Film Review: Young Frankenstein

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, PLEASE go and do so before proceeding.

"That's FRONK-en-STEEN!"

         Now THIS is how a spoof movie is made! Take note, concoctors of the pestilence known as Epic Movie and Meet The Spartans! Frankenstein's monster has become a pop culture icon, what with his green, misshapen head and signature bolted neck. Especially around Halloween, images of the creature are practically impossible to avoid. He's everywhere. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's science fiction novel about a mad scientists's attempts to play God were brought to the Universal silver screen by the brilliant Boris Karloff in 1931. Since then, remakes, sequels, and various other adaptations of the famed story of a re-animated, patchwork man have been coming out with little sign of a waning popularity (though the recent I, Frankenstein may just convince us to put the franchise back in the coffin for a while).

       There has been everything from stage adaptations, Frankenberry cereal mascots, and a sequel titled Bride of Frankenstein that seeks to exploit the popularity of the modern Prometheus. Then, in 1974, famed comedians Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder took on the monster of a franchise and created their own cult classic hit in Young Frankenstein.

       Everything about this film is a joy to watch. The music is incredible (very haunting and yet catchy), the humour has something for everyone, and the performances by the cast only become more enjoyable the more you watch them. Determined to make it as accurate a satire as possible, they actually filmed the movie in black-and-white on the original set of the 1931 Frankenstein and used many of the original props. It is a film that seeks to poke gentle, loving fun at something that was so huge and so dramatic while also paying tribute. So much love and care was thrown into the movie and story that I really feel it stands a cut above even other Mel Brooks films. It even inspired, some years later, a Broadway adaptation.

     What's the story? Doctor Frederick Frankenstein is the grandson of the famed Henry Frankenstein (creator of the monster) who hates his family and wants nothing to do with them. He's even changed his name, insisting that it be pronounced "Fronk-en-steen". Upon the death of his great-grandfather, though, he is named sole heir to the family land and castle and must go to Transylvania in order to close the estate and claim his inheritance. Outrageous hilarity ensues from there.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I absolutely ADORE the 'Transylvanian Lullaby'...the violin motif that features throughout the film as both music and a plot point. One of my greatest regrets is that the musical replaced it with another number. It's one of my favorite movie themes of all time. It's also a lot of fun to play on the violin...

- Right from the opening shots of the post-credits film, I am taken back to the era of black-and-white, classic movies. Everything from the slightly-grainy texture of the film to the fact that the props are obviously props (to say nothing of the silent, almost hokey pantomime acting and the long, still shots) is just steeped in the atmosphere. 

- It is interesting to note that Gene Wilder only agreed to be in the film if Mel Brooks agreed to forgo his customary cameo. Mel Brooks liked the idea of the project (and of having the film star Wilder) so much, that he readily agreed. This is, I believe, the only Mel Brooks film that you will see where Brooks himself does not appear.

- "...if not for this constant stream of nerve impulses, we would COLLAPSE! LIKE BROCCOLI!" 

- Frederick's fiancée is absolutely ridiculous. It makes me laugh whenever she keeps shoving off his every advance by freaking out over her appearance. They finally settle, not on a hug or kiss goodbye, but on bumping elbows.

- We've got to talk about Igor...and make sure you pronounce his name with the long 'i' vowel sound. And don't mention his hump. He's in denial that he even has one. I just love the way he takes stock of Frederick and then proceeds to mercilessly take the mickey out of the doctor at every turn. Marty Feldman was MADE to play this part.

- "Walk this way." That quote inspired an Aerosmith song.

- Teri Garr plays Inga, Frederick's curvaceous and airheaded laboratory assistant who has one thing and one thing only on her mind...complete with an utterly over-the-top German accent. Fun fact: Garr was originally called in to audition for the part of Frederick's fiancée, but so impressed the casting directors with her funny take on Inga and her accent that she was given that part instead.

- There are a dozen or so funny Easter eggs in each scene...like the fact that Cloris Leachman's character carries around an unlit candelabra. Or that the horses whinny in fright every time they hear Frau Blucher's name. One really must wonder what she did to them. 

- Frederick's face whenever she kisses his grandfather's portrait is just hilarious.

- Freddie's nightmare where he eventually starts singing out: "Destiny! Destiny! No escaping that for me! Destiny! Destiny! No escaping that for me!" is pretty funny. 

- The bookcase scene still makes me howl with laughter whenever he gets stuck.

- "Wait, Master. It might be dangerous. You go first." Igor...are you related to an Egyptian played by John Rhys-Davies, by any chance?

- I get chills during the scene where they find Victor's old laboratory. Not only am I amazed that they thought to track down and use the original props and set again, but the voice over quoting the infamous scene from the original is a nice touch. I like that this film isn't afraid to be dramatic as well as just non-stop comedy. Sometimes, to be funny and effective, you have to play it entirely straight.

- Then, on the other hand, sometimes you have scenes like Frederick and Igor sneaking through town with a body, dropping the coffin, and having to shake hands with the constable (using the dead guy's hand).

