Well, sort of. Probably as close as we’ll ever get to the real thing anyway. It’s the first worldwide live community screening of the movie, and here’s how it works:

- Buy the Blu-ray disc of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” available on Dec. 8, 2009. Buy it on Amazon.com!

- Be one of the first 100,000 BD-Live community members (accessible through a BD-Live enabled Blu-ray Disc played on an Internet-connected Blu-ray player) to RSVP and secure a spot for the screening. 

- Log in on Dec. 12, 2009 at 12 PM PST (3 PM EST) and simultaneously watch the movie together with Daniel Radcliffe and director David Yates, and hear an interactive Q&A where fans can ask questions about the film to Daniel and David, directly from their home.

In addition, more features for Blu-ray owners:

• An exclusive introduction to the upcoming Harry Potter Ultimate Editions by Daniel Radcliffe
• My Commentary – Fans are able to post user-generated Picture-in-Picture commentary over the film and share it with their friends and other BD-Live community members
• Live Community Screenings – Allows users to send invitations and have a virtual screening with friends and family while chatting together through the BD-Live platform
• Facebook Connect – Allows users to interact with their Facebook friends, update their Facebook status while in BD-Live and invite their Facebook friends to Live Community screenings.

Image: TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

Post from: Film Gecko

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, $77.83M
2. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, $17.56M
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, $13.69M
4. Bruno, $8.31M
5. The Proposal, $8.28M
6. The Hangover, $8.17M
7. Public Enemies, $7.74M
8. Up, $3.17M
9. My Sister’s Keeper, $2.82M
10. I Love You, Beth Cooper, $2.76M
11. The Taking of Pelham 123, $889,259
12. 500 Days of Summer, $834,501

Images: TM and (c) 2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

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Here are a few pics from the North American premiere of the movie, held in New York on July 9, 2009. The young stars all look beautiful, don’t they? And Emma Watson is gorgeous! She says she wants to take a little break and focus on college in the States.

More pics after the jump!

Photos: Marion Curtis / Startraksphoto.com via TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Post from: Film Gecko

Movie: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince * Trailer * Official Site	In Theaters: July 15, 2009
Runtime: 153 minutes	Directed by: David Yates
MPAA Rating: PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality	Gecko Rating:

One thing I love about Harry Potter movies is that they appeal to all age groups. We saw "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" last night, and the people in the theater spanned at least eight decades, kids from 8 to 80. Aside from that, it’s just a really great production with beautiful cinematography, stunning locations, and thoughtful performances. And oh yeah, a fantastic storyline that hooks you from beginning to end, even if you’ve never read the books by J.K. Rowling. My only complaint is that at 153 minutes, it’s a little long. But I’ll forgive that one thing, and not even mark it down. 

We catch up with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his pals Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) well on their way to young adulthood. Along with the spells, wands, and broomsticks, we’ve got three kids dealing with hormones and young love (and lust!). It’s been fun watching them grow up on screen, and like seeing old friends again in this latest installment. 

Harry, once a confused young wizard, has grown into a charismatic young man ready to face down evil with a vengeance. He also has a thing for young Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright). Ron is much more than comic relief now, though we still get some of that, thank goodness. And Hermione, who began as a stern young student only interested in obeying the rules and scoring high on tests, is now a lovely young woman with a certain wizard on her mind -– a wizard who’s too dense to see the truth, thus causing Hermione much heartache.

Along with the teenage angst, we have the magical storylines that audiences will undoubtedly eat up with glee. The evil Death Eaters are attacking the Muggle world, and Harry and pals are headed back to Hogwarts. Harry comes into possession of an ancient Potions textbook with all sorts of helpful notes written in the margins and text. It once belonged to "The Half-Blood Prince," as noted in the front of the book.   

Professor Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambone) takes Harry further into his confidence and shows him some memories involving a creepy young Tom Riddle (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin at age 11; Frank Dillane at age 16), whom we know grows up to be the darkest wizard of all, Lord Voldemort.

