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Reviews
Vedam (2010)
First Telugu movie that moved me to tears
Till 3:45pm on 5th June 2010 i used to say that i have never cried for a Telugu film, but krish(director) has come out with such an emotional movie which deals with humanity. The stars must be appreciated for choosing such a movie(non-formulaic). The director seamlessly interweaves the five stories which are held together by the meaningful music of M.M.Keeravani. This a movie where characters are seen, not stars. The end has the protagonists losing their lives, but, this is where they become real heroes. Proud to have such a movie made in Telugu. Hope this becomes a commercial success as that would propel more filmmakers to come up with new movies rather than churn out the same meaningless movies.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
the best installment.....................
As beautifully made as it is -- and this may be the best-looking, best-directed Potter film yet -- there's an undeniable level of frustration built into "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Basically it comes down to: Can we get on with this? The film's story is so transitional -- it's mostly a mixing of giddy teen romance and frustrated quest -- that it feels like filler on the way to the series' conclusion. Well-made, even arresting filler, true; but come on.
That said, it's a marvel how quickly this film's two-and-a-half hours fly by, a testament to the skill of director David Yates, who took over the series with "Order of the Phoenix" and will follow it through its two-movies-from-one-novel conclusion, "Deathly Hallows." Yates keeps you entertained. It's just that the entertainment feels like so much movie-magic sleight of hand. Obviously, the next two films will have to actually go somewhere. Returning to Hogwarts school for his sixth year, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is now famously "The Chosen One," the wizard who offers the best hope of defeating evil Lord Voldemort (who never actually appears in this film). He's also a young man with hormones and an attraction to Ginny Weasely (Bonnie Wright), younger sister of best buddy Ron (Rupert Grint).
Ron himself is now the secret object of affection for gal pal Hermione (Emma Watson), although he soon has a clingy girlfriend who mucks things up. All of this is a bit problematic in the film since -- she's 19 now and it's OK to say it -- Emma Watson is somewhat Marjory hot, and neither Ron nor his girlfriend come close. Oh, well, how could the casting directors have known all those years ago? Meanwhile there's a new professor in town named Horace Slughorn (the delectable Jim Broadbent) who has a secret in his past that, when known, should unlock some mysteries about Lord Voldemort. Top wizard Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) asks Harry to try to pry the info out of Slughorn over the course of the school year.
Also factoring in is a textbook that Harry conveniently stumbles on, a book that used to belong to someone called "the Half-Blood Prince," which contains all sorts of potions, spells and magical hints.
Meanwhile, designated evil kid Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) is up to something bad, and Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) has apparently signed on to protect him. This can't be good.
Still, Yates and his mix of old and young cast members -- have so many young actors ever worked with so many superb elders? -- have their fun along the way. Both Grint and Radcliffe have silly scenes in which they act stoned, Broadbent gets to transform out of a chair and whenever Helena Bonham Carter shows up as the evil Bellatrix Lestrange, she's an ecstatic dervish of doom.
The film stays in PG territory for the most part, but smaller kids (and adults) may be creeper out by an attack of drowned bodies. And some of the revelations feel a bit disconnected as they rush forward toward the end.
Still, this is Potter well-done, if Potter unresolved. Now let's see this thing through to the end.