The filmed version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, adapted from the wildly popular book by J.K. Rowling, stunningly brings to life Harry Potter's world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The greatest strength of the film comes from its faithfulness to the novel, and this new cinematic world is filled with all the details of Rowling's imagination, thanks to exuberant sets, elaborate costumes, clever makeup and visual effects, and a crème de la crème cast, including Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, and more. Especially fine is the interplay between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his schoolmates Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), as well as his protector, the looming Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). The second-half adventure--involving the titular stone--doesn't translate perfectly from page to screen, ultimately because of the film's fidelity to the novel; this is a case of making a movie for the book's fans, as opposed to a transcending film. Writer Steve Kloves and director Chris Columbus keep the spooks in check, making this a true family film, and with its resourceful hero wide-eyed and ready, one can't wait for Harry's return. First sequels are the true test of an enduring movie franchise, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets passes with flying colors. Harry's second year at Hogwarts involves a darker, more malevolent tale (parents with younger children beware), beginning with the petrified bodies of several Hogwarts students and magical clues leading Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a 50-year-old mystery in the monster-laden Chamber of Secrets. House elves, squealing mandrakes, giant spiders, and venomous serpents populate this loyal adaptation (by director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves), and Kenneth Branagh delightfully tops the supreme supporting cast as the vainglorious charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart. At 161 minutes, the film suffers from lack of depth and uneven pacing, and John Williams's score mostly reprises established themes. The young, fast-growing cast offers ample compensation, however, as does the late Richard Harris in his final screen appearance as Professor Albus Dumbledore. Brimming with cleverness, wonderment, and big-budget splendor, Chamber honours the legacy of J.K. Rowling's novels. Some movie-loving wizards must have cast a magic spell on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, because it's another grand slam for the Harry Potter franchise. Demonstrating remarkable versatility after the arthouse success of Y Tu Mamá También, director Alfonso Cuarón proves a perfect choice to guide Harry, Hermione, and Ron into treacherous puberty as the now 13-year-old students at Hogwarts face a new and daunting challenge: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and for reasons yet unknown (unless, of course, you've read J.K. Rowling's book, considered by many to be the best in the series), he's after Harry in a bid for revenge. This dark and dangerous mystery drives the action while Harry and his third-year classmates discover the flying hippogriff Buckbeak (a marvelous CGI creature), the benevolent but enigmatic Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), horrifying black-robed Dementors, sneaky Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), and the wonderful advantage of having a Time-Turner just when you need one. The familiar Hogwarts staff returns in fine form (including the delightful Michael Gambon, replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and Emma Thompson as the goggle-eyed Sybil Trelawney), and even Julie Christie joins this prestigious production for a brief but welcome cameo. Technically dazzling, fast-paced, and chock-full of Rowling's boundless imagination, The Prisoner of Azkaban is a Potter-movie classic.
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Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND tells the story of Mia [Emma Stone], an aspiring actress, and Sebastian [Ryan Gosling], a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.
Harry Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction - the Horcruxes. On their own and on the run the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever... but Dark Forces in their midst threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile the wizarding world has become a dangerous place. The long-feared war has begun and the Dark Lord has seized control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts terrorising and arresting all who might oppose him. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort... alive.
Goodness Gracious Me was never quite a classic comedy series, but it did achieve the goal of all such sketch shows: to make at least a couple of its characters part of the popular discourse. The show's best creations were those that served to let the rest of Britain in on a few of the in-jokes in British/Asian life. The bitterly competitive immigrant mothers boasting about the achievements of their first-generation children, the over-compensating, more-British-than-the-British Kapoor family and the obstinately patriotic Mr Everything Came from India. The sketch in which the latter passionately argues that Leonardo da Vinci was, in fact, Indian is a particular joy. Fine though these ideas were, Goodness Gracious Me also carried its share of padding. Hapless Romeo Mr Check Please is a less funny and less charming reading of The Fast Show's "I'll get me coat", and the kindest that can be said musical sketches is that they're not quite as lame as the ones on Smack the Pony. On the DVD: Goodness Gracious Me, Series 3 offers the standard episode selector, a song selector to direct the viewer to the unfunny musical parody of their choice, augmented by a simple yet brilliant idea that should be mandatory for all sketch show DVDs: another selector which allows you to watch all the sketches from the series featuring one particular character. The DVD also contains an interview with cast member Nina Wadia. No subtitles are available. --Andrew Mueller
Two ordinary inner-city kids dare to dream the impossible-professional basketball glory-in this epic chronicle of hope and faith. Filmed over a five-year period Hoop Dreams follows young Arthur Agee and William Gates as they navigate the complex competitive world of scholastic athletics while striving to overcome the intense pressures of family life and the realities of their Chicago streets.