- Igor going to get the brain (and, kudos to Frederick for actually learning from his grandfather's mistakes and trying for a more sophisticated brain) will never fail to make me jump and howl with laughter. But the real funny moment comes whenever Igor and Inga are raising Frederick on the platform and he's giving his great speech. Gene Wilder always looks slightly mad scientist with his wild, curly hair, but when you add in a pair of ridiculous goggles and have him screaming "LIFE! DO YOU HEAR ME? GIVE MY CREATION. LIIIIIIIFE!" it becomes downright hysterical.

- The dessert scene where the monster wakes up and starts making 'yummy' sounds...hahahaha! Peter Boyle definitely deserves some kudos for his portrayal of the creature. He gives a sweet, childlike performance that really makes you come to feel for this unfortunate creation and the world he has been thrust into. It captures a lot of the tragedy of Karloff's portrayal, while also being an excellent comic foil He also plays off of Gene Wilder perfectly, despite the fact that he can only talk in grunts and screams.

- I feel like The Unicorn and the Wasp from Doctor Who stole a lot from this movie with the pantomime syllables scene.

- The brain of Abby Normal. *snort*

- It should also be mentioned that Inspector Kemp is the highlight of the movie. Just sayin'...

- Though Frau Blucher comes in a close second. "HE VAS MY BOYFRIEND!" There's even a whole song in the musical devoted to that iconic line.

- I love how they've recreated the scenes with the little girl and the blind hermit, but infused them with situational humor by making the girl demanding or asking the question of what if the blind hermit made a few mistakes. Great stuff!

- I will never be able to look at 'Putting on the Ritz' in the same way again...

-  It's about the time that Elizabeth (Frederick's fiancée) shows up that everything starts to hit the fan. A mob comes to the castle to kill Victor, the creature abducts Elizabeth, Inga and Frederick have a rendezvous on the roof, and Frederick re-captures the monster and bravely donates some of his brain matter in order to give his creation a chance at stabilizing and having a life.

- Elizabeth also becomes a parody of Bride of Frankenstein as she gains the white stripes in her hair and falls in love with the creature whom she dubs 'Zipperneck'.

- She leaves Frederick to the tender mercies of Inga, who is more than happy to continue assisting him in his laboratory.

            Young Frankenstein is a funny, enjoyable satire that goes from a horror comedy to an existential look into the fear of being rejected and the desire to be loved without ever missing a beat or losing the plot. It features slapstick, outrageously bawdy jokes, and more loving irreverent satire than you can shake a stick at. Certainly one of Mel Brooks' more sophisticated films and one of the best spoof movies ever made. Young Frankenstein is a 5/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Film Review: The Princess Bride

**Spoilers**

If you have not seen this film, PLEASE stop reading right now and do so immediately.

        Endlessly quotable and exploiting the tropes and stereotypes of classic fairytales to a charming degree, The Princess Bride is a cult classic film that everyone should see at least once during their lifetime. There is fencing, kidnapping, rodents of unusual size, romance, magic, and more witty banter than you can shake a stick at.        

            There's also an evil prince who is just a little bit more intimidating than this:

          And just slightly less on-the-top-of-the-kill-list-irritating than this:

        Basically what this film does is take every fairytale trope and stereotype and inflate them to a ridiculous, exploitative, self-aware level of awesomeness. You will be in tears by the end of this movie...tears of laughter. What's the story?

        Well a young boy is sick in bed is visited by his grandfather who brings an old storybook to read to him. This is a handy framing device as it not only gives us an 'in' to the magical world of the story but the boy and grandfather also provide running commentary throughout, adding to the commentary. The Shrek franchise stole a LOT from this movie as their Farquaad reminds me very much of Prince Humperdinick sometimes and the chalice challenge from Merlin: The Labyrinth of Gedref shows up here as well. Not to mention the romantic dialogue that is so cheesy you could serve it with wine. The sad thing? This intentionally terrible and melodramatic dialogue is somehow better and more believable than a lot of the stuff you'll hear in serious romantic films.

      "I've hired you to help me start a war. It's a prestigious career choice with a long and proud tradition."

       The scenes between Inigo and the Man in Black (haha) are a lot of fun. I like the way they are both so painfully honorable that they let the other rest before they fight to the death. I like that Inigo tells the story of his father while they're waiting. I also love the very civil and ridiculous conversation they have over the edge of the cliff. Their sword fight is a thing  of beauty as well. In fact, all of the fencing matches in this movie are. In a way they remind me of West Side Story in that they are more of a dance than an all-out brawl. There's not even an EFFORT to make them seem gritty and realistic...but somehow that only adds to the charm and humor of the whole thing.

 

          Like I said, this movie is endlessly quotable. I have a whole plethora of gifs on hand, just to use in my reviews. Scarcely a scene goes by without a sentence or conversation that is worthy of being put on a teeshirt. "You're trying to kidnap what I have rightfully stolen." You know you've found something great whenever there are THAT MANY lines that are memorable.

          Now are there maybe a few people in the world who don't enjoy The Princess Bride? Well, hmmm, I suppose there must be a couple who have seen it and don't get it. There's always somebody. Still, the idea of someone actually HATING this film? Inconceivable! 

