Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

2010, Rated PG-13, 146 Minutes, Directed by David Yates, Produced by Lionel Wigram, Screenplay by Steve Kloves based on the novel by J.K. Rowling, Cinematography by Eduardo Serra, Original Music by Alexandre Desplat

With: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grind (Ron Weasley), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange)

I left the theater feeling slightly disappointed; part one of the most successful franchise in history had left me wanting so much more. It often felt slow and more introspective than the in your face adventure you might expect from Harry and his friends trying to save the wizarding world, no, all of humanity from the evil exploits of Lord Voldemort. As time wore on, however, I grew to appreciate the finer qualities of the film and even more the finer qualities of the story itself. Rowling’s story, Kloves screenplay and Yates movie proved itself to be a thoroughly satisfying penultimate film in the Harry Potter series.

How to Train Your Dragon

2010, Rated PG, 98 minutes, Directed by Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders,  Written by, William Davies, based on the novel by Cressida Cowell, Produced by Kristine Belson & Tim Johnson, Original Music by John Powell

With: Jay Baruchel (Hiccup), Gerard Butler (Stoick), Craig Ferguson (Gobber), America Ferrera (Astrid), Jonah Hill (Snotlout), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Fishlegs)

For whatever reason, I seem to have developed a June pattern for animated children’s films. I suppose it has something to do with the summer feel and remembering the wonderful days of summer childhood. Whatever the reason may be I had the opportunity to see How to Train Your Dragon in theaters. The movie, which takes place in a land of storied Vikings and mythical dragons, is a mostly entertaining film with great visuals and a decent cast.

Salt

2010, Rated PG-13, 100 minutes, Directed by Phillip Noyce, Written by Kurt Wimmer, Produced by, Lorenzo di Bonaventura & Sunil Perkash, Cinematography by Robert Elswit, Original Music by James Howard

With: Angelina  Jolie (Evelyn Salt), Liev Schreiber (Ted Winter), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Peabody), Daniel Olbrychski (Orlov)

It is only fitting that just weeks after 11 Russian sleeper spies were captured and exchanged, that a movie would come out that delves deep into the idea of Russian sleeper spies. You can’t pay for that kind of marketing. Fortunately for the movie, Evelyn Salt, instead of being a housewife in the suburbs, is a highly trained CIA agent, which makes the movie much more interesting. Unfortunately the well done action sequences do not make up for the uneven and jumpy plot line, and poor character development.

Inception

2010, Rated PG-13, 148 minutes, Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan, Produced by Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas, Cinematography by Wally Pfister, Original Music by Hans Zimmer

With: Leonardo DiCaprio (Cobb), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Arthur), Ellen Page (Ariadne), Tom Hardy (Eames), Ken Watanabe (Saito), Dileep Rao (Yusuf), Cillian Murphy (Robert Fischer Jr.), Tom Berenger (Browning), Marion Cotillard (Mal)

My head was still reeling with excitement and wonderment as I exited the theater.  It had been a long time since I had so much tense energy built up  after a movie. I almost could not contain myself (I will say I was talking quiet loudly on the way out of the theater). Inception takes place in a world that we quite literally only dream of. Christopher Nolan finally got his chance to build a dream world onscreen and his tight direction and storytelling soared amidst the chaotic world of the dreaming human mind.

Knight and Day

2010, Rated PG-13, 109 minutes, Directed by James Mangold, Written by Patrick O’Neill, Produced by Arnon Milchan, Cinematography by Phedon Papmichael, Original Music by John Powell

With: Tom Cruise (Roy Miller), Cameron Diaz (June Havens), Peter Sarsgaard (Fitzgerald), Jordi Molla (Antonio), Viola Davis (Director George), Simon Feck (Paul Dano)

We’re in the heat (figuratively and literally) of summer blockbuster season and Knight and Day fits quite well amidst the competition. It is a true action comedy flick that has a decent balance between the two genres. While the plot could have been much more hashed out and better developed, as opposed its jumpy scene changes that span half of the northern, and perhaps some of the southern, hemisphere, it makes up for this with the wonderful acting and chemistry between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. It is an engaging film that, although it does not stand out as a cinematic masterpiece is a fun movie that provides a welcome respite from the heat of the summer.

