Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Full Movie Download

Sean Anderson partners with his mom's husband on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.

Director:

 Brad Peyton

Writers:

 Brian Gunn (screenplay), Mark Gunn(screenplay), 

Stars:

 Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine.

Storyline

The 17-year-old Sean Anderson receives a coded signal and his stepfather Hank helps him to decipher the message. They find that Sean's grandfather Alexander Anderson has found the mysterious island in the Pacific described by Jules Verne and two other writers in their novels. The stubborn Sean wants to travel to the coordinates and Hank decides to buy the tickets and travel with the teenager to a small island nearby the location. They rent an old helicopter owned by the locals Gabato and his teenage daughter Kailani and the group heads to the unknown spot. Along their journey, they cross a hurricane and crash on the island. They find a beautiful and dangerous place, surrounded by forests, volcanoes with lava of gold and menacing life forms. They also meet the old Alexander and Hank discovers that the island is sinking. Now their only chance to survive is to find the legendary Nautilus.

Journey 2 Movie Reviews

"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is a blue-screen CGI extravaganza that is mixed in with the picturesque Hawaii locations, but containing a plot that is essentially all told in the trailer and presented with the dynamics of an amusement park tour. The "2" in "Journey 2" is because it is the sequel to the 2008 movie "Journey to the Center of the Earth"; the "The Mysterious Island" in the title because both movies are both derived from books by Jules Verne. 

Watching "Journey 2" is like being stuck in a vacation with five slightly unpleasant people with slightly uncomfortable dynamics between. Sean (Hutcherson) is bratty and overly entitled, Hank (Johnson) his stepfather and Alexander (Caine) his grandfather are constantly bickering, the tour guide Gabato (Guzman) is overly emasculated and his daughter Kailani (Hudgens) surly.

The 3D, the CGI of the island and the sets are perhaps main draw of the movie. We see elephants as big as cats and bees as big as cars. The effects are mostly impressive all around but it never manages to find the right pace or impact because it just comes in one after another without the dramatic tension. It's hard to care about the perils or be in awe at what's shown when the characters are so thin.

After watching the movie, I get this feeling that the Rock had way too much creative input in the movie. His absurd peck joke from the trailer aside, his character is a prize-winning Navy cryptographer who also knows structural engineering and who can also play a mean ukulele and really hold down a tune (although awful singing truth be told); This all hints at the big guy pretending to be smart and sensitive. Combine this with the almost palpable resentment between him and Caine and the sickening obsequiousness of Guzman towards him, it just feels uncomfortable.

While the movie is impressive as a 3D CGI set piece, it is severely let down by the characters. A lot of kids/family movies lately have this undertone of spoiled rich American kid gets everything he wants but this movie does this in a very ugly way. Kids will overlook all these flaws in the movie and be mesmerized by the 3D and special effects but I think adults would find it a bit pointless and uncomfortable. Empty entertainment for kids is my view of this movie.

Iron Man Full Movie Download

After being held captive in an Afghan cave, an industrialist creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.

Director:

 Jon Favreau

Writers:

 Mark Fergus (screenplay), Hawk Ostby(screenplay), 

Stars:

 Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard.

Storyline

Tony Stark. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Son of legendary inventor and weapons contractor Howard Stark. When Tony Stark is assigned to give a weapons presentation to an Iraqi unit led by Lt. Col. James Rhodes, he's given a ride on enemy lines. That ride ends badly when Stark's Humvee that he's riding in is attacked by enemy combatants. He survives - barely - with a chest full of shrapnel and a car battery attached to his heart. In order to survive he comes up with a way to miniaturize the battery and figures out that the battery can power something else. Thus Iron Man is born. He uses the primitive device to escape from the cave in Iraq. Once back home, he then begins work on perfecting the Iron Man suit. But the man who was put in charge of Stark Industries has plans of his own to take over Tony's technology for other matters.

Iron Man Movie Reviews

Fortunately, I'm not one easily influenced by some users' negative comments. These people should try to restrain their bias opinions and try to review the movies as neutrally as possible.

