Nanny McPhee Returns to Weave Her Enchantment During World War II

Last year, Nanny McPhee Returns arrived in theaters, and while I’d enjoyed the first film about an eccentric nanny who works wonders in a household that desperately needs her, my primary reason for wanting to see the movie was quite silly. I had seen footage of the premiere, and I spotted Emma Thompson walking with a woolly pig. It was one of the strangest creatures I had ever seen, and I assumed that it was one of the stars of the sequel. When I finally got around to renting it this week, I confess that the pig was what I most looked forward to seeing. Alas, although it’s hardly customary to bring one’s pets to a movie premiere, apparently the sheep-pig was merely a personal pet of Thompson’s. At any rate, it played no role in the movie. How disappointing…

Although a small part of me kept hoping throughout the film that the sheep-pig would eventually show up, I mostly gave up on it early on and resolved to enjoy the movie anyway. Like the first movie, it finds Thompson playing Nanny McPhee, a frumpy, intimidating personage who arrives unwanted and begins to work her magic upon a group of unruly children and their overwrought guardian. She is the only character linking the two movies – except for the eccentric Aggie (Maggie Smith), an elderly shopkeeper. Aggie was just a baby in the first movie, so that tells you how many years have passed. Instead of the late 1800s, we’re now in the 1940s, and World War II hangs heavy in the air.

On an untidy little farm out in the English countryside, Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is waiting for her husband to come home from the war. She’s trying to manage the farm without him, but it isn’t easy, especially since she has three rambunctious children to contend with. What’s more, her cossetted niece and nephew have just arrived, and nobody’s very happy about it. Even worse, unbeknownst to her, Isabel’s brother-in-law Phil (Rhys Ifans) gambled away the farm to two rather terrifying women who intend to do nasty things to him if he doesn’t cough it up. As a result, he’ll now do just about anything to get her to sign away her property. Isabel could really use some help.

The setting is sometimes picturesque, sometimes grotesque. The surrounding fields are gorgeous, but the immediate area near the house is a muddy mess. If it were just mud, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, but there is great reasons to suspect that this sludge is more malodorous in nature. It’s certainly not a welcome sight for stuffy Cyril (Eros Vlahos) and spoiled Celia (Rosie Taylor-Riston), and they are not a welcome sight for their spirited cousins, Norman (Asa Butterfield) and Megsie (Lil Woods). Of the five children, the most agreeable is young Vincent (Oscar Steer), whose primary role in the film is to be utterly adorable. When Nanny McPhee arrives, she tells Isabel that the children require five lessons. By the end of the third lesson, the children are no longer at each other’s throats. But can they work together to keep Isabel from losing the farm?

Like the first movie, the sequel is a bit over-the-top and silly at times but quite touching at others. The children hold their own among some of the giants of British cinema. Thompson looks a bit goofy spending most of the movie berating the crow who came with her, but she still carries herself impressively, while an especially wispy-looking Smith is thoroughly entertaining in each of her appearances. Completing the trio of Harry Potter alums is Ralph Fiennes, who plays Cyril and Celia’s father, a severe high-ranking officer who works in London. Meanwhile, Gyllenhaal must provide the film’s heart, and she quickly wins the viewer’s sympathy.

While the movie does not include a sheep-pig, several plain old pigs play a prominent part, and an elephant even shows up at one point. The latter is, naturally, part and parcel of Nanny McPhee’s magic, which works in unexpected ways and has far-reaching consequences. While Mary Poppins will always be my favorite mysteriously magical British nanny, I’m happy to see Nanny McPhee return to work her enchantment yet again.

Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman Embrace Change in Last Chance Harvey

Dustin Hoffman first became a household name with The Graduate, in which he portrayed young Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate quailing under the uncertainty of the future that stretches before him. In Last Chance Harvey, he has more occasion to look backward as Harvey Shine, a washed-up jingle writer traveling to London to attend the wedding of the daughter he now feels he barely knows. Just how uninvolved he’s been in her life is hammered home when Susan (Liane Balaban) informs him that she intends to ask her stepfather to stand up for her at the ceremony.

This is primarily Harvey’s story, but it’s also the tale of Kate Walker (Emma Thompson), an airport survey taker who receives incessant phone calls from her mother (Eileen Atkins), a lonely woman who has little better to do than pester her daughter and obsess over the possibility that her new next-door neighbor may be a violent criminal. Kate, too, lives a solitary life, and her friends’ attempts to fix her up with someone fail to inspire her. When Harvey, having just missed the flight back to the United States upon which his job depends, strikes up a conversation with Kate, she’s not too interested in making a connection. But Harvey, determined to find a silver lining in his otherwise dismal day, is surprisingly persistent...

