Movie Night: Fury.

Review #694: Fury.

Cast
Brad Pitt (Don Collier), Logan Lerman (Norman Ellison), Shia LaBeouf (Boyd Swan), Michael Peña (Trini Garcia), Jon Bernthal (Grady Travis), Jason Isaacs (Cpt. Waggoner), and Scott Eastwood (Sgt. Miles) Directed by David Ayer.

Review
When it comes to World War II movies, we watch regardless of the era. Whether it is Patton, or Sands of Iwo Jima, or The Dirty Dozen, or various others, it's a subject that is endless. And this just happens to be another one, though this one is influenced by evens, which I guess makes the movie less susceptible to criticism of inaccuracy. And what we have here is a movie well fit for war. Watching war movies takes a little endurance because the subject matter has to hold itself to a standard while taking the brunt of horror. In that case, this movie works just fine for it. The performances are well done, and I like Pitt's tone. I was a bit surprised that LeBeouf does a pretty fine job, mostly because he really seems into this role. The action and effects are well done, which is good because had the effects not been up to par, it would've made for a distracting mess. The movie has just enough edge to make for a brutal, but ultimately functional movie. If you're not a fan of war movies or a fan of happier times, I'd suggest anything else. But for the rest of the audience at home, this is up their alley.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Patriot.

Review #413: The Patriot.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Benjamin Martin), Heath Ledger (Gabriel Martin), Jason Issacs (William Tavington), Joely Richardson (Charlotte Selton), Chris Cooper (Harry Burwell), Tcheky Karyo (Jean Villeneuve), Rene Auberjonois (Oliver), Lisa Brenner (Anne Howard), Tom Wilkinson (Charles, Lord Cornwallis), and Peter Woodward (Charles O'Hara) Directed by Roland Emmerich (#193 - Independence Day)

Review
The Patriot boasts authenticity in costumes as they do look very nice, and very well made, the filmmakers even consulted the Smithsonian on advice, and it does look like there was real effort made into this film, especially given it's massive attempts at being a Revolutionary film, which isn't easy to do. This film manages to last over 2 and a half hours to try and tell a story that while sometimes veering into melodrama, does manages to be coherent. Whether this is a good film or not depends on what you want in this film. Action? The film has plenty of it, axes and weapon fights about. But if you want a film that has compelling villain that isn't one dimensional, you won't get that. It is not Issacs' fault, he's just the actor reading the lines that make this one dimensional character who is written to be evil without much thought to it. The rest of the actors are alright, and Mel Gibson tries his best. While this isn't a perfect film by any means, it manages to entertain, and it does a better job than Emmerich's previous film, Independence Day, so if you want some roaring action for July 4th and have time on your hands, I suppose this could work for you. Just take it in consideration.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

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Movie Night: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Review #121: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Cast
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge), Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), and Warwick Davis (Filius Flitwick). Directed by David Yates.

Review
This film tries to do the longest book in the series justice, and it...shortens it to be the second shortest film in the series. But is it still a good film? Yes, yes it is. The acting again is superb, with Stauton, Lewis, and Carter being the main standouts (Other then the main three) The plot at least lasts 2 hours (given with the long 10 minute credits), but 20 minutes is used to have a trial scene which only makes us have one thing useful: The Order and the other characters, with the trial of course being good for Harry (I've seen more fairer Trials, but that Trial had someone called the "Boneyard", I believe) Anyway, the film omits some things and cuts into other scenes to have a faster climax. I wonder why they needed this to be the shortest, they could have made it just the same length as the others, but maybe it makes a better film by having not so much of the book. At least there is some characterization for some as this film might not be the best one, but it is not the worst by a long shot (There's no real worst), as we get close to the end. This ends Part V of Harry Potter Week. Stay tuned for Part VI...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Review #120: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Cast
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Brendan Gleeson (Alastor Moody), Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory), Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore), Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Miranda Richardson (Rita Skeeter), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom). Directed by Mike Newell.

Review
This film is good, as it differs from the others in its opening, finally not having the Dursleys, getting to other things, and being a bit darker then the last, going in a pattern that would set the pattern (feels familiar...) The acting is decently good as usual, with Gleeson being the standout (With David Tennant also doing well, and...Robert Pattinson does a decent performance) The plot's decent as it tries to jam things in to make it not overlong or too short, even if it cuts things a bit (Such as in the World Cup sequence in which it just cuts out of the game) The series is now half over, we get darker and darker...This ends Part IV of Harry Potter Week. Stay tuned for Part V...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Review #118: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Cast
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Richard Harris (Albus Dumbledore), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Toby Jones (Dobby), Warwick Davis (Filius Flitwick), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Richard Griffiths (Vernon Dursley), David Bradley (Argus Filch), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) Directed by Chris Columbus (#038 -  Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and #117 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Review
The film has good acting and an alright story, filled into...2 hours and 40 minutes. The lesson is that a film does not need that much time to make a film unless you have an excuse (Ben-Hur), or else you get an overstuffed film. My point is that this film is a bit overlong (The longest in the series next to Goblet of Fire), with a weird and partially grating character that is Dobby. The film is decent as it follows the book as usual. The reason that this film is not better then the first is because it feels similar with partially different things with longing length that still has a bit of charm. It's a good film, just not as great, but it at least sets the tone for the next film...This ends Part II of Harry Potter Week. Stay Tuned for Part III...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.