I've watched a lot of movies since I last updated, but I'll just post about the ones people may be interested in.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

When a movie gets to the 5th part of a series, it becomes very easy for the audience to predict what will happen using a very, very simple formula that can be deduced from the previous four movies. In every movie, a new antagonist comes around, they give Harry (and friends) a hard time, we get a mild 'twist' ending, and Voldemort is one step closer to returning. This grows tiresome. The problem is that I'm sure there's more depth in the books, but J.K. Rowling makes them so long it would be impossible to fit it all into a movie -- however, it would be very possible to fit the small bit of plot from OotP (movie) into another frame and not have it drag on for 138 minutes. This problem stems from the new screenwriter and a director who only has TV experience. We get a big picture, and the movie lacks small quirks that made the other Harry Potter movies fun. Instead of tournaments, we get excessive CGI as the students lock themselves in a training room, practicing spells. Sure, it's important, but we don't need to waste twenty minutes on it. The time is better spent elsewhere, whether it's seeing something that was left out, or on my couch because I got out twenty minutes earlier.

When Alfonso Cuaron did the 'Prisoner of Azkaban' it ran for 141 minutes, but the series was still fresh after only three movies. But also, Cuaron is a great storyteller. That's why the third movie (and fourth, which is even longer) were better than the new OotP. It's not that OotP is a bad movie, but nothing new comes to risk for Harry, and it's just a stepping stone so the studio can make two more movies. There's nothing wrong with making a three hour movie as long as it's three hours worth of material.

The series seems to be getting darker, constantly looming Voldemort over our heads, but there's never a taste, especially in this movie, and there's nothing audience members hate more than cliffhangers and anti-climactic endings. But then again, it is Harry Potter, so even if the movie got one-star reviews from every critic in the United States, it would still open at the top of the box office.

6/10

Ratatouille

On a more positive note, this is easily the best movie of the summer as far as 'big' movies go.

After a long stretch of mediocre animated films (Surf's Up, Shrek 3, any number of others), finally Pixar has a release, and Pixar always means great movies. I think Cars is my least favorite, but it's still good.

Ratatouille is a film by Brad Bird (The Incredibles), and while I love The Incredibles, I think Ratatouille is a superior film.

The reason this film is so good, as with all Pixar movies, is it takes a simple concept that children can understand (doing what you love, loyalty to your family), and makes it universally appealing. There are two particular moments in the film that are so well crafted that it makes me realize how millions of people have experienced one of 'those things,' yet until now it's never been shown on screen. I don't want to spoil it, but if you've seen the movie, you probably know what I mean. These are the scenes that make a good movie great.

And, of course, Peter O'Toole doing the voice of Anton Ego is a highlight as well.

9.5/10