Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded Prince

After six movies and seven books, we still get excited for this wizarding lot. We attended the Midnight Premiere and off the bat, befriended a group of gals who came prepared with lawn chairs. We played rounds of Crazy 8's, laughed way too much and headed into the theatre.

The special effects in this movie were outstanding. Gliding and whipping through the streets of London made you feel like you were flying. This opening scene set the tone for the rest of the film: unbelievable.

In their sixth year at Hogarts; Harry, Hermonine and Ron finally give into their teenage hormones. The direction of this sexual tension was spot on. I remembered all the awkwardness of young love and the confusion that came with it.

For myself personally, I loved seeing the transition from child to adulthood. We see Draco Malfoy struggling with the pressure of trying to please the family as he wears suits in every scene. My favorite cast character from here on out will be Ron Weasley (sorry Oliver Wood). Seeing Ron on screen with his ripped arms reminded me of the scene in "Goblet of Fire" when Harry slips into the bathroom and the whole movie audience erupted into shrieks.

Be prepared to laugh in this film. Laugh at the awkwardness of teenage love and the sarcastic comments out of Ron's mouth. I was completely shocked and loved every minute of it.

Also to note, the ending is a shade different from the book. I won't give it away (unlike that horrible, soulless person did in the RedEye), but I felt it was a pivotal scene in the book and it needed its place in the movie. The ending does point nicely to the two-part finale of this magical tale. We simply cannot wait for the next installations to this fantastic series.

Public Enemies

The hype leading up to this movie made me so ecstatic to see this film. Johnny Depp...Christian Bale...bank robbers...1920s...Chicago. All the elements were there, except for a script and character development.

I must say, thoroughly enjoyed seeing Johnny Depp in a movie where he looks like a normal human being (have you seen the image of him as Mad Hatter?? Terrifying). And Depp's portrayal of John Dillinger was okay, nothing fantastic. Really would have enjoyed this film if they created more of a character build-up. I found it hard to sit there and really feel a connection with any of the actors.

Two strapping young men accompanied me on this outing and loved the movie. So if you liked the Dick Tracy movie with Warren Beatty, you'll like the gun shooting scenes in this film. But sometimes, you need a little more than some pretty faces and tommy guns.

My Sister's Keeper

Rule #1 about this movie: don’t forget your Kleenex. Crying from the beginning to the end I had to put my hood up to hide my wet cheeks.

Based on Jodi Picoult’s bestselling novel, this story takes you through the lives of the Fitzgerald family. First up is Kate, who is played by Sofia Vassilieva. Kate is the oldest of the Fitzgerald children and at a young age was diagnosed with leukemia. After going through trials and tribulations, her parents decide to go through with vitro fertilization to have a third child who will be genetically made to serve has a donor for Kate. Enter Abby, played by Abigail Breslin. Abby is an adorable, loving sister who has been poked and prodded throughout her life to help save her sister. When she is asked to donate her kidney, Abby decides that enough is enough and attempts to be emancipated medically from her parents.

From the very start of this movie I was enwrapped in the story of the Fitzgerald family. I really loved the way that the director and screen writer took the audience through each character, showing the past obstacles they’ve all taken in order to reach the point that the movie takes place.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good tear jerker. Also, I haven’t had the chance to read the book yet, but I’ve heard that it is a bit different. So if you are looking for the exact storyline of the novel, please don’t be disappointed.

Seriously, don’t forget the Kleenex.

The Hangover: Must See!

If you haven’t seen The Hangover by now then you probably don’t understand half the conversations that are going on around you. Thinking that this was going to be a guy’s only movie was probably the first of many judgments that I made previous to seeing The Hangover. Not only was it ridiculously funny, it wasn’t one of those stupid comedies that give everything away in the previews.

A short synopsis: Four gentlemen (I use that term loosely) head to Vegas to have one of the most infamous bachelor parties of all time and they did just that. After waking up the next morning they not only find a mess only a tornado could make in their hotel suite, but the soon to be groom is MIA. The remaining three (plus one baby, I’ll let the movie explain that) are set out on an adventure to retrace the night back to where they lost their friend.

Trust me…take the time to see this movie. Guys: I’m sure I don’t really need to talk you into this, seeing as you’ve probably already seen it (maybe twice). Girls: If not for the ab exercise you’ll get laughing, Bradley Cooper’s blue eyes are enough to melt my heart.

Some people just can’t handle Vegas.

UP! Must See

This adorable movie is a must see film for every age group. I was lucky enough to go with my mom and not only did we give each other the “aw” cheesy eyes during the movie, but we spent the next night reliving the movie with my grandparents.

Pixar hit it out of the park with the main character Mr. Fredricksen, who after losing his wife sets himself and his house on a journey to South Africa to a place known as Paradise Falls. Along the way he encounters many hooligans, enter Russell. Russell is a young wilderness explorer who helps Mr. Fredricksen, not only find Paradise Falls but shows him what it means to love again. Besides these two characters, you can enjoy Kevin, Kevin’s babies and Doug!

If it is possible see UP! In 3D, it just adds to the experience of this fun loving movie.

Star Trek: Must See

Not being a trekkie myself, I don’t think that I could fully appreciate the 2009 version of Star Trek. Yet, I was fortunate enough to attend this film with a former trekkie (my mother). She couldn’t stop slapping her legs and turning to me with the “oh my gosh, this is too surreal” look. She told me after the movie that each character played the role to a T and that she loved the film.

Since I am trying to make these reviews short, I will just say this. If you are a trekkie, or think that you could be my guess is that you’ve already seen this movie. If you’re not and you don’t think you ever will be, then you probably aren’t even reading this to begin with. And if you fall into that last category, where I would put myself, as someone who enjoys the entertainment of movies and can go in with an open mind and appreciation for the art, then I would see Star Trek. It motivated me to rent the seasons and see what the fuss is all about.

X-Men Origins, Wolverine: MUST SEE!!!!

One of my favorite movies this year is Wolverine. I am a huge fan of the past X-Men movies and I cannot wait for more Origins to come out. In this film the audience is shown James Logan past, letting us understand where he came from and of course why he always wears that leather jacket and rides a motorcycle.

After a life fighting next to his brother Victor Creed (Liv Schrieber) and many other mutants, Logan decides to leave the group and try a stab at leading a normal life. When he is hunted down by a his bitter brother, now known as Sabertooth, he has no other choice then to join the Weapon X program in order to have a chance against his enemy.

There are many twists and turns in this movie that if you’re not paying attention you can miss a lot of the clues for the future X-Men films. Be sure to see this and the other X-Men movies, I have a feeling that the future origins will be a big part of Hollywood for the next few years.