I was talked into going to the most recent Harry Potter film as part of the holiday family movie-going experience. That’s probably the best way to see the film—with loved ones whose company you value more than the film. I wasn’t awfully impressed, even given my lower expectations for the series. I have read the books, of course, and expected the darker turn this film’s PG-13 rating promised. But I didn’t find the film to be balanced or that coherent, despite the obvious narrative structure enabled by the tournament. What’s more, those folks who were with me and who haven’t read the books, were a little lost as to the film’s plot and how it fits within the overall arc of the series.

That said, I will note that this is the first film where I felt Harry was really in danger. (Too bad Daniel Radcliffe’s reactions to the situation demonstrates he hasn’t improved as an actor-not to mention how painful it is to watch Rupert Grint.) The increase in stakes for the young characters was much appreciated. I also liked Newell’s willingness to spend more time with adult actors-and really enjoyed seeing Maggie Smith (as Prof. McGonagall) and Brendan Gleeson (as Mad-Eye Moody) demonstrate their acting chops.

Overall, I guess what I’m most disappointed by is how this film situated itself more firmly in a fantasy-action adventure hybrid. In so doing, it eschewed some of the social commentary of Rowling’s books, as well as her witty observations of adolescence. Perhaps even more so, I missed the sense of whimsy of the earlier films; I was most certainly willing to let that go if the film were to offer some more meat in exchange; alas, the production did not deliver on that potential.

As for Capote, which I’d seen recently but hadn’t gotten around to writing about, I was quite pleased. I must say I’m not enamored with the recent trend in bio-pics, though they’re much improved over the hagiographic treatment of individuals of films past. Such recent films are competently done, even finely wrought, but the bio-pic is not my preferred genre.

Even with that caveat, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. All the performances are strong but, as critics have noted, Philip Seymour Hoffman is captivating as Truman. He deserves an Oscar nod. Also impressive are Clifton Collins Jr. as Perry Smith (we’ll forgive Collins for Grant Theft Auto: San Andreas) and Catherine Keener as Harper Lee. The performances really inspired me to read In Cold Blood, which has been on my reading list forever but which seems always to be pushed to the bottom of the list. (An excerpt is read in the film.)

Of course, the plot behind the film, especially in conjunction with the real-life situation which inspired In Cold Blood, kept my attention. It asks significant questions about the lure of celebrity, the possibility of objectivity, the nature of intimacy and even the tried-and-true debate about good and evil. All these ideas are introduced through a confident, character-driven focus.

Last note about Capote: if you like paying attention to details in a film’s mise-en-scene, and really like the aesthetics of the film’s early 1960s setting, you may enjoy this film as visual candy. Aside from a few anachronisms, the film was accurate and had me jonesing to redo my digs and to throw a cocktail party.

Goal: 43 films
To Date: 11 seen
Remaining: 32