Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince cinema review

The much anticipated sixth Harry Potter film is finally here and its arrival has caused a huge wave of excitement among cinema goers. As an avid fan, I was raring to give it a glowing review but, sadly it doesn’t quite live up to the hype and doesn’t quite compare to the book either.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sees our young wizard facing more peril than ever as Voldemort is on the rise and the magical world are under threat. Harry has to take on a task of great importance for Dumbledore if they are to stand any chance of defeating the Dark Lord but, this proves to be no easy feat.
Meanwhile, schoolboy bully Draco Malfoy has a mission of equal significance to carry out for Voldemort as he sneaks around the castle under the ever watchful eye of ex-potions teacher Severus Snape.

Amid all this, love is in the air and the hormones are raging as Ron catches the eye of the obsessive Lavender Brown (much to the disapproval and annoyance of Hermione) and Harry becomes ever more smitten with his best friends sister Ginny Weasley.

There is a lot of humour throughout this film, providing a good balance to the darker aspects of the plot and the characters and their chemistry are all brilliant, as expected.
However, there is a general feeling that much of the film is very drawn out with not a great deal being explained and then suddenly towards the end we are hit in the face with the important action bits, which seem to be over just as quickly as they began.

Understandably, a lot of the content from the book has been changed or omitted but, this does have a negative effect on the film as the end product does not provide the impact it could have.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is still an excellent film, and one of the best of the summer but, it does not live up to its full potential and fails to deliver the way the book did.

Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Manny, Sid and Diego are back in another icy adventure this summer as they stumble upon a hidden prehistoric world right beneath their feet.

Manny and his wife Ellie are preparing for the anticipated arrival of their baby mammoth and Sid decides he wants a family of his own so when he comes across three seemingly abandoned eggs he is quick to take them home and play the role of their new mum.

Our motley crew of friends are in for a shock when the eggs hatch though, as they turn out to be the babies of a very large and not very friendly dinosaur who reclaims her offspring and takes them back to her prehistoric world along with Sid the Sloth.

Naturally Manny and Diego have to rescue their friend and therefore embark on a dangerous adventure in unfamiliar territory.

Ice Age 3 is an entertaining film with a good storyline however, while it’s nice to see the trio return, it does seem to be getting a bit old now and you get the feeling there is only so much that can be done with the characters and the setting.

The 3D element feels slightly pointless as well and seems to be an unnecessary way to get more money out of the audience, which is slightly annoying.

Overall, Ice Age 3 is an enjoyable film and will be a hit with the kids but, it definitely won’t live up to the first two films.

The Hangover cinema review

Most of us are familiar with the sore head, the sick stomach and the feeling of dread from the alcohol-induced antics of the night before but, few of us can relate to waking up to find someone else’s baby, a chicken and Mike Tyson’s pet tiger in your holiday suite... that would be one bad hangover.

This is exactly the type of hangover that an unsuspecting group of friends face after a wild stag party in Las Vegas, though the baby and the animals are the least of their worries when the three groomsmen realise they’ve lost the groom.

Phil, Stu and Alan have to desperately retrace their drunken steps if they are to find Doug and get him home in time for his wedding but, this is no easy feat for them as their heavy hangovers and severe memory loss refuse to break.

The Hangover is bizarre, over the top and completely random but, proves to be an entertaining and quite unique watch as we follow the groomsmen on their journey to find Doug.

There is plenty of humour throughout but, the film isn’t the most side splitting comedy and it sometimes feels a bit too strange and so fails to leave a lasting impression.

History in films: Fact or fiction?

By Chris Evans and Lianne Jones

History is a favourite genre for many people as it evokes reflection and encourages an audience to think about a significant event from yester year that they wouldn’t necessarily think about otherwise. It comes as a complete package with a ready made plot and ready made characters set for a filmmaker to use as they wish.

However, basing a film on historical content is not always problem free and there are many issues that need to be considered.

The issue of historical accuracy in films is one that can cause much debate as historical events are interpreted in different ways by different people, in turn when they are made into films it becomes an issue of how the historical event should be presented. Portraying the event from a certain view point over another can cause problems as the bias of the filmmaker can be questioned, inevitably causing much controversy.

In addition, a film ultimately has to engage its audience and in order to create an enjoyable cinematic experience it is often necessary to create an adaptation which differs or excludes things that actually happened. For example, the director of Valkyrie, Bryan Singer, revealed in Australian newspaper the Herald Sun that they left out an event where von Stauffenberg (portrayed by Tom Cruise) refused morphine when recovering from his wounds. Singer decided not to put this in as he felt there would be a negative reaction to portraying Cruise like this. This shows how filmmakers have to make concessions to help present the story in a manner which the audience will react positively to.

Another problem with using history in films is the complexity of the real-life characters involved in the original events. Again, this is something that affected Valkyrie as there was a lack of ambiguity about the motives of Stauffenberg et al, the film very much showed the plotters as fighting against the evil of Hitler’s regime, it made no mention of what kind of Germany they wanted to create if the plot was a success. While it can be argued that the film was made in this way in order to make people aware of the heroic efforts of the plotters, it fails to dig deeper into the original characters, as many films do.

