Movies That Improve on Multiple Viewings: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I have mixed feelings about the Harry Potter series. I first heard about it in 2000 when the retail store I worked at started carrying paraphernalia from the books. I had no idea what words like Quidditch, Muggle or Voldemort meant. But then the first book in the series was turned into a film in late 2001 and became a major blockbuster. That was enough to pique my interest, so I watched it when it came out on video. And I was thoroughly unimpressed.

The acting was wooden, the sets overpowered the actors, the story was oddly paced, and the climax left me underwhelmed and bewildered. This couldn’t be the story that started one of the most popular book series of all time, could it? It got worse with the second film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. That felt like a retread of the first film, but with an even more confusing climax.

I was ready to give up on Harry Potter entirely when the third film came out: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. And suddenly I decided to give Harry another chance. That film was so thoroughly different from the first two and totally enjoyable that I finally gave in and started reading the books. The first three books were all right, but in my opinion the fourth one (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) is the best of the seven. It’s a pity the movie version didn’t do the book justice at all.

I stopped watching the films after the fourth one because I figured if the filmmakers couldn’t get the fourth one right there was no way they could do the others well. They’re just too long and complex to fit in such a short running time. Plus, I didn’t enjoy the fifth book, and I couldn’t stand to torture myself by slogging through that dreadful story again. The sixth and seventh books were decent, though I figured out the final Horcrux long before I started reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, so the ending wasn’t surprising.

In summary, I don’t much care for Harry Potter. So it was with some trepidation that I recently checked out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone again. I hadn’t seen the movie in years, so I figured this would be a good test to see how it holds up after all these years. And, to my surprise, I found myself actually enjoying it this time around. Oh, it’s not perfect, and I still noticed plenty of flaws. But I had a lot more fun than I thought I would, and more often than not I was engrossed in the story and characters.

That’s why I’m going to share the things I changed my mind about on my most recent viewing of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and I’ll follow that up by adding a few things that still aren’t very good. So grab your magic wand and let’s see if Harry Potter spells good entertainment. Continue reading →

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Joke of the Week: Political Polls

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Why are political poll takers unbiased toward blue or red states?

The answer is… Continue reading →

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Movie Matchups: Dave vs. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Election season is in full swing across America, and political tensions are hotter than ever. You know what a pivotal moment like this calls for? A little drama and comedy to lighten the mood. Let’s look back at a gentler day and age when the Great Depression and Fascism were the only big worries, and when politicians made headlines for being unfaithful to their spouses rather than to the Constitution. I’m talking of course about the 1930s and 1990s, respectively, and today’s Movie Matchup of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Dave.

So let’s journey to the nation’s capital and see how these two enjoyable films compare.

Similarities

  • A regular guy gets put into a high government office to replace someone who is either dead or dying.
  • A manipulative person pulls the strings behind the scenes.
  • A hardened woman slowly warms up to the main character.
  • The main character tries to put an ambitious project into action.
  • He spends all night coming up with a plan.
  • He is charged with a crime he didn’t commit, thwarting his hopes of doing something meaningful.
  • He thinks of giving up and skipping town.
  • A showdown in Congress ends with the main character passing out. Continue reading →
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Joke of the Week: Jealousy

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Which state is every other state jealous of?

The answer is… Continue reading →

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10 Good Movies Overshadowed by Superior Sequels

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Do you know what’s even better than a good movie? A movie that is better than the one that came before it in a series. That’s really hard to do. For example, Steven Spielberg did a great job making classics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park, just to name a few. But two of those didn’t even get a sequel, and the ones that did got ones that didn’t live up to expectations. Many other filmmakers have a similar story to tell.

That’s why I’m going to honor 10 sequels that surpassed their predecessors in virtually every way. Continue reading →

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Joke of the Week: Soda Pop

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

What did the Midwest state call the law limiting the size of soft drinks?

The answer is…

The Mini Soda Law.

 

 

 

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When Giving Is Not a Virtue: Fletch’s Lesson on Socialism

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

Is it considered kind to be charitable? Of course it is. But what if you’re giving away someone else’s money? Absolutely not. Even if you have that person’s permission, you’re not the one who should be praised for giving the money away. If that were the case, you might start to think that you’re actually more generous than the person to whom the money belongs.

Why do I bring this up on a website that is focused primarily on films? For two reasons: First, I am a passionate defender of individual liberty, and I want to show why socialism is neither virtuous nor a good system for distributing goods in a society. Second, I discovered a perfect analogy to show the fatal flaw of socialism in the 1985 comedy Fletch. It’s the best of both worlds for me. I get to talk about a movie I love in a way that exposes a serious problem that people are often blind to. So let’s learn about the dangers of socialism by joining Fletch’s lunch with the Underhills. Continue reading →

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Joke of the Week: Unions

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

What is a union member’s favorite music style?

The answer is… Continue reading →

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The George Lucas Guide to Overcoming Adversity

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

I love George Lucas. I really do. I think the reason people express so much anger at him when they talk about his recent films is, ironically, because they love his work. He is responsible for more iconic characters and films than most filmmakers could ever dream of. A big reason why he achieved so much greatness is because early on he decided he wasn’t going to let adversity stop him from bringing his visions to life. This led to problems later in life when he didn’t allow criticism to shift his course for the better with the Star Wars prequels, but you’ve got to take the bad with the good, I guess.

Alec Guinness and George Lucas on the Star Wars set in TunisiaI’m going to go back to George Lucas’ younger years to show six ways he persevered through challenges so you can hopefully apply them in your own life. May the forcefulness be with you! Continue reading →

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Joke of the Week: The Terminator

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Robert Lockard, the Deja Reviewer

What container did Sarah Connor put the ashes of her dead love Kyle Reese into?

The answer is… Continue reading →

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