amberoelliott Reviews

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

It's all in the detail...

[7/10 · 8 August 2007]

I decided to leave it a week or two after seeing Order of the Phoenix to let it level a little in my mind. Mainly because I was really disappointed after coming out the cinema and if I were to have written this review then, I think it would have given the wrong impression!

I will also point out that I am an avid reader of the books. However, I only got into them very recently and so this is the first film version I have seen after reading the book (not the best way round I'm afraid). I wish I could have waited for the film to come out before reading the damm book but there you go, what's done is done!

So to the review…

Firstly, the look of the film is pretty much what I imagined. There is of course large chunks of storyline taken out for timing reasons (though the film could have been 20 minutes longer, it would have made all the difference), but as to what is there, it looks good, it's fast paced and entertaining. The shots have the right amounts of darkness and mystery (though funnily enough not as dark as Azkaban) and the new characters (Umbridge, Bellatrix and Tonks) and places make the story grow with excitement of what's to come. What's missing is detail!

Now I'm not saying that I expected to see the whole book transposed on to screen (it was a bloody big book) but there were certain things that were merely touched upon that should have had an extra few minutes, just to give the film clarity, rather than filling it with amusing montages of Filch and Umbridge giving children horrible detentions.

On the good side, the child leads have also grown in appearance as well as acting ability (I had to keep reminding my friend how oooohing over the young Harry Potter was wrong in so many ways). Though to be honest the more I watch then the less I notice. Daniel is far better in this one and I've never had a problem with Ron. Hermione is still a little wooden but it never makes me as half as angry as watching Keira Knightly "act" so I'll get it pass!

As for the rest of the cast, they are wonderful as usual and under used! But we should be used to this by know I guess. Luckily, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon and everyone I haven't named at Hogwarts are such gems of England; they steal every scene they are in, even if it's just a look (especially Rickman). The Hogwarts Staff are also joined my the elusive Order of the Phoenix, which along with most of the above names we are joined once again by Gary Oldman, David Thewlis and Brendon Gleason of the 3rd and 4th movies and regular sweethearts Julie Walters and Mark Williams, not to mention newbie Tonks played by Natalia Tena (barely introduced) who have re-banded together to raise an Army to fight Voldermort.

But no one will tell Harry Potter anything. He's not heard from his two best friends all summer and now has been called in front of the Ministry because he used magic outside school, defending himself (and his cousin Dudley) from Dementors. Worst of all, the powers at the Ministry refuse to believe the Dark Lord is back, calling Harry a liar and they've sent a she-devil in the form of new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher Dolores Umbridge to keep an eye out at Hogwarts.

There's only one option left…. Rebellion!

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Order of the Phoenix, it's an action packed, entertaining story and nearly everything that's stuffed into the 138 minute film is as I imagined. The acting is fantastic, praise to Imelda Staunton, it's exactly how I imagined she's be and the original story is there, I just hope that they've put enough of the detail in needed to explain it all when they finally make Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows!

Still not the atmostphere of Azkaban but bloody entertaining! But looses marks on detail!

Touching Evil (1997–1999)

Still bloody....still good!

[9/10 · 7 August 2007]

I watched this series when it was first out in 1997 (god that long ago, I just realised I was quite young when I got hooked on Touching Evil no wonder my mum didn't really approve!) and I still think it's a bloody good series.

Personally, I was disappointed by Series 3, which they probably shouldn't have made but the first two series are so good, I just try to forget they sunk a little with the last series! What Touching Evil has, is a great mixture of entertaining and surprising story lines, humour and broken, life like characters (anti-heroes are always more interesting to watch). It revels in the darkness of human nature, without sensualising it, though it deals with all sorts of hard issues they never depress enough to make you stop watching, in fact this thriller had me on the edge of my seat for two seasons.

Robson Green has a nice mix of Lethal Weapon madness and pure genius with Creegan and humour (which I think is what he does best) doesn't ever make his character less believable if fact the opposite. He's an odd ball. But Creegan's been through a lot (being brought back from death after a gun shot to the head) and he doesn't do anything he's told by his superiors…Oh and he's always right! Green is backed up nicely by Nicola Walker and Shaun Dingwall, both of which work very well with Creegan's humour and darkness, from the beginning they are a very interesting and likable team and easy to watch. Green's Creegan does dominate the first series (nothing wrong with that) but I must admit I did prefer it when by the second series Walker and Dingwall also got some meatier bits too! I'm not saying this is an easy watch, because it's not Harry Potter. But Touching Evil still remains a clever, energetic and fast paced drama, with rounded, emotionally loaded characters.

Just make sure you have a cushion to hide behind, 'cos sometimes it's a little gory!

Recommended! But I've deducted a point for Season 3... Really you can do without it!

Empathy (2007 TV Movie)

Shame that it's only a one off!

[7/10 · 6 August 2007]

I really enjoyed this drama and was just getting in to it when it ended.

After getting out of prison for manslaughter, Jimmy (played by the charming Stephen Moyer) starts to see briefly into people's lives by merely touching them, seeing their inner most secrets. At first he thinks the prolonged stay in prison has made him unable to cope with life on the outside, especially because he has just started to pick up life where he left off with his daughter, who he hasn't seen in over 9 years and his wife Sarah has moved on with life and is happily married to someone else.

However, when he accidentally bumps into a young guy on a station platform, Jimmy begins to have flashes of a very violent murder of a young girl in the woods. He starts to see a psychologist and has a MRI scan; hoping to find a reason for these impromptu flashes. But really starts to worry when a body of a young girl is found in the woods.

Jimmy has two options. Follow his friend's advice and tell no one, or do the opposite and go to the police hoping they'll listen and use these flashes to stop the next murder….

Though Empathy was slightly predictable (I must admit I pointed out within seconds who the real killer was) Stephen Moyer played a convincing role as a man who was totally freaked out by the prospect of seeing into people's most inner thoughts. The other characters were all well played and given bit more time, they could have developed well.

It was fast paced (sometimes a bit too fast, my boyfriend had a hard time keeping up with all the flash backs) and nicely wrapped up in drama of an hour and a half. It even left on a cliff hanger, I'm guessing leaving it open for a series but I must admit to being rather disappointed that there weren't a few more episodes more. I for one would have tuned in to it!

I agree with a few of the recent reviews on the web that if they were to carry this through to a 'Touching Evil' type drama series, they are going to have to dig a little deeper when it comes to their story lines. Perhaps reading some Agatha Christie might help :O)