Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

It's good news that the series found its director in David Yates who has made the best film in the series so far. He cleans up a lot of the mess after "The Goblet of Fire" and brings the series on the right path towards its conclusion in the next three films. Yates brings the setting up to date and makes some satisfying changes by getting rid of the drab look of 1900 century England that should have been done in the first film. He also keeps a clear focus on the story and pace that adds up the tension until the satisfying conclusion that makes you want to see the next installment. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Becoming Jane

Director Julian Jarrold follows Joe Wright's lead to make a film about author Jane Austin a la "Shakespeare in Love" to gives us a behind the scenes of her life that have inspired her novels, specially "Pride & Prejudice". A solid cast and production should please most of fans of this kind of films, however it doesn't offer anything new or fresh in the way Wright's adaptation did of "Pride & Prejudice". YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

While Batman has gone serious, Hellboy remains true to its source and then some. The super hero with attitude gets some spectacular company thanks to the visionary bravado of Guillermo del Toro who's back for the second round. If Pan's Labyrinth left people hungry for more fantastic creatures, they won't be disappointed in this film. While the film will definitely please fan and aficionados, it's also interesting for others to see the superb work of Guillermo del Toro. YRCinema's coverage of current releases.

The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan continues the tone that he set up with the first film reinventing the franchise for an older audience that shuts out all the kids under 10. This film is as serious as any drama released during the fall, cut away all the scenes with Batman and you have a serious crime drama like "The Departed" for example. A well written script with a superb cast is a rare sight for a summer blockbuster and credit is due to Nolan who makes his best film since "Memento". The ace without a doubt is Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker that steals every scene and then some. Ledger's tragic death cut short a brilliant career and his performance of the joker will be the one he will be remembered for in the years to come. The weakest link is Maggie Gyllenhaal replacement of Katie Holmes. While a great actress she feels out of place in a Batman film besides the lacking chemistry with Christian Bale. However the question remains for a summer blockbuster that's supposed to be a lot of fun. Why so serious? YRCinema's coverage of current releases.

1408

Mikael Håfström's film aspires to be"The Shining" which was also based on a story by Stephen King but it falls short. There are some scares but not enough to sustain a full feature. The problem lies with the script that doesn't know how to tie the story, therefore tries everything before giving up to a less plausible conclusion. John Cusack plays a writer who doesn't believe in haunted places and writes about them to discredit them till he finds about the room of the title where he gets more than he bargained for. There's nothing about special or outstanding about this film. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Running with Scissors

A great story and a stellar cast are gone to waste in this adaptation by writer and director Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck) whose mix of comedy and drama never adds up. The challenging material by Augusten Burroughs whose stranger than fiction life proves too much for Murphy too handle. The film should have been an outrageously dark comedy instead we get some drama and some comedy where one overwhelms the other. The fine cast tries their best but it's lost in the poor vision that's evident in entire film from the cinematography to editing and writing. It's a shame. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.