Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. 3D

I watched this in 3D, despite knowing it was converted, because I thought it would feature a Wile E. Coyote-Road Runner short, which was supposed to come out with The Deathly Hallows Part 1. But since Warner Bros. didn't release that film in 3D, they just released the 3D short with Yogi Bear. Which of course I did not watch. Bummer.

Anyway, something good actually came out of watching this in converted 3D. I have realized that converted 3D isn't all that bad. Why? Because it's fake. Hold up, let me explain.

When you shoot in 3D (using two cameras), you are mimicking human binocular vision. So unless the stereographer does hyperstereo shots (meaning intense, unnatural 3D), the viewer will see the scene the way he sees real life. And after several minutes of looking at a scene which looks like real life, you'll forget you're watching a 3D flick. That is why we need hyperstereo─to jolt us out of our boring reality.

Converted 3D, on the other hand, is so fake, you know it's not real. Which is actually better, because you won't get used to it, and you'll be going, "Oh look, it's actually 3D" every couple of minutes. So it's basically like the filmmakers never want you to forget that you're watching 3D, so they show you crappy converted 3D, which actually has a better stereo effect than non-hyperstereo.

"You lost me at 'stereographer'."

So on to the regular review.

Now that the Harry Potter franchise is over, let us take a moment of silence and remember everything we've lost.

Matthew Lewis' Baby Fat

The Elder Wand

The Resurrection Stone

Quidditch

Voldemort's "No Hug" Policy

Fans Lining Up For the Movie

Tom Felton's Hairline

*Some info from IMDb
pics from Pop Culture Zoo, Tumblr, Swoonworthy, Your Props, Google Search, Blogspot, J-14, and Reuters



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow: Part 2. UK/USA. 2011.


Rating: Seven out of ten.
3D-ness: Six and a half out of ten.



You may also want to check out the other reviews of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 by Sue Denim and Mary Quite Contrary.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

THE LONG GOODBYE


I watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the last of the series, on Day One of its world release, and again two days ago. The movie had HP fans crying (no, I'm not referring to myself), and not because of what was going onscreen. It was their long goodbye to childhood coming to an end.

Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was all the action left out in the first part. Ultimately, the series ended with a quiet that didn't show much rejoicing, but rather like a sigh of relief when a heavy burden is lifted. I approve of this direction. It serves to balance the heavy bulk of action. You can see it used as a transition from the aftermath to their 11-year-old selves, as they escort their own children to the train station that first intertwined their friendships and eventually, their fates.

Casting has always been one of the stronger points of the Harry Potter movies. Snape, played by Alan Rickman for the entire stretch of the series, shined brightly in this last one. The misjudged. The underdog. The hopeless romantic. I loved him as a villain and I love him even more in this twist. He gets to have heart-wrenching breakdown scenes as the good guy while able to shift to the coldness of his old character in fluidity. Its crazy beautiful! The second movie of Deathly Hallows could have been named Harry Potter and Severus Snape, and I wouldn't mind. Another fine revelation is Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom, who has grown from a nerdy kid to a promising ruggedness reminiscent of Clive Owen.

Truth be told, I got fed up with the books because of the major letdown after Goblet of Fire (Book 4). I think it was also a financial move that the books were stretched to seven books, to kick back out of the worldwide demand of the HP generation. Anyway, the narrative development was growing old and it didn't sit well with my budding artsy-fartsy brow back in college. That was what growing out of something felt like. Or maybe Book 4 just had my hopes up too high, left unmatched by the rest of the series? Maybe. Still, it was a huge chunk of my childhood, and I felt teary-eyed knowing that a decade was spent with Harry Potter in my life, and knowing how the books helped me deal with preteen angst towards the gargoyles I live with (I mean it, they really do look like gargoyles). The child, as a wizard, gives the other child-wizards a chance to have control over an adult-dominated world, to level with the adults whenever their authority becomes abusive and unbearable. Not all parents or guardians have the capacity or desire to nurture others. Unlike children, who know instinctively how to be children, it seems parental instinct is hard to come by these days (a.k.a. my theory of the overwhelming success of the HP series).