        It's a cult classic and, watching it again, it's easy to see why. This movie has a little bit of everything. It has comedy, cheese, romance, camp, drama, satire, and lots and lots of fencing. You can't go wrong with swinging swords about and spouting one-liners. And rodents of unusual size. Don't forget those. The Princess Bride is a 5/5. If you have not seen it and ignored the warning at the top of this review, GO AND WATCH IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! I hope I didn't spoil too much for you.

        

 What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

It's September 22!

Film Review: The Adventures of Huck Finn

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this film, please go and do so before proceeding

            Mark Twain is definitely my favorite American author and there are few books of his I enjoy more than The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its longer and still more acclaimed sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I love Twain's sarcastic, perceptive prose and the very atmospheric, interesting stories he weaves. But because I so dearly adore the books, most film adaptations just don't quite manage to live up to the experience I get whenever I read them. That is where the 1993 Disney adaptation starring baby Elijah Wood comes in because, honestly, it is the best film adaptation of a Twain book that I have ever seen.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I love the way this film starts off, with the woodcut illustration credits. Another Elijah Wood Disney film (Oliver Twist) uses the same trick. Was this a trend at the studio or something?

- "Personally I can't see no glory in whupping an ignorant lardass." The dialect used in Twain sometimes takes a bit of getting used to...but it certainly adds a lot of immediate character. 

- Elijah Wood is quite young in this film, but he just absolutely knocks the role out of the park. He really manages to get the whole 'face of an angel, mind of the devil' aspect of Huck's personality across.

- The two old ladies Huck lives with in the beginning of the film are a real riot. Miss Watson is stern and suspicious and as willing to box Huck's ears for misbehaving as she is to hug him. Widow Douglas, on the other hand, is perfectly willing to coddle him because she knows, for Huck, that is punishment in and of itself. I like her. She's sneaky.

- I appreciate the way that this adaptation doesn't shy away from the uglier aspects of Huck's personality. In the original he lies, he steals, he smokes, he swears, he's prejudiced against Jim, and he's exceedingly selfish and self-protective. And that's all a part of his character here and I am SO grateful that they didn't try to 'clean that up' in order to make him into a role model or something. Because that's not who Huckleberry Finn is. He is so compelling because he is self-protective and selfish. Unlike, say, Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he's not some angelic little waif with a heart of gold who instantly brightens the day of everyone about him with his selflessness. He's bad to the core and he knows it. In fact...he's proud of it. That makes us root for him all the more whenever he has to make a choice between the right thing and the wrong thing. He's not perfect, so we want to see him do well. 

- The ugliness of what happens to him isn't toned down at all either. His Pap is still an abusive alcoholic who, in a drunken fit, kidnaps and tries to murder Huck who only escapes through his ingenuity and willingness to get his hands dirty.

- "I ain't no angel, Pap. You can ask Miss Watson!"

- Huck faking his own death always makes me grin. Smart kid.

- The cinematography is just beautiful. The sunsets on the river, the green of the foliage, the blue of the sky, the way the shots are framed...wow. Absolutely gorgeous!

- The score is pretty awesome too. It would have been easy to go with a banjo sound or some kind of 'current' soundtrack...but instead we're giving sweeping strings and a sound that is as timeless as the Mississippi River itself.

- I love the way this film manages to go from playful to tear-jerker at the drop of a hat. Case in point being the scene where Huckleberry finds out that Jim has become a runaway slave and has to decide whether or not to help him. He eventually decides to help, though he does grumble a lot and utter more than one "Hell's bells!" as he debates with himself.

- Jim sends him for supplies and, since Huck is 'dead', he has to disguise himself. *snort* He looks better in that pink frock than most girls would.

- "I might end up being a murderer myself one day." It's rather sad the way Huck is so pragmatic about what he might one day be driven to make his career.

- This film really gets the slavery issue (especially the deep-seeded mentality behind it) across really well without shoving it down our throats. Huck is constantly battling himself over 'doing the right thing' and turning Jim in or 'giving himself a one-way ticket to Hell' and continuing to help his friend. This extremely skewed way of thinking just highlights the problem without making it too obvious that is what they are doing. This script is extremely smartly written.

- I love Huck's lie to the bounty hunters about how his whole family has the pox. Ewwww. That just sounded nasty!

-  Parlay vu francine?! Geeze, Huckleberry, your French pronunciation is worse than mine...

- Alas poor Billy...he didn't even know what he was fighting the Shepherdsons for. The death of this boy happens off screen, but it's somehow worse whenever we're just seeing Huck's reaction and his then finding the body of his dead friend. This movie really doesn't try to tone down the darker aspects of the book (feuding, slavery, prejudice, etc.) but it does to an excellent job never painting this issues in black and white. Nobody's really a cartoon villain. It's more about human nature than anything else.

- The Duke and The Dauphine...gotta love 'em! They are two of my favorite literary characters of all time and I will forever be sorry that I didn't get to see this version of them act out the 'tent meeting' that Twain includes in the book. It's very irreverent...but oh so funny!

- Their names take forever to type, though, so now I'm going to refer to them as 'D&D'.

- They offer to teach Huck the 3 E's...robbery, forgery, and burglary.

