It's been a few days, but I'm back and writing. I hope to be back later today with at least one more review. For now, I look at Before Sunrise before the sequel comes out in a couple weeks. And I write on the second installment of the Harry Potter saga. Watch them now and prepare. Keep coming back.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Review by Jon Waterman
***
Young wizard Harry Potter is off for his second year at school, where he learns to hone his magic skills. The previous year was quite eventful and this one promises to be the same, because he’s been warned that bad things will happen upon his return. Soon, people are turning up paralyzed and death threats written on the walls in blood pop up. Suspicions arise as to who may be committing these villainous acts. People are becoming weary of the new teacher, Hagrid the groundskeeper and even Harry himself. To find out for sure, they must locate the un-findable chamber of secrets.
It’s a new year and a new title, but the characters aren’t changing. There are more of them now, but the ones we met in the first film, “HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” aren’t given any new depth or personality. I don’t feel like I know Harry, Ron, Hermione or the supporting characters any better now than I did at the start of the film. But despite not growing character wise, the movie does expand on the universe itself. The new people are quirky and fun as are the new magical things presented to us. It fails to capture the feeling of awe and wonderment that you get from the first movie. For lack of a better term, it’s less…magical.
That doesn’t mean the movie isn’t good. It is. It’s entertaining and cute and mostly family friendly (there could be some scary stuff for littler kids). But, I feel like the story saves it from being a boring mess. I haven’t read any of the books, so I don’t know how accurately they are adapted from J.K. Rowlings’ original text, but I found it to be quite exciting and mostly packed with events and happenings to keep it moving. It can be a little repetitious at times with re-visiting certain locations over and over, but overall it flows through the whopping 160-plus minute running time without much problem.
If you’re a fan of the books or the previous movie, then you’ll probably enjoy this second release. I found it to be fun, but I still felt like more should have been done. Since we already know there will be a series of movies, I want to see the space and the characters grow (and I’m not just talking about age). There doesn’t seem to be a firm grip and they are relying on the settings and people’s knowledge of the books already out there to carry them through. I don’t think it’s enough. It’s still a fine film and a sequel worth seeing.
++++++++
Before Sunrise
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
Jesse meets Celine on a train in Europe. He’s traveling to various places on a low budget. She’s a student heading back home. They get to talking and talking and they keep talking until its time for him to get off in Vienna. It’s here that he thinks of a crazy idea. She should get off with him and spend his last night in Europe exploring the city together. She agrees and the movie carries on from there.
Director/co-writer (along with Kim Krizan) Richard Linklater, best known for “Slacker” and “Dazed and Confused,” is back again with another intellectually stimulating film. What I like about Linklater is that he can work with different formats and genres yet still make the piece his own. “Slacker” was more of a leaf flowing through the wind type of thing. “Dazed” took the high school movie thing to a different place. “Before Sunrise” works with just two characters talking for 105 minutes. He takes a potentially Hollywood love story, and, through his approach and style, gives it back to those sick of the formula.
The film is filled with long takes that essentially comprise their own scenes. You subconsciously know the setting is going to change once you see an insert shot or a cut away. Most of the time both characters share the screen space. This allows the viewer to analyze either of them at any time. You can see how Celine reacts to Jesse’s thoughts on relationships and love and vice-versa. Even though the template of the conversation carries throughout, we are treated to the beautiful city of Vienna in the background as the two walk and explore. The city isn’t just background, it fuels the discussion and works as a character itself, surrounding them and forcing them closer together.
I enjoyed the acting as well. Ethan Hawke (Jesse) and Julie Delpy (Celine) both speak fluently and naturally. I’d be hard pressed to find a moment where it looks like they’re working off a script. Their acting makes it look like a well documented encounter rather than a fictionalized account of one. You can see the interest in each other grow and their relationship to one another builds from avoiding regrets by leaving the train to something deeper and more tangible. It’s very romantic and soothing to watch something form from nothing in front of your eyes.