Last Chance Harvey, written and directed by Joel Hopkins, is a quiet movie about two rather despondent people stumbling into romance at a time when it is neither expected nor particularly welcome. To fall in love now means complications, especially for a couple normally separated by an ocean. It’s also about familial relationships, particularly between parents and children. The time has come for Harvey to repair his fractured relationship with his daughter and become a bigger part of her life, while Kate needs to learn how to allow herself some distance from her over-involved mother.

There are elements of comedy in the movie, but they’re mostly understated. It’s more of a drama with a side of romance; I wouldn’t classify it primarily as a romance because we’re only allowed to see the beginnings of this kinship, and it’s more about two fairly set-in-their-ways people demonstrating a willingness to change. The biggest step for her is accepting Harvey’s initial invitation to lunch, while his biggest step comes shortly thereafter. This causes the film’s conclusion to feel just a bit anti-climactic, though there’s still some tension as it seems circumstances may intervene to prevent a satisfying ending.

I’m not that surprised the movie failed to do very well in theaters; it appeals primarily to an over-40 audience, and I certainly can’t see many people under 20 clamoring to see it. It’s not a movie in which very much happens, and what does happen occurs with very little fanfare, but on a rainy day when you’re looking for a way to while away the hours, take a chance on Last Chance Harvey.

My Top Ten Movies of the Late '90s ('95-'98)

The 1990s were incredibly big years for me movie-wise. Half my childhood happened in the '90s, including most of my teenage years. While I didn't necessarily get out to the theater that often back then, the movies I saw at the cinema really stuck with me. And I've had lots of time to catch up with the others - though almost all of my favorites are ones I saw in the '90s themselves. It was such a big decade for me movie-wise, I have to split it up into two. This first list covers 1995 to 1998; I'm skipping '99 since I did a top ten list for that one already and I'm looking for any excuse to trim down my list.

Babe (1995) - This beautifully shot fairy tale about a pig who becomes an expert sheep-herder simply by being polite led me to an obsession with Dick King-Smith. For an entire summer, I read every book of his that I could find in the library. As much as I love his writing, I like the film version of Babe even better than the book. The sun-drenched cinematography, the folksy music, the special effects and, perhaps most of all, James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, the ultimate man of few words.

Braveheart (1995) - It took me until 2001 to see this one, just because I knew it would be extremely bloody, not to mention long. I finally watched it when my brother brought some friends home to see it at midnight one night. No matter; bloodthirsty battles have a way of keeping one awake... The music, the cinematography and the accents were glorious. And Mel Gibson was a tour de force on this one. I still had to avert my eyes many times, but on the whole, I was a little surprised by how much I liked it.

Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) - My dad saw this in the theater with a friend of his who happened to be a music teacher himself. They loved it, as did my freshman theology teacher, who took every opportunity she had to recommend it. I can definitely see why any educator would appreciate this movie, in which Richard Dreyfuss shows us the lifetime of a composer who discovers untapped talents as a teacher. Powerful demonstration of John Lennon's observation: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Sense and Sensibility / Pride and Prejudice (1995) - Yes, I'm cheating and putting the Austens together, though if you really pressed me, I'd have to claim the first as my favorite. Emma Thompson's incredible screenplay makes it one of the most faithful adaptations I've seen, making Sense and Sensibility manage as well in a couple of hours as Pride and Prejudice does in five. This was the movie that introduced me to her and made me really fall for Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. Excellent all around. Of course, the latter is considered by many to be the ultimate Austen adaptation, and it certainly is terrific, thanks to a screenplay that sticks close to the book and an amazing cast, with Colin Firth the clear standout as the dashing Mr. Darcy.

Toy Story (1995) - A dazzling movie that ushered in the era of computer-animated films. It would be nice if they all came close to the standard this set. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen lead a top-notch cast of voice actors that includes Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles and Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger in this funny, touching tale of jealousy and cooperation in the playroom. This one was first recommended to me by my freshman English teacher, who couldn't say enough good things about it. She was sure I'd love it, and she was right.

Phenomenon (1996) - I'd been wanting to see this one but hadn't yet gotten around to it when we watched it as part of my senior theology class. I wrote a four-page-long paper about it, and I could have gone on longer. A fascinating film about a humble man played by John Travolta who suddenly finds himself with remarkable abilities. I loved the story, as well as the excellent supporting performances, especially by David Strathairn, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall.

That Thing You Do! (1996) - Who would've ever thought that my little town of Erie would pop up in a Tom Hanks movie? This movie came just a year after Forrest Gump made me fall head over heels for Hanks, who I'd enjoyed in several other movies already. His role as an actor in this is comparatively small, but he wrote and directed the film, which is a fun, family-friendly reflection on the meteoric rise and fall of many bands in the '60s. An exuberant movie with one of the catchiest title tracks around, it's a winner for anybody who loves this era of music.
 