Dumbledore also asks Harry to befriend the school’s new professor, Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), who holds a particular memory that’s key to saving the world as they know it. The loyalty of Professor Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) continues to be in question, and he finally shows his true colors. And Harry’s arch-nemesis Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) is more than just a bad, bad boy. He’s truly a tortured soul, torn between good and evil. A tragic figure, really.

Helena Bonham Carter’s Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange is deliciously evil, with her mass of wild hair and dark shenanigans. I’d say she’s soul-less, but she definitely has a soul. It’s just very, very dark.

We also get a good amount of visually fun scenes with stunning special effects: a visit to the elder Weasley boys’ magic shop; a trip to a dark cavern where Harry and Dumbledore fend off Gollum-like creatures creeping out of the murky water; an attack on our friends by Death Eaters in an earthy field of windswept wheat; a wild and wooly game of Quiddich; and plenty of beautiful shots of spires and staircases and dark alleys.

All of this is intermixed with slower-paced scenes of the characters talking things out, and that’s ok. We see that they’re maturing and growing, and their lives involve more than just magical hijinks.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is my favorite movie in the series so far, and I can’t wait to see the battle between good and evil play out in the final two movies. Two installments of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" are scheduled for release in 2010 and 2011.

Did you see the movie? And is it your favorite so far?

Images: TM and (c) 2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

Post from: Film Gecko

But his Holiness has softened a bit on the Hogwarts clan. Yesterday, the Vatican’s official newspaper praised the latest movie, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” noting that it makes clear that good must prevail over evil. It also gives a big thumbs up on the film’s treatment of adolescent passion.

The article in L’Osservatore Romano also notes that this is the best adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels. The paper once said Harry Potter was the "wrong model of a hero," and lumped the books in with two other British fantasies, C.S. Lewis’s “Chronicles of Narnia” and J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”

What’s your take on this? Think the Vatican has it right? Or should we even care what they think?

Image: TM and (c) 2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc; Source: The Guardian

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Here are seven clips courtesy of MTV, with Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson discussing the movie and other things, like Robert Pattinson and kissing a co-star on set! 

Daniel Radcliffe: Being Harry Potter isn’t good for my love life:

Emma Watson: I won’t miss the spotlight:

Daniel Radcliffe: I don’t really know Rob Pattinson:

Emma Watson: I need some time off:

Daniel Radcliffe: It will be cool to see myself older in the Harry Potter epilogue:

Emma Watson: It was awkward kissing Rupert Grint:

Emma Watson: I’m not surprised Rob Pattinson is a big star:

Post from: Film Gecko

Early buzz for this 6th installment of the Harry Potter franchise – which hits theaters July 15, 2009 – hasn’t been that great, but I’m still looking forward to it. I mean, it’s Harry Potter!

Interesting that it’s rated PG (for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality), whereas the last two — "Goblet of Fire" and "The Order of the Phoenix" – were both rated PG-13. In one way, it’s good that "Half-Blood Prince" is more family-friendly. On the other hand, you wonder if they’ll lose some of the intensity with the milder rating.

Image: TM and copyright, 2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Post from: Film Gecko

But “Harry Potter” is SUCH a good series with great characters, an interesting story, and awesome effects. We’ve got both “New Moon” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” coming up this year. It’ll be interesting to see how they compare at the box office. Will “Twilight” measure up in the long run?

Vote in my poll and tell me your reasoning in the comments below! n

Photo Credits: TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc; TM and © 2009 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Post from: Film Gecko

The Scoop: With Voldemort tightening his evil grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, their beloved Hogwarts is no longer a safe place for Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends. He suspects that dangers may lie inside the castle, and Dumbledore ramps up his efforts to prepare Harry for the final battle with Voldemort.

More after the jump, including photos and the 2nd trailer…

To help them, Dumbledore recruits his old pal Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students’ hormones are raging, and Harry finds himself drawing closer to Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright). Ron (Rupert Grint) has the attentions of Lavender Brown, much to the chagrin of jealous Hermione (Emma Watson).

Directed by David Yates, the movie is rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality. Note that the release date has been pushed back to July 15, 2009.

Photo Credits: TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

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Now it’s your turn! Tell me which movies you’re excited about. And if they’re not listed in the poll, feel free to add your own or tell me in the comments.

Image: © Paramount Pictures

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