I enjoy Harry Potter and love the books. I have read them all except the final one, ”Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”. My daughter has had her head buried in it for two days now, and I will be the next to read it.

These books stir the imagination and paint incredible pictures on our brains, children and adult alike.

We have seen the first Harry Potter movie, “The Sorcerers Stone”. It was a disappointment in that it stole our imagination, and forever more when we read the books, we see the Harry from the movie, the Snape from the movie , the Hogwarts from the movie, and so on. We can’t recall the others from our imagination, pre-movie!!

The original Harry Potter movie resembled the book as closely as possible. They did an amazing job, but regardless, the scene with the unicorn in the woods and Voldemort floating above with blood dripping from his mouth, burned a horrifying vision on my daughter’s memory. The book never affected her in a negative way, but the visual seared a clear and lasting image. This leads me to the issue of movie ratings. Who in their right mind comes up with these G ratings? Are they insane or just childless? The only other explanation is that they are completely desensitized to the visual violence and terrifying images.

Why are they so desperate to have every child see these movies? Couldn’t it be something for the younger children to look forward to with great anticipation, for when they get older? My son is seven and only just recently watched the first Harry Potter movie after completing the book. The book was an absolute prerequisite to the movie. He was prepared for most of what was coming , but even then we fast forwarded the scarier bits.

I know some will think me paranoid and over protective, which is fine with me. I know my children can sleep at night with the lights off and not have nightmares. I will reiterate what I said at the beginning, I love movies, all movies, but I think parents have to be choosy, even if it goes against the norm, and stand up to that adult peer pressure and do what is right for their child.

The movie ratings are not devised with a child’s best interest at heart. The primary motivation is to get as many to see the movie as quickly as possible, and put as much money as possible into the pockets of the companies involved. I have friends who won’t even let their children read the Harry Potter series. That is going a little too far for me, but the movie industry should be held socially responsible for the degree of realism in the content, and it is up to the parents to demand it. We will eventually see the entire series of Harry Potter movies, but in our own good time, and when each child is emotional ready.

Debbie is the cofounder of debnbob.com, a blog focused on the personal challenges in life. It is through her blog that she helps people solve, and discuss everyday issues that concern us all. Sometimes it just isn’t appropriate to ask someone you know their opinion on a subject that is on your mind. You may feel-free to ask Debbie. She is also a professional homeschooler and business owner. You may visit Debbie’s blog at: www.debnbob.com

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As 300 progresses, Xerxes sends a Persian messenger to Sparta and asks for King Leonidas to surrender. That is not the Spartan way; the Spartan way is to “Never retreat, never surrender.” Insulted by the notion that King Leonidas and Sparta will be slaves under Xerxes, the great Spartan leader kicks the Persian messenger into a pit to his ultimate death as he shouts “this is Sparta!” Realizing that these actions would lead to a war, Leonidas seeks permission from the Ephors. Unfortunately, it has come to no avail because he is not granted authorization to fight against the Persian Empire from the perverse Ephors. Even though the Spartans are outnumbered more than 2 to 1, Leonidas believes that Sparta will be victorious. Furthermore, he gathers a group of 300 Spartans and gets ready for the most macabre quest of his life.

The picture is an amazing, jaw-dropping experience that no one should miss. Virtually every scene from start to finish is astronomical. There are a bevy of quotations throughout the duration of the film that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Including one where Leonidas states, “This is where we hold them. This is where we fight. This is where they die!” After that I heard that, I remember turning to my friend in the movie theater and saying “Oh snap.” A favorite scene by many people was when Leonidas exclaims, “Give them nothing, but take from them everything!” If that does not send chills up and down your spine, then I do not know what will. Another one being when a Persian said, “A thousand nations of the Persian empire descend upon you. Our arrows will blot out the sun,” and the Spartan responds by saying “Then we will fight in the shade.” I actually have this quote listed as one of my favorite quotes on my Facebook profile. The only flaw with the movie was the portrayl of Xerxes. In real life, he was a precocious tactician, but in 300 he was viewed as a coward. But that is merely one minor blunder in the movie. If you not doing sit-ups after watching 300, then something is wrong with you. This movie motivated me to do more exercise more than any dreadful Tae bo video. King Leonidas would pummel Billy Banks to the ground. I have no idea how many sit-ups I did after 300 was over because I passes out after the first 2, but the point is that I at least attempted them.”