Anastasia (1997) - One of my favorite animated films, this Don Bluth movie was one that my brother and I caught in the theater together. It 's a highly fictionalized version of the life of Russian princess Anastasia Romanov, who was long rumored to have survived the attack on her family; one of the places she supposedly came was Erie, where there is a house named after her. The recent revelation that she died along with the rest of her family doesn't ruin this movie's charm for me. It's a touching love story with a wonderful cast that includes Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer and Angela Lansbury, and I loved the music so much I bought the soundtrack and the sheet music.

Ever After (1998) - Speaking of fairy tales, this live-action version of Cinderella directed by Andy Tennant is one of my favorite adaptations of the classic story. Drew Barrymore is headstrong but lovable as Danielle, an intelligent young woman devastated by the loss of her beloved father and oppressed by her cruel stepmother and stepsister. One of my favorite touches in this version is making the second stepsister sympathetic; wonderfully played by Melanie Lynskey, she is sweet and marginalized because she is portly, giving her more empathy with Danielle. Also fun is the incorporation of Leonardo da Vinci, which helps the film almost feel more like historical fiction.

The Truman Show (1998) - Jim Carrey is surprisingly low-key in this thought-provoking movie about a man who unknowingly spends his life as the subject of a reality show. Everything about his life has been manufactured, but there is one person from his past who is determined to tip him off. The lengths these people go to in order to keep up the artifice is incredible; the scary thing is that it's not so terribly removed from reality. I loved the concept of the movie and its family-friendly execution, and for the first time, Carrey's character didn't give me a headache. This is probably still my favorite of his performances.

2006 Delivers a Solid Pack of Movies With No Clear Stand-Out

The year 2006 was a busy one for my family, with one brother graduating from college, another from high school, an international guest staying for the summer and a cousin getting married. In the midst of all the activity, we got around to watching a few movies - though the majority of 2006 movies I’ve seen were watched later, thanks to Netflix. I don’t know that I can identify a clear favorite among the films, but there were several I enjoyed very much.  These were my ten favorites.

Akeelah and the Bee - An uplifting movie about a young girl overcoming obstacles to compete in a national spelling bee. Keke Palmer is terrific as the young spelling whiz, while Laurence Fishburne shines as her determined mentor.

Cars - It’s hard to go wrong with Pixar, and Cars is one of my favorite of their films, particularly once we leave the frantic energy of the race track for the drowsy comfort of Radiator Springs, where dwell a colorful collection of automobiles, most of them weathered and rustic, none more so than Mater, a rickety, dim-witted, open-hearted tow truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. The characters are lovable, the animation glorious, the vision of a world populated exclusively with vehicles clever. Plus, it has Our Town, an original song by James Taylor, one of my favorite tunes to grace a Disney film in quite some time.

Charlotte's Web - The E. B. White classic was one of the first chapter books I ever read. I’d seen the cartoon many times but was excited for a live action version, and I was quite satisfied with the results. Dakota Fanning is wonderful as always, and the movie has a quiet charm to it most of the time that definitely does justice to the novel. Beautiful cinematography and a lovely theme song by Sarah McLaughlin help make this an exquisite movie.

The Holiday - I didn’t catch this one in the theater, but renting it made for a perfect cozy evening at home. I love the idea of switching houses for a few days or weeks; sounds like a grand way to take an exotic vacation. Here, it’s a workaholic American and a disgruntled Brit who exchange homes and lifestyles, leading each of them to romance and revelation. All four leads are likable, but Eli Wallach steals the show as an elderly screenwriting legend who bonds with Kate Winslet’s character.

Miss Potter - I tend not to be a big fan of Renee Zellweger, but I love her in this gentle biopic about feisty turn-of-the-century author Beatrix Potter. This movie focuses primarily on her beginnings in the writing business, when an enthusiastic young publisher played by an utterly endearing Ewan McGregor sees promise in the project his brothers saw as silly. Their business relationship blossoms into one of the sweetest love stories I’ve seen captured on film.

Nanny McPhee - Emma Thompson stars in this Mary Poppins-like tale of a nanny who tames a bunch of unruly children. She arrives, snaggle-toothed and intimidating, to help the harried single father played by Colin Firth; as her unusual disciplinary methods begin to have an effect, her appearance gradually changes for the better. A funny and tender fantasy.

