Harry Potter and the Half a Movie

So I finally got around to seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I. It was good. Certainly a better adaptation than the last two films. It manages to follow the convoluted plot of the book fairly faithfully, though it does also get bogged down a little during the tent scenes. As always, the cast is great, with Rupert Grint once more providing most of the laughs. Bill Nighy is unfortunately underused as the new Minister of Magic (apparently all you have to do to take over the wizarding world is bump off the current minister).
There is a genuine feeling of dread and despair throughout the movie, with the wearing of the horcrux locket recalling Lord of the Rings with its effect on the heroes' temperaments as they take turns wearing it. Since this is a movie with no ending, this was never going to be as satisfying storywise as the other films, but the filmmakers do a good job with the split (the death of a certain house elf is surprisingly moving). If they can handle the intricacies of Part II (especially Snape's revelations) it should be a fantastic climax to the series.

Imaginary Cinema Awards 2010!

Yes it's that time of year again where I look back and decide the best (and sometimes the worst) of the year in fantasy horror and sci-fi movies. Bearing in mind there are still a few films I haven't seen, here are the winners!

Best Movie: Kick Ass! (it only narrowly beat out the runners-up, but KA had just the right mix of comedy, action, drama and characters I grew to love.
Runners-up: Toy Story 3, Inception, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I, How to Train Your Dragon, Let Me In (remakes don't always suck), Tron: Legacy

Best Screenplay: a tie between Kick Ass (Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman - she's Jonathan Ross' wife!) and Inception (Christopher Nolan)

Best Director: Christopher Nolan (Inception)

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception)
Runners-up: Nicolas Cage (Kick Ass), Brandon Routh (Scott Pilgrim), Jeff Bridges (Tron: Legacy)

Best Actress: Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick Ass and Let Me In)
Runners-up: Helena Bonham Carter (Alice in Wonderland), Olivia Wilde (Tron: Legacy), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim)

Best Music: Tron: Legacy (Daft Punk)
Runners-up: Alice in Wonderland (Danny Elfman), The Wolfman (Danny Elfman), Inception (Hans Zimmer), Scott Pilgrim (various)

Best Visual Effects: Tron: Legacy
Runners-up: Inception, Scott Pilgrim

Best Makeup: The Wolfman

Best Costumes: Alice in Wonderland
Runner-up: Tron: Legacy

Best Guilty Pleasures: Piranha 3D - the best use of 3D since the latest revival, especially in the underwater ballet scene (if you know what I mean)

Best naptime at the movies: The Last Airbender and My Soul to Take

Most fucked-up movie: Splice

Best owl on owl violence: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Til next year!