Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, 2009

I am torn if I would elect to see this movie a second time or not. Usually this is what I use to determine between my "blacklist" and "whitelist". I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and found it entertaining, but would I see it again? I think not.

The movie's special magic is really appreciated in the larger scope of the story, since it cannot possibly stand on its own (just like the books). I am a visually-oriented person, so seeing the book played out on the big screen is very satisfying to me. I grant the obvious alterations Hollywood chose, and for the most part, I am just going to ignore them. However, how the movie portrays spell-casting (and subsequent spell-based battles) is a bit perplexing. How is it that some spells come out of the wands like streams from the GhostBuster's guns, even to the point that such streams can meet in the middle and war with each other? That's not what spells do. Some spells have special affects (the obvious green of Voldy's fav "Avada Kedavra"), while most spells get to their targets with no affects. Some (all?) spells can be deflected somehow and produce a visible white flash as if they hit a shield. I thought spells had to be counter-spelled, not merely deflected with a flick of the wand.

I like how the characters mature (physically, emotionally and not to mention the actors themselves are growing professionally and literally). The movies (and the storyline itself) get darker and darker, proving that these are not kids stories. I find it frightening that parents are brining young children into the the theatres to see this.

The special affects are well done, and the color/lighting is pretty good throughout. While I appreciate that there is only so much they can put into the movie, I do kinda wish there was more on Tom Riddle's background. I think.

District 9, 2009

I was intrigued by the anthropology aspect (using aliens instead of humans) presented by the previews, mixed in with the sci-fi of alien technology. The directors/producers did a great job representing a completely alien race, depicting an almost believable story. The greater genious was the hyperbole - apartheid.

The setting is very confusing at first; a giant spaceship shows up out of nowhere and just sits above an African city doing nothing. When the government breaks into it, they find a starving mass of delinquent human/insectoids, not to mention of a cache of gun-like objects that cannot be operated. How is it that this large group of seemingly low-intelligent life forms got to be stuck on this floating castle? Are the aliens merely cattle or slaves? The reaction by the general public are interesting in that they are curious, scared, cautious, and deteriorating into downright inhumane disregard for another lifeform. The "racial" tension is extremely poignant and explicit.

The lead (Wikus, played by Sharlto Copley) was an almost disturbingly naieve, compassionate EMU employee. What I found most interesting was that Wikus had a monumental brain fart when encountering an alien that was not only able to cogently read the hastily and wrongfully enforced eviction notice, but an alien that comprehended exactly what it meant and what his rights were. Also, the sublime metamorphises of his pysche that shadowed his physical transformation was outstanding.

Great cinematography, good use of lighting and special affects. The CGI was integrated quite well, although sometimes the aliens moved a bit too... computer-generated-ish. Not easy to spot except once or twice, overall not a big deal. While I thought the aliens manipulation of the shuttle's 3d interface to be cool, it came across as a little over-the-top. It helps that the scene was during a highly dramatic climax. The alien vocalization was done well.

The alien technology was appropriately alien - I did not understand much of it at all. =) What exactly did the weapons do? Yes, obviously they were very good at exploding humans into a bloody mess, but how? The alien mech-warrior was awesome, but I did not buy the easiness with which Wikus was able to pilot it.

Good stuff.