From a boy who once lived in a cupboard under the stairs, Harry Potter gave children a world where they are called upon and are seen in the promise of what they could be, rather than whisked away and treated like a nuisance. All children around the age of ten who grew up reading the books must've felt a tingling in their hearts: "Maybe I am a wizard!" I know I did.



You may also want to check out the other reviews of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 by Sue Denim and Sting Lacson.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

It's time to stop delaying the inevitable. 

Seven, books, eight films, more than a decade of the magic that is the Harry Potter universe. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 was the calm before the storm and the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2  is the big, grand, epic finale. But allow me to rant a bit:

Spoilers abound. But really, who doesn't have even the slightest idea?

Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) gigling "I've always wanted to use that spell" is, I think, completely out of character. Granted the Hogwarts' Deputy Headministress has a bit of punk in her persona, she has more sense than that, especially knowing that all hell is about to break loose.

But it was a blast to see her and Mrs. Weasly kick ass.

The before-we-die kiss between Ginny (Bonnie Wright) and Harry (Daniel Radcliff) was forgettable. And so was Ginny, which is a bit sad. And speaking of kisses, the most awaited kiss between Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermoine (Emma Watson) would have been nice if the camera showed the lip-lock.

And not just "the most awaited" shot of Ron's red hair. Pffft.

Overall, it feels a bit rushed. Although I agree that the cameras should follow Harry and Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), I felt a little robbed of the essential aspects of the Battle of Hogwarts. The whole grand battle is seen more in a macro scale: You see the massive number of Death Eaters and giants storm the castle, but we miss out on seeing Fred (Oliver or James Phelps?), Remus (David Thewlis) and Tonks (Natalie Lena) die. I thought the whole idea of splitting the book into two films was to be able to have time to show what counts, be it the magnificent special effects or the gravity of emotions that the story holds.

That's it, I swear, no more rants.

But all that said and let go, it may very well be a fitting end to the Happy Potterverse. I maybe just expected that it'll be too faithful to the book (Yes, I know films are different!). But it's not at all bad. Not bad at all.

My eyes were dry up until the scenes after this.  

The child actors have grown physically into and connected with their roles and it's evident that they gained experience acting side-by-side with most talented actors. Fiennes was really effectively evil. Bonham Carter playfully displayed her acting range. Ciaran Hinds as Aberforth Dumbledore and Kelly MacDonald as Helena Ravenclaw were unexpectedly awesomely cool. Special mention, though, to Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape, who as an actor and a complex character really stole the show for me.

"Eee-qual-ly..." guilty of making the audience sob in terror.   

It's bittersweet to bid farewell to Harry, Ron, Emma, Draco (Tom Felton) Neville (Matthew Lewis, who has a bit of a Clive Owen-feel now that he has shed the baby fat and has facial hair, plus a good sense of British humor), Ginny, and Luna (Evanna Lynch), and to Hogwarts and The Burrow. But as J.K. Rowling said, "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome us home."


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 gets an eight out of ten because Snape made me cry and because it is the last of its kind and we will all miss it. And because the child actors in the series kinda grew up fairly decent.


*Photos from daemonsmovies.com



You may also want to check out the other reviews of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 by Mary Quite Contrary and Sting Lacson.

Ten Life-Changing Films

(Published in the Philippine STAR, p. Q-2, 10 Oct 2010.)


I have been asked to come up with a list of ten films that inspire change. All for the greater glory of mankind. This forced me to think then if I should enumerate the standard, feel-good, awe-inspiring movies that will make you want to change the world after watching it. There are lots of those, of course, like Schindler's List, or Gandhi. But then these are films about people who caused change. Inspiring though I'm sure they were, the films themselves did not really inspire the change. What I am looking for is the cinematic equivalent of Noli Me Tangere, a film that has actually caused change, and not simply a film about causing change.

