The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia is about a girl, her sister and two brothers who are evacuated to a Professor's house during the war. One day while playing hide and seek, Lucy decides to hide in the wardrobe, which is a whole new world called 'Narnia'. Firstly no one believed her but then they all saw what went on behind the doors of that wardrobe in the spare room. They make friends with a lot of characters including two speaking hedgehogs and a fawn.

I don’t think this movie is very good because it kind of went from the house into Narnia straight away. Maybe it would have been better and more appealing if I’d read the book but it wouldn’t really convince me to read the book. I don’t think there was enough blood and guts in all the battling in the film.

 So, overall I’d give it about 3 or 4 out of ten.

  By Conor (6th Class)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

In the small village of Little Hangleton, a strange occurrence came about, matched only by another incident fifty years before… In the large, well tended to manor, owned by the wealthy Riddle family one morning, a maid entered the room to find all the Riddles dead. All apparently healthy except that they were dead. The old manor’s gardener, Frank Bryce, took the blame for the murder, being the only one with a key. With no proof, the police had to let Bryce walk free.

Fifty years later, the inhabitants of Little Hangleton regarded the unoccupied manor as ‘creepy’. Frank Bryce, still the gardener, still tends to the garden and the manor as local kids vandalize it.

One night, Bryce saw the glow of a fire in the old manor. Upon investigating he found it, not broken into by kids, but unlocked. He proceeded upstairs, and on hearing two voices talking quietly, he stopped to listen. The voices belonged to a wizard servant, and his master, a wizard who terrorized the world for almost half a century, Lord Voldemort.

Both were plotting murder and a strange plan. As Voldemort calls for his snake, Nagini, with the aid of his parseltoungue knowledge (snake language) he discovers Frank Bryce outside the door, soon killing him.

As this happened, Harry Potter woke up at his friend, Ron’s house, trying to remember what he had dreamt. But there was no time to dwell on his nightmare, as he was soon to leave for the long journey to the Quidditch World Cup final, Ireland vs. Bulgaria, with Ron and Harry’s other friend Hermione.

Also, later in the year as Harry, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts’ school, they find that a tournament is being held there that year, the Triwizard Tournament, in which three champions from the schools Beauxbatons, Durmstrang and Hogwarts must participate in three tasks. The participants must submit their names into the ancient Goblet of Fire in the hope that they will be chosen as champion for their particular schools.

This film is more intended for people who have not read the Harry Potter books. I found I couldn’t enjoy the movie because of many differences in the movie. Big differences including the Quidditch World Cup, which was cut out, and a large story about Mr. Crouch which I found essential for the story. The Goblet of Fire itself was much bigger. These differences have, for me, ruined an otherwise enjoyable movie.

Jack Jackman (6^th class)

The Shaggy Dog

‘The Shaggy Dog’ is about a lawyer who is growing more and more distant with his family. He is currently fighting a large case for a company who is accused of animal cruelty. The company is now working on a huge case to create immortality from the genes of a 400 hundred year old dog.

Fighting against her father’s case is the lawyer’s daughter and her boyfriend. Following a confrontation when the lawyer finds his daughter protesting when going to an interview, she enters the company building. Upon entering the main project room, the dog jumps into her arms.

When she arrives home, she pleads to keep the dog to her mother and father. They refuse. Soon after, the lawyer gets bitten, and becomes a dog by night.

The lawyer-dog now has many missions: ignore his animal instincts by day, learn to turn into man and dog, attempt to tell his family what has happened, save his marriage and shut down the corrupt company…

The Shaggy Dog is an excellent movie, especially directed at younger viewers.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown.

What do you get when you cross a mammoth, a sabre tooth, a sloth, an acorn and a melting world? Ice Age 2, the latest animated comedy to hit the cinema.

With the Ice Age drawing to a close, all the ice starts to melt. All of the creatures must reach the valley or they will all drown.

Manny, Sid and Diego are racing against time to reach the end of the valley. On the way they meet up with another mammoth named Elly, but she thinks she’s a possom. And of course, the melting ice doesn’t stop Scrats’ quest for acorns…

Conor McGuire (6^th class).

King Kong

In the large city of New York, fame is hard to come by. A young, theatrical woman named Anne is one searching for it in the Big Apple. She is part of a small long-term show. Despite the many talented actors and actresses, the show is unable to attract crowds and the theatre was shut down, and the show with it. The actress now has to find work to eat, and even considers the dodgiest of productions.

Meanwhile, a failing, power-hungry, money-crazed director has stumbled upon an ancient legend, a map to an island that contains many secrets. Few have found this nightmarish landmass, and survivors claim it is a terrible dark place, with a huge stonewall around it, and where the natives are undoubtedly unfriendly…

Though the director’s production team condemns this idea, the director is determined to shoot his film. He needs only one more person for his cast, a beautiful, young blond woman. Desperate, with time running out, he takes to the streets. It doesn’t take long to find the perfect person. A fruit-monger has caught Anne stealing. The director steps in and pays for her fruit. Anne thanks him; he offers to take her to dinner and explains his idea (conveniently forgetting to mention certain dangers that may be involved). Anne debates that she only does theatre work, but finally accepts.

What dangers will they and the other cast face in this beautiful but deadly landscape, will the director complete his film, and, most importantly, how will they survive the dreaded Kong?

This is a spectacular film with amazing special effects.

Review by Jack Jackman (6^th Class)