- "He only murdered me!" I probably shouldn't find that so funny...

- So, SPN fans, fun fact for you: Curtis Armstrong (the man who plays Metatron) was in this movie as a big-mouthed drunk flathead that D&D pump for information. I'd recognize that smile anywhere...

- Am I the only one cringing at the 'Swahili Warrior' get-up and concept?

- That whole affair was just...uncomfortable.

- "...the damn dog next door." This becomes a running gag in Act 3 of this film...and it never gets old.

- Susan (the youngest Wilks sister) is hilarious. I'm ever so glad that the screenplay writers didn't make the choice to set her up as a love interest for Huck...even in a kiddy kind of way. Oh thank God! Not only would that be VERY CONTRARY to Huck's personality, but there would be absolutely no point to it.

- It is at this point that the film descends into mental hijinks and more lies than you can keep straight in your head. D&D have Huck over a barrel because they know who Jim is and what he was accused of. They also have dirt on Huck because he is implicated in their dastardly scheme even though (for once) he is nearly innocent. He doesn't want to see the sisters hurt, but he also can't abandon Jim and he's afraid of being tarred. Eventually he can take it no longer and tells Mary Jane the truth.

- Just in time for another set of Wilks brother to come into town and the whole thing to fall apart.

- "Personally, boy, I think you're just a damn good liar." "Well thank you for the compliment, sir."

- In the book the confrontation about the Wilks estate takes place close to the end of the second act, but in this film the last part of the book (rather superfluous, to be honest) is cut out and this is made into the climax. And what a climax it is!

- D&D are tarred and presumably run out of town or hung. Huck and Jim try to escape, but Huck is shot in the back and Jim - rather than leaving Huck to die in the woods - sacrifices himself for the chance to get his young friend back to a doctor. Jim is nearly lynched and Huck nearly dies, but both are saved by Mary Jane who knows the whole truth now, thanks to Huck's earlier choice to be honest.

- I'll admit that I don't cry during a whole lot of films, but I sure tear up a bit during this climax when emotions are running high and the tension is nearly unbearable. Even having read the book and knowing how it turns out, I was on the edge of my seat. It's just that good.

            This film is just a joy every time I watch it. The acting is superb, the visuals are stunning, and the music only helps to enhance the high emotion of this great story. It is the best adaptation I have ever seen because, despite the changes made in the adaptation process, manages to retain the charm and message of the original perfectly because it shows great respect for the source text and for the issues that the book dealt with. It has a great message about prejudice, loyalty, and questioning societal norms instead of just accepting them at face-value. The Adventures of Huck Finn is a classic and a 5/5.


What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Film Review: Harry Potter "The Philosopher's Stone"

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this film, please go and do so before proceeding.

         So apparently in America they changed the title to The Sorcerer's Stone because they figured that kids weren't smart enough to know what a philosopher's stone is? Pshaw! They did realize that the kids of the mind to pick up a fantasy story like Harry Potter in the first place (before it became the phenomena that it is today, that is) would probably be up on their folklore and mythology? Besides...Hermione EXPLAINS it in laymen's terms for Harry and Ron. How hard is that?!

        Anyway, rant over. This film, the first in the Harry Potter franchise, can be summed up in one sentence: "Darn it all, Hagrid!" 

      Yes, our poor gentle giant is the culprit (actually more like catalyst) in this whole affair. One really must wonder WHY Dumbledore constantly seems to believe Hagrid is capable of more responsibility than he really should be? Much as I love Hagrid, you've gotta admit that the guy's not exactly subtle. He wasn't sorted into Slytherin or Ravenclaw for a reason...  

            I'll confess that I'm usually not a fan of these type of stories. It's a sad fact that the fantasy/sci-fi genre is OVERRUN with stories about prophecies and chosen saviors and lonely children who find out they're some kind of prodigy/messiah...and I'm sick of it. There's just too many of them. So why does Harry Potter work where Eragon and so many others failed?

        Well...what kid hasn't dreamed about being whisked off to a magical school of some kind at some point during their childhood? Goodness knows I spent a fair amount of time checking the back of closets for Narnia (just...y'know...on the off chance I may get lucky one day) and we all really are looking for that bit of escapism, even at a young age. The Harry Potter books gave us that - hooking us in with promises of magical sweets and fantastical adventures away from the hum-drum existence of life...but in a semi-realistic way because the characters are not perfect and noble and awesome all the times. They're just people, like you and I. Through Harry and Ron and Hermione, we got to live out our dreams. We found friendship, loyalty, bravery, and courage between the pages of those books and were drawn back time and time again by the imagination and heart of the world they had created.

      But what about the films? We know that things are always lost in the book-to-movie adaptation process (it's inevitable...changes WILL be made), so did the films manage to still capture the same charm and magic (haha) that cast a spell over us (haha again) whenever we read the books? Well...let's see.



Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I have to say that the opening scene to this film, cool as it is, always bothered me. It bothered me in the books too, but especially here: WHY WOULD TWO TEACHERS LEAVE A BABY ON A DOORSTEP WITHOUT EVEN RINGING THE DOORBELL?!?!?! First of off, this is around Halloween. That means it gets COLD at night. Secondly, wards don't protect against uncanny muggles. Thirdly, you can apparate away if you're so worried about Petunia turning you down. Ring the door bell and then get out of dodge...but do SOMETHING!