Now I would say that this movie has slow but steady momentum-building. It is a movie for people who has never known Iron Man in the comic series. The characters are given names and personalities, true to their comic book counterparts.

Acting was among the best comic-turn movie I have seen so far. Effects were believable and not overwhelmingly CGI, except for the tank scene.

This movie, however, has sequel written all over it. We know that because there are many scenes that could have lead to more.

It's well worth its ticket price.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Full Movie Download

When Sid's attempt to adopt three dinosaur eggs gets him abducted by their real mother to an underground lost world, his friends attempt to rescue him.

Directors:

 Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier

Writers:

 Peter Ackerman (screenplay), Michael Berg(screenplay),

Stars:

 Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary.

Storyline

After the events of "Ice Age: The Meltdown", life begins to change for Manny and his friends: Scrat is still on the hunt to hold onto his beloved acorn, while finding a possible romance in a female sabre-toothed squirrel named Scratte. Manny and Ellie, having since become an item, are expecting a baby, which leaves Manny anxious to ensure that everything is perfect for when his baby arrives. Diego is fed up with being treated like a house-cat and ponders the notion that he is becoming too laid-back. Sid begins to wish for a family of his own, and so steals some dinosaur eggs which leads to Sid ending up in a strange underground world where his herd must rescue him, while dodging dinosaurs and facing danger left and right, and meeting up with a one-eyed weasel known as Buck who hunts dinosaurs intently.

Ice Age Movie Reviews

I haven't had so many laff-out-loud moments in a movie for a long time. There's about an even mix of verbal and visual gags in this 3rd installment of the Ice Age family saga, they're all fresh instead of hackneyed, and they all work. You wouldn't think a film set in the age of mammoths would be able to run a parody of the old "red wire vs. blue wire" time-bomb scenario, but they find an ingenious way to do it.

Now those among you who haven't fallen prey to creationism are well aware that mammoths are very large mammals (and hence quite recent in geological time), while the last of the dinosaurs went extinct 65,000,000 years ago. So how does the plot explain their coexistence? Well, it seems that there's this entire hidden tropical world underneath the eponymous ice, and our heroes literally fall into it. (Don't overthink it.)

Suddenly Manny the mammoth and his pregnant mate Ellie discover that they're not only not the largest creatures on Earth, as they'd thot, but actually pretty petite compared to the Mama T. Rex, who in turn has to look up to Dad. It's a classic tale of nature red in tooth and claw, except for nobody actually getting eaten. (Well, several critters are swallowed whole but subsequently disgorged, slimy with saliva but basically unhurt; family film, y'know.)

The animation is terrific. Judging from the end credits, apparently the Astor beaver trade, long thot to be extinct, has experienced a renaissance in the animated-fur factories of California. Dino babies and mammal kids are ridiculously endearing. The 3-D is likewise terrific, well used where appropriate (especially in conveying a sense of scale for the underworld) but not overdone. The one carp I have is that 3-D simply does not lend itself to dissolves between scenes; I'm guessing the filmmakers figured this out themselves, as most of the time they used cuts.

The characters, familiar now from the 2 previous films, are well acted with distinctive personalities, and the comic-relief possums have an expanded role. New to the cast is Scratte, a long-lashed female squirrel who, in a running subplot (including mini-cartoons to both start and end the flik), vies with the iconic acorn for the undying devotion of Scrat. As a devotee of the tango, I particularly appreciated their version of it. Also new is Buck, a bold, intrepid, 1-eyed buccaneer of a weasel, voiced by Simon Pegg with British accent in full flower.

Really, it's amazing to realize how much stuff they managed to cram into barely an hour and a half. Never a dull moment, never a missed step. Why, then, does it not get my top rating? Not at all because, as a comedy, it doesn't deserve to be taken seriously. After all, Dogma was a comedy, and it maxed out on my rating scale. But Ice Age 3 wasn't quite an entire story, more a collection of loosely related parts. Every one of those parts was well done, tho; indeed, I'd gladly take any of them over the entire 2.5 hours of the noxious Transformers; sadly, this much better film probably won't do nearly as well at the box office. Too bad.

