Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – 6/10 fantasy action movie review

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Cast / crew Director and Executive Producer: Chris Columbus Screenplay Writer Based on the novel by J.K. Rowling: Steve Kloves Producer: David Heyman Writer (Original Novel): J.K. Rowling Executive Producer: Mark A. Radcliffe Executive Producer: Michael Barnathan Executive Producer: Duncan Henderson Harry Potter: Daniel Radcliffe Ron Weasley: Rupert Grint Hermione Granger: Emma Watson John Cleese: Nearly Headless Nick Rubeus Hagrid: Robbie Coltrane Vernon Dursley: Richard Griffiths Professor Albus Dumbledore: Richard Harris Ian Hart: Professor Quirrell Lord Voldemort: Ian Hart Ollivander: John Hurt Professor Severus Snape: Alan Rickman Petunia Dursley: Fiona Shaw Professor Minverva McConagall: Maggie Smith

Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone (2001) 6/10 Solid start to the massively lucrative franchise that sees plenty of ideas clearly and carefully placed on the big screen by director Chris Columbus. He makes the film a little too slow and even, clumsily lumps John Williams music on and doesn’t have access to state-of-the-art visual effects (CG replacements for the actors are particularly noticeable) but doesn’t make the mistake of making a bad film. With this first year of Hogwart’s safely sorted, a foundation is laid for the remainder of the series. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Next: Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets Harry Potter Screened by Slimm

Shrek (2001) – 7/10 romantic action buddy-buddy fantasy CG animated movie review

Cast / crew Mike Myers: [Voice of] Shrek Eddie Murphy: [Voice of] Donkey Cameron Diaz: [Voice of] Princess Fiona John Lithgow: [Voice of] Lord Farquaad Director: Andrew Adamson Director: Vicky Jenson Producer: Aron Warner Producer: John H. Williams Producer: Jeffrey Katzenberg Writer (Original Book): William Steig Writer: Ted Elliott Writer: Terry Rossio Writer: Joe Stillman Writer: Roger S.H. Schulman

Shrek (2001) Shrek is a big, grumpy ogre who, despite his reputation for human-munching fearsomeness, just wants to be left alone. Which is why he objects strongly when Lord Farquaad cleanses his kingdom of all fairytale folk and dumps them in Shrek’s swamp. Accompanied by his new (unwanted) companion, Donkey, Shrek travels to the city of Duloc to confront Farquaad. There they strike a deal: if Shrek rescues the beautiful Princess Fiona from the clutches of an evil dragon so that Farquaad can marry her, he’ll clear Shrek’s swamp. 7/10 Looking back in the light of later Shrek product, the fact that this movie works and is fun, funny, touching and thrilling seems rather more accidental than it first appeared. It starts badly with a repulsive introduction to a fairly unpleasant character, Shrek, and features what would become the Dreamworks staples of inter-species sex (human-ogre and dragon-donkey) and blatantly omitting rude words. Hilariously, apparently. It also features unappealing character design and forgettable production design. But Shrek also features a stronger-than-expected story and genuine character growth for Shrek as he, almost inadvertently, builds a relationship with Donkey then Fiona. It also finishes with a great scene to send you out of the cinema buzzing (a full cast cover of I’m a Believer). It was enough to make this the biggest animated film of 2001 (Disney released Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Monsters, Inc.) and broke the Disney stranglehold on successful animated movies. This movie contains references to bad language, innuendo and unpleasant scenes. Classified U by BBFC. Universal: Suitable for All.

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Wasabi (2001, Light Crime Action) – 7/10 movie review

Cast / crew Producer (Presents credit): Luc Besson Jean Reno: Hubert Fiorentini Michel Muller: Maurice Ryoko Hirosue: Yumi Yoshimodo Director: Gérard Krawczyk Carole Bouquet: Sofia Writer: Luc Besson

Wasabi (2001) Parisian cop Hubert Fiorentini wouldn’t hurt a fly. Fortunately, none of the local bad guys are flies. After punching his way through another successful case, a weary Chief of Police insists he take two months off to attend to, well, anything other than police work, please. He then receives a phone call from Japan informing him that a former love has died and he is the executor of the estate and can he come over immediately. 7/10 Ticking off just about every mismatched buddy-buddy cop movie cliché you want this is an energetic, fun, straight-forward crime / family drama; an unusual mish-mash of settings with a number of good gags and a policeman with the hardest punch in the world. Ever. Reno rules with a great performance balancing convincing toughness with humanity and deft comic timing (witness the ‘can I have some water’ gag in the hospital, nice gag, sold brilliantly by Reno), director Gérard Krawcyzk keeps things moving (and he also sells the ‘chief’s son’ gag brilliantly via editing), the setting (Japan) was highly unusual for a French film and this fits comfortably into the higher end of Luc Besson’s fun B-movie productions. This movie contains mild swear words and comic violence. Classified 15 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over.