- Dumbledore is really lucky Molly Weasley never found out about that...

- Whenever Harry wakes up in the cupboard under the stairs, very quickly the first thing you'll probably notice is that his eyes are very much closer to blue than green. Well...there's a reason for that. And it's much more simple than you're probably thinking. Apparently they DID try to give Daniel Radcliffe green contacts, but he had such a bad allergic reaction to them that they gave up. Or that's how the story goes.

- Poor guy.

- I also want to know how the Dursleys never got busted for their treatment of their nephew. Shouldn't have there been some sort of paperwork they had to fill out as his guardians? Or what about his teachers at school? Surely everyone can't be as blind as the neighbors!


- I love the scene where Harry has a genial conversation with a snake and doesn't even think twice about it. The fact that, in the film, Dudley gets trapped INSIDE the glass only makes it all the funnier.

- And I'm going to mention what I'm sure every fanboy, fangirl, and individual with a brain has asked since this film first aired: WHY DIDN'T HARRY JUST PICK A LETTER OFF OF THE GROUND? Seriously! It looks like it snowed in there! He could have snatched up a letter and ran and had it read before Vernon ever disentangled himself from his armchair. I guess this is why he wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw...

- Hagrid's entrance is, as always, excellent. Robbie Coltrane is perfect in the role and really manages to bring across both the roughness and the heart that makes Hagrid work. I've always privately wondered how he made it over to that island in the first place. Did he enchant his umbrella with a Mary Poppins spell or something? (Now THERE would be a sight!)

- Now it's obvious in this film that Daniel Radcliffe and the other child actors are very young and inexperienced. There's always a danger in a film that requires a young protagonist in that it is EXTREMELY hard to find someone who looks right for the part, is available, and can actually act. The Narnia films sort of got around this by casting actors much older than the parts, but with Harry Potter you really can't do that because of all the years they have to go through. So pretty much everyone in the student population was cast according to proper age. Now considering all that (and taking into account the little issue of wanting them to look like their book descriptions) can we just kneel down and praise the casting director and Chris Columbus for both choosing the proper kids and directing them so that their performances shine? Oh sure credit needs to go to Dan, Rupert, and Emma...but the director has a big part in the performance of an actor as they are DIRECTING what they want to see on screen. That's right. As an actor you don't get to make all of your own choices. You listen to your director. (That's why an actor can be wonderful in a film with a great director and then terrible in one with someone sub-par behind the helm.)

- Harry re-entry to the wizarding world is both comical and sad. In fact...it goes something like this:

- I've always said that there is a reason that Harry Potter manages to pull off the old cliché of a chosen one SO much better than Eregon or Snow White & The Huntsman. And it starts right whenever Harry walks in to the Leaky Cauldron and is basically accosted by everybody. He's a celebrity. And he has to go through all of the awful, messy, dirty things that come with it...paparazzi and all. No noble suffering seen there. Being the Chosen One starts off fun and exciting for this kid who has grown up with the equivalent of three Evil Stepmothers from Cinderella, but over time it develops into something far harder. OF course, Ollivander doesn't help matters either, what with his talk of wands and destinies and all that. (Excellent performance by John Hurt, by the way.) And it seems like only the goblins are unimpressed with Mr. Harry Potter coming back at long last.

- Hagrid drops Harry off at King's Cross and then promptly disappears. (Can Hagrid apparate?) And then we get to meet my favorite clan of red-headed wizards, the Weasleys.

- Yes I love the Weasleys, but more so even than that I love watching their introduction in this film. Some of them (like Molly and Ginny) are only on screen for a couple minutes at most and only have a couple of lines...but from just that short amount of time we already have their characters pretty well established. Molly is the matron of the family and is always worried about her children. Fred and George are the jokers, playing pranks and cracking puns. Ginny is rather quiet and shy, but is kind enough and polite. And Ron doesn't quite know what to do with himself, but has a friendly smile. Now all these things will be expanded on over the course of the films...but they got a good, solid foundation here.

- The first meeting between Ron and Hermione makes me laugh every time, even as the meeting between Ron and Harry makes me grin. I love their friendship!

- And, of course, a shout-out needs to go to Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy. Lots of people say that he didn't really come into his own until HBP, but I find him a lot of fun in these earlier installments as well. It's not easy to play the black-and-white stereotypical bully kid without it becoming old or obnoxious to the point where he's unbearable. (By that I mean nobody can like you even in a 'love to hate' kind of way.) I legitimately adore Malfoy in these early films. He's just so cute and bratty and fun to watch!

- The Sorting Hat is a cool idea (sociological implications of sorting 11-year-old children according to personality traits aside) but it always kind of makes me itch. Literally. School Hygiene 101: don't EVER share a piece of headgear between kids without washing and sanitizing it in-between. That's how head lice get spread around. And somehow I don't think The Sorting Hat would take kindly to being stuck in a wash-machine with boiling hot water and detergent. Ewww.

