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Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Harry Potter release date changed - again!
OK, how many people just had heart attacks?
You can relax a little, Potterphiles. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince still comes out on July 15, as scheduled - in regular theaters. However, you’ll have to wait a little longer to see the IMAX/partly 3D version. That won’t be released now until July 29.
Why? Blame the giant robots. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen comes out June 24. Because the Paramount’s deal with IMAX obligates theaters to show Transformers for a month, that means Potter can’t hit the really big screen until late July.
One wonders why someone didn’t see this coming with so many IMAX releases crowding the marketplace now. Seems the company can’t catch a break. First there was that whole IMAX/LIE-MAX controversy about whether the newer IMAX screens were “real” IMAX. (I’ll opine more on that later.) Now this.
As it happens, both films will have IMAX-only benefits, Just as Christopher Nolan did with The Dark Knight, Michael Bay shot portions of the movie with IMAX cameras, so those scenes will have extra audio/visual oomph. Unlike The Dark Knight, however, the Transformers sequel will run slightly longer in the IMAX version, with scenes exclusive to those screens.
As was the case with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Half Blood Prince will feature the clmamtic scenes in 3D - but only in the IMAX version.
Look at it this way, Potter fans - it’s just one more reason to hate Michael Bay. But what do you all think? Are you OK with this or are you bugged again since you had one delay already?
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DVDs - Gran Torino, The International, and more
This week’s DVDs include a pair of movie with old school-ish assets.
Gran Torino: What a long, strange trip this movie took, from a trailer that had some people (myself included) scratching their heads to a theatrical run that made it one of Clint Eastwood’s biggest hits. It’s far from his best movie, and I’d stop just shy of calling it a great movie, but it is one of his most fascinating. His portrayal of an embittered bigot who unexpectedly takes Asian neighbors under his wing both celebrates and critiques his “give em hell” persona. The movie goes for the cheap and easy laugh a bit too often, and the storytelling becomes a bit ham-handed at times, but at its best, it’s quite affecting. Full review. GRADE: B+
The International: This thriller plays a bit like one of the paranoid conspiracy movies of the 1970s and has great international flavor — that’s no surprise coming from Run Lola Run; director Tom Tykwer. Still, despite solid performances from leads Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, the story about sinister bankers feels dry and lacks emotion. Some solid action set pieces, especially a shootout in a museum, make it worthwhile regardless. GRADE: B
Also out today
Fired Up: The poster for this movie highlighted the abbreviation FU. I don’t think that also stands for Felix Ungar.
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