Final Verdict: See 300 and learn how to “dine in hell.”

http://funnyman-movies.blogspot.com/

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Megan Fox plays the sexy and immensely attractive woman. Her disastrous acting was more robotic than the actual transformers. No, I don’t know and don’t care who she played in the movie; moreover, I will just refer to her as the designated hot girl. When you look like that, you don’t need name. Transformers attempted to talk about something called Sector 7 (secret branch of the government). Why is there so much incongruous content in this movie regarding Sector 7? The computer generated images are brilliant, and the movie had its fair share of comedic elements.

Some of the action sequences were more disappointing that the series finale of the Sopranos because of the velocity. Countless things were transpiring simultaneously, to the point where it was arduous to decipher who was fighting who. These consisted of bullets flying through the air and gratuitous explosions. It may sound amazing, but I would like to know who or what is doing the shooting. At one point, it looked like Optimus Prime and Megatron were groping each other. The actions scenes looked as if they were all intentionally sped up.

Final Verdict: If you are a Transformers fan, then definitely watch it. Otherwise, you can bypass these Robots in Disguise.

http://funnyman-movies.blogspot.com/

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Get ready for some creepy puppets. A young man returns to his hometown to find out the truth about his wife’s murder. Was she really murdered by a ventriloquist’s dummy? Storywise it felt like I was watching an episode of TV’s “Supernatural” (and that’s not a bad thing.) Some suspenseful scenes, but overall the movie didn’t appeal to me. But I have to admit the ending was cool.
Grade: 2 out of 5

The Host

A monster movie that was a huge hit in Korea. Toxic chemicals poured out into the drain create a mutant monster in the city river. The monster rises and spreads panic in the city. The action/horror scenes work well, but the movie also has a weird comedy tone that I really disliked. Some good CGI though, and a really cool monster.
Grade: 3 out of 5

Reeker

A bunch of friends on a road trip end up in a deserted country town. One after the other they’re attacked by an evil creature. The twist-end works, but we’ve seen it before. This is a decent low-budget effort.
Grade: 3 out of 5

The Baby’s Room

Spanish movie (original title: The Habitacion Del Nino) about a couple with a baby moving into a new house. Soon they discover a ghostly entity in the nursery. This movie relies on pure mood and psychological tension, but it’s not frightening enough. But one scene with the babymonitor really had me on the edge of my seat.
Grade: 2 out of 5.

Pulse

This is the American remake of the Asian horror movie “Kairo”. We see Kristen Bell (TV’s Veronica Mars) in this ghosts-in-the-computer techno-horror. Eerie doomsday-feeling, but scary? No, not really.
Grade: 3 out of 5

The Toolbox Murders

Tobe Hooper’s remake/reimaging of the original movie from 1978. A young couple move into in a run-down apartment building where the tenants are killed off with tools from a toolbox. Get ready for creepy atmosphere and some gore. This is a movie many people hate, and quite frankly I don’t understand why. This is a solid, quite scary slasher. That’s what I think and I’m sticking to it.
Grade: 4 out of 5

Stay Alive

Some teens playing a computer game unleashes evil powers and find out that if you die in the game – you die for real. I think the script was better than how the movie actually turned out. Almost no scares at all.
Grade: 1 out of 5

Into The Mirror

Asian horror where a security guard tries to solve murders linked to mirrors at a shopping mall. I love some of the creepy mirror scenes, but the movie is slow and there’s not much going on. The final scene lingers in my memory. Chilling.
Grade: 3 out of 5

Henrik Holmberg writes horror scripts for indie filmmakers. Check out his website: http://www.horror-scripts.com

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“Saving Face” introduces us to Wilhemina, a New Yorker who takes the #7 train weekly to visit her family, part of a tight-knit Chinese community located in Flushing, Queens. She is careful to keep her two worlds separated, but circumstances conspire against her when her widowed mother (played by Joan Chen) winds up on her doorstep pregnant and outcast (father unknown). Wil has to placate Ma while keeping her relationship with her beautiful dancer girlfriend (Lynn Chen) on the down low. Of course Ma is no fool; she is aware of her daughter’s tendencies, but the issue must be skirted because her daughter cannot be gay. Wil has tolerated her mother’s attempts to hook her up with proper Chinese boys at the Friday night socials for years, but to no avail. Ironically, it is Ma (who only speaks Mandarin and rarely steps outside of the confines of her social web) who has fallen from grace and must do the right thing to get back in good social standing.

