Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

*WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!*

After ten years, the end of the Harry Potter saga has finally come to an end. It is one of the most anticipated summer blockbuster movies of 2011 and it is just as insanely popular when the book was released at our local bookstores. The result is just as exciting as you’d expect a movie finale.

The story continues as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue to destroy Voldemort’s last remaining Horcruxes (each individual item Voldemort has put his soul to make himself immortal). Meanwhile, Hogwarts is under the control of Death-Eaters and Dementors. The story is just continues straight from Part 1 and you can really feel Harry’s struggle to destroy the last remaining Horcruxes. Even showing Voldemort slowly, and eventually, growing more vulnerable as the story progresses. For those who have read the books, it won’t come to any surprise with the few twists here and there (i.e. Ciarán Hinds as Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth Dumbledore). A lot is at stake and director David Yates really dwells on that very well! The only problem I have is the time duration; Part 1 was 2 hours and 26 minutes, this film is only 2 hours 10 minutes long. It feels a lot shorter than it says, when it honestly should have been a lot longer to really show the epic story and scale of the production.

The performances from the three main leads are nothing to write about but they have improved over the years during the film series run. The film features an amazing British ensemble cast; Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Isaacs, Julie Walters and even David Yates collaborator Kelly Macdonald (State of Play mini-series and The Girl in the Café) gets an appearance as Helena Ravenclaw. As much it is fantastic to see such huge names in a film like Harry Potter, the time duration comes to affect and limits their screen-time. Fiennes, however, does show he is having a lot of fun playing Voldemort but also shows a twisted charismatic presence you don’t get a lot from villains nowadays.

The production value is top-notch, you can see a lot of effort and care has been put on this epic finale. The sets look fantastic, the visual effects look dazzling and the orchestral score (by Alexandre Desplat) really brings the emotional core to the story and overall film. The final battle between Harry and Voldemort is rather intense but it all feels rushed and quite lacking compared to other epics (The Lord of the Rings). Though Warner Bros. doesn’t pull any stops and really does deliver quite an event.

Overall; it is the film Harry Potter fans want from a finale and it is the best in the series. Not quite as the big bang it was anticipating but still has enough to keep you satisfied through-out. You can’t deny the Harry Potter film series will have Hollywood keep its eye on British filmmaking and finding talent overseas. An immensely well made production, strongly recommended.

4 out of 5

Rupert Grint Wants To Date The Queen

Rupert Grint has a crush on Queen Elizabeth.

The ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ actor – who shot to fame aged 11 playing Ron Weasley in the movie series – admits the monarch would be one of his two ideal women, along with singer-and-actress Juliette Lewis.

Asked which two famous women he would like to date, he said: “I think it would have to be the queen. She is [pretty foxy]. I sat in front of her at her 80th birthday, where we were asked to perform in a play, so that was pretty cool.

“My second choice would be Juliette Lewis, because she’s really cool and in a band.”

One celebrity the 22-year-old star does not find attractive is former ‘Hannah Montana’ actress Miley Cyrus.

He explained: “I’ve never really gone for those Disney girls.”

Rupert has never been in a relationship for longer than a few weeks, but is currently happy to be single.

He told Britain’s Glamour magazine: “I haven’t had any very serious relationships. The longest was probably less than a month. I’ve never had a one-night stand.

“I’m not really looking for anything at the moment. I’m so busy that it’s quite hard to commit.”

While Rupert insists he isn’t looking for love, the flame-haired star admits he has received a lot of attention from girls since starring in the ‘Harry Potter’ films.

He said: “The ginger community embraced me – put it that way.

“Walking down the street, I would get a lot of ‘ginger love’. I still do.”

This Month's Magazines: Pippa Middleton and Gwyneth Paltrow Cover Girls/ Updated

Here is the second in my monthly round-up, for July 2011.

Tatler has joined Pippa Middleton’s fan club and put her on the cover, the article on her inside weighs up her possible future husbands, and has a very good article on her and lots of pictures. It also let’s you know that Pippa does pilates at Pilates on the Go in Parson’s Green, and has a testimonial on their website.

Tatler also give the low-down on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s inner circle, who’s in and who’s out. Athina Onassis also has an article on her and multibillion-pound colossus Glencore has a four page article on them. Nathaniel Rothschild is one of their investors.

Tory Burch talks about what inspires her, Claudia Winklemann writes about her hatred of summer, Orlando had advice for your gap yah, Annabel Rivkin slams Made In Chelsea for making posh people look bad, and for not being posh at all.

One of the best article is their annual 100 most invited; The Middleton’s top the list, Natalie Massenet, Colin Firth, Nat Rothschild, Michael McIntyre, Dasha Zhukova and Liz Murdoch all make the list.

Tatler also has their first ever Hunting, Shooting & Fishing guide. Here at Frost we don’t hunt, but we love clay pigeon shooting.

Vanity Fair: Emma Stone is on the cover and talks about wanting to be a ‘covered up’ actress, but is on the cover in a bikini. Stone comes across well in the interview and states that she doesn’t want to make a career out of mere sex appeal. Ted Danson goes out to lunch, James Wolcott on Dominique Strauss-Kahn, There is a long form article on Groupon, one of the biggest growing business in history which will soon be worth $20 Billion.

There is an article to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, there is also a very good article on Prince Andrew and his many troubles, but does let you know that he is The Queen’s favorite child, Elephants – which are sadly being hunted in their tens of thousands per year, and Catch 22 writer Joseph Heller. Jerry Lewis does the Proust Questionnaire.