Spider-Man Full Movie Download

When bitten by a genetically modified spider, a nerdy, shy, and awkward high school student gains spider-like abilities that he eventually must use to fight evil as a superhero after tragedy befalls his family.

Director:

 Sam Raimi

Writers:

 Stan Lee (Marvel comic book), Steve Ditko(Marvel comic book),

Stars:

 Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe.

Storyline

Based on Marvel Comics' superhero character, this is a story of Peter Parker who is a nerdy high-schooler. He was orphaned as a child, bullied by jocks, and can't confess his crush for his stunning neighborhood girl Mary Jane Watson. To say his life is "miserable" is an understatement. But one day while on an excursion to a laboratory a runaway radioactive spider bites him... and his life changes in a way no one could have imagined. Peter acquires a muscle-bound physique, clear vision, ability to cling to surfaces and crawl over walls, shooting webs from his wrist ... but the fun isn't going to last. An eccentric millionaire Norman Osborn administers a performance enhancing drug on himself and his maniacal alter ego Green Goblin emerges. Now Peter Parker has to become Spider-Man and take Green Goblin to the task... or else Goblin will kill him. They come face to face and the war begins in which only one of them will survive at the end.

Spider-Man Movie Reviews

Poignant, fun and a faithful adaptation to the original comic book. I am very critical of comic book movies since I am a huge fan of the medium and was tremendously disappointed in the Superman and Batman movies (all of them, some greatly!). This film however has again demonstrated that an adaptation of a comic book story can be fun and faithful to the story, yet be a film for all ages and those who may not have ever even read a comic book. The Crow was the only other good comic book movie in my opinion, but it was not an all ages fun ride as this is!

I had the privilege of seeing the film last night, 4-30-02, in SF with the press and 300+ other folks for its "Bay Area Premiere".

The acting is the finest portion of the film with the leads giving us depth that I was unsure would be allowed by the style of story chosen. Maguire was outstanding at being a guy who can rarely catch a break, but attract difficulty with ease and aplomb. He is awkward with the woman he loves, but eloquent when dealing with the familiar, just as most teenagers are even today. He gave us wonderful joy at the prospect of "web swinging" and kicking some much deserved ass! Dafoe is wonderfully scary as the man who has succumbed to the power games of the corporate world that drives a decent man mad striving for perfection in himself while trying to hard to please all the wrong people to no avail and then being consumed by guilt that has built over the years of family neglect which finally helps to push him over the edge when an opportunity to make a huge mistake presents itself.

The rest of cast is nearly as spectacular with the J.K. Simmons turning in the best performance in the film as J. Jonah Jamason. When he appeared on screen things lite up even more and he was on fire making everyone in the audience laugh and myself nearly p** my pants. Harris as Aunt May and Robertson as Uncle Ben were excellent choices and gave the film a great deal of its credibility and finesse. Letting what happens to Ben and Peter (I am not telling) was wonderful and the best punctuation to what makes Peter do what he does and brings complete credibility to the story. I am not a huge Dunst fan, but she was just fine as the love of Peter Parker's life and a person much like Peter only neither was conscious of the fact. This to me is a more real version of "true love".

The script was far stronger than I expected with some wonderful dialog; verbal exchanges, solid plot points and pacing. Many a good parenting lesson can be found in this film as well as interesting thoughts about the choices that we make in life that we might think are no big deal when in the heat of passion, but may well come back to haunt us if we don't think before we act/speak: which is the trust of the film in my humble opinion.

The direction from Raimi was also much better than I anticipated coming from someone who is known (and loved) for his over the top camp and action. Many of the fight and action sequences where more "over done" than I like, but they were solid and much like a comic of the Silver Age from whence the story comes so it fit the film fine. Nice cinematography without the CGI taking over and detracting from the realism, in fact it made much of the web swinging truly believable. A few points made things a bit hard to "believe", but over all I think most folks will be able to suspend their disbelief.

Danny Elfman. Need I say more? He is the man when it comes to "super hero" music and is the closest thing to John Willams and the late great Bernard Herman there is today. He subtly sets the mood and most of the audience probably doesn't even realize it. Tomorrow is my day off and I will be purchasing the score to add to my collection!

