stand alone project, Part 2 is too much action and not enough dialogue or setup. Those that haven’t watched Part 1 since the theaters will find some of the emotional moments dangling, ill supported, and the action overwhelming. However, with Part 1 as the foundation, the two parts make a marvelous conclusion to the Harry Potter epic. While the tagline may assert that “It all ends” with Part 2, Harry Potter is bound to survive the test of time.
The film begins in the calm before the storm. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), having spent most of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on the run, searching for Horcruxes and fleeing the ever expanding influence of Voldemort, now turn toward more familiar locations. They still have a few Horcruxes to find and destroy before they can take on the Dark Lord, whose dedication to killing Harry grows only stronger as he becomes aware of the trio’s intent.
Director David Yates has a keen eye for pulling on—he turns all of the once comforting and familiar locations into darkly shrouded terrains with dangerous potential. Hogsmeade is no longer the butterbeer boasting, student packed village viewers remember from earlier films, with its promise of joke snacks and mischief. Instead, it is cast in dark shadows, blanketed in snow and armed with a crowing alarm system apparently designed to work against Harry’s entrance. Similarly, Hogwarts, a location that has changed and grown so much throughout the series that it might be considered a character in itself, is empty of the richly colored tapestries and the excitement of new spells. Instead it is is depicted as a cold castle whose defenses are not quite enough to protect those within.
If anything, the action is too good for what Part 2 is about. There is so much attention devoted to the grandeur of the battle that many of the vital character deaths seem lost in the shuffle. Where readers of the last novel might have cried over this or that beloved character’s demise, the movie seems to sweep emotional responses aside in favor of charging onward. In this, Yates makes a grave mistake. The point of Harry Potter is not just the potential to triumph over great evil, but also the cost of such triumph. Most readers recalling their experience of the last book do not cite Harry’s final standoff as their preferred moment, but rather those that highlight the side characters, like Molly Weasley’s famous line, “Not my daughter, you bitch!” or a moment when Harry is visited by his deceased loved ones. If Yates had paid as much attention to these emotional cues as he did to his action sequences, his movie might have been just short of perfect.
That is not to say that the film fails in all aspects of emotion. Particularly noteworthy is Snape’s (Alan Rickman) back story seen through the Pensieve. Rickman is unfortunately scarce in the film due to his character arc, and the few minutes illustrating his relationship with Harry’s family are beautifully rendered with just the right amount of nostalgia and regret, a moving reward for the actor and character’s fans.
Viewers should be reminded that this is not a sequel to the previous Deathly Hallows, but rather the second half. As a stand alone project, Part 2 is too much action and not enough dialogue or setup. Those that haven’t watched Part 1 since the theaters will find some of the emotional moments dangling, ill supported, and the action overwhelming. However, with Part 1 as the foundation, the two parts make a marvelous conclusion to the Harry Potter epic. While the tagline may assert that “It all ends” with Part 2, Harry Potter is bound to survive the test of time.
Tonight, at midnight, the magic begins, and ends. Fandango reports that it has sold more midnight show tickets to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 than any other film in its history. Now, in preparation for the film, let’s take a look back at the path that led to the crimson cushions of tonight’s packed theaters.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
“It's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts.”--Draco Malfoy
Released: November 16, 2001
Gross: $974,700,000 (Worldwide)
Director: Christopher Columbus
Plot: Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), the “Boy Who Lived,” leaves the Dursley family to embark on his first year at the magical wizardry academy, Hogwarts. There, he forms close bonds with Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and discovers one of Hogwarts’ many hidden mysteries: the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Memorable Quotes:
Hermione: Now if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed - or worse, expelled.
Trivia:
Daniel Radcliffe was in the bath tub when he received news that he’d gotten the part of Harry Potter.
Richard Harris intended to turn down the role of Dumbledore until his granddaughter promised to never speak to him again if he did.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Director: Christopher Columbus
Plot: Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), the “Boy Who Lived,” leaves the Dursley family to embark on his first year at the magical wizardry academy, Hogwarts. There, he forms close bonds with Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and discovers one of Hogwarts’ many hidden mysteries: the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Memorable Quotes:
Hermione: Now if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed - or worse, expelled.
Trivia:
Daniel Radcliffe was in the bath tub when he received news that he’d gotten the part of Harry Potter.
Richard Harris intended to turn down the role of Dumbledore until his granddaughter promised to never speak to him again if he did.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
“It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices.”--Dumbledore
Released: November 15, 2002
Released: November 15, 2002
Gross: $876,688,482 (Worldwide)
Director: Christopher Columbus
Plot: Hogwarts is in uproar in Harry’s second year as rumors abound that the Chamber of Secrets has been reopened, with promise to kill all without a pure line of magical parentage. Harry must solve the mystery of the Chamber as well as Tom Riddle’s Diary, which responds when written in, and the truth about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh)
Memorable Quotes:
Tom Riddle: Haven't I told you? Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me any more. For many months now, my new target has been you.
Ron: Follow the spiders? Follow the spiders?! Why couldn't it be "follow the butterflies"?
Trivia:
Hugh Grant was originally cast to play Gilderoy Lockhart.
