December 11, 2007

Voldemort's Back

The fifth installment in the Harry Potter series is new this week, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Order of the Phoenix is the first Potter film where Harry's nemesis, Voldemort (Ralph Finnes: Spider, Schindler's List) is alive, real, and posing a threat to Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint: Driving Lessons, Thunderpants), who have grown from awestruck youths to brooding teenagers as the series grows continually darker. While the Ministry of Magic, skeptical of Voldemort's return, investigates Harry Potter for use of magic outside the school, and Hogwarts becomes a stricter and less forgiving place under a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (Imelda Staunton: Fingersmith, Freedom Writers), Potter and friends form a group of rebel wizards. With a wide supporting cast including series staples Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane: Cracker) and Severus Snape (Alan Rickman: Truly Madly Deeply, Perfume: The Story of a Murder ) and newer characters Remus Lupin (David Thewlis: Naked, The Big Lebowski ) and Sirius Black (Gary Oldman: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, The Professional ), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was well received by fans and critics, and hailed as one of the best entries in the series. On DVD and Blu-Ray. Now with Rifftrax!

Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter, The Tailor of Panama) also stars in December Boys, a 1960's coming-of-age drama about a group of friends in an Australian orphanage. As four friends learn that one of them may be adopted by young couple (Victoria Hill: Siam Sunset, Macbeth), their friendship suffers under the competition, and the oldest boy (Radcliffe) experiences his first romance with Teresa Palmer (The Grudge 2, Wolf Creek), all set to a 60's soundtrack.

Matt Damon (Ocean's Thirteen, The Departed) returns as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Ultimatum, once again brought out of hiding as a reporter's questions both awaken new memories and make him visible to The Company once again. As he digs deeper into his former employers and their network of assassins, Bourne discovers that the conspiracy runs deeper than he suspected, and travels the globe in the search for answers and his own self preservation. With Joan Allen (The Notebook, The Contender) and David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck, L.A. Confidential) facing off as opposing CIA directors tracking the rogue operative, Bourne continues to struggle to find his identity and overcome his programming.

Steve Buscemi (Ghost World, Reservoir Dogs) directs and stars in Interview as an overstuffed intellectual sent to interview a B-list starlet (Sienna Miller: Layer Cake, Alfie), and ends up spending a long evening at her loft apartment as the two of them talk, drink, argue, and eventually find some common ground. A critically ill 9 year-old sets off to find God before God comes for him in 48 Angels, and sets off in boat without oars or sails in the tradition of Saint Columcille, beginning a voyage of discovery and finding companions along the way. School's out in High School Musical 2, as the returning Disney cast all get jobs at the local country club, conspire, sing, make up, and sing some more... The only new entry to the TV New Releases section is the third season of Lost, introducing The Others, who clash with the original survivors from seasons 1 & 2, and could lead to war on the island.