There is often a tendency to use films based on historical events as an educational tool, and while this is beneficial as it gives some visual relief and insight to something that may be difficult to understand from a textbook alone, it also poses some problems. Due to the nature of films and the limited length of the end product, it is difficult to present a historical event from every angle that would need to be shown in order for the film to be completely objective. Filmmakers therefore often have to compensate and present just one side of the argument, this then limits the film as an educational piece.

Films such as Schindler’s List and The Boy in Striped Pyjamas are often referred to for educational purposes but, they only highlight a small aspect of the holocaust, and in both cases, the films were based on a novel (although Schindler’s List is also biographical) and consequently they are not entirely factual.

Looking at more modern events we can see that there have been films made about the events of September 11th, these have often been based on survivors testimonies. However the question is raised over whether these films are politically biased as to recount such an important event in American history without an inherent bias would be an extremely difficult task. Basing such films on testimony is also problematic as survivors of such a horrific event will naturally be biased against the perpetrators and the film may then fail to consider an event such as September 11th on a wider scale.

Finally, we are all familiar with historical films carrying the phrase ‘ based on a true event’, and this can also be restrictive to a filmmaker as it ties them more to the facts of the original story and offers little room for leeway. Without this phrase however, they are free to roam a little bit further and to explore a more creative approach regarding the historical event. Whether this phrase is used or not also has quite a dramatic impact on how audiences react to the film and how they choose to interpret it. Perhaps the content and messages would be far more hard hitting if the film is ‘based on a true event’.

Historical films are definitely an essential genre of film but, as we can see, they can be extremely difficult to produce as there are many issues that can cause interference. They are a challenge for filmmakers as they try to get the balance right between historical content and entertainment, all the while remembering that ultimately they have to sell their product and appeal to as wide an audience as possible. This means history is no easy subject.

Britain's attack on film piracy crime

We are all familiar with the dodgy DVDs sold down the local pub by those Knock-off Nigel’s and the illegal downloads on the Internet but, few of us stop to contemplate the effect of film piracy and the impact it can have upon the industry we love and the professionals who work within it.

According to FACT (the Federation Against Copyright Theft) film piracy generates approximately £200 million a year at street prices for criminals and the total loss to the whole audio visual industry through copyright theft is as much as £486 million. These figures are immense and can deliver some devastating blows to the film industry.

So why do people opt for film piracy? Well, aside from the fact that many people don’t fully comprehend the consequences, the main reasons are that it offers a cheap way for people to enjoy films, meaning they don’t have to break the bank or sacrifice their want for entertainment, many people also partake in film piracy as a means of income and others do it to put themselves ahead, so they can consume new films before they’re even widely released.

Whilst it is understandable that people buy pirated DVDs because they can’t afford to buy official DVDs or see the film in the cinema, the issue needs to be considered on a wider scale. It may be the case that we have the public benefiting from cheap entertainment but, this has a negative impact on the film industry and affects the revenue it generates. If we consider that the entertainment industry is one of the fastest growing, even in a time of recession, then having its revenue affected by piracy can be damaging to the economy as a whole. This will eventually come full circle and have a further negative impact on consumers.

With this in mind, it is important to put a stop to film piracy and to protect the revenue the film industry generates.

In December 2008, film and television industry professionals took a stand against piracy as they called to the government for action against illegal online file-sharing. The UK producers, directors and writers involved in the action included Sir Alan Parker, Kenneth Branagh, Ken Loach, Lynda La Plante, David Heyman, Richard Curtis, Jim Sheridan and John Madden amongst many others. In their letter, available to view at Timesonline, they revealed that: “In 2007, an estimated 98 million illegal downloads and streams of films took place in the UK, while it is believed that more than six million people illegally file-share regularly,” and requested that the government take the issue seriously and show their support “by ensuring that internet service providers play their part in tackling this huge problem.”

Recently, further attempts have been made to tackle film piracy and these have reaped positive results. In March, the UK’s largest illegal DVD factory was closed down following a major investigation and raid on a commercial printing operation in Wembley, London. During the raid, a significant number of printing plates used to produce DVD covers were seized and four people were arrested in connection with the operation. This action is among many others that have taken place all over the UK since January, including: 5,000 counterfeit DVDs being seized from a garden shed in Surrey, a Londonderry shopkeeper being fined £200 for selling counterfeit DVDs, seven men and two women being arrested in a Glasgow counterfeit DVD factory raid where police recovered an estimated £350,000 worth of DVDs and over 100 DVD burners and then 30,000 counterfeit DVDs with a street value of over £90,000 and 150 DVD burners were seized in two separate raids in Lewisham, London.

This month we have seen the fight against piracy hit a wider scale as four people in Stockholm have been convicted, ordered to pay £3million in damages and sentenced to one year imprisonment each for breaking copyright law during their involvement with The Pirate Bay, the world’s most high-profile file-sharing website.