I know the film is conversation heavy, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. Obviously if you know you aren’t interested in philosophical questions and exploring human nature, then you’d know to not bother with the film. But if that idea intrigues you, then give the movie a shot. You probably won’t agree with everything said, but it will at least get you thinking and maybe it’ll spur some discussions of your own.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Review by Jon Waterman
***
Young wizard Harry Potter is off for his second year at school, where he learns to hone his magic skills. The previous year was quite eventful and this one promises to be the same, because he’s been warned that bad things will happen upon his return. Soon, people are turning up paralyzed and death threats written on the walls in blood pop up. Suspicions arise as to who may be committing these villainous acts. People are becoming weary of the new teacher, Hagrid the groundskeeper and even Harry himself. To find out for sure, they must locate the un-findable chamber of secrets.
It’s a new year and a new title, but the characters aren’t changing. There are more of them now, but the ones we met in the first film, “HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” aren’t given any new depth or personality. I don’t feel like I know Harry, Ron, Hermione or the supporting characters any better now than I did at the start of the film. But despite not growing character wise, the movie does expand on the universe itself. The new people are quirky and fun as are the new magical things presented to us. It fails to capture the feeling of awe and wonderment that you get from the first movie. For lack of a better term, it’s less…magical.
That doesn’t mean the movie isn’t good. It is. It’s entertaining and cute and mostly family friendly (there could be some scary stuff for littler kids). But, I feel like the story saves it from being a boring mess. I haven’t read any of the books, so I don’t know how accurately they are adapted from J.K. Rowlings’ original text, but I found it to be quite exciting and mostly packed with events and happenings to keep it moving. It can be a little repetitious at times with re-visiting certain locations over and over, but overall it flows through the whopping 160-plus minute running time without much problem.
If you’re a fan of the books or the previous movie, then you’ll probably enjoy this second release. I found it to be fun, but I still felt like more should have been done. Since we already know there will be a series of movies, I want to see the space and the characters grow (and I’m not just talking about age). There doesn’t seem to be a firm grip and they are relying on the settings and people’s knowledge of the books already out there to carry them through. I don’t think it’s enough. It’s still a fine film and a sequel worth seeing.
++++++++
Before Sunrise
Review by Jon Waterman
***1/2
Jesse meets Celine on a train in Europe. He’s traveling to various places on a low budget. She’s a student heading back home. They get to talking and talking and they keep talking until its time for him to get off in Vienna. It’s here that he thinks of a crazy idea. She should get off with him and spend his last night in Europe exploring the city together. She agrees and the movie carries on from there.
Director/co-writer (along with Kim Krizan) Richard Linklater, best known for “Slacker” and “Dazed and Confused,” is back again with another intellectually stimulating film. What I like about Linklater is that he can work with different formats and genres yet still make the piece his own. “Slacker” was more of a leaf flowing through the wind type of thing. “Dazed” took the high school movie thing to a different place. “Before Sunrise” works with just two characters talking for 105 minutes. He takes a potentially Hollywood love story, and, through his approach and style, gives it back to those sick of the formula.
The film is filled with long takes that essentially comprise their own scenes. You subconsciously know the setting is going to change once you see an insert shot or a cut away. Most of the time both characters share the screen space. This allows the viewer to analyze either of them at any time. You can see how Celine reacts to Jesse’s thoughts on relationships and love and vice-versa. Even though the template of the conversation carries throughout, we are treated to the beautiful city of Vienna in the background as the two walk and explore. The city isn’t just background, it fuels the discussion and works as a character itself, surrounding them and forcing them closer together.
I enjoyed the acting as well. Ethan Hawke (Jesse) and Julie Delpy (Celine) both speak fluently and naturally. I’d be hard pressed to find a moment where it looks like they’re working off a script. Their acting makes it look like a well documented encounter rather than a fictionalized account of one. You can see the interest in each other grow and their relationship to one another builds from avoiding regrets by leaving the train to something deeper and more tangible. It’s very romantic and soothing to watch something form from nothing in front of your eyes.
I know the film is conversation heavy, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. Obviously if you know you aren’t interested in philosophical questions and exploring human nature, then you’d know to not bother with the film. But if that idea intrigues you, then give the movie a shot. You probably won’t agree with everything said, but it will at least get you thinking and maybe it’ll spur some discussions of your own.
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