MOVIE DVD

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Two-Disc Limited Special Edition + Digital Copy)
$34.99
i completely and inequivocally agree with z hayes (plano,texas) on every aspect that she touched on. Book 6 in the Harry Potter series was my absolute favorite and the movie just did not do it justice. it was a decent movie if you've seen all the movies but never read the books however, if you've read the books it would be hard, if not impossible, to give this movie 5 stars. really, im stretching it to give it four. the added scenes add nothing to the movie and most of the scenes from the book that werent in the movie were vitally important to the plot and progression of the characters and story. im not going to give anything away, i just need to say that the movie was a disappointment. the characters are amazing in that the actors portraying them portray them perfectly and with the necessary depth. my only hope for the final 2 movies is that the directly sticks to the book and doesn't go on about adding more unnecessary and meaningless scenes. given that the final book is in two installments there is no reason not to lay it all out there and just really go for it. more action, more depth, more special effects, more everything. for those of us that have been following the series through 7 books and 6 movies i think it is vitally important to give us what we've been waiting for. if i may say so, we arent looking for the directors interpretation of what the book should have been, we are looking for exactly what the book was laid out on screen in all its glory from start to finish. for me, the whole point of the movie adaptations lays in the success of this last one and by success i mean accuracy, depth, and wow factor. i want to leave the theater feeling like it was all worth it and in this one i really just didn't and that's not even including the disappointment and irritation that stemmed from the fact that my favorite book was a let down on screen.

Julie & Julia
$28.96
2009 has been a tough year for a film-goer like me. i am drawn most strongly to character-driven films such as last year's 'the reader' or 'frozen river' or to film biographies that meticulously researched and star-driven with that type of performance that is likewise so researched, yet so nuanced that a viewer can feel he or she is seeing the personality. right there. no frills. in the recent past, jamie foxx and cate blanchett more than fulfilled my needs with their interpretations of ray charles and katharine hepburn. now meryl streep has done the same in this year's 'julie and julia'. her work is standing alone, though there have been and will be the requisite numbers of film biographies for 2009.

words cannot describe streep's performance but i am going to give it a shot. streep is a zesty, tangible delight as world-famous chef julia child. and i am going to stop there because i cannot go any further without mentioning stanley tucci as child's husband paul or jane lynch as child's garrulous sister dorothy. both offer solid support; i hope tucci's work will get its reward when awards fest begins.

these three actors made such a strong impact on me as an audience member that i found myself getting a little testy waiting for them to come back on screen. child's career beginning as a chef runs parallel to the story of julie powell, played charmingly by amy adams. powell, an overworked city employee, is encouraged to start a blog by her husband eric played by chris messina. so, her blog becomes her day-by-day working through child's first cook book. although her story is an inspiring one, it is not as interesting as child's. and adams and messina are too cute to be believed, even as they squabble. julia and paul's life is portrayed as largely idyllic and you think that would be the boring one. but it isn't.

but at the same exchange, i can live without a film about child. at least right now.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Widescreen Edition)
$28.98
i completely and inequivocally agree with z hayes (plano,texas) on every aspect that she touched on. Book 6 in the Harry Potter series was my absolute favorite and the movie just did not do it justice. it was a decent movie if you've seen all the movies but never read the books however, if you've read the books it would be hard, if not impossible, to give this movie 5 stars. really, im stretching it to give it four. the added scenes add nothing to the movie and most of the scenes from the book that werent in the movie were vitally important to the plot and progression of the characters and story. im not going to give anything away, i just need to say that the movie was a disappointment. the characters are amazing in that the actors portraying them portray them perfectly and with the necessary depth. my only hope for the final 2 movies is that the directly sticks to the book and doesn't go on about adding more unnecessary and meaningless scenes. given that the final book is in two installments there is no reason not to lay it all out there and just really go for it. more action, more depth, more special effects, more everything. for those of us that have been following the series through 7 books and 6 movies i think it is vitally important to give us what we've been waiting for. if i may say so, we arent looking for the directors interpretation of what the book should have been, we are looking for exactly what the book was laid out on screen in all its glory from start to finish. for me, the whole point of the movie adaptations lays in the success of this last one and by success i mean accuracy, depth, and wow factor. i want to leave the theater feeling like it was all worth it and in this one i really just didn't and that's not even including the disappointment and irritation that stemmed from the fact that my favorite book was a let down on screen.

Inglourious Basterds (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray]
$39.98
Looking at the holocaust and world war 2, some directors make movies like Saving private ryan or the band of brothers or a Midnight clear etc... My guy makes 'Inglourious Basterds'. Enough has been said about the greatness of this movie and its quality, this is Tarantino film-making at its element and oh by the way Christoph Waltz was terrific. having said that, although the character and persona of Aldo Raine was incredible, somehow Brad Pitt playing that was a bit of a let down, they should have gone with a different actor (all you brangelina fans, pl. note: i said different, not better!)

Overall, there were a few weak points in the script and somehow the whole spaghetti western soundtrack was starting to get to me a bit, but all can be forgiven i guess. I'd rate this movie 4 stars and imo a keeper in my collection.

Now..... if he'd make a movie focussing only on the origin and further exploits of the Basterds. That would be the best!