I'm still upset that Dumbledore's funeral was left out of Half-Blood Prince, but this latest installment in the Potter series definitely delivers a gloomier, more adult vibe than any of the previous films. Can't wait until 2/2/10 to see the newest chapter of Lost. Until then, the DVD set of Season 5 will have to do. Best documentary of the year? The Cove. Most important documentary of the year? Hmm...The Cove? Maybe so. Michael Mann's films are required viewing for any cineaste. Public Enemies may not be in the same league as Heat, but it's still a tense, macho ride. Julie & Julia would have benefitted from less Julie and more Julia. more ›

While it didn't manage to top the records of the deplorable Transformers 2: Racist CGI Moron Porn, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince did enjoy a fantastic weekend as it set a record for the franchise and easily won the weekend ($79.5M | $159.6M). Ice Age 3: More Ice Age placed second ($17.7M | $152M) while the aforementioned Transformers 2: Revenge of the Stupid gathered in a richly undeserved $13.7M ($363.8M). As expected, last week's champ -- the evil, hysterical Bruno -- crashed in its second weekend ($8.3M | $49.5M). more ›

LAist has already seen the excellent Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and this weekend the rest of Los Angeles will likely follow suit. One small quibble, though: how do you leave out the [ ] of [ ]? It would have been one of the most powerful scenes in the entire series. That said, the realization of the pathetic Horace Slughorn is fantastic; the scene in the cave is top-notch; and the Quidditch play (especially Ron's Keeper sequence) has never been better. Thank God, the Deathly Hallows is being split into two films. Lots to cover! more ›

I'm a Harry Potter fan. I've read all the books and have enjoyed watching them come to life one by one on the big screen. Still, I'd sooner re-read any of the books than watch one of the movies a second time. The Harry Potter movies have somehow lacked that magical element that transports you right into the Wizarding World, as well as much of the wit and humor that make the books so much fun. But with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- Merlin's Beard! -- I think they've finally got it right! more ›