There are some films that I would want to include here, but although they have caused change, those changes were not for the greater good. One example is The Godfather, a case of life imitating art imitating life. Modern day mob practices were actually inspired by this movie, with several high-profile mob bosses claiming to be huge fans of The Godfather. But since it’s about organized crime, which is a bad thing, it does not make it to this list.

And since this is just a straight-up enumeration, I will not be ranking the films. This is, after all, not a Top Ten list; just a list of ten films that have caused change. And for a semblance of order, I shall list the films in chronological order, from the earliest to the latest.

Bagets (1984)

I did not want to complete this list without mentioning at least one Filipino film. Fresh from the shackles of martial law, Philippine cinema finally gives the Filipino youth a chance to stretch their legs. Bagets gave birth to the matinee idols of the eighties, influencing everything from fashion to speech, and it has actually succeeded in making youth-oriented movies very popular at the box office, unlike the serious adult-oriented films of the seventies.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Destroying Hocruxes can't be too boring, right?

I just finished the seven Happy Potter books just a few hours before stepping in the cinema to watch this. I'm not comparing book vs. film, but it's nice to note that this film (and maybe also Part 2 together) might be the one of the closest to the books.

In the seventh film of the Happy Potter series, we see Harry set to continue the task Professor Dumbledore left him. With best pals Hermoine and Ron, their journey outside Hogwarts leads them face-to-face with kinds of magic they, or even the members of the Order of the Phoenix, have never known before. But they have to find and destroy the Hocruxes in order to defeat Voldemort once and for all.

We have loads packed in our tiny rucksacks.

Kudos, of course, to the cast—and this means not just the three leads—because they have all done their part well. Great job especially though to Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint who had grown up with their characters. Rupert, who I think as Ron, is so hilarious in the absence of Fred and George Weasley's screen time. Emma has several very fashionable pieces of wardrobe, as Hermoine travels with a small bag with undetectable extension charms. Brilliantly done, mainly so because she has to look good being the only girl in the trio—she looked amazing! And Daniel has grown to be an actor I think we will see more of after the series ends.

I wonder if this top will look good on me? Hmmm.

But as a stand-alone movie, it dragged on for more than two hours without an obvious climax. And this is so because, of course, splitting the plot of the seventh book means splitting the story. And it's only natural to have the climax at the end of the film series which is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. I would have waited for the second part and watched them in a marathon for a better movie experience. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, sad to say, elicits not much of a rave as a movie, except that it sets the stage for July next year. That, I expect, will complete the Happy Potter series on a high note. Because no matter how the books were adapted into movies, it's no denying that it's a great epic story. I honestly can't wait for Part 2!


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 gets six out of ten, for staying true to the well-written narrative, being hyped all over, and extending the wait for the very last installment.


P.S. If one's going to argue that an elf's death is a climax-denouement, then I say otherwise. It could have been that for Part 1 if the preceding scenes were treated with heightened emotions, effects, action, music, and what have you. But it doesn't feel so. It was just as it was presented in the book, a sort of subclimax.


*photos from www.listal.com

November's Harry Potter Not in 3D

The three Potter actors furious about the 2D release

Okay, this may be a bit late, but yes, you heard it right. The seventh Harry Potter film will only be in 2D and IMAX, according to this article.

For those of you too lazy to click on hyperlinks, here's what it basically says: The 3D conversion will not be done in time for the November release of The Deathly Hallows Part 1. They'd rather release on time to please the waiting fans than push back the release date.

On the comments thread of that same article, a certain Mr. Scott Brooks has captured my feelings exactly:

Good. Take your 3D conversions and shove it.

Couldn't have said it better.

But the question now is: When will they release the third Road Runner and Coyote 3D short? It was supposed to be released with this film. And I was honestly looking forward to Road Runner vs Coyote more than Harry Potter vs Lord Voldemort. 

