Every Sunday, Gill delves into his archive of over 800 movie reviews and randomly selects three for your enjoyment! Here are this week’s…
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
The beginning of the end of the Harry Potter saga doesn’t stand apart from the previous couple of instalments particularly well. As usual, the production values are beautiful, the locations are gorgeous, and the special effects are top of the line, but the story leaves a few things to be desired. In the adaptation from book to screen, a lot of interesting characters are shortchanged – most grievously, Mad Eye Moody is killed off screen only fifteen minutes into the film and is never mentioned again. Still, this is high quality family entertainment, and although the film does start to drag in the middle and is riddled with plot holes, there’s a lot to enjoy.
3.5 out of 5
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
It’s odd to think that this is the second half of a single chapter, because unlike Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1, Part 2 is stuffed full of action and visual effects, moves along at a speedy clip (leaving you very little time to ponder any plot problems), and doesn’t overstay its welcome by lasting nearly three hours. Once again, the production values are terrific and the supporting cast of great British actors are all clearly enjoying themselves, but as with Part 1, again some characters are completely cheated by being killed off-screen. The fact that Dobby (widely considered the Jar-Jar Binks of the Harry Potter franchise) gets a longer death scene than David Thewlis’ Professor Lupin is a crime! Still, this film maintains the high quality of entertainment we’ve seen in the previous instalments. A fine, if slightly underwhelming end to the Harry Potter film series.
3.5 out of 5
Your Highness
This is stoner D&D nerd comedy of the highest order! See what I did there? While it may not be for everyone, I had an absolute blast with David Gordon Green’s stoner fantasy comedy. There are lots of good laughs to be had, Danny McBride, Natalie Portman and Justin Theroux all do a great job of bringing the chuckles, but it’s James Franco who steals the show by playing all the ludicrous material totally straight. I understand that this movie may not appeal to a broad audience, but as a die-hard Dungeons and Dragons nerd, I can say with confidence that if you’ve ever played D&D with a bunch of drunk, unruly dudes, you will find a lot to love in Your Highness.
3.5 out of 5
See you next Sunday for three more thrilling short reviews!