#michael warwick

[dare-g]

The _ Always Rings Twice on Grave Mood Rings (2024)

[bitter1stuff]

What's with the Dracula?

Sometimes the Grave Mood Rings people are nice enough to use a script I send them. So you'd think I'd know what's going on! Never fear: This interview with Scott Baker Graham explains absolutely everything you need to know about GMR; which means it tells you absolutely nothing! Turn off your mind, relax and dog paddle downstream. It is beginning...

[classicturbolover]

imagine having to deal with ayrton everyday

[arinzeture]

Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder,❤ Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie pose together backstage at the Grammy Awards show in Los Angeles, on February 26, 1986.

[mariocki]

Doctor X (1932)

"If you ask me, I think Dr. Xavier is using very unethical methods."

"Necessity has no ethics, sir."

[thesestories]

Harry Potter and the and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Press Conference

6 July 2011, in London (x)

[all-action-all-picture]

The winning Peugeot 905 LM at the 1992 Le Mans 24 Hours. Driven by Derek Warwick, Yannick Dalmas and Mark Blundell. Behind is the Mazda MXR-01 and another 905 LM. Art by Michael Turner.

[rabid-dog-steve-horn]

I don't know about you, but I was always fond of Freddy, Ash, & Chucky.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010)

We don’t get a lot of movies split into two parts, but in the early/mid 2010s, we got three "in a row": Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Twilight: Breaking Dawn and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay. Of these, the further adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione undoubtedly felt like the biggest and most deserving, which tempered the audience's disappointment at having to wait so long to get the full story. I want to say that ticket holders are less affected by strings left untied now, thanks to the popular trend of teasing more at the end of the credits but I remember people complaining about the latest Mission: Impossible ending on a cliffhanger. Normally, it would be a non-issue for this picture, since Deathly Hallows – Part 2 has been available on home video for about 15 years now, but I saw the film under special circumstances: on the big screen with a live orchestra. I won’t get to see the story conclude "properly" for months. If we take this as a way to "travel back in time" to when audiences had to wait… how does this movie fare?

Following the death of Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) at the hands of Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) receive several seemingly random items as part of the late headmaster’s will. Determined to carry on his mission to defeat Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), they set out to track down the dark wizard’s horcruxes - magical objects in which he has hidden pieces of his soul - and find a way to destroy them.

Getting "half a story" is not much of an issue with this film because all of the setup is also accompanied by payoffs. Not necessarily events, but rather emotional moments that reward longtime viewers. HPatDH1 continues the dark tone set by its predecessor. Within the first few minutes, we see the Dursleys packing their bags and leaving their home - and Harry - behind. Was it so long ago that they felt like the worst villains we’d ever see? Now, they're small and insignificant. You’re even a little… sad to see them go. Yes, they were cruel towards Harry, but they were often also comical and over-the-top. The same can’t be said about Voldemort and his Death Eaters, who we see torturing and killing with glee when they’re not warping the ideals of the Ministry of Magic to suit their needs. Even Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and his vile parents (played by Jason Isaacs and Helen McCrory) seem sad and pathetic now.

At their core, all of the 'Harry Potter' films are mysteries. "Who opened the Chamber of Secrets?", "Where is Sirius Black?", "Who put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire, and why?", etc. What made all of these puzzles manageable is that the action was confined to a single location (more or less) and there was always an element of comfort surrounding any danger: the school, the teachers and, by extension, the school year. "What are the horcruxes?", "Where are they?" and "How can they be destroyed?", are much more difficult questions to answer and there’s no unspoken confirmation that we'll find out around the same time as the final exams, since the film doesn’t begin with a trip aboard the Hogwarts Express like the cheerier instalments did. While watching, you come to a frightening (but satisfying) realization: our heroes are no longer children.

Becoming an adult means a lot of things, including having to fend for yourself and realizing that the people you look up to… don’t necessarily have things figured out as much as you thought they did. The chicken-scratch clues Dumbledore has left the trio, along with the controversies during his lifetime, illustrate that well. While the action scenes are relegated exclusively to the beginning and end of the film, the eye-opening moments count for a lot and if you're invested in the characters - as I suspect anyone who's watched this far would be - you'll find even "mundane" details, like the graveyard in which Harry's parents are buried just as interesting as any duel.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 is a long way removed from the bright adventure we embarked upon in 2001. It makes me wonder how many parents will rush through the series with their kids – watching the movies one after another instead of one a year (ish) like movie-goers did originally. Will they be forced to answer awkward questions or suddenly turn off the screen when things get way more intense than they remember? I think so, which kind of makes seeing these movies a better watch when they're seen like I'm seeing them now: with long periods between them.

Much of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 is setup, which makes it feel less epic and fast-paced than the other instalments in the franchise and does highlight that what we're seeing is "half a movie". This also means that scenes other films might consider small – like the one where we finally get to see what’s inside the locket – have a big impact. Every other time I've seen this movie, it was with the promise that the next one would be at most a week away. Being forced to see this one just on its own has given me a greater appreciation for it and for that cliffhanger ending. (Theatrical version on the big screen, with a live orchestra, April 26, 2025)

[dialoogid]

Various Artists - Immaterial Material (1989)

[heavypedia]

Há 40 anos: Mais de 40 artistas juntavam-se em estúdio para a gravação da música “We Are The World”, para o projeto USA For Africa.