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Full Movie Download

Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor's daughter, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead.

Director:

 Gore Verbinski

Writers:

 Ted Elliott (screen story), Terry Rossio (screen story),

Stars:

 Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom.

Storyline

This swash-buckling tale follows the quest of Captain Jack Sparrow, a savvy pirate, and Will Turner, a resourceful blacksmith, as they search for Elizabeth Swann. Elizabeth, the daughter of the governor and the love of Will's life, has been kidnapped by the feared Captain Barbossa. Little do they know, but the fierce and clever Barbossa has been cursed. He, along with his large crew, are under an ancient curse, doomed for eternity to neither live, nor die. That is, unless a blood sacrifice is made.

Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Reviews

Although I had expectations ( from watching the trailers ) that this might be a good movie, I was still surprised that it's as good as it is. The story is actually more complex than I had expected, involving cursed pirates and their quest to rid themselves of the curse. I won't say more than that so as not to spoil it if you haven't seen it.

There aren't as many action scenes as I had thought there would be in a pirate movie, but the ones that are in the movie were very fun and enjoyable. After seeing it, I think it had the right balance of action and drama. There are also, of course, a lot of funny bits interspersed between the action and drama. Some really good special effects also add to the enjoyment of this movie.

I wasn't much of a fan of Johnny Depp until I saw this movie. I think he deserved to win the Academy Award for best actor. It's largely because of his performance, IMO, that the movie was so good. Most of the supporting cast did well, mind you, just that Johnny Depp stood high above the rest. I did find Orlando Bloom's performance a bit wooden, but other than that the acting was good.

The Mummy Returns Full Movie Download

The mummified body of Imhotep is shipped to a museum in London, where he once again wakes and begins his campaign of rage and terror.

Director:

 Stephen Sommers

Writer:

 Stephen Sommers

Stars:

 Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah.

Storyline

Many years ago, in Ancient Egypt, the Scorpion King led a menacing army, but when he sold his soul to Anubis, he was erased from history. Now he is only a myth...or is he? Rick and Evelyn O'Connell are still discovering new artifacts, along with their 8 year old son Alex. They discover the Bracelet of Anubis. But someone else is after the bracelet. High Priest Imhotep has been brought back from the dead once again and wants the bracelet, to control the Scorpion King's army. That's not the only problem. Imhotep now has Alex and with the bracelet attached to him, doesn't have long to live.

The Mummy Returns Movie Reviews

After seeing "The Mummy" in the theaters for the first time two years ago, I knew I would be hooked. I've watched it about twenty times since then, and as many people know, this movie does not get boring or less funny after watching it numerous times, in fact, I think it gets more and more thrilling each time. I began hoping for a sequel to be released, and when I heard that one was in the making, I was relieved that they weren't going to end this great storyline with just one film. When "The Mummy Returns" was finally released in theaters, it didn't recieve very many good reviews right away. I was dissapointed because I didn't understand how Stephen Sommers could direct such a great movie classic and then totally botch a promising sequel. I let the reviews get to me and I didn't see the movie while in the theaters. I waited until this past weekend to watch TMR on pay-per-view not expecting much due to the bad reviews, but I soon found out that, boy, were some of those critics wrong.

Right from the opening scene I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed. The action, special effects, acting, comedy, and romance were all better than it's prequel in my opinion. The plot was a little confusing, and the Scorpion King graphic at the end looked like the same one used in the video game, but all in all it was an extremely fun and enjoyable movie. I actually found myself watching it three times in a row. I probably could have watched it 24 hours straight, but I didn't want to ruin it right away.

The SFX in TMR were outstanding. The pymies were so amazing, and the Anubis warriors were excellent as well. But, on to the greater aspects of the film. I thought that Jonathan, played by John Hannah, is one of the funniest characters ever, his one-liners are terrific, I was laughing out loud during his lines. Arnold Vosloo is great as the title character, but could have been more like the original, he was not as powerful in this film but was good anyway. Many people disliked Alex O'Connell, played by newcomer Freddie Boath, but I found him to be quite funny and likable. He had many great lines and was sarcastic when the film needed it. He is a cute kid and l hope he will have a good acting career. Oded Fehr is wonderful as Ardeth Bay. He keeps the heroes grounded.