Robin Hood

2010, Rated PG-13, 140 minutes Directed by Ridley Scott, Written by Brian Helgeland, Produced by Ridley Scott, Cinematography by John Mathieson, Original Music by Marc Streitenfeld

With: Russell Crowe (Robin Longstride), Cate Blanchett (Marion Loxley), Max von Sydow (Sir Walter Loxley), William Hurg (William Marshal), Mark Strong (Godfrey), Oscaar Isaac (Prince John), Danny Huston (King Richard the Lionheart), Mark Addy (Friar Tuck), Matthew Macfaydyen (Sheriff of Nottingham), Kevin Durand (Little John), Scott Grimes (Will Scarlet)

The Robin Hood Project at the University of Rochester compiled a list in 2003 of 50 different feature films about Robin Hood. Ridley Scott’s aptly titled Robin Hood is yet another addition in an already extensive filmography. Based on my own viewing of various Robin Hood films (which is a fraction of the movies on the list), Scott does manage to stake a claim on new territory in the story. He answers the question, how did Robin Hood become Robin Hood, the notorious outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. While Scott does contribute a unique origin story, the movie itself is average fare with less original cinematic qualities.

Iron Man 2

2010, Rated PG-13, 124 minutes, Directed by Jon Favreau, produced by Jon Favreau and many others, Screenplay by  Justin Theroux based on the Marvel comic book, Cinematograhpy by Matthew Ligatique, Original Music by John Debney

With: Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark), Don Cheadle (Lt. Col James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine), Scarlett Johansson (Natalie Rushman/Black Widow), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Sam Rockwell (Justin Hammer), Mickey Rourke (Ivan Vanko/Whiplash), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Jon Favreau (Happy Hogan)

The original Iron Man was considered a breath of fresh air in the superhero action movie genre. It was a surprise hit with a light hearted feel, great action, and wonderful and witty dialogue. Iron Man 2 comes with much higher expectations than the first one: bring more of the same fresh air but do it in a new and exciting way that does not stray too far from the original. While Iron Man 2 is an action packed movie with great new characters, it does not break out ahead of the original and even creates a much darker tone that gives it a much less original feel.

Kick-Ass

2010, Rated R, 117 minutes Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Written by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn based on the graphic novel by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., Produced by Adam Bohling, Matthew Vaughn and others, Cinematography by Ben Davis, Original Music by Marius De Vries, Ilan Eshkeri, Henry Jackman, & John Murphy

With: Aaron Johnson (Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass), Lyndsy Fonseca (Katie Deauxma), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Chris D’Amico/Red Mist), Mark Strong (Frrank D’Amico), Chloe Moretz (Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl), Nicolas Cage (Damon Macready/Big Daddy)

Superhero movies have been around for long time. In the past 10 years they have become assured box office success raking in hundreds of millions each. The majority of these films tackles a standard plot of a superhero taking the law into his own hands to clean up the city or exact revenge. Kick Ass, the latest movie adapted from a graphic novel, creates a new premise around the typical superhero plot. The protagonist is no longer a superhero but instead an average teenage boy, a neurotic father and his young daughter. Kick Ass is a new direction in the superhero drama that also represents the progressively more violent and shocking nature of today’s entertainment industry.

Tron

 

1982, Rated PG, 96 minutes, Directed by Steven Lisberger, Written by Steven Lisberger & Bonnie MacBird, Produced by Donald Kushner & Ron Miller, Cinematography by Bruce Logan, Original Music by Wendy Carlos

With: Jeff Bridges (Kevin Flynn), Bruce Boxleitner (Alan Bradley), David Warner (Ed Dillinger), Cindy Morgan (Lora)

Tron takes you into the world of computer programs and video games...literally. It takes place in 1982 when video games were getting their start and computers were beginning to tackle more functions and responsibility. Tron dazzles the eye with bright colors and captures the imagination in its immersive virtual reality.

In 1982, video games were just beginning to enter the mass market from the exclusive entertainment world where they started. Tron gives a bigger picture of that world from the inside out. Tron gives life to the virtual world behind the screen by creating people who do the fighting and obey the commands of their outer world users. The movie uses a simple and engaging plot to address issues of technology, corporations, greed and power.