- I am forever crushed that they didn't let the Hat sing either because that was a lovely bit of exposition and foreshadowing. Maybe it was cut for time?

- Hermione is my hero. She is a bookish nerd who isn't afraid to speak her mind and who well and truly is awesome. I appreciate very much the way that these early films aren't afraid to make her awkward and weird and even a bit unlikable at times. Makes her character more three-dimensional. Same with the boys. None of them are saints...they're children, and they act like it.

- Isn't a Cerebus technically a hellhound? And wasn't there only one of them in the mythology? The one Hercules captured at the gates of Hades? Hmmm...

- I love the fact that Molly Weasley, just from seeing Harry at the station and whatever Ron or the other brothers has offhandedly mentioned in letters, decided to knit him a jumper and send some fudge for him...just because he looked lonely and because he was Ron's friend. Mrs. Weasley, I don't always agree with you, but wow are you an awesome person!

- I do find it a little bit weird that Dumbledore gave Harry the cloak and set up the mirror so that he would find it and be prepared for going after the stone. I don't quite think that Dumbledore is the evil megalomaniac that a lot of people have made him out to be, but I don't exactly have warm fuzzy feelings towards him as to his treatment of Harry (and the rest of his students) either.

- The Quidditch game is definitely one of the most fun parts of the film. It's high-paced and energetic and just a joy to watch (especially since we got to see Ron's concern for Harry and Hermione's resourcefulness showcased). I do, however, think that Harry surfing on his broom was a bit much. No wonder Snape thought him a show-off! That move LITERALLY had no other purpose but to show off. This is probably why he didn't do it in the books.

- It is fascinating the way that Harry's life is set up in this franchise. His life with his prejudiced and close-minded relations is miserable. Then he is accepted into this magical world of whimsy and magic where he is a celebrity. It all looks like it's going to be Butterbeer and Crumpets from here on out, but the stories have a dark underlying current to them. Harry finds out that the adults in the magical world are not necessarily more perfect than the muggle ones. He finds out that prejudice still exists. He finds out that there is evil in the world...true evil that everyone should fear and fight against. It's almost like the message of even these early stories is that wrong is everywhere and that it doesn't matter who your parents were or how talented you are, you WILL experience trials and places in your life were you'll have to choose whether to do the right thing or to do the easy thing. Depressing, yes, but very much true of the real world.

- The themes of prejudice don't really come in much until the real politics of the magical world get started a few stories later, but here we can clearly see the seeds being sown. Snape has an instant prejudice towards Harry that will affect the rest of their relationship. Harry and Ron have a prejudice against Hermione, only to find that they hurt her and that their earlier cruelness nearly got her killed. The magical world in general treats Harry like some kind of messiah, but he's just a kid who will very soon crumble under that same praise at it turns to pressure. Nothing in life is perfect. There is no utopia on earth, at least not as long as humans with their flaws exist. Harry finds that the magical world isn't such an escape after all. Prejudice, hatred, and evil come in many forms...in a new environment they just don a slightly different disguise.

- And for everyone claiming that they should have gone to a professor with their concerns about Snape...they did. Here in this film the trio's notorious mistrust of adult interference is set up. Professor McGonagall doesn't believe them and, instead of explaining things to them, shuts them out...doubtlessly in an attempt to protect them. Miscommunication occurs and we never really see them go to a professor or adult again, except in a last-ditch effort. Oh my. There is SO much foreshadowing in this first installment!

- Harry and Ron and Hermione are presented with a choice in the story. They could just ignore what they think they know and go peacefully to bed. But they just can't. They are afraid and unsure and on the wrong foot, but they know that someone has to do SOMETHING!

- Can we take a moment to give a shout-out to Neville here? The focus of the story is on the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione...but Neville really deserves a lot of credit. He's a chubby, slightly awkward, and shy young man who is bullied by almost everyone in the school and who is so desperate not to make his Gran (and parents) disappointed in him that he overcompensates and ends up making everything work. Ron has a speech to him where he tells Neville to stop letting people walk over him because they'll never stop and Neville takes that advice to heart, even going so far as to stand up to the trio for doing something he thinks is wrong. It's been said that it takes twice as much courage to stand up for a friend than it does to an enemy and, given that the trio are basically his ONLY friends at this point, I'd say that we deserve to give Neville a big round of applause.

- I am slightly disappointed in this film for taking Ron's lines about the Devil's Snare and giving them to Hermione instead of letting her have her freak-out moment that he saves her from...but given that Snape's Trial was also cut, I think we can forgive her. After all...Ron got the chess game.

- I love that little swallow Ron gives after he says that. He knows that this is a dangerous game...he's not stupid or glory-seeking at this point. He knows he is playing for his friends' lives as well as for their mission. I think he also has a bit of an idea of the very real fact that one of them may have to sacrifice themselves to win the game. But he still does what needs to be done! I don't normally cry during movies, but I'll admit that I get a lump in my throat every time Ron sacrifices himself so that Harry can checkmate the queen.

