James Review -Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone

 

Magic, wizards. Iconic staples of fantasy, stepping stones to a larger world of stories. In the late 90s, J.K. Rowling brought forth something incredible, something truly magical, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And it all started with Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone... aka Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone. In England, it's Philosopher's Stone. But it's also Sorcerer's Stone in the United States. The book released in 1997 and, four years later, the world saw a film adaptation directed by Home Alone director Chris Columbus and starring the remarkable Daniel Radcliff as Harry Potter himself alongside the likes of Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, the late Richard Harris and Ian Hart as Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and Professor Quirrell respectively.

The story is a simple one.

A dark wizard known as Lord Voldemort terrorizing the world of wizards and muggles murders the parents of an infant named Harry Potter, but the child survives the attack while Voldemort loses his power. To keep Harry safe, Hogwarts professors Dumbledore McGonagall deliver him to his relatives Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, the latter of whom is the sister of Harry's mother, at Privet Drive. For the next ten years, Harry lives with the Dursleys, who treat him horribly due to their disdain of wizardry, before he is visited by the half-giant Hagrid and learns the truth of his family, their death, and the wizarding world. Harry is invited to attend the wizard school Hogwarts and makes new friends in Ron and Hermione and Neville Longbottom, attending classes and playing Quidditch. 

However, the atmosphere shifts after Harry and his friends stumble across a three-headed dog and an incident takes place during a Quidditch match with Harry nearly getting killed and the prime suspect being Professor Snape. Harry soon learns about the Philosopher's Stone and believes Snape is out to steal it. While in the Forbidden Forest serving detention, Harry encounters a dark figure drinking unicorn blood and realizes that Snape wants to steal the Stone for Lord Voldemort, the man who killed his parents. Determined to stop Voldemort from getting it, Harry, Ron and Hermione journey past Fluffy, the three-headed dog, and go through the trap door to the chambers where the Sorcerer's Stone is being protected and they pass many challenges such as flying keys and wizarding chess. 

When Harry goes to confront Snape, he encounters Professor Quirrell near the magical Mirror of Erised, learning that Snape wasn't the one who tried to kill him during the Quidditch match or let a troll into the castle or was trying to steal the stone for Voldemort, but Quirrell himself. Quirrell reveals that he shares his body with the disembodied and powerless Dark Lord, whose face is on the back of the rogue professor's head. Voldemort attempts to get the Philosopher's Stone, which Harry ended up getting, but Harry fights back against the enemy. In the end, Quirrell dies, Voldemort flees empty-handed and Dumbledore ensures the Stone is destroyed while Gryffindor wins the Hogwarts House Cup before Harry returns to the Dursleys for the summer.

I read the book with my mom before watching the movie and before I played the LEGO game LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 on the Wii. This was back in 2010. Reading the book and seeing the film was where my Harry Potter fandom truly began, after I glimpsed one of the early films at a relative's house and saw a bit of Order Of The Phoenix while on a plane years prior. I've seen all the films and listened to every audiobook version of every book, now an HBO series adapting the books is coming soon and we will see it. Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone is worth the read and the watch, especially if you want to get into Harry Potter. 10/10.

-James M

James' Review -Ghost In The Shell (1995)

 

Before the Wachowski Brothers created The Matrix, there was Ghost In The Shell, a sci-fi cyberpunk noir manga focusing on cyborg major. Released in the late 80s and early 90s, written by Masamune Shirow, the story received a 1995 anime movie adaptation directed by Mamoru Oshii and Kazunori Ito. Taking place in 2029, which is a few years away from the time this review is written, Ghost In The Shell, starring Atsuko Tanaka and Aiko Otsuka, follows the cyborg agent Major Motoko Kusanagi (voiced by Atsuko Tanaka) as she pursues a villain known as The Puppet Master in an intense story that isn't just action-packed, but philosophical as it goes into questions about existence, what it means to be a human and if you're a person, complete with an insane ending when the Major and the Puppet Master encounter each other. 

We got this movie during Christmas season of 2025 alongside the 2017 live-action remake and recently saw the anime. Having seen it, I'll say it carried Terminator and Blade Runner vibes, even having a bit of Matrix vibes too, which is saying something since Ghost In The Shell inspired The Matrix. The animation and the scenery are memorable, the voice-acting, especially in the Japanese version's really good, and the story was deep and fascinating, despite probably being a little hard for some people to follow. However, if anyone wants to see a cyberpunk anime, I'd recommend watching this. And if you enjoy Blade Runner, Terminator and The Matrix, you'd love this film. 4 stars, I had fun seeing this movie nearly a week ago. Worth the watch.

-James M

James Review -Trump: Art of The Deal

Donald John Trump is one of the most important figures in American and world history, especially in the realm of business and politics. For years, he's been one of the biggest business owners in the West, then history changed when he ran for president in 2016. Trump made history as the first outsider to become President of the United States. Twice. He has his fans, but also has his critics. Many people don't like how Trump does things as the POTUS, but if only they read books.

And this is where we get to "Art of The Deal".

