July 31, 2009

Madonna

David and Victoria Beckham - Emporio Armani underwear ads

After starring in rivaling Emporio Armani underwear ads, the Beckhams are combining their skivvy-wearing forces in a smoldering new campaign, featuring both David and Victoria Beckham.

Angelina Jolie



Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Movie Review


“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the much-anticipated sixth instalment of the Harry Potter franchise is totally worth the wait! The film not only lives upto the expectations of Potter fanatics but also those who may have not seen the previous five instalments or read JK Rowling’s books as Yates’ brilliant cinematic adaptation and story telling skills makes his multi-dimensional film easy to interpret as well visually enchanting. The first 30 minutes of this film can also be seen in 3-D (selected theatres) and the effect is simply astounding, beyond words. (Watch out for the opening scene where the evil forces attack London’s Millennium Bridge).
Coming to the plot, David Yates’ sixth instalment is probably the darkest of the Potter films so far as suspense builds up right from the beginning and keeps you engaged throughout.
Evil forces try to dominate the world... wickedness in the form of dark clouds take hold and Hogwarts is no longer a haven. Hogwarts head Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) now needs to protect his school as well as the world with the help of ‘the chosen one’ Harry. In order to restrain the evil, Dumbledore and Harry will not only have to get into the mind of their arch-enemy Voldemort but also Hogwarts’ former potions professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent, entertaining) without his knowledge. (Slughorn’s first appearance sees him disguised as an armchair!) Slughorn resumes teaching at Hogwarts and during one of his classes, Harry ends up with a used textbook that belonged, according to the inscription, to the "Half-Blood Prince". The markings in the book surprisingly enhance Harry’s wizardry.
On the other hand, the film’s antagonist Draco Malfoy has his own vicious agenda going on in his head which too needs to be tracked down by our bespectacled hero who amidst all this ‘fight the evil’ mission realizes he is attracted to Ron’s sister Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright in a newly prominent role).
At this very point, Yates smartly gives us a break from the good v/s bad fight and navigates onto the candyfloss romance that begins in Hogwarts as Harry and his friends enter adolescence. The film takes the form of a teen sitcom on and off without losing grip.
The introduction of Tom Riddle’s character is splendidly done.
The film drags a bit towards the end but a film of this magnitude justifies the length to a certain extent. Harry’s mind-reading abilities, suspense that is build up and then partially unravelled towards the end forces one to wait and watch for will Harry be able to destroy Voldemort. (The mighty enemy does not make an appearance in this one).
‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood prince’ has romance, intrigue, suspense, action – indeed a magical experience. A must watch!