- "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery and – oh Harry – be careful!" Thank you, Hermione. That statement right there is why Harry Potter is not just some silly little story about magic. The setting is a magical school, yes, but the focus is never put on that. Instead the story is about love, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, prejudice, anger, sacrifice, and all of the GOOD STUFF that we find in the stories that are really great. It teaches you to not just believe whatever you are told, but to go out and seek the truth for yourself. It teaches that breaking the rules isn't right and that there are consequences, but also that adults aren't always perfect either. It provides a balanced view of the world, around the frame of fantasy, to teach valuable life lessons and to encourage you to always do the right thing, even when those around you are not.

- The fact that Dumbledore waited until the feast, cruelly let the 'bad' Slytherins believe that they had won, before awarding Harry and Co. for breaking the rules right in front of everyone only cements my feelings that he wasn't a particularly unbiased Headmaster. Just how many of those Slytherins would have gone wrong if they hadn't been mistreated all throughout their school days? It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

           This first film in the Harry Potter franchise is just a joy to watch. It carries a lot more innocence than the later installments of the series, but a lot of foreshadowing and set-up for those darker times also happens here. We're introduced to Voldemort, Harry gains friends and learns that no matter which world you're in there will always be evil to fight against, and we get some great character development and performances from the cast. The special effects have held up extraordinarily well and the score gives me chills every time I see it. The Philosopher's Stone is definitely an experience that everyone should have at some point in their life. If you're worried about kids getting the wrong idea from it, fair enough, but discuss it with them or wait until they're older before introducing them to it. It teaches some important lessons and is a lot of fun. I give it a 5/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Film Review: Young Sherlock Holmes

           

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this film, please go and do so before proceeding.

          Whenever describing this film to people, I often say that it is a teen!lock fanfic that somehow got made into a Steven Spielburg movie. But that's not quite fair. Fanfictions tend to have a bad reputation as the (non)brain-children of vapid 13-year-old girls who have just learned to string two words together. Except it's usually more than two words because it's usually a run-on sentence. That's not entirely true, but that is what the connotations are when one hears the term 'fanfiction'.

       And this film is definitely more than those low expectations. On the surface it is just a silly little schoolboy mystery that got slapped with the characters from the Sherlock Holmes universe, but when you look closer you realize that it is a charming and exceedingly geeky tribute to the iconic mysteries. The writer of the script, Chris Columbus, would go on to work on the Harry Potter films, and we can definitely see shades of that dynamic in this film with the school setting, dark adventure, and the trio of Holmes, Watson, and Elizabeth. This movie also holds the distinction of being the first to use Computer Generated Images alongside its practical effects. So shall we dive in to one of my favorite movies of all time and explore it a bit more in depth?



Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- That hallucination that starts the whole film out, though. Love the juxtaposition with the 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' being played peacefully (and cheerfully) over the horrific scene of a gentleman being attacked by his own dinner. In some ways this scene reminds me very much of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol as the gentleman retreats to his chambers in a panic and starts seeing things that can't be there. Unlike Ebenezer, though, poor Mr. Bobster can't take the ghastly images and leaps to his death. Wow. Death by falling in a Sherlock Holmes story. Can't believe my eyes.


- LOVE the musical score from this film. It's right up there with Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Pan as one of my favorite scores of all time.

- Watson looks like a slightly less scrawny Harry Potter. And take note, everyone, because I think this is the only time (outside of Sherlock) that you will ever hear Holmes play the violin with anything less than finesse.

- And I swear that the guy who does the voice over of older!Watson (can't remember his name) did the voice for a recording of The Tailor of Gloucester.

- Shame Nicholas Rowe never really got a starring role in anything prominent after this because he absolutely KILLS it as Sherlock Holmes. He has down to a pat the coldness and arrogance, but also the heart of the great detective while also playing a much younger and less stoic version of the genius we all know and love.


- "That was a girl!" "Brilliant deduction, Watson."

- So Dudley, the resident blond bully of this school, is henceforth dubbed Not-Draco just for ease of reference. I'm pretty sure that Chris Columbus (the writer of this script) used this as preparation for the days when he would work with the Harry Potter franchise because there are some definite similarities in tone and characters between that series and this film...especially in the trio of Holmes, Watson, and Elizabeth. This came first, though.

- "Elementary, my dear Holmes, elementary." There's SO many gags and references to the original stories (where it was, in fact, Watson who said those words to Holmes) in general contained within this film that it's a veritable treasure trove.

- And we get Holmes fencing...along with a lesson about how one must never put emotion over discipline. Like I said, a lot of references to the original stories.

- The scene in the church is an important one. Not only does it further the mystery of the 'jangling assassin', but it contains the first ever CGI character in a live-action film. Created by none other than the head of Pixar Animation Studio himself, the knight that breaks out of the stained-glass window is an effect that still holds up just about perfectly today.

- Run down by a cab? Awful way to go.

- Not-Draco hides the school fencing trophy and gives Holmes an hour to follow the clues and discover where it is? Bad move, sir. Be ready to scrape egg off your face.

-- It’s good to see that Holmes and Lestrade have always had such an…amiable relationship. “You mean like last week when you thought that the French Ambassador had embezzled over three hundred pounds from the Bank of England?” “I was close! It was the Russian Ambassador.”

- Lestrade is also played by the Dream Lord, for all you Whovians out there.

