MOVIE REVIEW: KNOCK AT THE CABIN

 

While vacationing at a remote cabin in the woods, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand they make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. Confused, scared and with limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint

Release Date: February 3, 2023

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for violence and language

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

Knock at the Cabin is the type of film that lays bare all of M. Night Shyamalan pros and cons as a filmmaker.  The concept and set up are well executed with the film wasting very little time to get the plot moving along.  The script, as usual with his films, has its fair share of clunky dialogue but the cast is able to elevate it with committed performances by giving it a tangible urgency and intensity.  Dave Bautista, in particular, delivers a rather impressive turn as one of the main invaders.  Bautista has quietly been putting together a rather diverse acting resume that shows off a concerted effort to be more than movie muscle.  Here, he gives his character a believably tortured vulnerability which works well as a juxtaposition to his imposing figure.  He drives the first half of the film as he lays out the concept and what his group has been tasked to do.  Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn and Rupert Grint put in solid supporting turns as the other intruders.  Out of the three, Grint gets the least amount of screen time but he makes the most of it, making you wish the film had made better use of his rather unexpected turn.  Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge are saddled with far less interesting roles as the couple being held hostage with their daughter played by Kristen Cui.  Groff and Aldridge do their best to overcome lazy writing by giving their characters more depth than actually on the page.  Kristen Cui, for her part, is the rare child actor that's able to authentically emote throughout while avoiding those annoying child pitfalls.  Even with its noticeable flaws, the film is efficient and engaging enough to keep your attention until the final act hits.  The film sets up a variety of themes which work better had Shyamalan left the ending more ambiguous, something the book does to my understanding, but instead he leans into a cheap and lazy finale that robs the story of its impact. 

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2

IN THEATERS

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2



The final adventure in the Harry Potter film series follows Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) as they prepare for a final battle with Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), who is determined to destroy Harry once and for all. In order to defeat the powerful wizard, they must find and destroy Voldemort's last and most elusive Horcrux -- that is, the enchanted piece of soul allowing him to remain immortal -- before his nefarious plans come to fruition. David Yates directs. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes

Release Date: Jul 15, 2011

Rated: Some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images

Runtime: 2 hr. 5 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Finishing a series a series I originally thought would end up like some kind of cinematic fad is a strange thing. I’m one of those folks that’s never read one chapter of the novels, never been a big fantasy fan in any medium, so I started the cinematic versions as a chore. The first few films I found light and mostly dismissible, I kept with it and slowly but surely the films and character matured. The films became more complete works as a cinematic experience even if some of the jargon still sounds like some alternate version of Star Trek tech speak. In all honesty, I became found of the characters but can’t say I ever adored them. Radcliffe’s Potter has all the calling cards of a typical hero’s journey and coming of age story. This finale completes both sides of these plot threads with wonderful vigor. Radcliffe brings earnestness to the character that just transcends the screen. His ability to ably display quiet strength and growing maturity is an underrated talent. It’s really something incredible to witness, with Radcliffe starting as a green child actor to an impressive performer who can carry the weight of this monolith sized story. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson each show similar growth and are able to reach a similar level of achievement, even if they do kind of fall into the background here more than in Part 1. The film is filled with character moments for series favorites some making sacrifices while other rise to surprising heights. Ralph Fiennes who’s held a restrained check on his character’s evilness is finally allowed to spread his wings and he does so with fantastic results. Director David Yates deserves an untold amount of credit as he’s steered the franchise for the better part of its trek. Here, Yates maintains a strong pace filled with impressively lavish and dour set pieces that impress throughout. He’s fine tuned everything by this point that’s it’s easy to enjoy and easier to overlook how incredibly difficult Yates job was. While I still felt like it might have help to have a scorecard to keep track of some of the secondary and third level characters are, it’s the kind of finale a franchise of this size deserves.