The casting for Saving Face is brilliant. All the actors shine in their roles, creating contrast and chemistry that makes you laugh through the tears. The performances are heartfelt – never forced, and despite the fairy tale ending, quite believable. With the exception of Joan Chen, I was not familiar with any of the actors, but was pleasantly surprised at the caliber of the talent. Joan Chen played Ma to perfection and the other two leads were very strong, Krusiec playing the brilliant tomboy surgeon to Chen’s worldly elegance and street smarts. The introduction of a black neighbor as a regular character added a lot of comedy to the mix.

One billion Chinese people, two degrees of separation – Saving Face.

The director clearly put a lot of love into this project and it shows in every scene. Though there are some obvious stereotypes, the story gives you a real sense of Chinese culture across generations. And no matter how you feel about the lesbian relationship that is depicted, most people can easily relate to this drama regardless of race or sexual orientation. “Saving Face” presents the human condition just as it is in real life, complicated and messy, and at no time did I feel that the director had some kind of political agenda to force on the audience. “Saving Face” is one of the most intelligent and thoroughly entertaining movies I have seen in some time, keeping me completely enthralled from beginning to end.

“Saving Face” is in English, however many scenes have Chinese dialogue, so I recommend that you be sure to have the subtitles on display while you watch or you will miss out on some hilarious one liners. Though tastefully done, there is a scene of sexuality, so viewer be warned.

“Saving Face” was a favorite for many at the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals. The movie has the high production values of a Hollywood film with a strong independent spirit. The film is a rare gem, one of those pleasant surprises that come around only so often, one that you will come to cherish. I give it my highest rating.

It is never too late to fall in love for the first time – Saving Face.

More Movie Reviews

Resources for Saving Face

http://www.sonyclassics.com/savingface/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saving_Face

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Want to see a movie full of satire, friendship, love and delirium, all in one? Yes, that is what “Delirious” is all about. I wish I could be in New York on the date of launch of this film and witness unfolding of great romance and thrill in an atmosphere filled with celebrities, paparazzi, fame, glamour, art and fashion. This film is not just about celebrities or glamour. These have been used as a background to an amazing story of helplessness, desire, adventure and fulfillment.

With prominent stars like Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Alison Lohman, Gina Gershon, and Elvis Costello, one can feel the depth and richness of this movie. They are prominent actors, writers, models, musicians and singers.

All of them have numerous films to their credit with some of best performances. No wonder they received various awards at several international film festivals for their respective roles.

Tom DiCillo, writer and director, won Grand Prize at the 1992 Locarno International Film Festival for his very first feature film “Johnny Suede” (1991). There was no looking back for him after that, winning award after award. Some of the most prominent films to his credit are “Living in Oblivion”, “Box of Moonlight”, “The Real Blonde”, “Double Whammy” etc.

Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt and Alison Lohman play the three main characters of the “Delirious”. Les Galantine (Steve) is the lower rung ambitious paparazzi. He is always on the lookout for a unique picture of a celebrity. Toby (Michael Pitt), wants to become an actor. Both want fame and fortune but in different areas.

It will be exciting to see how Steve and Pitt become friends with different ambitions and how the two go ahead towards the achievement of their goals. It will also be interesting to see how Pitt reaches stardom with the help of K’Harma Leeds (Alison).

Nothing will be more entertaining than watching the trio in action.

The film is a story of desires, aspirations, struggles, tragedy, failures and achievements in an atmosphere of pomp and show. I am sure that everyone will see a shade of themselves in this film amidst a plethora of fun, entertainment and laughter.

The author has background in business, economics and finance. He is presently researching in finding ways to make money and working on the following website and blogs:

http://www.businesses-jobs-careers.com

http://www.IWant2MakeMoneyOnline.blogspot.com

http://www.ReviewAnythingOnline.blogspot.com

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Just got back from watching Rush Hour 3 at the theatre. Who said sequels cannot be as good as the first? In my humble opinion Rush Hour 3 easily ties the first Rush Hour the only advantage being the first had the element of surprise.