Meela/Anck-su-namun, played by Patricia Velasquez has some good scenes, but I found her to be not as great as the rest of the cast. I wasn't really looking forward to seeing The Rock as the Scorpion King in this film, but he wasn't as bad as I thought, even though he was only it for about three minutes, I would have labled him as an extra. It was all hype for him. My favorite part of "The Mummy Returns" was the great chemistry between Brendan Fraser (Rick) and Rachel Weisz (Evie). They looked like an actual couple in this film, unlike other recent movies. This was why I liked this one better than the prequel. A little bit of romance was what was missing from the first 2/3 of "The Mummy", and I am so glad it was included much more in this film. Brendan Fraser is very easy on the eyes and he looks like a down-to-earth guy, not like a stereotypical moviestar. I think this is why the two seem so believeable in TMR, they are just two normal people who are still very beautiful people. I am glad they made Evie more attractive in TMR, she deserves to show off her pretty eyes. Rick is great because he is still the same sarcastic, wise-guy, handsome hero, who has all the females in the theater (including myself) drooling and sighing, that he was in the first mummy movie.

I hope that they will make another sequel with Fraser, Weisz, Hannah, Vosloo, Fehr, and Boath all included. They can't take out any of these characters without the movie being butchered. I probably won't see "The Scorpion King" since Brendan and Rachel, my favorite characters, won't be in it. I know there are many others just like me who love the romance in this film. I highly recommend this film to anyone who likes action, SFX, comedy, romance, and good clean fun. I would give this movie a 9.9 out of 10 points with the 0.1 being subtracted because it wasn't long enough to really explain the plot in more depth. When it ended, I wished it wasn't over. This goes in my top 5 movies of all time.

Guardians of the Galaxy Full Movie Download

A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe.

Director:

 James Gunn

Writers:

 James Gunn, Nicole Perlman,

Stars:

 Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper.

Storyline

After stealing a mysterious orb in the far reaches of outer space, Peter Quill from Earth, is now the main target of a manhunt led by the villain known as Ronan the Accuser. To help fight Ronan and his team and save the galaxy from his power, Quill creates a team of space heroes known as the "Guardians of the Galaxy" to save the world.

Guardians of the Galaxy Movie Reviews

I remember sitting in Hall H at Comic-Con two years ago, when Marvel first announced Guardians of the Galaxy. This came on the heels of the title reveals for Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Thor: The Dark World, and my initial reaction was one of utter confusion. What the hell was Guardians of the Galaxy? I was completely unfamiliar with the source material, and upon learning that the team featured a gun-wielding raccoon and a fighting tree creature whose could only speak a single phrase, I was even more puzzled.

Fast forward to Comic-Con 2013, when James Gunn appeared onstage in Hall H to showcase the first trailer for the film. It was so unlike anything Marvel had ever done before, so far outside the box that I immediately fell in love with it and couldn't wait to see more. Although that first trailer was well-received by the Comic-Con audience, the general public seemed to be scratching their heads in much the same way that I had when the film was first announced. Marvel fans would love this, no doubt, but could this bizarre little sci-fi romp with a cast of unknown characters actually work?

The answer is a resounding "yes," as Guardians of the Galaxy is not only an exceptionally well-made comic-book film, but an exceptionally well- made film, period. It's a sprawling space opera with a host of memorable characters, a joyous sci-fi romp through beautifully realized worlds, wildly inventive action sequences, and an almost nonstop barrage of humor and fun. The protagonists are a bizarre assembly of losers and misfits, with the CG-created Rocket and Groot providing some of the most emotional and human moments of the film, and it's all brilliant. Marvel should be applauded for allowing Gunn the opportunity to realize his vision, because rest assured, this film wouldn't have been nearly as good with someone else at the helm.