A-

MOVIE REVIEWS: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

IN THEATERS

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1



The first installment of the two-film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows follows Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) as they search for the pieces of Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) soul that he extracted from his being and hid in obscure locations both far and wide. If the trio is unable to locate and destroy them all, Voldemort will remain immortal. Despite their long friendship, a combination of dark forces, romantic tensions, and long-held secrets.

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes

Release Date: Nov 19, 2010

Rated: For some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images

Runtime: 2 hr. 27 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Taking a purely cinematic journey through J.K. Rowling’s now classic tome about the titular boy wizard, mainly because fantasy books have never grabbed my attention in the slightest, has been in interesting if somewhat confounding experience. The first 3 or 4 films really felt closer to standard issue preteen fantasy writing and story telling that while mildly interesting was never thoroughly engaging. Still I trudged forward, mainly because I like to finish whatever I start, and as the child actors grew the storytelling became more layered and detailed, creating a more engaging story and series of events. While I’d hardly ever call myself a diehard I had grown to enjoy the story and its darker far more adult undertones as the finale drew closer. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is an epic start to what’s sure to be a rousing and hopefully fulfilling finish. David Yates again directs and he’s been a wonderful guide for these latter entries. Part 1 has an epic and world weary, at times almost apocalyptic feel to it that been building for the last couple of chapters. It’s a thoughtful film that knows when to insert humor or character moments when needed to break the occasionally oppressive tone of story. There is enough action to keep novice interested while some of mythology mumbo jumbo sinks in. The cast is equally comfortable in their roles, the primary trinity now having spent the majority of their adolescence in these characters. They are all more than capable of handling the characters more intensive story lines. While Radcliffe and Grint have shown a steady improvement as they’ve aged, Emma Watson has become the best of the lot and displays an impressive level of naturalism here. A few dead spots here and there especially in the final act where the film kind of starts to feel like Harry Potter and the Fellowship of the Horcrux as they wander the woods before a hurried finale that simply reinforces the point that this is the end of act 1.

B+

Movie Reviews: HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE

Sunday, July 19, 2009
Movie Reviews: HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE
IN THEATERS

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. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort’s defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information.


Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman


Director: David Yates


Opened ..July 15, 2009..


Runtime: 2 hr. 33 min.


Rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality


Genres: Children's Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure, Fantasy, Children's/Family


Review:





Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince continues the maturation process that started in earnest in The Order of the ....Phoenix..... David Yates crafts an elegant and pensive film that doesn’t shoot for big trills and focuses more the characters and the evolution from children to adulthood. Hormones rage at Hogwarts and the scenes dealing with the trios budding feeling are mostly handled well and delicately. That being said it’s hard to watch this entry into the series and not feel like it’s all set up for the final 2 entries; The Death Hallows is being split into 2 to be released over the next two years. The plot is fairly straight forward if you’ve been following the series and none of the twist or turns are thoroughly shocking or surprising, mainly because they are telegraphed in a fairly obvious manner. Yates still manages to make the events here engaging and manages to put some beautiful imagery on screen. Hogwarts, much like the previous entry, doesn’t carry that fancy and wonder it possessed in the early films. Instead Yates bathes this film in grey and sepia tones throughout, rarely showing any sunlight. The actors also bring more gravitas to the proceeding. Daniel Radcliff brings more confidence to Harry while still maintaining that wide eyed innocence of the early films. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have both grown into their roles and can now add more subtle character work than before. Grint in particular shows fairly good comedic timing. Michael Gambon as Dumbledore continues to be appropriately fatherly and sagely but is strangely one note in this particularly important entry for his character arch. Alan Rickman once again delivers strong character work in limited screen time. Newcomer to the series Jim Broadbent shines and he uses his vast talent to make his character the most memorable of this entry. Helena Bonham Carter is devilish fun as Bellatrix Lestrange but she gets painfully little screen time to truly shine. As the events in the film come to an end you are left pining for the finale and Yates makes no secret of the fact that this entry is mostly set up as he ends this tales with a sense of meandering melancholy and unresolved issues.





B+