*info from Coming Soon

pic from Fanpop

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

"No, Miss Granger, I have no potion to improve acting."

(Boo to Claire for not reviewing this despite watching it first.)

They say this is like The Dark Knight of the Harry Potter franchise. I say not really.

Okay, first thing's first. Let's get the adaptation issue out of the way.

This is already the sixth Potter adaptation. Everyone should know by now that the movie is not like the book. There are some exceptions, of course, but as a general rule, do not expect the movie version to be a hundred percent faithful to the adapted source.

So what can I say about Half-Blood Prince? It's darker. Edgier. Less action than Order of the Phoenix, but we have more flashbacks of Tom Riddle, which makes it a treat for fans of the book.

Emma Watson and Bonnie Wright are getting prettier and prettier. But sadly, Emma Watson's acting hasn't improved much. Just a little. She doesn't overact that much anymore. Daniel Radcliffe's acting has improved a lot. And Rupert Grint is always good.

On the adults' performances, Mrs. Tim Burton a.k.a. Helena Bonham Carter is in her element as usual, while Jim Broadbent is excellent as Professor Horace Slughorn. Alan Rickman is still the best. And Michael Gambon tends to look like Gandalf the Grey in a lot of shots. Must be the hair. And the beard. Or both.

This reminds me of something Homer Simpson once said: "No man should outlive his fictional wizard." Which is exactly what I felt when Dumbledore, you know, died.

Again, they say this is The Dark Knight of the Potter franchise. And I say The Dark Knight does not have any teeny-bopper romance going on every fifteen minutes or so.


*some info from IMDb
pic from movies.msn.com


Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. UK. 2009.


Rating: Seven and a half out of ten.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

The American cover of The Deathly Hallows. No, I can't come up with a funny caption.

A fitting end to a great series.

The body count may be too much to handle for children, but then again, this is no longer a children's book. This has come a long, long way from The Sorcerer's Stone. Some would call it young adult fiction, but who cares? It's a great story, a great saga, and I would even dare to put it up along the likes of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey (go ahead literature critics, hit me!), with none of that "Harry-Potter-is-Jesus-Christ" theme that some people keep insisting.

Rowling does an excellent job of tying loose ends together, incorporating what you thought to be minor characters into the plot, thereby giving closure to─again─one GREAT saga.

This is magic, witchcraft and wizardry at its best. It is worth the long wait, and no, you wouldn't be asking for an eighth book. Seven is enough. It is after all the most powerful magical number.

(DO NOT READ THIS BOOK WITHOUT READING THE FIRST SIX.)


Five stars.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

"One more take, please? Didn't stick my tongue out too much."

By now, everyone should have realized that it is very rare for a movie adaptation to be exactly like the book. This film is no different. Movie adaptations should only be either one of two things: as good as the book, or better. I would like to congratulate David Yates for a visually somber look, complementing the darkness of the story itself. Order of the Phoenix, compared to the other movies, utilizes the most magic, with an excellent representation of the Ministry of Magic, as well as the Weasley’s Skiving Snackboxes and their awesome fireworks display. The juvenile actors have shown some improvement, especially Daniel Radcliffe, whose angst-filled Potter takes center stage. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley is terrific as usual, while Emma Watson still has to work on her overacting. The adults, meanwhile, give the film its darkest edge, with Gary Oldman taking the lead (when will this man win an Oscar?) and Helena Bonham-Carter making her wizarding debut as the twisted Bellatrix Lestrange. Of course, there is no need to mention Ralph Fiennes, who gave a five-star performance as Lord Voldemort. Alan Rickman has never failed to deliver an extremely despicable Severus Snape, and we can expect his splendid performance for The Half-Blood Prince.

Note: Mrs. Arabella Figg was played by the actress who also played Cleopatra’s nanny in HBO’s Rome.

Three stars.