Return of ‘Potter’ soars

Evan Marmol

No effort was spared in breathing life into the delightful and

colorful cast of characters of J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter: The

Chamber of Secrets.”

This film, inspired by Rowling’s florid imagination, is expertly

transferred to the silver screen, appealing to all audiences that

possess the spirit of a child.

The effects are absolutely captivating, from gargantuan spiders to

flying cars.

If you have read the book, you will be astonished by the

painstaking efforts to maintain the nearly impossible world of Harry

Potter.

“The Chamber of Secrets” is the second installment in a series

that promises to reach fourth and fifth movies with a popularity of

epic proportion and a faithful following of persons from all walks of

life. All roles are reprised by recognizable faces, except for the

unlikely inclusion of Kenneth Branaugh as the vain and vacuous foil.

If you have kids, take them. If you do not, then take yourself.

This film exudes joy and is capable of elating the inner child in

even the stodgiest among us. It is a reminder that simple joys can be

the most rewarding.

A bigger ‘Jackass’ on the big screen

“Jackass The Movie” is a movie so offensive that its title

deserves an expletive deleted.

MTV befouls the silver screen with a film that appears to be

nothing more than a garbled mass of celluloid put together in a

last-ditch effort to make a buck.

This poor excuse for a movie starts with a disclaimer: it warns

that the actors are professional stunt performers and that such

behavior should not be attempted at home.

Oh really?

It seems obvious to avoid picking a fight with Butter Bean, an

infamous heavyweight boxer, and I emphasize the word heavy. Johnny

Knoxville and his band of buffoons should be likened to cartoon

characters rather than “stunt professionals.”

MTV proves that they can release a movie without any plot, with

unmitigated debauchery and ignorance, and that they can still prevail

in the box office.

The saddest part is that it is appealing to that childish side

that wishes to see the jester perform. The rapid pace and constant

thrills almost make up for the abject ignorance of the performers and

the disgusting content.

More exciting than a horror flick and more decadent than anything

that could be imagined, this film is not for the faint of heart or

weak of stomach, the easily insulted or any self-respecting person.

Having said that, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

‘Friday’ sticks to series’ formula

How do you follow two films that objectify women, embellish the

already dangerously adverse preconceived notions of an ethnicity, and

promote the use of illicit drugs? Well, Ice Cube and company decided

that the answer was to do it all over again.

In “Friday After Next,” Ice Cube and Mike Epps return as Craig and

Daedae, respectively. They reprise their roles as the simplistic

chauvinists looking for nothing more than a lackadaisical lifestyle

liberated from the drudgery of actually earning a living.

As expected, they find themselves in a predicament that requires

dumb luck, deviance and occasional violence.

The three basic elements of a “Friday” movie are all present: a

situation that requires exorbitant sums of money, a larger-than-life

villain and the conquest of as many nameless women as possible.

Vibrant performances compensate for a lackluster plot, but just

barely. The subdued Ice Cube and the animated Epps promise to be an

entertaining duo, but the plot fails to match their potential.

Not too lewd for children, and not serious enough for attention,

“Friday After Next” is just right for those of us who are drawn in

with the soap opera mentality, always waiting for the next show.

The question is, how many Fridays can these hapless clowns

survive? I guess the answer is, as many as we will keep paying to

watch.

* EVAN MARMOL is a Laguna resident. He graduated from UC Irvine

with a degree in psychology and social behavior.