[dare-g]

A Vampiric Tribute to Vincent Price, On Grave Mood Rings (2025)

[letterboxd-loggd]

Unashamed (1932) Harry Beaumont

January 18th 2025

[musicmattersmedia]

In this unmissable episode of the Music Matters Media podcast, we're turning the spotlight on a remarkable moment in music history – the night when the stars aligned for charity, captured in the must-watch Netflix documentary, 'The Greatest Night in Pop.' Join us as we journey back to that unforgettable January evening in 1985 when icons of the music world came together to record the anthem "We Are the World." We'll share fascinating insights and our personal takeaways from the documentary, highlighting the most touching and revealing moments. From the anticipation-filled build-up to the powerful execution, we dissect what made this event so special and why it resonated so deeply with audiences around the globe. Our discussion will also delve into the song's monumental impact on charity and its enduring legacy in music history. We explore how "We Are the World" transcended its initial charity goals to become a symbol of unity and compassion, changing the landscape of celebrity philanthropy. So, plug in your headphones and join us for a heartfelt appreciation of a night that showcased the best of pop music while making a difference in the world. It's an episode filled with nostalgia, inspiration, and the reminder that when we come together, we can create something truly world-changing.

Visit our website: MusicMattersMedia.com All Music Matters Media links: linktr.ee/musicmattersmedia

The Music Video & Song: https://youtu.be/9AjkUyX0rVw?si=i0kZcHQsKogsWvLq

The Netflix Documentary: https://www.netflix.com/title/81720500

[thesestories]

Harry Potter cast at Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Premiere

9 July 2009, in New York

[adamwatchesmovies]

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Occasionally, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince feels like it’s blitzing through its plot but it’s nonetheless a contender for the best in the series. This is a visually striking film that carries a lot of emotional weight. You think back to just a few years earlier when we were introduced to all of the characters and it feels like ages have passed. The story is more mature, the relationships more complex and the stakes much higher.

Lord Voldemort's return is no longer a secret but the Wizarding World feels powerless against him and his followers. To defeat the dark lord, Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) asks Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) for help. The key lies with Professor Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), the new potions teacher. Dumbledore needs information Professor Slughorn refuses to divulge. Meanwhile, Harry and his best friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, going about their classes, falling in love and worrying about everyday school drama while sinister forces gather outside.

After this film, there’s only “one more” (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is split into two parts), which means we have a lot to cover. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) has received a mission from Voldemort. He’s only a teenager and is sure to fail - at least his mother (Helen McCrory) thinks so. She begs Hogwarts teacher Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) to help her son. He accepts but you’re unsure if it’s because he’s a trusted ally of Dumbledore’s and wants to find out what’s happening, or if he wants the dark lord to triumph. Then, there’s the titular Half-Blood Prince. To study potions (and get close to Professor Slughorn), Harry borrows a class textbook for the year. It’s a used copy full of useful hints - and new spells - that once belonged to the mysterious prince. Who are they? How do they tie into this story? That’s on top of all the normal school stuff - the classes, the Quidditch games, the raging hormones  - and the special mission entrusted to Harry.

From the beginning, there’s a prevailing sadness over the entire film. The first shot of Harry has him sitting at a diner where he catches the eye of a pretty waitress. Unfortunately, he’s whisked away by Dumbledore and the date that was promised will never happen. Harry’s cruel aunt, uncle and cousin might have been awful, but they often served as comic relief. In a way, their cartoonish aversion to magic was comforting. You feel their absence. The Half-Blood Prince is the beginning of the end.

It’s not that there aren’t any laughs. This film contains some of the series’ funniest moments when Ron and Hermione start playing games with each other’s hearts - only for it to all come crashing down on their heads - but even those contain a hint of melancholy. Hearts are being broken and there may not be time for them to be mended. Even the loathsome Draco Malfoy seems unhappy. He may be a bully but the mission entrusted to him weighs heavily on his shoulders and at the end of the day, he’s still a child. There’s a parallel between him and Harry in that way, the difference being that Harry’s mission is heroic. Dumbledore may feel guilty about asking the boy for help, but he’s doing the heavy lifting. Voldemort gave Malfoy his mission as a way to punish his parents. Other details throughout tell us how serious things have become: an incident at the Weasley home, Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) being absent upon our heroes' return to class and even Professor Slughorn. He may be crucial to Dumbledore’s plan and significantly cheerier than previous additions to the Hogwarts staff, but he clearly displays favoritism towards Wizard-born students and “collects” gifted witches and wizards so he can cash in on their friendship once they reach their full potential later in life.

The cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel is particularly striking. In one scene, Harry consoles Hermione. In another film, it could've been confused for the moment the two realize they have feelings for each other but the shot is framed so that a pillar separates them, making it clear (if the dialogue didn’t already) that they’re just friends. You probably won’t remember that one because it’s subtle. How about the shots centering on Draco Malfoy as he goes about his mission (remember the birds?) or that scene by the cliff with Dumbledore and Harry? That moment is one of the best of the entire series thanks to the swelling score by Nicholas Hooper.

The only significant flaw with this sixth Harry Potter is that it has so much to cover that - despite my familiarity with the series - there was at least one time where I couldn’t tell if a scene was taking place immediately after the previous one, or if some time had passed. It’s too bad there isn’t a director’s cut that adds even five minutes to the running time. It just needed a tiny bit of breathing room. On the upside, it means no one’s overstaying their welcome. The second Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is over, you’ll be reaching to hit "play" on the next one. That adrenaline rush at the end demands to be satiated. (Theatrical version on the big screen, March 16, 2024)