Monsters, Inc. (2001, Animated Fantasy Adventure) – 8/10 movie review

Cast / crew Director: Pete Docter Co-Director: Lee Unkrich Co-Director: David Silverman Producer: Darla K. Anderson Writer (Original Story): Pete Docter Writer (Original Story): Jill Culton Writer (Original Story): Jeff Pidgeon Writer (Original Story): Ralph Eggleston Writer (Screenplay): Andrew Stanton Writer (Screenplay): Daniel Gerson John Goodman: [James P. "Sully"] Sullivan Billy Crystal: Mike Mary Gibbs: Boo Steve Buscemi: Randall [Boggs] James Coburn: Waternoose Jennifer Tilly: Celia

Monsters, Inc. (2001) James P. Sullivan is the top scarer at Monsters, Inc., the company that provides Monster City with its electricity. They get the electricity from children’s screams, harvested by sending terrifying monsters through their closet doors. However, it is becoming more and more difficult to scare children in their modern world and the fact that children are toxic to monsters is not helping matters. 8/10 Remarkably accomplished adventure that has all kinds of layers and resonances and works for children and adults without resorting to dirty jokes. Unusually, it’s messages (laughter is better than fear, parents anger scares children even when it is not targeted at them) are entirely positive and delivered without bitterness while technically it’s astonishing. Sully, the obvious stand-out, looks better than the many real-life versions of him that you can buy and the scene where he has snow-tipped hair fluttering on the Himalayas is totally remarkable. I think that, in Pixar’s first decade, even though they’re all good, this is their best film. Classified U by BBFC. Universal: Suitable for All.

Ignition (2001, Movie) – 6/10 review

Producer: Thomas Hedman Director: Yves Simoneau Bill Pullman: Conor Gallagher Lena Olin: Faith Mattis Michael Ironside: Russo Writer (Screenplay): William Davies

Ignition (2001) US Marshal with-a-past-and-a-gruff-exterior-that-masks-a-heart-that-just-loves-his-daughter-whom-he-is-not-allowed-to-see-and-an-‘I don’t care’-attitude-but-he-does-really Conor Gallagher is given ‘one last chance’ and assigned to serve as bodyguard to Judge Faith Mattis who has been the target of a mad bomber-type. The two don’t see eye-to-eye straight away and the Judge’s current high-profile military fraud case is causing complications but when Gallagher saves her life, it engenders a spirit of trust that she never expected. 6/10 While it appears nobody could be bothered during the climax (actors, scriptwriter and the visual effects team seem entirely disinterested) the remainder of this thriller is entertaining and professionally assembled despite containing generous helpings of American thriller cliché. This movie contains sexual swear words and substance abuse and graphic violence and sensuality, female nudity. Classified 15 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over.

Metal Gear Solid 2®: Sons of Liberty™ (2001, PS2, PS3) – 9/10

Metal Gear Solid 2®: Sons of Liberty™ (2001) Solid Snake, on a UN anti-Metal Gear mission, infiltrates a tanker suspected to carrying a new Metal Gear developed by the Marines, an amphibious Metal Gear codenamed Ray. While Snake is just there to photograph it for publication on the internet, a heavily-armed troop of Russian soldiers storm the tanker and Snake finds himself up to his ears in sneaking, action and Metal Gear once more. 9/10 Even with all the, shall we say, difficult-to-master controls and worst-moment-possible camera changes, this is still, undoubtedly, a very great game. A marvellously convoluted plot is delivered via maniacal monologues and effortlessly cool cut-scenes with a cast of characters you, critically, invest in immediately. Lots of insane details (for example, your own name on the dog tags in the end cut-scene) and interesting and challenging battles that you master bit by bit, Metal Gear Solid 2 is frustrating like no other game but also delivers story, presentation and gaming rewards like no other. This videogame contains mild swear words and extremely gory violence, gory and unpleasant scenes. Classified 15 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over.

Battle Doll Angelic Layer anime review – 9/10

Cast / crew Writer (Original Story): Clamp Series Concept: Ichiro Okouchi Director: Hiroshi Nishikori Animation Director: Takahiro Komori Writer (Screenplay): Ichiro Okouchi Producer: Shinsaku Hatta Producer: Taihei Yamanishi Producer: Masahiko Minami Copyright Holder: Clamp

Battle Doll Angelic Layer (2001) Twelve-year-old Misaki Suzuhara arrives in Tokyo and watches in amazement as a televised fight between two women is won by the significantly smaller of the two. She is thrilled when she learns that the battles are between Angelic Layer dolls and that she can buy one of her very own from a store. Miha, er, no, Icchan, a strange young man in a white coat, agrees, for some unknown reason, to take her under his wing and teach her how to train and nurture her own battle doll. 9/10 Any way you slice it, this has been a wonderful show. It is positive and good-natured. It contains worthwhile sentiments for children and adults alike and can be recommended to anyone. While Japanese animation may be better known for Final Fantasy and violent futuristic entertainment, frequently featuring giant robots hitting each other and girls wearing short skirts falling over, it is this type of show that the industry can be most proud of. No-one else makes or seems to be able to make anything like it that feels so innocent and honest and without any hint of jaded irony. This series contains battle doll violence. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance.

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