Pan's Labyrinth - This dark but moving Spanish film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro delves into magical realism as it explores the story of a girl named Ofelia who seeks a fantastical inheritance while the world around her crumbles. Sergi Lopez is a horrific villain, but del Toro’s magnificent vision of Ofelia’s submerged kingdom and Ivana Baguero’s spirited performance as the young heroine, as well as Alex Angulo’s turn as a compassionate doctor, keep the film from getting bogged down in despair. This was the film I’d most hoped to see before the Oscars. I didn’t quite manage it, but when I did rent it I was able to get first-hand confirmation of what all those little gold statues had assured.

The Queen - It was a good year for biopics, and while Forrest Whitaker deserves equal recognition for his towering performance as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland, the horrors of that movie are such that I don’t think I could stomach another viewing. However, I’d be glad to return to Helen Mirren’s excellent performance as the restrained Queen Elizabeth II trying to wrap her head around the international outpouring of grief for Princess Diana. That incident made a big impression upon me, and it was fascinating to see it portrayed on film from the perspective of the Royal Family.

Superman Returns - I’ve always been a Superman fan, but my fondness for Clark Kent was dramatically refreshed when my brother got me hooked on Smallville in early 2006. Over the course of his last term of high school, we breezed through three seasons of the show, so when the new Superman movie hit theaters that summer, I was especially pumped. So we went to Tinseltown and bought tickets for opening night, and I went in my glow-in-the-dark Superman shirt and cheered as Superman saved the day yet again in a funny, touching, action-packed update.

We Are Marshall - I caught this one in the dollar theater, one of many films whose main draw was a LOST connection. In this case, it was Matthew Fox, who portrays one of the few surviving members of a college football team devastated by a plane crash. Fox is the brooding assistant coach, while Matthew McConaughey plays the enthusiastic newbie determined to rebuild the team practically from scratch. Meanwhile, as Marshall University’s president, David Strathairn fills a small role with great significance. This true tale of resilience in the face of tragedy is one of the best inspirational sports movies I’ve seen.

Well, there you have it. Of course, there are still a lot of major movies from 2006 that I haven’t seen, but what I saw was pretty impressive.

While You Wait For Deathly Hallows, Enjoy Order of the Phoenix

It's a grand summer for Harry Potter fans. In little more than a week, all the questions that have been percolating for as many as ten years will be answered with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Till then, we have Order of the Phoenix to whet our appetites. Having recently re-read the first six books, I'm especially aware of how much richer they are than any film adaptations could be, but with new director David Yates at the helm, the fifth installment in Rowling's saga manages in two short hours to capture much of the majesty of the book.

Yes, it's ironic that the longest book should become the shortest movie, and I won't pretend I wouldn't have preferred an extra half-hour or so. But the streamlined approach taken by screenwriter Michael Goldenberg moves the action along quickly without sacrificing a great deal of significant content. For instance, the movie was nearly over before it occurred to me that we'd never seen a Quidditch match. While I missed the sense of staff solidarity present in the book, I didn't mind the near-exclusion of classes other than Defense Against the Dark Arts, particularly since other classes are entertainingly represented in a series of cleverly inter-cut scenes demonstrating the extent to which the sweetly villainous Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) has begun to overtake the school, and I won't argue with the decision once again to transfer Dobby's contributions to Neville (Matthew Lewis).

Other omissions are more glaring. Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) angst, so prevalent and poisonous throughout much of the fifth book, appears only fleetingly in the film; gone entirely is Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione's (Emma Watson) appointment as Prefects, and thus the conflict arising from that. Rita Skeeter is absent, along with Nearly Headless Nick; while I expected he might be cut, there was one scene between him and Harry I'd especially hoped to see, or at least have alluded to. Other characters, like Ginny (Bonnie Wright) and Percy (Chris Rankin), show up but do so little their inclusion almost seems pointless; I especially feel for Ginny, whose only moment that feels noteworthy is casting a wistful glance at Harry as he stays behind after a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson to put in some yuletide snogging with Cho (Katie Leung), the deterioration of whose relationship with Harry is sped up with one character-defining moment that deviates considerably from the book.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. This film finds Harry in his fifth year, haunted by visions of Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). The target of widespread scorn thanks to a relentless smear campaign by The Daily Prophet, he is often frustrated and depressed despite successfully avoiding expulsion for using magic to defend himself from a pair of Dementors. It seems the only person who really understands him these days is his fugitive godfather Sirius (Gary Oldman), who is warm and paternal but tends to regard Harry almost as the reincarnation of his best friend James. But then Hermione proposes a secret organization in which Harry will teach defensive magic to students who believe his story about Voldemort's return, and with a renewed sense of purpose he steps into the role of teacher, even as he fails to apply himself properly in private lessons with Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) intended help him to guard his mind against invasion. He knows it's only a matter of time before the Dark Lord will strike again. But when?