Guardians of the Galaxy has a distinct personality that sets it apart from other Marvel offerings, yet there are enough recognizable elements to remind audiences that it exists in the same world. Clocking in at just under two hours, the film maintains an impressively well-balanced pace, avoiding the problem of over-inflation that many superhero films fall victim to. I can't think of a single moment when I wasn't completely enthralled with everything that happens on screen, and as soon as the credits began to roll I was ready to watch it all over again.

The Wolverine Full Movie Download

When Wolverine is summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, he is embroiled in a conflict that forces him to confront his own demons.

Director:

 James Mangold

Writers:

 Mark Bomback (screenplay), Scott Frank(screenplay)

Stars:

 Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Tao Okamoto.

Storyline

In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

The Wolverine Movie Reviews

2009's X-men Origins: Wolverine was received negatively by both critics and the majority of the fans of the character. Now the character has a chance to redeem himself with this year's the Wolverine and for the most part he does. This film has really tried to please the fans as it was loosely based on the beloved Japan story line from the comics and it is clear that the film has tried to fix the problems that were complained about in the previous solo Wolverine film. Despite taking place after the events of X-men: The Last Stand this film attempts to distance itself from the rest of the X-men characters and story and focuses solely on the Wolverine character and as a result this film feels very different to all previous X-men films. This allows for the best portrayal of Wolverine's character that we have seen so far and Hugh Jackman also delivers his best performance of the character to date. I really enjoyed the pacing of the film as well because although it was a face paced action film it wasn't afraid to slow things down and develop the characters and the relationships between them. However it never slows down for too long before it picks up the pace with another action scene. The action in this film is also very well done because every sequence is creative and has a purpose so it never feels like the mindless action we've come to expect in big budget summer films. Humour is also used effectively in this film as the writers take advantage of Wolverine's IDGAF attitude. However the film isn't perfect as there is one other mutant character that occasionally seems slightly out of place and some people might find her character a bit too over the top. Also from time to time it does feel like they are playing it too safe to insure that they don't make any of the same mistakes as the last Wolverine film. Overall The Wolverine, although not perfect, is a fun superhero film that gets a lot of things right about what makes the Wolverine character so popular.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Full Movie Download

It's Harry's third year at Hogwarts; not only does he have a new "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher, but there is also trouble brewing. Convicted murderer Sirius Black has escaped the Wizards' Prison and is coming after Harry.

Director:

 Alfonso Cuarón

Writers:

 J.K. Rowling (novel), Steve Kloves (screenplay)

Stars:

 Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint.

Storyline

Harry Potter is having a tough time with his relatives (yet again). He runs away after using magic to inflate Uncle Vernon's sister Marge who was being offensive towards Harry's parents. Initially scared for using magic outside the school, he is pleasantly surprised that he won't be penalized after all. However, he soon learns that a dangerous criminal and Voldemort's trusted aide Sirius Black has escaped from the Azkaban prison and wants to kill Harry to avenge the Dark Lord. To worsen the conditions for Harry, vile creatures called Dementors are appointed to guard the school gates and inexplicably happen to have the most horrible effect on him. Little does Harry know that by the end of this year, many holes in his past (whatever he knows of it) will be filled up and he will have a clearer vision of what the future has in store... 

Harry Potter Movie Reviews

If there's anything this movie proves, it is the difficulty in separating the series from the demands of fans. This is clear just from hearing some of the comments. "Why didn't they identify the names on the Marauder's Map?" "Why wasn't the second Quidditch game shown?" "Why wasn't there more of Crookshanks the Cat?" By focusing on what the film didn't have, fans fail to look at the film on its own terms. I think this is by far the best Harry Potter movie yet.

The only way to satisfy fans would be to include everything from the book, which would require a miniseries. Since that isn't what these films are, the story has to be abridged. The first two films tried to fit everything they could within a reasonable slot of time. The result was a set of films that felt cluttered yet incomplete. Had they continued with this strategy for this movie, based on a much longer book, it would surely have been over three hours long.

