Saturday, July 26, 2008

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) PG - 4 Stars

Okay here is number 2 in the series and sequels usually suck but this was just as good as the first. I figured I would post all of the series all together as I had myself a Harry Potter marathon weekend last winter and got it out of my system and caught up on where the story has come so far. I've never read any of the books by J.K. Rowling, but got the DVD series cheap from someone who was switching to Blue Ray Discs only. Again the special effects are awesome and it's truly a family adventure movie for most ages.

This time Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) has turned 12 and again living with his aunt and uncle while waiting for the school to start. He's feeling like his friends have forgotten him an he has not received one letter from either Ron or Hermione. When house-elf Dobby appears in Harry's bedroom, his friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) are quick to nab Harry and whisk away to Hogwarts where, along with Hagrid the Giant (Robbie Coltrane), again they are together for the second epsiode of the series.

Now it's their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Headmaster Dumbledore (Richard Harris), Professor Snape (Alan Rickman), Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith), are still in charge. This year they are joined by new faculty members Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh), an expert in Defense against the Dark Arts, and Sprout (Miriam Margolyes), a teacher of Herbology.

In this session, someone has opened the Chamber of Secrets, unleashing a monster from within who is reeking havoc on Hogwart. Some on the students are turning to stone like statues, messages appear on the wall written in blood and Harry and his friends learn how to ride brooms. It turns out that a student Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) could be the one responsible for unleashing the creature and now takes Harry and his friends on the ride of their lives in order to bring piece back to Hogwarts.

Awards:

2003 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Broadcast Film Critics Association - Best Live Action Family Film
2003 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Broadcast Film Critics Association - Best Score

Warner Bros Pictures
Director: Chris Columbus
Writer: Steve Kloves
Producer: David Heyman
I viewed 11/07

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello Zola,

I do like your passion for movies, I share this passion with you, and do especially appreciate to see that you wrote about so many movies already, but after reading several of your posts, I am a little confused.

Your posts are more than well intended, they are well written indeed. However, none of the posts I've read so far, goes beyond what I would call a "summary" of the story line rather than an actual "review", where you would voive your opinion about the movie, may it be positive or negative.

I know, part of a review is a short summary without spoiling anything. But I think, simply saying 'I liked it' or 'I didn't like it' is not enough. Even a rating alone doesn't make it a real review.

I would like you to write more like a critic, who discusses the story line (rather than simply telling it), and most of all, tells me something beyound of what I can read on the back of the DVD cover.

For example: How did you like the actors' performances? Can you compare an actor's performance with his performance in another movie? Did the story feel belivable to you or awkwardly constructed? WHY was the sequel as good as the first one or better? And how did you feel, what were your thoughts, when you watched the movie? Did your company enjoy it as well, and why?
Of course there are many more questions of this kind that I expect to be answered in a "review".

Please keep writing, but maybe consider my feedback as a reason and the start to go beyond your current scope. I think you have what it takes to become a very good critic and writer.