Vanity Fair Jewellery has a supplement with a naked Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover. It has lots of good articles on the history of Gold, The Windsor’s crown jewels, Daphne Guinness and a calender with Paltrow, Thandie Newton, Natalia Vodianova, Olivia Inge, Olivia Palermo, Uma Thurman and Poppy Delevigne.

Marie Claire has Audrey Tautou on the cover, the shy actress manages to give nothing away in the subsequent interview. George Clooney talks about his activism in South Sudan, there are wedding night confessions, a good article on women who earn money from blogging, a piece on the rise of Posh as Toff mania grips Britain.

There are QR codes abound in Marie Claire, exciting if you have a smart phone,

There is lots of fashion of course, it lets you nail your festival look, there is an article on couples who fight over wardrobe space, an article on love addiction and JK Rowling’s life story. Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright also gives an insight into her world and Megan Fox gives her beauty secrets.

There is a free gift of lip gloss, but not if you are a subscriber. Bad form.

Vogue has Kate Moss AKA Mrs Jamie Hince on the cover and in a forties fashion spread inside, though nothing on her wedding (American Vogue have been given the rights) Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain and Lily Collins.

Jemima Khan writes about conquering her fear of flying to save a long distance relationship. Jemima is a very good writer. Miss V is as brilliant as ever, with lots of parties and pictures,

Of course there is lots of fashion and the forties look is in. Christopher Bailey talks about 10 years at Burberry and Mustique is the holiday destination of the year.

The girls of Downtown Abbey are in vogue and in couture, complete with interviews. There is also a tan special and Christa D’Souza on the quest of a perfect ponytail. Gemma Atterton gives her Style File and talks about how hard it is to find cloths to fit her curvy frame.

There is also a free supplement of the Runaway round-up for Autumn/Winter 2011.

Glamour has Jessie J is on the cover and there is a free Personal Horoscope book.

There is a very good article inside where Jessie talks about her sexuality, her stroke and drugs and alcohol which you can read more about on Frost.

There is articles on cutting calories, getting in shape and being body confident, lessons from online dating, Karl Lagerfield on Lily Allen’s wedding dress, article on sex dreams, how to nail a wedding gift, Katy Perry’s body secrets.

This issue also had Glamour’s Women Of the Year Awards, their prestigious annual event, with news and gossip from the night. A running gag about sleeping with Davina McCall’s husband is funnier than it sounds. There is also 30,000 sex secrets and how to become red carpet glamorous, as well as an interview with the Inbetweener’s boys. Celia Walden interviews Rupert Grint and the stars spill their festival secrets.

A very good, fun edition with lots of fashion, stories, advice and fun.

 

 

 

Harry Potter Premiere: Early Films Embarrass Emma Watson

Emma Watson feels like a “different person” to the girl in the early ‘Harry Potter’ films.

The 21-year-old actress – who was just nine years old when she appeared as Hermione Granger in the first movie in the franchise, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ – finds it “embarrassing” to look back on her early performances because she has changed so much.

Speaking ahead of the release on the eighth and final film in the series, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2’ she told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “I look back at the early films and see that little girl, and I know it’s me, but it seems like a different person.

“It’s somewhat embarrassing to see myself go through all the awkward stages of growing up. So much time has passed and so much has happened that it seems that I don’t know her, but it’s interesting to see how the character has evolved and how much I have changed.”

Since completing filming on the series wrapped last year, Emma, now 21, has moved on, studying at university and signing up to appear in ‘My Week with Marilyn’ and ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’, but her cast mate Rupert Grint has admitted he’s found it harder to move on.

He said: “I loved every minute of it, and I’m really going to miss it. I felt empty and a bit lost, and it’s taken me a while to accept it’s over.

“When Harry Potter started, I wanted to be an ice-cream man, but the films showed me that I wanted to be an actor, although for the first three I didn’t take it very seriously. I just stood where I was told and read my lines. Then with the fourth film I started caring more about my performance.”

‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2’ had its world premiere in London last night.

Emma Watson Hysterical At Harry Potter Ending.

Emma Watson “cried” uncontrollably when finished filming the last ‘Harry Potter’ film.

The actress – who was just 10 when she first played Hermione Granger in the wizard franchise – couldn’t control her emotions when she had to hang up her Hogwarts outfit for the last time when shooting on ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2’ wrapped.

Speaking on UK TV show ‘Daybreak’, she said: “It was so strange … I kind of felt quite numb, I couldn’t really – it doesn’t seem like your feeling anything. And it was when they said, ‘That’s Emma down and Rupert wrapped,’ on ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, and it just hit me and it was incredibly emotional obviously.

“I cried, cried, cried, cried, cried – it was really emotional and overwhelming.”

Although she is sad the ‘Harry Potter’ movies have come to an end, Emma, now 21, is looking forward to taking on new roles – as long as they don’t require so many years of her life.

She said: “I mean it’s so funny, when I’ve signed on for other projects, other things, people don’t really understand why I get quite jumpy and quite concerned and I think it’s because I’ve signed on for one thing and it turns into a 12-year project. And I realise that everything else won’t be like that, but I just can’t believe what it turned into.”

Emma – who starred in the movies alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint – will always be proud to have portrayed witch Hermione and isn’t worried about being typecast in the future.

She said: “If I’m going to be associated with anything, I’m so thrilled that it would be her and it would be this.”