Written by Donald Trump, "Art of The Deal", released in 1987, offers an in-depth look into how the future president ran his company and made deals with people. I read this book ages ago and it is astounding and there is a chapter called "A Week in The Life", following Trump's schedule as he runs The Trump Organization. As someone who respects Trump and loves reading, this is a good book worth a lengthy read, a great recommendation for anyone who wants to read about real life politics. Solid 9.9. Donald Trump is not only a genius businessman and politician, but a fantastic writer.

James Review -Look Who's Back (2015)

 

Adolf Hitler. One of history's most infamous leaders, responsible for one of the greatest horrors in world history. For years, whenever he's appeared in a movie or a TV series, played by an actor, it's in stories set during World War II or before the war while there are occasions when Hitler appears in a story set years after Nazi Germany's defeat. Over a decade ago, German movie theaters were rocked when a satirical, comedic and dark political movie dropped, known as "Look Who's Back".

What's the plot?

Somehow, Hitler returned.

At the start of the movie, Adolf Hitler, played by actor Oliver Masucci, awakens in 2010s Germany, in Berlin, in the spot where his bunker used to be. Hitler starts exploring the changed Germany and learns everything that has happened in the last seventy years since the end of the war. One of the first people he encounters is a freelance filmmaker named Faiban Sawatski. Sawatski, like almost everyone else in the movie, believes Hitler to be an impersonator and, unlike the other characters, realizes the truth near the end of the film only to wind up in a mental hospital when he tries to get the word out. "Look Who's Back" is a comedy, but it is also serious, especially as Hitler is the focus on the movie and the story ends on an ominous note with the infamous failed painter regaining popularity and nobody realizes that it's the real Hitler.

We should all be fortunate that people can't actually come back to life. If Hitler were to come back from the dead and in modern day Germany and nobody knew it was the real Hitler, there would be a ton of trouble abound, even if things were okay in the end. I've seen this twice on YouTube, once alone, and a second time with my father, and it is a good film. In fact, not only does it turn Hitler into a joke somewhat, "Look Who's Back" actually references 2004's Der Untergang aka Downfall, which starred Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler, and Thomas Thieme, who played Martin Bormann in that movie, plays a TV station boss in this movie.

For those who like comedy, especially a black comedy, and want to see a silly Hitler film, I'd suggest watching "Look Who's Back", just be prepared for what you're getting into since the story is deep as heck and the undertones are pretty ominous.

James Review -Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)

 

Since the 20th century, across comics, literature, film and TV and video games, people young and old have been mesmerized by superheroes such as Captain America, Batman and Mr. Incredible. There are so many superhero characters with decades of stories behind them, but one superhero stands out among the bunch, created by Dav Pilkey in the 1990s and having starred in twelve books as well as a movie and a few animated TV series. And that superhero is Captain Underpants.

The gist is simple. Captain Underpants was an ordinary school principle named Mr. Krupp, who was grumpy and hated fun, then two kids, George and Harold, hypnotized him and he became the red-caped, underwear-clad crusader of justice Captain Underpants from the kids' homemade comics. Krupp becoming Captain Underpants eventually becomes more than just fun for George and Harold, especially when real bad guys start causing trouble, bad guys such as Professor Poopypants or the Talking Toilets. Produced by Dreamworks, the Captain Underpants movie released in 2017 and I've seen it a few times with my dad and it is wonderful and funny.

Dreamworks' movie adapts both the first Captain Underpants book, the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants and some elements of Attack of The Talking Toilets, covering Captain Underpants' beginnings, featuring Professor Poopypants as the film's main villain, and the ending sees Captain Underpants, George and Harold dealing with Talking Toilets after, spoilers, Poopypants is defeated and his toilet robot is dumped at a scrap yard with its toxic waste transforming a pile of toilets. Captain Underpants is a special kids' movie, full of juvenile potty humor that can fly over a child's head and is picked up by someone older, but it is still family-friendly. 

If anyone wants to see a kids' superhero story involving a superhero running around in his undies while fighting bad guys and you're looking for a laugh, Captain Underpants' books by Dav Pilkey are for you, along with this movie. The film is beautifully animated, full of wacky scenes, and most of the music is incredible. Mr. Krupp aka Captain Underpants is voiced by Ed Helms with George and Harold being voiced by Kevin Hart and Thomas Middleditch respectively, Helms shows range as Krupp and Underpants, emphasizing Krupp's stern, fun-hating demeanor which contrasts with Captain Underpants' playful, friendlier side. You can't go wrong with "tra-la-laaaaaaaa". And I rate this film 9 out of 9. Worth a watch, never boring for a moment.

-James M 

James Review -Dog Man (2025)

 

People know Captain Underpants, the hero who fights in his undies, the school principle Mr. Krupp. However, Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants, also did a bunch of stories about a "supa cop" named Dog Man, part-man and part-dog. Dog Man was once two separate individuals, Greg the Dog and Officer Knight, until a disastrous bomb defusing operation left Greg's body and Knight's head in bad shape, so Greg's head was sewn onto the body of Knight's body to create the hero known as Dog Man. And that is the backstory for this character.