Visually, the film is incredibly appealing, and I admire Yates' creativity in covering a lot of ground in a very short time. In several montages accompanied by sprightly music, we see how the different professors react to the ever-smiling Umbridge, who is one of the most truly foul characters ever to grace the screen, and watch as curmudgeonly caretaker Argus Filch (David Bradley) gleefully acts as her henchman. Headlines and moving pictures from The Daily Prophet swirl artfully before the eyes, lingering just long enough to disseminate needed exposition.

This film feels more contemporary than the others, mostly because we seem to spend so much time in the city. The headquarters of the titular group of witches and wizards working to bring down the renewed Voldemort is located in London, as is the Ministry of Magic, so we have several stirring shots of the lit-up buildings whizzing past as Harry and his companions take to the skies. While the urban settings come to life, the Hogwarts grounds seem strangely drab, lifeless as though in the midst of a drought.

There are many feasts for the eyes, as when Number 12 Grimmauld Place suddenly appears in the midst of a mundane series of dwellings or when Filch teeters on ever taller and more precarious ladders to pound the latest Ministry decree into a wall already displaying dozens of them. Umbridge is brimming with eye-catching possibilities, from her grotesquely girlish office walls adorned with mewing kittens to the Dark Arts primers that bear a suspicious resemblance to Dick and Jane readers, as are the climactic scenes in the Department of Mysteries involving wayward spells and shattered glass.

Also impressive is the execution of the secret meetings of Harry's club, during which spells ricochet around the room in bursts of sound and color. The Patronus lesson is especially awe-inspiring. But perhaps the most exhilarating spectacle involves a grand gesture by Fred and George (James and Oliver Phelps); while it comes off a bit differently than in the book, it's an adrenaline rush nonetheless, the culmination of a very satisfying role for the twins in what could be their last film. Earlier, they stir up laughter when they Apparate ridiculously short distances or share their not-yet-perfected wares with unsuspecting students. I was hoping their prominence in this film would be retained, and on this score I was immensely gratified.

The children are all noticeably older; Hermione in particular has blossomed into a mature beauty, and she takes the initiative throughout the movie, particularly when her quick thinking lands Umbridge in a sticky situation, a scene which garnered many hearty guffaws. The tiny glimmer of connection that exists between her and Hagrid's (Robbie Coltrane) half-brother Grawp (Tony Maudsley) in the book is deepened in the film, and in coy moments with Ron she displays a readiness for a change in their relationship. Ron, meanwhile, is spared some of the goofy dialogue that has marred his role in earlier films, and Harry, with his closely cropped hair, looks older than he acts, though he shoulders the burdens thrust upon him remarkably well.

Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) revels in his inclusion in Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, and Seamus (Devon Murray) is briefly spotlighted as one of the students slow to believe Harry's account of his deadly encounter with Voldemort. I can't decide whether I'm happy with Neville. His affinity for herbology receives a nod as he clutches his mimbulus mimbletonia early in the film, but he never tells us what it is; we see a picture of his parents, and in an intimate scene, he quietly explains to Harry the effect their torture at the hands of Death Eaters has had on him, yet his touching visit with them at St. Mungo's gets left out. Curiously, Neville doesn't seem able to see the Thestrals, whose inclusion is otherwise well handled, particularly in an added scene involving a foal. Even more strangely, when we hear the prophecy, the wording is generalized so that compelling tie between Neville and Harry is lost. While I can overlook other changes, I confess I find this alteration distressing and one of the key reasons the ending pleased me less than the majority of the movie did. My only complaint with dreamy Luna, portrayed with refreshing candor by fledgling actress Evanna Lynch, is that she stops just short of providing further insight into the Veil we see in the Department of Mysteries.

Indeed, anyone who hasn't read the book might not catch the import of that briefly viewed doorway, and that's only one aspect of the showdown at the Ministry and its aftermath that feels glossed over. Three nefarious nemeses offer assault on Harry and his friends. Silky Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) serves as an antagonistic figurehead, while deranged Bellatrix LeStrange (Helena Bonham-Carter) cackles her way through her few lines. When Voldemort himself finally turns up, squaring off against Dumbledore, the effect is bone-chilling, particularly when he inhabits Harry's body in a bizarre sequence that suggests a temporary triumph belonging more to the teenager than to his headmaster. While I'm happier with Michael Gambon's performance here than in Goblet of Fire, he just doesn't quite seem like Dumbledore to me, and his post-crisis chat with Harry is disappointingly passionless and unenlightening, though the blame for this lies primarily with the screenplay, which leaves too many loose ends and denies Harry the cathartic experience of ransacking his patient headmaster's office.