Richard Harris (Dumbledore) died a few weeks before the film’s release.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“When in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin.”--Dumbledore
Director: Christopher Columbus
Plot: Hogwarts is in uproar in Harry’s second year as rumors abound that the Chamber of Secrets has been reopened, with promise to kill all without a pure line of magical parentage. Harry must solve the mystery of the Chamber as well as Tom Riddle’s Diary, which responds when written in, and the truth about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh)
Memorable Quotes:
Tom Riddle: Haven't I told you? Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me any more. For many months now, my new target has been you.
Ron: Follow the spiders? Follow the spiders?! Why couldn't it be "follow the butterflies"?
Trivia:
Hugh Grant was originally cast to play Gilderoy Lockhart.
Richard Harris (Dumbledore) died a few weeks before the film’s release.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
“When in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin.”--Dumbledore
Gross: $761,300,818 (Worldwide)
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Plot: Harry discovers that Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), a newly escaped prisoner from the wizard prison Azkaban is out to kill him in the name of the Dark Lord. Back at Hogwarts, an army of Dementors, terrifying shrouds traditionally stationed at Azkaban, have set up a perimeter to protect the school. With the help of a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor (David Thewlis), Harry must learn to defend himself against the paralyzing presence of the Dementors, as well as discover the surprising link between Black and his family.
Memorable Quotes:
Dumbledore: A word of caution: dementors are vicious creatures. They will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in there way. Therefore I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. It's not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving. But you know happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.
Sirius Black: Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, more than once, James suggested that I make the change permanent. The tail I could live with. But the fleas? They're murder.
Trivia:The cast was told that Honeydukes, the sweet shop, was coated completely in lacquer to keep the children from taking the candy decorations.
Sirius Black’s tattoos are actually borrowed from Russian prison gangs.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“It was old magic, something I should have foreseen. But no matter, no matter, things have changed. I CAN TOUCH YOU... NOW!”--Voldemort
Released: November 18, 2005
Gross: $895,921,036 (Worldwide)
Director: Mike Newell
Plot: The Triwizard Tournament comes to Hogwarts--and this year, it has a surprise. The Goblet of Fire responsible for selecting the Hogwarts champions selects two: Harry, and Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson). The two wizards match against Fleur Delacour (Clémence Poésy) and Viktor Krum (Stanislav Ianevski) to win the prize, but at what cost?
Memorable Quotes:
Professor McGonagall: Now, Mr. Weasley, put your right hand on my waist. Ron: Whaaa?
Harry: Why do they have to travel in packs? And how are you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?
Trivia:
Over 3,000 girls auditioned for the part of Cho Chang.
In the scene where Hermione descends the stairs in a beautiful dress, Emma Watson tripped and fell down the stairs in one take.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
“Besides, the world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on.”--Sirius Black
Released: July 11, 2007
Gross: $938,212,738 (Worldwide)
Director: David Yates
Plot: With most of the wizarding world in denial about the return of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), Harry begins his fifth year at Hogwarts to find the school has a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, the sadistic Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton). Without the school’s help, Harry and his friends must find their own way to prepare themselves and their peers for the impending battle against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, like the newly escaped Azkaban prisoner, Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter).
Memorable Quotes:
Hermione: He really is out there, isn’t he? We’ve got to be able to defend ourselves. And if Umbridge refuses to teach us how, we need someone who will.
Dolores Umbridge: As I told you, Mr. Potter, naughty children deserve to be punished.
Trivia:
In nearly every trailer for the film, Dumbledore tells Harry, “Don’t fight him, Harry, you can’t win.” However, this line is not featured in the final cut of the film.
While the book Order of the Phoenix was the longest, the film is the shortest of the series.
Order of the Phoenix was the only movie not penned by Steve Kloves.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
“Times like these, dark times, they do funny things to people. They can tear them apart.”--Arthur Weasley
Released: July 15, 2009
Gross: $933,959,197 (Worldwide)
Director: David Yates
Plot: In his sixth year at Hogwarts, Harry discovers an annotated Potions book belonging to the “Half-blood Prince” that permits him to excel in classes and leads him to a dark secret. In the meantime, dark things are brewing at the school, and Harry must ascertain what the Death Eaters are planning to save his classmates and determine the fate of the wizarding world.
Memorable Quotes:
Dumbledore: Did I know that I just met the most dangerous dark wizard of all time? No.
Trivia:
Guillermo del Toro was considered to direct the film.
The shooting script originally contained a line where Dumbledore referenced a crush on a girl he’d had. J.K. Rowling edited the line due to the later-revealed fact that Dumbledore was, in fact, gay.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
“Together, they make the Deathly Hallows. Together, they make one master of death.”--Xenophilius Lovegood
Released: November 19, 2010
Gross: $954,000,000 (Worldwide)
Director: David Yates
Plot: With Dumbledore gone, Harry races to destroy the Horcruxes before Voldemort can further his invasion of the wizarding and muggle world.
Memorable Quotes:
Dobby: Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!
Trivia:
M. Night Shyamalan indicated interest in directing the film.
Over 500 wands were constructed for the film.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Released: July 15, 2011
Gross: TBD
Director: David Yates
Plot: Harry continues the search for the Horcruxes and returns to Hogwarts for the final showdown.
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