The Amazing Spider-Man, which is now in production and is being shot entirely in 3D, will be released on July 3, 2012. The film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, and Sally Field.
Set during the brief hours of light one day in February when the sea has frozen, The Winter Guest is about how four pairs of people at different stages of life attempt to fill the emptiness in their hearts. While that sounds bleak--and the setting in a small town on the East coast of Scotland is certainly stark--there is considerable human warmth in Alan Rickman's directorial debut. Without a conventional story, Rickman simply cuts between four strands, spending most of the time with the difficult relationship between a mother and daughter, played by real-life parent and offspring Phyllida Law and Emma Thomson. Strong dialogue, with a dash of Samuel's Beckett's existential squabbling angst and outstanding performances make this both funny and touching. Meanwhile Thomson's teenage son begins a tentative romance with the new girl in town, two younger boys bunk off school to the icy beach and a pair of elderly ladies attends a funeral. Ultimately the ice-locked sea and Michael Kamen's crystalline piano score become additional characters, the film offering a pseudo-mysticism akin to Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) while echoing with the spare dramas of Krzysztof Kieslowski; especially Three Colours: White (1994). A beautiful drama that demands attention throughout. --Gary S Dalkin
Stevens is the perfect English butler. Now employed by Mr Lewis, the new American owner of Darlington Hall, Stevens has spent the best part of his working life serving Lord Darlington, the host of many prestigious international conferences in the 1930s. It was only when war broke out in 1939, that Lord Darlington's involvement with the Nazi party was uncovered. Now, twenty years later, Stevens realizes that his unquestioning faith and dedication to duty were misplaced, and cost him dearly in his own personal life. Over several years, he carried on an intense relationship with the Estate's attractive young housekeeper, Miss Kenton. But his unwavering sense of duty led Stevens to deny his emotions and eventually drive away the one woman he loved. Now he wants to make amends...An extraordinary story of blind emotion and repressed love, The Remains Of The Day achieved an astounding 8 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress. Anthony Hopkins received the BAFTA Award for the Best Performance by an actor in a leading role.
Set in a 1970s commune, the story blends the hypocrisy of the hippie movement with a sense of idealsism and solidarity.
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As Lord Voldemort tightens his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven. Harry suspects perils may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Even as the decisive showdown looms, romance blossoms for Harry, Ron, Hermione and their classmates. Love is in the air, but danger lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.
In Kenneth Branagh's stylish suspense film Branagh stars as Mike Church a Los Angeles detective. Mike is drawn into the life of Grace (Emma Thompson) a woman with amnesia who is plagued by disturbing nightmares. Attempts to help her regain her memory lead them to Franklyn Madson (Derek Jacobi) a mysterious hypnotist who runs an antique shop. Under hypnosis Grace claims that in a previous life she was Margaret Strauss a concert pianist who was murdered by her jealous husband Rom
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Judi Dench directs Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson in the Renaissance Theatre Company's highly ac-claimed presentation of John Osborne's landmark play a work which brought in the generation of 'Angry Young Men', revolutionising theatre and having such a profound effect on drama that it is still felt to this day.A story of disparate characters locked into the raw misery of a self-destructive marriage driven towards crisis point, Look Back in Anger features astonishing performances from both its celebrated leads. Branagh's turn as the mercurial central character, a disappointed working-class graduate railing furiously against bourgeois re-spectability, was hailed by Osborne as 'the best Jimmy Porter ever', while Thompson brings enormous sympathy and depth to the role of the long-suffering Alison the seeming embodiment of all that Jimmy abhors.
