Reviews

This was an enthralling video we watched in my physical anthropology class. It takes us through all the major hominids, such as australopithecus afarensis (Lucy), homo habilis (the first toolmaker), and homo erectus (Turkana Boy, handaxes). We learned about how they could possibly have survived (or didn't survive against Africa in the Pleistocene), tools associated with the various hominids, whether or not they were violent hunters or scavengers. There were interviews/footage of famous archaeologists/scientists in the field such as Raymond Dart, the Leakys, and Lewis Binford. The recreation of the hominids, with fairly convincing makeup, were quite entertaining as well. High school biology classes would especially be interested in this film, or anyone wishing to know more about evolution. I give 9/10.

Overall, I believe this was a good movie and a fair addition to the Harry Potter series, but there were things the screenwriter and director totally missed out on that really ought to have been included.

I can understand leaving out the Dursleys, Ludo Bagman and SPEW, and maybe even Molly Weasley, but poor Alan Rickman was left with so little to do with his character in this one that by the time he becomes a truly essential character in the fifth movie, they're going to have to explain so much that he's almost going to seem really random. The realization that Snape is a Death Eater was an eye opener in the book, yet here it is almost like, "Oh yeah, by the way..." It's almost as though they do not know what to do with his character, and he's probably the most important one outside of the trio. Another thing that really was done horribly was the ending. The viewer was left with the feeling that Barty Crouch Jr. is going to come back, when in reality he's supposed to be dead. Are they going to just to add his death into the very beginning of movie five, or what? They also skipped out on Fudge's scene at the end, which is a terrible shame because Robert Hardy could have done that scene brilliantly. The film seemed very jumpy and incoherent in other spots as well. The best example I can give of this is Hermione and Ron's confrontation at the Yule Ball, and then in the next scene they're best friends again without any real explanation as to how they made up.

However, despite these problems, there were many things done well. The trial scene (with the exception knowing Snape is a Death Eater), was really well done and the Unforgivable Curse scene was a lot darker (very appropriately) than in the film. The tasks were all done well, especially the underwater scene. The best scene though (the most anticipated, in my opinion) was the graveyard scene. Ralph Fiennes was chillingly awesome as Voldemort. The priori incantatem was done perfectly and the Death Eaters were maliciously frightening (though I think the budget could have handled a larger hood for Lucius Malfoy).

The acting is better in this one. Katie Leung was fine as Cho (though her character, thank goodness, was not all that big), and yes, she was pretty enough for the part. Stanislav, Fleur and Robert were good as the the other champions, though Krum and Fleur did not get to say much. Hagrid and Madame Maxime's scenes were cute, Brendan Gleeson played a very believable Mad-Eye, Rita Skeeter was played to the hilt by Miranda Richardson, and Dumbledore was not as hyper as he seemed in the trailers. McGonagall had a larger role in this film, but sadly Snape had nothing to do, Narcissa Malfoy did not make an appearance (which will make her seem very random in movie six), same with the Lestranges. As far as the trio, Harry's acting has improved substantially since "He was their friend", Ron plays it about the same, and Hermione is gradually weakening with her overblown emotions. Her line at the end nearly killed the movie, but I suppose that wasn't her fault she had to say it. The new music was good as well.

Overall, a 7 out of 10, and I'm being generous. Taken as a movie, it is okay, and the art direction, cinematography and etc. are all great, but the character development is weak. Had the movie been just even twenty minutes longer, it could have been better. Definitely not a contender for best adapted screenplay at the Oscars, that's for sure.

I was blown away by this film the first time I saw it. After giving myself a couple hours to shake off my dumbfounding amazement, I became addicted. This film has everything. It's witty in its dialogue, suspenseful in its action and violence, beautiful in its cinematography, and (being so like the Coen brothers) it can make you laugh and cringe in the same scene.

The script is superb. The characters are absorbing and the dialogue (as some reviewers have already observed) flows like words in a book. You have to watch some scenes more than once to totally get what's going on, and even then you still might miss something.

The acting is top-notch, even down to the lowest thug. Gabriel Byrne plays the antihero Tom to lonely perfection and Marcia Gay Harden's hooker without a golden heart is excellent. The rest of the cast is great as well, including good mobster Albert Finney and a funny cameo by Steven Buscemi. However, the show is stolen threefold by Jon Polito as the erratic Italian underboss Johnny Caspar, John Tuturro as the slimy "schmatta" Bernie Bernbaum and J.E. Freeman as Caspar's dark, vicious adviser/thug Eddie Dane. Jon Polito's monologue in the very beginning on ethics and Tuturro's desperate pleas at Miller's Crossing are both powerful scenes, and Freeman commands the screen whenever he is on.

My rating is a 10/10. The best part about this movie is that it gets better and better every time you watch it. Oh yeah...the Danny Boy scene is reason enough to watch this movie anyway.