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Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix

, the movie based on book five of the Harry series, opened yesterday in a mid-week event that had everyone scrambling to get to theatres. But, is the movie worth all the hype and hoopla?

The first scene featuring Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter himself) showed a rather buff young man who could…sort of…pass for fifteen. Maybe. Fans were immediately thrown into danger and treated to some stunning CGI, though anyone unfamiliar with the series by this point will be instantly and immediately lost. If you don’t already know the story, The Order of the Phoenix is not the place to get started.

Click to continue reading Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix


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Bond…James Bond Devil May Care, a new James Bond novel set to come out in 2008, will celebrate Bond author Ian Fleming’s birthday. Written by British author Sebastian Faulks, the new Bond novel has been authorized by the estate of the late Mr. Fleming. The book is set during the Cold War and will move through several scenic locations, true to Bond literature. Fleming wrote Goldfinger, Dr. No, and From Russia With Love, among other Bond adventures, and passed away in 1964 (before he could see his dreams destroyed by one Mr. Pierce Brosnan – and let’s not even get into what a bad casting call that was). Kingsley Amis and John Gardner have also written Bond adventures through the years. Devil May Care will come out both to continue the Bond saga and to celebrate the 100th would-be birthday of Ian Fleming. Film rights to the movie have not yet been sold – which, thankfully, means it hasn’t been miscast either. It’s a shame there can only be one Sean Connery.

Read More | AOL News

Neil Estep and Veronica Santiago review the theatrical release of Reign Over Me in this FilmCrunch movie review:

Former college roomates Charlie Fineman and Alan Johnson meet up again by chance on a Manhattan street corner. Five years after losing his family on 9/11, Charlie—once a successful dentist—has retreated from his life, and Alan is stunned to see the changes in his formerly gregarious friend. At the same time, Alan—who should be enjoying his beautiful wife, children and career—is overwhelmed by his responsibilities. Their rekindled relationship becomes a lifeline for the two men, who are both in need of a trusted friend at this pivotal moment in their lives.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


SimpsonsIt’s now official:  the Simpsons are from Springfield, Vermont.

Springfields across the US recently submitted videos showing their love for the animated series.  With over 15,000 votes in its favor, Springfield, VT won the right to host the The Simpsons Movie premiere on July 21.  The town of 9300 beat out thirteen other locales for the opportunity…narrowly topping Springfield, Illinois.

Question is:  how many stars can they fit in the town’s 100-seat theater?

Read More | USA Today

Neil Estep reviews the theatrical release of TMNT - with one minute on the clock - in this FilmCrunch movie review:

After the defeat of their old arch nemesis, The Shredder, the Turtles have grown apart as a family. Struggling to keep them together, their rat sensei, Master Splinter, becomes worried when strange things begin to brew in New York City. Tech-industrialist Max Winters is amassing an army of ancient monsters to apparently take over the world. And only one super-ninja fighting team can stop them-those heroes in a half shell-Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael! With the help of old allies April O’‘Neil and Casey Jones, the Turtles are in for the fight of their lives as they once again must face the mysterious Foot Clan, who have put their own ninja skills behind Winters’’ endeavors

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


Springfield Simpsons MovieSpringfield, Vermont has beaten out thirteen other Springfields across the nation for the hosting honors of The Simpsons Movie world premiere. The small Vermont town won a competition, where Springfields around the U.S. submitted videos displaying why their town would be the best to host the movie. The smallest Springfield to enter with only 9,300 residents, Vermont’s town beat out contenders in Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, New Jersey, and Tennessee. The winning video was voted on through the USA Today web site, and depicted a life-sized Homer Simpson chasing a huge, pink glazed donut through the town. Vermont Governor Jim Douglas said the win was exhilarating, and says to all the other Springfields out there, “Don’t have a cow, man.” More than one hundred thousand votes were cast for the fourteen competing towns, and each entrant will get to host a smaller screening of the film on July 26, just before the nationwide film release.

Read More | E! Online

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry PotterJ. K. Rowling, author of the incredibly popular book series, has publicly stated several times that there will be seven books - and only seven books. Now, fans are trying to force her hand - and her keyboard. Thousands have signed a petition asking Rowling to continue the series, and Rowling herself admitted she would “never say never” to more Harry. Rowling has spent seventeen years writing the series, and says that Harry’s story will come to a complete end in the seventh installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Rowling said it is “unlikely” she will return to the world of Hogwarts on the page. Speculation about the seventh book, sales of which have already broken records though it has not yet hit the shelves, has run rampant. If title character Harry Potter does perish in the book, as many experts have predicted, the “Save Harry!” campaign could become a very moot point. 

Read More | Yahoo! News

John Travolta and Nikki BlonskyThe dance moves. The music. The fashion. And, of course, the hair. Hairspray has been successful as an iconic film and Broadway hit for almost two decades - but is that long enough to wait for a remake? The new Hairspray is scheduled to hit theatres July 20, with Nikki Blonsky playing the role that Ricki Lake once made famous, delightfully full-figured teen Tracy. The new Hairpray will show much more John Travolta than fans have seen before - he’ll be in a fat suit, and he’ll be in drag as Tracy’s mother, a role once played by famous drag queen Divine. Early reviews have already bashed Travolta, saying his accent rings false, proving that critics are finding far too little to complain about. It took more than a year to convince Travolta to play the role of Edna Turnblad, and now his star power will no doubt bring in bucks for the spray-licious remake. Michelle Pfieffer, Amanada Bynes, and Britney Snow are also in the flick, ensuring that more than one generation of music and dance fans will have a reason to go to the theaters.

Read More | LA Times

Transformers

We knew that a Michael Bay/ Steven Spielberg venture would be a hit—so what really is there left to say?  Well, did you know that this is Bay’s biggest opening since 2001’s awful Pearl Harbor ($59.1 million)??  Did you know that Shia LeBeouf is the first leading man (he just turned 21, so is a leading man) to have two movies reach the top spot this year?

Moving on…how about that awful showing for License to Wed?  Not that I predicted much for the film—but ouch.  Question is:  which Office actor fared worse in this summer’s box office?  Steve Carell who starred in an obscenely expensive Evan Almighty—a movie that at least managed #1 berth?  Or John Krasinski whose movie clearly looked like a bomb from the get-go but came with low expectations?  That may be something for Dwight Schrute to sort out…

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Optimus Is In His Prime


The SimpsonsIt only seems appropriate that Springfield should be where The Simpsons Movie movie is premiered.  But with over 30 Springfields in the United States, which one should win out?

Well you have until late July 9th to help make that decision.  Fourteen Springfields across the country are vying for the opportunity to host the opening gala.  To win, cities from Oregon to Vermont submitted videos proving they could capture the spirit of The SimpsonsI have yet to see all the entries, but I’m guessing there will be at least one chalkboard sighting in each.

The movie debuts in all other cities on July 27.

To view all the submissions—and then cast a vote—click on the link below:

Read More | USA Today

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