Just like with Captain Underpants after that series lasted for multiple books, Dog Man, after multiple books, gained a film adaptation from Dreamworks and released at the end of January 2025. I got my hands on it on DVD for my birthday and watched it with my parents, then I saw it again during the first week of February of this year and just watched it again fairly recently. Dog Man is one of those adorable kids films worth a watch, full of humor and cartoon craziness and with plenty of sad moments to boot.

The Dog Man movie opens with Officer Knight and Greg (voiced by Peter Hastings) tracking down Petey the world's evilest Cat (voiced by Pete Davidson), who plants a bomb on a warehouse, and when the duo try to defuse it, things go wrong and both dog and cop are injured to a point where the doctors sew Greg's head on Knight's body to create Dog Man. The movie adapts elements of the first three books in the Dog Man series while including stuff from later books such as Grandpa, Petey's father, who showed up in book seven, and the villain roster sees Petey as the starting antagonist before the main villain role gets taken over by Flippy the Fish, voiced by Ricky Gerivas, who wants to "destroy all do-gooders".

I love the Dog Man movie and it got me into the Dog Man world since my dad got me the first Dog Man book along with 20,000 Fleas Under The Sea during Christmas season, just months after we saw the movie. It's probably one of my favorite animated movies of all time, right next to Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Solid 9.9. Anyone who loves dogs should read Dog Man and watch this film when they have time.

-James M

James Review -Daredevil (2003) starring Ben Affleck

 

Before the DCEU and Batfleck, there was the 2003 Daredevil film.

In the 2000s, following the success of Blade and X-Men, superhero films were pretty much all the rage even though there were plenty of non-superhero projects. 2002 saw the release of Sam Rami's Spider-Man and the following year of 2003 saw the release of Ang Lee's Hulk along with the subject of today...

Daredevil.

The Man Without Fear.

The Devil of Hell's Kitchen.

Matt Murdock was blinded by an accident with chemicals when he was a boy, but he gained the extraordinary ability of echolocation, able to hear heartbeats to tell when someone is honest or is lying. After his father, a famous boxer, was killed by goons, Matt took up crime-fighting after years of training and became Daredevil. By day, he's a lawyer. By night, he's a vigilante. Created by Stan Lee, who also made Spider-Man, Daredevil is one of the many characters who is the Batman of Marvel comics. Daredevil stories were originally light-hearted, especially in an era where comics were aimed at younger readers, but, as times changed, Daredevil became darker and aimed at an older crowd and stopped pulling punches with Daredevil's enemies, such as Bullseye, becoming sadistic and murderous.

And this is where we get to the 2003 film. Beforehand, Daredevil had shown up in 1989's Trial of The Incredible Hulk, played by Rex Smith, and cropped up in the 1990s Spider-Man animated series with his voice provided by Edward Albert. Work on the film began in 1997, but due to the project passing to different studios, Daredevil more or less had a period of development hell until 20th Century Fox got the rights. Ben Affleck was cast as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, the role of Elektra went to Jennifer Garner, and the late Michael Clarke Duncan was cast as Kingpin Wilson Fisk. Fisk is usually a Spider-Man villain, but starting in the 80s, the Kingpin became a member of Daredevil's rogues gallery as well and, in his live-action appearances, has only faced the Daredevil but never Spider-Man. Long story, its due to rights stuff.

Bullseye, Daredevil's most iconic enemy, shows up in this film, played by the incredible Irish actor Collin Ferrel, who was perfectly cast in my opinion and is a heck of a scene-chewer. He's sadistic, cold-blooded and kills Elektra, even though she came back in the spin-off and 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine. Bullseye mostly serves as the film's secondary antagonist, leaving the role of the main antagonist to Duncan's Kingpin, which is the only time in a live-action Marvel project where Wilson Fisk is Black, and, every moment he is on-screen, Duncan is intimidating as the Kingpin and doesn't hold back during the final battle with Affleck's Daredevil.

The soundtrack in this film is nicely-orchestrated, setting the tone for the film's story and the action scenes, delivering an energetic vibe often expected in 2000s action films, and the movie was filmed in Los Angeles even though Hell's Kitchen in New York is actually a real place. The action scenes in Daredevil are relatively thrilling, stylized and the battle in the church between Daredevil and Bullseye is pretty epic. Matt's fight with Kingpin at the end is suspenseful and the latter doesn't hold back, nearly beating The Man Without Fear. Daredevil 2003, the theatrical version, was a flop when it released, but it is actually a fun movie despite the tonal inconsistencies. However, there is an R-rated director's cut, which I have yet to see, where the film is more serious and some scenes in the PG-13 version are left out, such as Matt and Elektra making love at one point. 

If you love superhero films and are looking for an early 2000s Marvel film that is fun, watch Daredevil on Disney Plus. Its worth the watch, worth your time and energy. 9/10.

-James M