Watch These, Not These

"I think I just had an apostrophe."
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Skyline
COMING SOON


Morning Glory
COMING SOON
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

This is basically the first half of the last book in the series, which means the 2nd to last movie...ever (cue tears and comfort eating). In the 7th installment of the Harry Potter saga, Harry, Hermione and Ron are on a treasure hunt for the Horcruxes Volde...er You Know Who...has left scattered all over the world, or at least England. It opens with events that easily set the tone for the emotionally heavy flick. David Yates, also the director for HP and the Half-Blood Prince and HP and the Order of the Phoenix, has shown the story in a new light. New, but also dark and emotional, in fact there were several scenes that stuck with me a whole day after seeing the film. Not one to spoil movies for other movie-goers, I will only say the scenes include: an emotional battle of Ron's, a muggle-born being torchered and a snake in disguise! Yah, something about how those scenes were done, the effects, the cinematography, just made it super-creepy...great and well done, but creepy. 

A BIG difference with this movie is it takes place 100% away from Hogwarts...a change that isn't realized (or missed) until you are granted a visit on the Hogwarts Express (unless you read the books o'course). It is nice to see that life does exist beyond the borders of Hogwarts and provides a chance for the film to adopt an even more adult feel. One key point echoed in many reviews I've read, if you have not read the books or seen the previous movies you will be completely lost. I have to agree with this. The movie doesn't waste time on catching up non-Harry Potter followers. The movies are, and have always been, made for the fans of the series and they pick up right where they left off. Another treat we fans have become accustomed to is the all-star cast. Some of my faves have been with the series for several years now: Ralph Fiennes of course (so versatile, he can make you despise him and fall in love in just 2 movies), Helena Bonham Carter (love love love...ever since the weird that was Fight Club), Alan Rickman (marry me?). And those are just the tip of the iceberg.

One concern I have is the final movie is to be shot in 3-D. Cue long resign sigh. I'm so sick of 3-D, I was sick of it after like the 3rd movie I saw in 3-D. I will admit some movies are great in 3-D, How to Train Your Dragon for example. In any case, I am confident the final movie will knock our socks off! And I'm already planning an encore of Deathly Hallows pt. 1 later this week. So until the next review. Mischief managed.



For Colored Girls

 Each minute that ticks by thuds with a gradual and systematic increase of weight which will be carried on your shoulders throughout the entire movie, the drive home and the Disney movie you slip in before going to sleep (just to cheer you up a bit). You follow nine women on a poetic trek through the wilderness that is a colored girl's life, not every colored girl, but many. The stories shared are heartbreaking, to say the least. There are moments of humor and triumph sprinkled lightly throughout the movie, but make no mistake, the film is not for the faint of heart.

If you're like me, who has only just a glimmer of patience for poetry (a seed planted by my sister, an accomplished poet) it can get long-winded, and the monologues sometime pull you out of the moment with thoughts of when it will end. I hope you will move past that, as I tried, and just listen to what is being said. There are parts which were truly incredible to watch (like a duo between an estranged mother and daughter and a story of how "someone stole my things"). I encourage...implore...every woman to see this movie, no matter the shade of your color, because these stories apply to us all.

P.S. I'm a little shocked at the extremely low rating on iMDB...but looking at the reviews, it seems this flick is a "love it, or hate it" kinda movie. I think I'm somewhere in the middle.