- Not-Draco gets Holmes expelled with the oldest trick in the book; framing him for cheating.

- And Holmes gets a classic ‘sexy cut cheekbone’ during his last fencing match with the new headmaster he is the favorite of. Remember that. It will be important.

- I love Watson envisioning all the ways he could beat up Not-Draco, but infinitely more hilarious is Holmes spiking Not-Draco’s drink with a failed chemistry experiment. Did it make him hurl?

- So apparently Holmes is living with Mycroft right now? Wonder how that works out for the two of them…?

- Poor Holmes. He really took a beating in this film, both physical and emotional. I do like the line about how Holmes only ever cried in front of Watson twice in their lives together…at Waxflutter’s funeral and one other time. (I think the other time was probably in The Three Garridebs where Watson gets shot.)

- “You’ve both been reading too many detective novels.” You’re a fine one to talk, Watson, considering that you’re going to write a bunch in a few years.

- Love Elizabeth giving Holmes the iconic deerstalker hat. Too funny!

- So this film has Watson smoking and the two boys going into an Egyptian-themed tavern with belly dancers and a less-than-savory owner. Yes. If the hallucinations didn’t clue you in before, now you can be absolutely sure that this isn’t a kids’ film.

- In many ways this film seems like a cross between Harry Potter and Young Indiana Jones, especially once the Egyptian theme gets brought in. Throw in a few deductions, a couple rats, and a bit of catchy chanting and you have the film.

 

- “Well…this is an interesting development.” No sheet, Sherlock.

- What I want to know is why there is a secret passage into the hollow of that goat’s head (or ram or whatever it is). It’s the only thing that confuses me about this film. Seriously. Why are these secret passages built? And why does nobody know about it? And if they do, why don’t they just sit up one day and say: “My Chuck! This is a bad idea! Maybe we should put someone on guard to make sure nobody sneaks down and spies on us.”

- Okay so Elizabeth’s hallucination is pretty creepy, and Watson’s is just messed up (Killer pastries? Seriously?), but Holmes’ is the real kicker. He goes into what appears to be a flashback where he sees his father and mother berating him for something he’s done. It’s not said outright, but heavily implied that his father was having an affair that his mother knew about but didn’t say anything for appearances sake. Until little Sherlock and his big mouth outed the scandal in a way that could no longer be ignored…probably at a dinner party, breaking them apart. It’s also implied that Holmes Senior might have been a bit abusive towards his sons.

- My favorite still has to be Watson’s hallucination, though, with the deceptively cute but extremely creepy pastries that keep cramming themselves down his throat. SO twisted and strange, but so hilarious!

- “A great detective relies on perception, intelligence, and imagination.”

- Arrested and sent to prison? For not leaving school? Ehhh…I think that’s a bit harsh. Even by Victorian standards.

- I love how, during the Holmes/Elizabeth kiss, Watson is just kind of awkwardly hanging up there trying to get through the window. Somehow it just makes that scene hilarious for me.

- “Bloody insect!” Um, dude…it’s WINTER and there’s SNOW ON THE GROUND! I’m quite sure that all stinging insects are asleep or dead. Don’t blame it on bugs!

- And poor Sherlock always is getting strangled. He’s as bad as Sam Winchester!

- Nothing like a cat fight with two ladies in Victorian dress and a tiny dog. And you should never trust anyone with a last name who sounds like ‘wraith’.

- Why did the cut from Rathe’s ring never seem to heal? Was it somehow enchanted? Hmmm. Is THAT why he could hypnotize Elizabeth with it? I thought it had something to do with light.

- “It works, Watson! We’re flying!” Don’t bump into Peter Pan…

- Why did they try and tease us that Holmes might die in the fire? We KNOW he survives and goes on to be equally foolhardy in later cases…so what was the purpose of that? Gave Watson an opportunity to save both Holmes AND Elizabeth, I guess.

- And just when you think it’s over, Elizabeth jumps in front of Holmes and takes a bullet to the gut for him. Prompting Holmes to go after Rathe and get the royal snot beat out of him while Elizabeth bleeds (and Watson gets to play doctor) before Rathe finally falls into the Thames and drowns. Of course Elizabeth dies and Holmes learns the stark lesson about letting emotions cloud his judgement.

- The sword-fight/wrestling match makes for an energy-filled climax, though that is very similar to Hook, now that I think about it. Maybe Spielberg was going through a ‘fencing’ stage.

 

        This is a film that is delightfully melodramatic in places, surprisingly heartfelt in others, and just great fun for anyone fond of the Sherlock Holmes character or just mysteries and great characters in general. There are some definite similarities to the Harry Potter films that Columbus will go on to work on, but it very much has its own identity as well. The characters are fun, the mystery is interesting, and it’s a lot of fun for anyone even slightly familiar with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. (Also, for anyone who is a fan of the series Sherlock, Moffat and Gatiss took inspiration from this film for at least the first two series’ Holmes brothers’ back-story. Not to mention the fact that, in many shots, Rowe is close to a dead ringer for a younger Benedict Cumberbatch or Jeremy Brett.) Young Sherlock Holmes is a 4/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?