Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 * * * *

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (12A)

Dir: David Yates

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint.

I must admit, honestly, that the Harry Potter films have been great for entertainment value, but as an avid reader of the books, I have been left disappointed as they have been leaving out key parts of the books.

I don't know whether the decision to chop The Deathly Hallows into two pieces was in a bid to solve this, but it has, if i remember the book properly, included alot of the book.

The films have been getting decidedly darker as they have progressed, as indeed did the books, and it fully deserves its 12A certification. With deaths, torture, and peril, it proved to be up there with some of the better films of the year.

The only downside has to be, as I am sure alot of people have said, is the acting talents of the three main actors. They are as devoted to the role as they ever have been, but unfortunately they are still don't hold a candle to the talent that is given bit parts.

Having said this, I will be the first to admit that, despite my love for him, Bill Nighy's portrayal of Rufus Scrimgeour wasn't very good.

This is a greatly entertaining film for fans of the series, and will probably rack up huge profits by the end of the year. I am deeply looking forward to the continuation in July.

'World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles' Trailer

Another day, another trailer people. First, Skyline, set over LA, a brilliant film. Now, on 25th of March, World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles! A continuation? Not from the looks of it, but still, looks damn exciting.

N.B. Anyone else notice the shift from films being set in New York to LA? A musing for you all to mull over

Skyline (15) * * * * *

Dir: Colin and Greg Strause (Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson, Donald Faison)

Even before I saw the trailer for Skyline, people were telling me that it was going to be like an 'adults Independence Day'. I promptly went onto IMDB, found the trailer, and my interest was piqued. 'This looks promising,' methinks.

As it turns out, the rumours were, indeed, true.

Everyone's seen the nature documentarys, or even the scene in finding nemo, with the deep sea angler fish, using bioluminescent lures to tempt unsuspecting fish into their mouths. This seems to be the same premise with the invaders in this, and also to continue the latest trend to follow onlookers as oppose to the people fighting the invaders, as seen in Matt Reeves' Cloverfield.

The film starts with the now iconic LA skyline being bombarded with blue lights before a flashback to Terry's (Faison) birthday party. A classic LA, all out, drink-a-skinful bash.

Then the lights come, and Jarrod (Balfour) looks into the light and gets the funky skin art around his eyes that we all know and love from the trailer, but manages not to do as every other moth human seems to and walks towards the light. Cue witty bugs life quote here.

As the film prgoresses, he looks into the light several more times whilst trying to save his pregnant girlfriend Elaine (Thompson) and others, all to the backdrop of what's left of the military fighting back.
I'm loathe to say much more, without revealing a boatload of spoilers so, as the main thing seems to be to compare Skyline as an adults Independence Day, here are some similarities and differences between ID4 and Skyline.
i) ID4 aliens come to blow shit up, Skyline aliens come to abduct.
ii) Both films don't go into the origins of the invaders.
iii) ID4 only has one type of alien, Skyline has flying squids, and giant apes.
iv) Both films have stupendously cheesy endings.
All in all Skyline seems a damn site better than ID4, and would highly recommend it.

Sucker Punch

Sucker Punch - March 2011.

It's almost as though someone dug inside my head, found all my favourite things and put it into a film. As Becky said, "None of those things go together!" I don't care, it looks joyous, and I cannot wait. Stay tuned for reviews as soon as it's out.

Burke and Hare (15) ****

Starring Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, and Isla Fisher.

I found it amusing to see how a failed attempt to scrape a living selling cheese mold as a miracle, all-curing moss, turned into a lucrative business selling the recently deceased (who you have helped shuffle off this mortal coil) to a medical college.

The film follows the exploits of Irish Burke (Pegg) and Hare (Serkis) in Edinburgh as they struggle to make ends meet, when they find that the local medical college is offering great rewards for cadavers. This leads, as is so often the case, to the pair needing to be more inventive in their means of collecting bodies than the standard grave robbing.

After two successful sells, the pair begin a host of bungled attempts to 'acquire' new cadavers, with some fairly humourous results, and an introduction into the 1828 Edinburgh underworld.

In a round-about way, this leads to Burke meeting Ginny (Fisher), a local lady of the night who wants to get into the more legitimate business of acting. With the introduction of Ginny, the film takes a turn to detail Burkes quest to get his jollies.

This is a murderous romp to provide money, sex and, of course, laughs - a thoroughly enjoyable 91mins, encompassing a glorious Hammer style gore, and a humourous style that is quintessentially Simon Pegg.

SG:U continued

Am finally up to date with SG:U, and I must admit that I am loving it. This series shows alot more character development, and strengthens my feelings towards them, whether it be empathy, or thinking that they are just complete and utter- You get the picture.


I continue to stand by what I have said in the past, that SG:U is brilliant for the 'reality' of it. Instead of focusing on the whole Sci-fi wonder of it all, it is more of a normal drama series, detailing the day to day of a group of people who just so happen to be stuck at the other end of the Universe, and who are finding ways to deal with what gets thrust upon them.

So far, fans have been given deaths, aliens, schizophrenia and mild delusions caused by carnivorous plants, and I cannot wait for what the rest of the series brings.

Stargate Universe

I have so far watched 3 episodes of the second season of SG:U, and it has not disappointed, giving us action, deaths, mental breakdowns, strange occurrences, and new alien encounters.

Still trying to find their way back to Earth, the crew is put under great emotional stress, as they now have members from the Lucian Alliance on board with them, in addition to a couple of deaths (which I won't go into telling you for worry of spoilers).

Dr Nicholas Rush, and Colonel Everett Young continue to aggravate each other, and I find my love/hate relationship with the characters which I developed during the first season is as strong as ever, as I am sure Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper intend.

With just two more episodes until I am caught up with the rest of the Sky1 viewers, I will post again in a while.