Also in this month’s news, we have seen the uproar caused by the leaked film download of X-Men Origins: Wolverine being reviewed before its cinema release. Fox News columnist, Roger Friedman, parted ways with Fox after posting his own review of the downloaded film and according to BBC News online, Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman is ‘heartbroken’ because of the pirated leak.

To draw on another example, we can see the potential affects piracy can have on retail if we consider Woolworths and Zavvi and how they have fallen victim to the recession, perhaps if piracy weren’t so rife, companies such as these would stand more chance of survival.

These examples emphasise the extent to which film piracy is at large and, in the case of Hugh Jackman, Zavvi and Woolworths, it shows how professionals and even retailers are affected.

The authorities are of course constantly on the lookout for piracy but, attempts are also made to reach out and discourage people before they become too involved.

For a long time, the film industry have targeted consumers with harsh advertisements telling them that piracy is a crime and comparing it to stealing a car and such like. Now, they have changed tactics and are adopting a softer and more appreciative approach to film fans. The new adverts hold a positive message and thank the cinema goers for supporting film and television in the UK. This is a very interesting technique and time will tell if it is any more effective than previous advertising messages.

All things considered, I feel piracy is still a huge issue and the potential it has to damage the economy is immense. More needs to be done to make people aware of the effects of film piracy and perhaps consumers need to be educated about it from a younger age to discourage them from becoming involved. The strong stand against film piracy must continue to grow if the UK film industry is to prosper.

Summertime: It's all about the blockbusters

Summer is fast approaching and that means we are soon to be faced with the lovely summer rays (we hope), fun days out at the beach and a whole host of box office hits.

Yes, summer is the time of year when the film companies battle it out to see who can achieve the biggest blockbuster and this summer is no different as we have some solid contenders emerging onto the big screen.

From next month, we will see the madness begin as Disney launch the first challenger, Hannah Montana (released 1st May), a film adapted from the small screen about a girl leading a secret double life as a pop star that will be a huge hit with teenage girls everywhere. With it appealing to a limited audience it is unlikely to blow us all away but, the kids will love it. Next we have Angels and Demons (released 14th May) the sequel to The Da Vinci Code starring Tom Hanks; there hasn’t been much hype about this one yet but, it might be a dark horse. May also sees the release of Night at the Museum 2 (released 22nd May), and this one’s probably going to be a bit of a stab in the dark. Yes, the first movie was entertaining enough but, do we want to see another one? Not really. Definitely not a contender for the summer 2009 blockbuster title although, again it will be a hit with the kids.

June sees the film industry up their game as Terminator: Salvation is released on 3rd June and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is released on 24th June. It’s lucky these two are spaced apart as the battle between them is going to be fierce. These will be a huge hit with the blokes and even the ladies might like to get in on the action. I have my doubts about Terminator though, it just won’t be the same for most people without Arnie on screen.

July brings yet more kid’s films just in time for their school holidays. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is released on 1ST July and is guaranteed to be one of the favourites this summer as it follows the misfit group of friends through another historical era.

Johnny Depp will be back on our screens from 3rd July as he stars with Christian Bale in crime film Public Enemies; this one won’t steal the limelight but, will undoubtedly be a great film.
Next we have Bruno (released 10th July)which will take us on another of Sacha Baron Cohen’s bizarre adventures, this time as camp Austrian TV presenter; it’s unlikely this one will rake in the biggest ratings either but, it will definitely be worth a look.

Now for the big one … drum roll please ... July 17th sees the release of one of the year’s most anticipated films as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is out after an agonising 8 month delay. My prediction is that this film will sweep the board with everything else and will be this summer’s biggest blockbuster; I personally can’t wait to see it. With so much hype though and with it being based on such an important book, there is the possibility that many fans of the Harry Potter novels will be disappointed with the film adaptation. Nevertheless, it is guaranteed to be a brilliant watch.

Things start to quieten down a bit in August though with G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (7th August) being released at the beginning of the month and Tarantino’s new film Inglorious Basterds (21ST August), about a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as ‘The Basterds’ who set out to scalp and kill the Nazi’s, being released at the end of the month.

So, there you have it. That’s the summer hits in a nutshell. Perhaps, there aren’t as many sure fire successes for this season as we have seen in previous years but, it still looks set to be a pretty good summer film-wise and at least if the weather does let us down (when doesn’t it?) there will be plenty to keep us entertained indoors.

Status of Pirates 4 is still unclear

Gore Verbinski’s announcement that he would be leaving the Pirates of the Caribbean series earlier this month has caused fans to question the status of the fourth installment but, writer Terry Rossio insists that little has changed.

Writing on the Word Player forums, he said: "We were in the space of not having a green light, and not having a director, not having an approved script, budget, stars, etc. Now we’re in the space of not having a green light, and not having a director, not having an approved script, budget, stars, etc."

He added: "The only thing that is being undone are people’s expectations, and their misunderstandings of how the system works. Really, until there is a movie there is no movie."