The virtue of the latest film is that it makes a real attempt to adapt the story, not just marching in lockstep with the book's events. The screenplay is sparing, leaving out or simplifying loads of details not directly relevant to the plot. But it captures much of the book's delight and humor. The first two films fell short in this regard, because they lacked the guts to tinker with the details, even though that was the key to condensing the story while staying true to its spirit.

The movie is still faithful to the book, of course. Many of the scenes are exactly as I had imagined them. When it deviates, it does so based on an understanding of the story and characters. This is evident in the way they show, for example, the Knight Bus; Hermione's overstuffed schedule; and the introduction of the Marauder's Map, a scene that captures the twins' mischievous personalities. The changes are clever and funny, and they help compensate for the movie's loss in other areas.

Certainly this has something to do with the new director. Columbus's approach was to stick to the books as literally as possible, often draining them of their subtlety. For instance, where the books only hint that Dumbledore can see through the invisibility cloak, the earlier movies make it unmistakable. The new director never condescends to the audience in that way. This is a children's movie, but it is also a fantasy-thriller that we can take seriously, because not everything is spelled out for us. We're given a chance to think.

But part of what makes the movie work is the book itself. The story is gripping from start to finish, because the threat looming over the school is established early on. Harry's personal life is sharply intertwined with the plot. We feel for him as we watch his disastrous (but hilarious) attempts to escape his uncle and aunt, and his humiliating reaction to the dementors. The story avoids common devices such as the talking killer or deus ex machina, which the other books have in abundance. The ending is nicely bittersweet and ambiguous. The plot is so complicated, however, that the book spends several chapters explaining it all. The movie wisely includes only very little of this, allowing the plot twists to become understood as the story progresses. I was surprised to see certain events that were in the movie but not the book lend support to an important theory some fans have had about what is to be revealed at the end of the series. Of course, it is well-hidden and won't give anything away for those who aren't looking for the clues.

I was so satisfied with the film that it almost seems trivial to mention the flaws, but there are some. The portrayal of Fudge's assistant as the standard hunchbacked dimwit is out of place here, as it would be in anything other than a cartoon or spoof. The most serious misstep, though, is the casting of Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. Gambon's face seems frozen in a perpetual nonexpression, and his voice lacks resonance. He compares poorly to the late Richard Harris, whose line readings had gravity, and who played the character with a twinkle in his eyes. It is a pure mystery to me why this actor was chosen as a replacement, especially considering the fine performances from other members of the cast. Even the children are in top form here.

Those complaints aside, this is the movie I was hoping they would make when the series began. If it doesn't live up to the book, so what? What's important is that it lives up to its potential as a movie. Fans who want a carbon-copy of the book are looking in the wrong place, because they're never going to get it here. This is probably the best example of a Harry Potter movie that we're ever likely to see.

Dragon Wars: D-War Full Movie Download

Based on the Korean legend, unknown creatures will return and devastate the planet. Reporter Ethan Kendrick is called in to investigate the matter, and he arrives at the conclusion that a ...

Director:

 Hyung-rae Shim

Writer:

 Hyung-rae Shim

Stars:

 Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks, Robert Forster.

Storyline

Based on the Korean legend, unknown creatures will return and devastate the planet. Reporter Ethan Kendrick is called in to investigate the matter, and he arrives at the conclusion that a girl, stricken with a mysterious illness, named Sarah is suppose to help him. The Imoogi makes its way to Los Angeles, wreaking havoc and destruction. With the entire city under arms, will Ethan and Sarah make it in time to save the people of Los Angeles?

Dragon Wars Movie Reviews

This movie serves as a timely warning to anyone who thinks they can both write and direct their own movie. Face it, you can't. Because that way there's nobody around to tell you when you hack great holes in your plot, have meaningless transitions, trite, unmemorable dialog and manage to turn a fairly cool Korean legend into a steaming pile of celluloid turd.

I wanted to like this movie as a trashy popcorn movie, really I did; I like lots of crappy movies. But once I've been forced to ask myself what the hell just happened and WHY, DEAR LORD, WHY? more than a few times, I really can't take it any more.

Also, I would love for someone to explain how LA became Mordor for the last scene.