The rest of the adults are effective if underused: woebegone, thick-lensed Trelawney (Emma Thompson); sibilant, sarcastic Snape; incensed, sympathetic McGonagall (Maggie Smith); brawny, idealistic Hagrid; doting, overprotective Molly (Julie Walters); wide-eyed, encouraging Arthur (Mark Williams); formidable, serene Kingsley (George Harris); wacky, ultra-vigilant Moody (Brendan Gleeson); wise, disheveled Lupin (David Thewlis); disbelieving, bureaucratic Fudge (Robert Hardy); spunky, appearance-changing Tonks (Natalia Tena). The only one who seems a bit off is tiny professor Flitwick (Warwick Davis), who strikes me as far too young and not quite cheerful enough, aside from his much-appreciated note of approval for the antics of Fred and George.

It's inevitable that the paring down of a 900-page book into a two-hour movie will leave any fan bemoaning certain losses, but with the exception of aspects of the ending, I found Order of the Phoenix quite accomplished and much funnier than I expected, given the oppressive trailers. The series has a way of running through nearly as many directors as Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, but it looks like Yates is on board for Half-Blood Prince. If he exercises the same degree of care there and perhaps allows himself a little longer running time, the sixth could well be the finest installment yet. Of the two major Harry Potter events of the summer, the release of the seventh book is by far the more exciting, but whether they catch it before the book to take the edge off the wait or after to ease the pain of the saga ending, The Order of the Phoenix is an impressive cinematic achievement in which Potter fans should rejoice.

I Want a Hippo(griff) for Christmas...

This past December, I became quite taken with the novelty song I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas and quickly adopted it as my own anthem. But after re-watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I'd like to amend my statement slightly to read "I want a Hippogriff for Christmas!" Actually, why wait till Christmas? I've got a birthday in four days; Hagrid is more than welcome to present me with one on that occasion, in gratitude for my ardent support over the years. Wallowing about in the mud and grinning toothily is all very charming, but I think I'd prefer the exhilaration of a mid-day flight over Erie County. I promise I wouldn't pull out any feathers...

The storyline involving Buckbeak the Hippogriff may be secondary to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - otherwise it would be something like Harry Potter and the Trial of Buckbeak - but it certainly captures my imagination. The scene of Harry clinging to the fiercely proud creature's neck as he soars over all that glorious scenery until he can no longer contain himself and indulges in a blatant "I'm king of the world!" moment... breath-taking. John Williams' score perfectly captures the joy of flight, while the cinematography aptly demonstrates what a beauteous location Hogwarts is in.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Prisoner of Azkaban is one of my favorites of the Harry Potter books because it reveals so much about Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) past in such surprising ways and because of Hagrid's (Robbie Coltrane) new role as Care of Magical Creatures professor. Before we get into any of that, we must get past a couple of unnerving but amusing incidents. First, there's Harry's temper-induced inflation of his uncle Vernon's (Richard Griffiths) dreadful sister Marge (Pam Ferris), who coddles Dudley (Harry Melling) and her mean-spirited little dog but spews venom at Harry and viciously insults his parents. Then, following his decision to leave the Dursleys no matter what the cost, he hops aboard the Knight Bus at an invitation from gangly conductor Stan Shunpike (Lee Ingleby) for one of the most dizzying sequences in the movie, with the bus zooming along, contracting when needed, coming to sudden stops for little old ladies crossing the street, all with the smart-alecky commentary of a Jamaican-sounding shrunken head (Lenny Henry) dangling near the windshield.

It is on this whirlwind journey that Harry first hears the name Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), which will come to haunt him throughout the year as he learns that this very dangerous wizard has escaped from Azkaban, where he was locked up for murder, specifically for the purpose of doing away with Harry, who stands in the way of Voldemort returning to power. Later, Harry is horrified to overhear that Sirius was a close friend of his parents and that his betrayal was responsible for their death. Most of the adults in Harry's life know he is in grave danger, but few divulge that information to Harry. Rather, they hope that the soul-sucking, wraith-like Dementors will be enough to keep Sirius far away from Hogwarts. But they didn't stop him before...

The Dementors, loathsome entities that feed on happiness and joy, leaving nothing but emptiness and despair, cast a shadow over the whole campus, and no one feels their effects more acutely than Harry. Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher - undoubtedly the most ethical and competent of the six we've seen so far - tells Harry that this is because he has much more darkness in his past than most of his classmates could imagine, and he sets about to teach Harry how to guard himself against their attacks by conjuring a Patronus, a shield formed out of his most powerfully exquisite memories.