The writer’s did a nice job tying the plot to the original movie. The plot is very basic but flows nicely. The stunts were fast moving, fantastic and mostly believable. A few of them went over the edge but nothing like MI3 or the Die Hard series, which to me were still good movies for different reasons. Sometimes you just want to veg at a movie and not have to think about anything.

Back to Rush Hour 3, get ready to laugh, laugh, laugh. Chris Tucker carries the whole movie and does a great job at it! Kudo’s to you Chris, what a great comeback. He’s put on a few pounds but can still move about the scene agilely. This is no Academy Award winning performance like Eddie Murphy should have received for his astounding Dream Girls performance but Chris Tucker really shows his versatile skills.

Jackie Chan does a good job as well. He helps to balance out Tucker’s wild and crazy antics and keeps them from crossing the line (like much of Martin Lawerences’ work) from funny to just plain stupid. It’s all about timing and balance. The Chan and Tucker team definitely have both in this hilarious sequel.

The asian cast had quite a few veteran actors. Hiroyuki Sanada from The Last Samurai and Youki Kudoh from Memoirs of a Geisha.

The enormous international success of the Rush Hour series began in 1998 with Rush Hour and then the sequel Rush Hour 2 was released in 2001. According to Box Office Mojo, combined these two movies have grossed over $350 million dollars domestically.

My theatre was packed and the general mood felt like most of the movie goers enjoyed the flick. The movie itself is nicely compacted into 87 minutes so you’re not sitting there so long you start to wonder why you came out. If you like comedies this is a must see. Even with a weak plot it’s still remains very funny.

Below is one of the funniest dialogs presented in the movie:

# Dojo Master: May I Help You?
# Detective James Carter: I’ll be asking the questions old man. Who are you?
# Dojo Master: Yu.
# Detective James Carter: No not me you!
# Dojo Master: Yes I’m Yu!
# Detective James Carter: Are you deaf?
# Dojo Master: No Yu is blind!
# Detective James Carter: I’m not blind, you blind.
# Dojo Master: That is what I just said.
# Detective James Carter: You just said what?
# Dojo Master: I did not say what, I said Yu.
# Detective James Carter: That’s what I’m asking you!
# Dojo Master: And Yu is answering.
# Detective James Carter: Shutup!
# Detective James Carter: You!
# Dojo Master: Yes?
# Detective James Carter: Not You, Him! What’s Your name?
# Dojo Student: Mi.
# Detective James Carter: Yes You!
# Dojo Student: I’m Mi.
# Dojo Master: He’s Mi and I’m Yu.
# Detective James Carter: And I’m about to whoop your old ass man because I am sick of playing games!

Get out and show some love for Rush Hour 3 this weekend. I’m betting this blockbuster will do quite nicely again at the box office.

Find more motivating messages, reviews and jokes at => http://www.LiveTheSecret.us.

Priscilla Parham coaches on awareness and goal setting for your health, your business and your relationships, motivating others to rebuild from the inside-out.

Copyright 2007 – Priscilla Parham.

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This is a very cute movie for the kids. As has been the tradition with the Disney Movies over the past few years, Underdog has a mix of humor, action and just a little drama.

I will not spoil all of the details for you, but I will give you a brief synopsis of what the movie is about. A dog (obviously) gains super powers by means of an accident. He can save damsels in distress, fight crime and most impressively FLY!

Now I must admit, the cheese-o-meter was all fired up when I first heard Disney was releasing this movie. I am one of the traditionalists and it seems one of the few people I know who remember Underdog from the cartoon series. He was the coolest! I did not think Disney could pull it off, but they did a good job.

I like the way Disney incorporates modern themes and concepts into their movies. The musical soundtrack from this movie is AWESOME (if you like that kind of music). The music is incorporated into the movie and has a way of tying everything together.

As has been the case with some of the other Disney movies, there is some dry humor the kids may or may not get. The parents will definitely get it though. It has that magical mix of being funny without being over the top or stupid.

This is a movie you can take your kids and their friends to and not sit there agonizing for an hour and a half waiting for the movie to end.

If you enjoyed my post and are looking for a great place to find merchandise from the movie check out my blog at http://underdogstuff.blog.com/1990835/

Thanks!

