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Reviews
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
poor editing and pacing make movie magic disappear
As a fan of the Harry Potter books, I went to the movie with great anticipation and expectation. Many of of those expectations were met. The look of the Hogwarts school, the special effects, and the casting of characters are all superb. The children were delightfully genuine, witty and not overly cute.
With such a great look and cast, it is a shame that the movie itself is so extremely boring and poorly paced. The beginning has no grab and the rest of the movie methodically displays scenes straight from the book. Then all of a sudden at the climax of the movie, the movie trades in its slow pace for one that rushes to a completely unsatisfying end. The books have a dark eerie tone to them, and are magical whodunnits with clues dispersed along the way. This movie captured none of this mystery and instead is tame and uninteresting. The two and a half hours (not including the 30 minutes of previews and commercials) soon became agonizing as the appreciation to the special effects wears off.
One can only hope that the next installment of this series will improve as director Columbus has all the elements here for a great movie (a great cast, wonderful plotlines, and a huge budget) if he just had the courage to use them properly.
The Man from Snowy River (1982)
15 years later, the movie is still fresh
It is hard to believe that so many years has past since I first saw "A Man from Snowy River." I was young and borrowed it on Betamax (yes Betamax) from a friend. Although I wish that I could of seen a full screen version of it, I will have to settle with the still fantastic small screen version.
The story is fairly simple. After his father dies, a boy tries to prove he a man worthy enough to live on his beloved Snowy Mountain. In order achieve this prize, he finds work on lower ground on a big ranch. A sweet romance is set between Jim, the boy, and the Rancher's daughter, Jessica, who is a feisty and strong female. There are wild horses, a sympathetic-but-bad-guy rancher, and beautiful scenery all which are an integral part of the story. (I don't want to give too much of the movie away).
I recently saw this movie (this time on VHS)with my niece and nephew. I could not believe how much I enjoyed it again. The thrilling horse riding scenes kept me at the edge of my seat. It is an ultimate family film one that has no foul language, gratuitous sex or violence. Nothing is dumbed down, the viewers being treated with the respect we deserve. GO RENT IT NOW!