Meanwhile, Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) have two new classes to reckon with. Care of Magical Creatures is a mixed bag. Hagrid is the professor, so they feel right at home there, but their textbook is carnivorous and they're all a bit nervous when they contemplate what dangerous beasts Hagrid may acquaint them with. After an initially magnificent lesson with the Hippogriff goes horribly awry thanks to Malfoy's (Tom Felton) arrogant, disobedient antics, Buckbeak receives a death sentence. In the book, this part of the story is much more involved, as Hermione, already exhausted from a barely manageable course load, runs herself ragged trying to put together a compelling defense for Buckbeak while Hagrid resigns himself to only working with the most benign of beasts in his class for the remainder of the year. Still, the thrilling climax to this side-plot is preserved most satisfactorily.

The second class, Divination, is mostly played for laughs, with zany, over-the-top quack Sybil Trelawney (Emma Thompson) prognosticating doom and gloom and sympathetically informing Hermione that she does not have the gift. Thompson really makes the most of this role, milking it for every bit of comedic potential it's worth, so that while she rarely has anything important to do, she makes a big impression. Not as big, though, as low-key Thewlis, whose Lupin is a much-appreciated mentor for Harry from the time he distributes chocolate as a salve for Harry's first encounter with the Dementors.

Also new in this installment is Hogsmeade, the wizarding village where third-years are able to go for occasional field trips. Everyone except Harry, that is, since his uncle wasn't about to sign the required permission form (a formality similar to Muggle educational institutions that I find amusing) after the incident with dear old Aunt Marge. But Harry's a resourceful lad, so it's no great surprise that he finds his own way there, thanks to his ever-handy invisibility cloak and an unexpected gift from Fred and George Weasley (James and Oliver Phelps) that proves especially useful later on. It's a treat to see Hogsmeade, especially Honeydukes, though I must say I was disappointed at the lack of butterbeer...

The last quarter or so of this movie contains some of the most startling revelations of the series. The execution of Harry and Hermione's pivotal task is expertly done; the circumstances remain rather dubious, as must always be the case when one messes about with the space-time continuum, but it's handled skillfully enough that suspension of disbelief remains possible.

This third film is markedly different from the rest, with a new director (Alfonso Cuaron), whose contributions seems to include a desire to boost the success of the Hogwarts Tourism Bureau. Granted, we're treated to several dreary shots of a rain-drenched castle, but when the weather lets up, it's hard to imagine a school with more beautiful grounds than Hogwarts. The inside of the castle is great as well, with the paintings raising more of a ruckus than usual, especially as they cantankerously complain that certain wizards' illuminated wands are impeding their beauty sleep. I also found the choir of toad-toting students to be an inspired addition.

Harry and his friends are growing up, as are Radcliffe, Grint and Watson. Hermione really comes into her own here, especially toward the end of the film, while Ron remains relegated mostly to making inane off-hand remarks, most noticeably numerous inquiries as to where Hermione came from, since she seems to pop up mysteriously in many of their classes throughout the year. Because of the Buckbeak angle, Hagrid gets decent screen time, and we get a couple of key sequences involving Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy). We have to adjust to a new Dumbledore, and while I don't like Michael Gambon nearly as much in the role as Richard Harris, I think his performance here is highly preferable to the one he gave in Goblet of Fire. Maybe he saw this as a transition period before he turned Dumbledore into a stern and snarling taskmaster; I wish he would've stuck closer to his work in this film, in which he managed to maintain at least some of the old gentleness and humor.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a fantastical spectacle, its eye-catching visuals thoroughly impressive except, perhaps, when the werewolf comes into the picture; maybe it's just me, but I found him to be one strange-looking creature. But Buckbeak made up for any disappointment with canine characters, and the adaptation of the plot was handled adroitly, so I tip my hat to Cuaron and company. Now, Hagrid... About that Hippogriff...

Jane Austen Plus Emma Thompson Equals Moviemaking Brilliance

Generally, when I see a movie based on a book which I have read, I prepare myself for disappointment. It is pretty hard to pull off a film adaptation that does true justice to a great book. Sense and Sensibility does just that. I watched a portion of this film in my Canon and Its Critics class, headed by the venerable Dr. Morris. This was maybe a month and a half into the semester, my first with him as a professor, but he had quickly made his way onto my list of favorite educators. So his ecstasy over Emma Thompson and unbounded admiration for Alan Rickman’s Colonel Brandon may have influenced me. But I was impressed enough that I later rented the film and fell in love with it. Along with The Green Mile (in which case I saw the movie before reading the book), this is probably the best book-to-film adaptation I have seen.