For the HARRY POTTER completist: all four films including THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, CHAMBER OF SECRETS, PRISONER OF AZKABAN, and GOBLET OF FIRE. Adapted from the ubiquitous J.K. Rowling novels, HARRY POTTER's irresistible mix of fantasy, magic, and adventure has captured the imaginations of children and adults the world over. Follow Harry's rise through the ranks of Hogwarts as he learns the art of sorcery, plays the odd game of Quidditch, and saves the world from the dark forces that conspire to overthrow it.
Titles Comprise: Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone: Harry Potter learns on his 11th birthday that he is the orphaned son of a powerful witch and wizard and possesses magical powers of his own. At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime discovering a world of magic and fantasy where he is destined to live. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets: Cars fly trees fight back and a mysterious elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of the second year of his amazing journey into the world of wizardry. This year at Hogwarts spiders talk letters scold and Harry's own unsettling ability to speak to snakes turns his friends against him. From dueling clubs to rogue Bludgers it's a year of adventure and danger when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry Ron and Hermione's magical abilities and courage in this spellbinding adaptation of J.K. Rowling's second book. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban: It's Harry's third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. More terrifying than his increasingly difficult classes is the fact that convicted murderer Sirius Black (Oldman) an associate of Lord Voldemort has escaped Azkaban prison and could be coming after him... Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire: Beset by nightmares that leave his scar hurting more than usual Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is all too happy to escape his disturbing dreams by attending the Quidditch World Cup with his friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson). But something sinister ignites the skies at the Quidditch campsite; the Dark Mark the sign of the evil Lord Voldemort. It's conjured by his followers the Death Eaters who haven't dared to appear in public since Voldemort was last seen thirteen years ago - the night he murdered Harry's parents. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community has been denied the truth about his recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort. Fearing that Hogwarts' venerable Headmaster Albus Dumbledore is lying about Voldemort's return in order to undermine his power and take his job the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students. But Professor Dolores Umbridge's Ministry-approved course of defensive magic leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community so at the prompting of his friends Hermione and Ron Harry takes matters into his own hands. Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince: Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1: Part 1 begins as Harry Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction-the Horcruxes. On their own without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.
David Jason is the gritty and dogged Detective Inspector Jack Frost a man who has little time for paperwork or the orthodox approach. Featuring the complete series 6 of A Touch Of Frost. Episodes include: Appendix Man One Man's Meat Private Lives Keys To The Car.
Paul Marcus directs this children's adventure based on the classic book by Johanna Spyri. Young Heidi (Emma Bolger) is sent to live with her bad-tempered grandfather (Max von Sydow) in the mountains, and before long she has managed to cheer him up. But when Heidi is forced to become a companion to a young disabled girl in Frankfurt, she discovers just how much she misses the mountains, her grandfather, and her animal friends. The cast also includes Geraldine Chaplin, Diana Rigg and Pauline McLynn.
Vampire-slayer Buffy Summers moves to Sunnydale, a Californian community located above the "Hellmouth", a phenomenon which explains the local graveyard's overpopulation of vampires and other supernatural beings. Angel, a mysterious loiterer, starts flirting with Buffy and gives her helpful tips on how to cope with the local nasties. However, he turns out to be a vampire, which complicates the future of their relationship. Buffy makes friends with school outcasts Willow, a computer nerd, and geeky Xander. But she excites the enmity of high-school princess Cordelia. The season's prime villain is the Master, a Nosferatu-looking vampire lurking under the town. Giles, Buffy's mentor, looks things up in books and demonstrates the exact same look of puzzlement actor Anthony Head used to demonstrate in those horrifying instant coffee ads. --Kim Newman
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