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Not many actors have won more than one award for their acting ability, so those who have done so are really highlighted as truly great film stars. Among those who have won an oscar for their acting on two separate occasions are the likes of Tom Hanks (a winner in 1993 for ‘Philadelphia’ and again the following year for ‘Forrest Gump’), Hilary Swank and Denzel Washington. Such modern stars of the movies easily come to find.

Stepping back a bit further in time, Marlon Brando (a winner in 1954 for On The Waterfront and again in 1972 for ‘The Godfather’) is another who many would hold up as an example of a truly great actor. Also with 2 Oscar wins are Jodie Foster, Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Taylor and Vivien Leigh, to name but a few.

The list of actors and actresses with 3 Oscar wins reveals a very select group indeed. Ingrid Bergman and Jack Nicholson each have that honour, as does Walter Brennan. Brennan may be a less well known name to more recent cinema audiences, having won the last of his awards in 1940, for his role in ‘The Westerner’.

There is one star who stands ahead of all the rest: Katharine Hepburn. Hepburn won 4 Oscars, over a span of some 49 years. She can certainly lay claim to having been one of the finest actresses of all time, with her awards coming for her roles in ‘Morning Glory’, ‘Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner’, ‘The Lion in Winter’ and ‘On Golden Pond’.

We may disagree with the decisions of the judges, but there is no doubt that those who have won multiple Oscars include some of the world’s greatest all time actors.

Keith Barrett has written about films and cinemas in London as part of his writing on various issues. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.

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I applaud Disney for the fact that they didn’t stoop to the potty humor so often found in G rated animated movies. Ratatouille is a well thought out flick, definitely aimed at the family-friendly crowd. The animation is wonderful and for the most part, the plot hangs together well too. It’s the story of a rat who desires to be a Paris chef. While others say it can never be done because he’s different, Remy holds onto his dream of becoming a gourmet chef. His famous dish ends up being Ratatouille.

It’s a movie about connecting with your hearts desire. Remy wants to be a chef, and Anton Ego, the food critic voiced by Peter O’Toole, discovers lost joy when the Ratatouille dish re-connects him with the happy days of his childhood. Suddenly the bitter and joyless Anton, remembers his roots, and re-discovers his joy.

Ratatouille is a family-friendly movie, but a little long coming in at about 2 hours, with a G rating. Because of the length, I’m giving it a 3 Lloyd rating.

Live Free Die Hard
Rated PG-13
Not Family-Friendly
3 out of 5 Lloyds

My wife described this latest Die Hard movie the best when she called it “two hours of non-stop running, jumping, bang-bang and ca-boom-boom action.”

Of course this is not a family-friendly movie with a PG-13 rating, but, this is a typical Die Hard guy type movie. There’s lots of explosives with special effects, and yes, even lots of laughs as we follow yet another heroic adventure in the life of Officer John McClane. Also, if you like special effects, but are tired of the latest computer generated special effects you usually see in movies, you won’t be disappointed as Live Free or Die Hard stayed away from the standard CGI faire, with most of the stunts being done live and on camera.

From time to time that makes for a rather shakier camera hold, but in the end, what some would call the old fashioned way of doing stunts and special effects, helps push this movie over the top into the arena of spectacular effects. When you know they’re real stunts, the action just seems edgier.

It’s been 19 years since the first Die Hard movie, and this is just the fourth one, but, Bruce Willis says it’s the best one yet. Live Free or Die Hard is not a family-friendly movie with a PG-13 rating. But it does have a great message encouraging people to “step up and be the guy who helps out when no one else will.”

Enjoy the show!

Dr. Rus D. Jeffrey is the News Director and part of the morning team at 1420 WACK in Newark, New York, just outside Rochester, New York. He also hosts the weekday morning talk show Live Line, interviewing a wide array of guests including prominent governmental leaders, as well those in the entertainment and sports industry. With 15 years of mainstream media broadcasting experience, and 15 years of church ministry experience, Dr. Rus taps into the power of communication, crossing the mainstream and Christian boundaries, while mainstreaming and maintaining the integrity of the message.

Dr. Rus and his wife Sandra are also movie critics hosting Frame by Frame: A Family-Friendly Guide to the Movies Friday mornings on WACK. As parents they understand the frustration of parenting in a society that encourages children to grow up too fast in a media driven world. As an offshoot of their radio reviews, Dr. Rus and Sandra published Frame by Frame: A Family-Friendly Guide to the Movies in 2007, reviewing movies from 2006.

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