The cast is superb, with the afore-mentioned Thompson taking the role of Elinor, the patient, practical eldest Dashwood sister. Kate Winslet portrays Marianne, Elinor’s over-emotional, romantic younger sister. (As Dr. Morris filled us in on what we would be missing before he started the movie towards the end, he said, “And then there’s this great scene where Marianne and Willoughby are standing on the bow of this ship, and she throws out her arms, and… wasn’t in the book, though.”) The dynamic between these two sisters is the heart of the film. They are diametrically opposed, each exhibiting one end of the personality spectrum. Elinor is the heroine of the film, always a perfect model of poise and manners, selfless to the point of bursting (which she eventually does in one of the film’s best scenes). Marianne is likable enough, but she is rather flighty and self-centered and possesses some very impractical ideas about romance. In the end, both girls learn from one another, moving just a bit towards the middle of the spectrum.

Hugh Grant is utterly adorable as the bumbling Edward Ferrars, the honorable gentleman who earns Elinor’s affection at the beginning of the film. He doesn’t get much air time in the film, mainly the very beginning and end, but his appearances are both riotously comical and extraordinarily tender. I’ve seen Hugh Grant in many movies, but this performance is my hands-down favorite. I’ve already noted Dr. Morris’ opinion of Rickman’s performance, and I concur. But then Rickman has blown me away in everything I’ve seen him in. Could there possibly be a more perfect Severus Snape? His Colonel Brandon is formal, reserved, honor-bound. Shrouded in melancholy, he is a tender man bewitched by Marianne. Best line: Towards the end of the film, he paces in agitation as Marianne lies sick in bed upstairs. Upon Elinor’s entrance, he pleads, “Give me an occupation or I shall run mad!” Perfect. Greg Wise turns in a good performance as the tall, dark and handsome Willoughby, to whom Marianne’s affections belong for the bulk of the film.

More minor characters shine in their respective roles. This is a comedy, and the smaller roles tend to accentuate that. Harriet Walter is deliciously conniving as the Dashwoods’ unsympathetic sister-in-law, Fanny. Another of the film’s great scenes involves Fanny reacting to a secret told to her by Lucy Steele (Imogen Stubbs), a pseudo-friend to Elinor. Robert Hardy and Elizabeth Spriggs are amusing in their roles as the grandparently Sir John Middleton and Mrs. Jennings. In addition to being affectionate, they also have a nose for gossip, which Marianne particularly resents. Imelda Staunton and Hugh Laurie sparkle as the hilariously mismatched Mr. and Mrs. Palmer. Think Farmer Hoggett and his wife, Babe. She is a cheerful chatterbox, he a silent man with an air about him that telegraphs the fact that he finds his wife exceedingly silly. Much of the humor between these two is nonverbal, but chuckles should follow whenever these two appear. Mr. Palmer regards his wife’s frivolity with apparent indifference, and while one wonders how they ever got together, they seem pretty content with their life together. Mr. Palmer also shows himself to be gentlemanly and compassionate on several occasions.

Of all the roles here, the one that really stepped this movie up a notch for me was Margaret Dashwood (Emile Francois). In the book, this poor unfortunate third Dashwood sister is rendered practically a non-entity. She certainly doesn’t show up in the book much, and when she does she doesn’t contribute much or boast much of a personality. What’s there to say about Margaret in the book? Not much. But the film, which Thompson wrote, gives Margaret a distinct personality and an important place in the affairs of the main characters. She is a tomboy who is fascinated by geography and wants to travel the high seas as the captain of a pirate ship. This spunky gal brings Elinor and Edward together for the first time, as the visiting gentleman locates her hiding under a dresser, conceals her from Fanny and cleverly draws her out later. The two become fast friends, and Edward’s kindness to her sister wins Elinor over.

I am reminded of the book The Princess Bride with this film because the book claims to be the “good parts version” of a classic written long ago. Periodically, the author fills the reader in on all the boring stuff that he skipped. This movie does that masterfully. I loved Sense and Sensibility, but I think it was a lot wordier than it needed to be. This film takes the heart of the book, pruning and fleshing out to produce an adaptation that in some ways exceeds the novel.

In addition to Margaret, the movie filled another hole that the book left me. In this case, it was the ending. The main events of the film lead up to a certain point in the novel, but when that point is reached, it gets essentially skimmed over and we don’t get to see the glorious moment when everything comes together. In the film, this scene is accomplished with comical brilliance and heart. It’s a perfect moment worthy of the build-up of tension that precedes it.

Not everyone will love this movie. It’s set in the 1800s in England, and that means a lot of fancy talk in British accents. My grandma complained that everyone sounded the same, while my dad and brother just found the film boring. If you can get into the proper mode, however, the movie is both hilarious and touching. What’s more, its setting is so prim and proper that I can’t think of much of anything that would offend someone in this PG-rated film. It’s good clean literary fun, and it’s brilliant. Nicely done, Emma Thompson.