Around the World in Posters: The Book Thief, Her, The Monuments Men and more!

 

Poster for Markus Zusak's novel adaptation The Book Thief. One of my favorites in the past few years, hoping the film adapts the book's themes well.

 J.C. Chandor's All is Lost starring Robert Redford - Basically Life of Pi for old people and without the tiger!

Simple words on the poster for Her, A Spike Jonze Love Story. 

Daniel Radcliffe has left Harry Potter far, far behind. Here he is in Kill Your Darlings as Allen Ginsberg.

 Directed by Oscar-magnet George Clooney, the all-star cast features Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin and of course, Clooney.  It's The Monuments Men.

Philomena is in my top 5 of movies I want to see by the end of this year. 

The always lovely Judi Dench and Steve Coogan star.

 Thor (Chris Hemsworth) vs. some guy. 

Actually it's Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda in Ron Howard's F1 racing thriller Rush.

In his fantasies, Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) can go anywhere. 

Welcome to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

You had me at Mark Ruffalo.  The poster for Thanks for Sharing featuring Ruffalo,
Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad, Pink and Joel Richardson.

The first film made in Saudi Arabia by a woman with a young lead who enters a competition 

so she can win a green bicycle. I'm definitely rooting for Wadjda.

A Decade of Being a Harry Potter Fan

Ten years ago, I borrowed a book from a friend.  Well, actually, it was four books, the first four books of the Harry Potter saga and they made me a fan instantaneously.

Sometimes, and this happens very rarely, when you start reading a book and you know from the first chapter in, that this one's going to be good.  This will resonate with you.  There are few books that charm you within the first few pages and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was one such book.  Reading those first pages made me feel as though there was a magical story lying somewhere within the pages and I just had to uncover it.  I actually smiled after I read the first line.

I quickly devoured the four books within a week and was dismayed to discover there was a long wait ahead for the fifth book.  After all, it was only the summer of 2001, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix would not release until the summer of 2003.  What was I to do until then?  I then discovered that Warner Bros. had bought the rights to the books and the movie adaptations were due.  The first of which was releasing November 2001.  Now there was something else to look forward, a visual representation of all I had imagined in my head.

There was a Vanity Fair spread introducing the actors whose names we now know as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.  Say hello to Harry, Ron and Hermione! And there have been plenty more photographs and magazine articles devoted to the Hogwarts universe since, but seeing Hogwarts come alive in that first article still stays with me.


The movies lead to anticipation of the posters and trailers all the while wondering, ooh, how will they tackle that scene? Or the Time Turner scenario is going to be tricky to translate onscreen.  There were favorite directors like Alfonso Cuaron who came to the series and left their mark.  The longtime actors and actresses of British cinema who, Time magazine called British royalty, all came to lend their support.  Oscar winners like Maggie Smith and Emma Thompson were signed on to be teachers at Hogwarts while British directors like Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and David Yates (State of Play) lead the series as it got more dark and scary.

Even though there were no more books released in the series after 2007, there were still the movies to look forward too.  And when the decision was made to split the final film into two parts, it only prolonged the goodbye.  That was fine by me, I didn't want it to end.  The movies have deepened my affection of the Harry Potter series.  It's wonderful to see as a fan that the filmmakers and actors have put in so much hard work and effort to bring to life the universe and characters created by Jo Rowling.  Unfortunately, though, all good things must come to an end, and we must bid farewell to Harry and his wondrous world for now.  But it shall always remain alive in our hearts.  Thanks for the memories!!

I could never say it as well as Jo Rowling so I'll let her have the last word:

The stories we love best do live in us forever, so whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 Trailer is here!

This is it! The final Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 is just months away and a decade after the film series first started in 2001, it will now conclude in 2011. End of an era!



What are your first reactions after seeing the trailer? I'm really happy that the movie was split in two and lots of attention is paid to the closing chapters of the Harry Potter saga because the trailer looks amazing. I can't believe how much destruction lays ahead for Hogwarts castle and the students that we watched grow and look now like weary adults determined for the final fight. Yeah, that's right, Voldemort too looks a bit worried. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is facing the battle of old foes head on, he's not afraid of anything anymore. This is intense, check out the trailer frame by frame, it is completely action packed and I can't wait to see it finally end in July.

News Update: Aronofsky out of Wolverine and The Dark Knight Rises gets a another villain?

• We'll start off the linkage with some bad news.  Darren Aronofsky is no longer attached to directed the Wolverine sequel.  This puts the film in grave danger of being made.  Boo!
• Jennifer Lawrence talks about being Katniss.
• What's Daniel Radcliffe going to do after Harry Potter? He's going on Broadway in "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying".  No danger of Voldemort following him there.
• Channing Tatum is in talks to star in the "Peter Pan" origin story.  Could this have potential? You'll have to convince me.  
• Variety is reporting that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be playing Alberto Falcone aka The Holiday Killer in The Dark Knight Rises.  Gordon-Leavitt was long rumored to be in the film and today's announcement makes everything nice and official.  Juno Temple (Atonement) is also supposed to be up for a supporting role in the film.  

Walk Down Memory Lane - Harry Potter Series

Today as I go to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and I was looking back and reminiscing.  It'll   be 10 years next July that the Harry Potter movie series has kept us enthralled.  I remember looking back at the first official look at Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Vanity Fair and being so excited to see all the characters and the world I had only read about.  But it's now onto the last of the series and it's been quite a journey.  Here's a look at the first six movies of the Harry Potter series and especially at Daniel, Rupert and Emma as Harry, Ron and Hermione.  We've seen them grow up in front of our eyes.  I'll be sad when this series officially ends next July.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

First Look: Daniel Radcliffe in The Woman in Black

Here's a first glance at Daniel Radcliffe's first movie role after Harry Potter.  The Woman in Black features Radcliffe as a young lawyer out to investigate a case where he runs into the ghost of woman scorned.  I don't know if I'll have the strength to watch this, I hate ghost stories.

Where are your glasses, Harry?

Deathly Hallows Posterpalooza Continues

More character posters released by Warner Bros. for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  Are you trying to get us excited?  Because we already are.  39 more days to go!

The Other Bella with Lucius Malfoy

More posters of Harry, Ron and Hermione after the jump.

More Deathly Hallows Character Posters - The Dark Collection

The really dark collection.  Lets call these the badasses vs the ones who are going to get their asses kicked, shall we?  It is so ON!!!

More posters of Ron, Hermione, Snape and Voldemort after the cut

Deathly Hallows Character Posters

Counting down the two months until November 19th, here are three character posters of Harry, Ron and Hermione.  Let's build our excitement.

Deathly Hallows Part I Stills

The WB has nicely released lovely stills from the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I feature and also sent out the official synopsis.

Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) immortality and destruction — the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.

Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort’s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter . The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort ... alive.

Harry’s only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale — the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks.

Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became "the Boy Who Lived." No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

This is old news for the fans who have already read the final book and know what coming.  But yes, there are people who have only the films as reference.  Shocker!! Anyways, the stills are great to look until we wait for the film to come out.  

Xenophilius Lovegood (played by Rhys Evans) outside his home

Ron and Harry wait as they try to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic

Harry and Hagrid flee from Privet Drive

Harry and Hedwig

The Malfoys and scary Bellatrix

The Final Battle

Is Remus Lupin (David Thewlis) threatening Harry?

Rufus Scrimgeour (Bill Nighy) hands over the Golden Snitch

Ron and Hermione

Enjoy!  The photos come courtesy http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/, the best site out there for all things Potter and a big thank you again to WB for releasing these photos.  They are always so nice to the fans!!