Amazing fun — that's just one way to sum up "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." The fifth film adapted from the insanely popular book series hit theaters July 11 and boy, is it a doozy.

The story goes as follows: Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to the wizarding world to find a revived secret society called the Order of the Phoenix. Their goal: to stop Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Although Potter wants to become a member of the group, the request is declined and he begins his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

However, Potter's fifth year doesn't begin as hoped.

First, no one believes Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and Potter's claim that Voldermort has returned. The Ministry of Magic refuses to acknowledge their accounts and the magical newspaper, "The Daily Prophet," is labeling both of them as liars.

The second noticeable difference is the school has a new Defense of the Dark Arts Professor named Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), who works for the Ministry of Magic. She's somewhat of a mole for the Ministry, looking for ways to further discredit Potter and Dumbeldore.

Furthermore, Umbridge isn't exactly teaching the students anything about defense or dark arts, instead making them write and rewrite passages from their archaic textbooks for "maximum retention."

Because of Umbridge's unwillingness to teach, Potter and company create Dumbledore's Army, a la resistance-type group of teenage wizards and witches. Together they learn and practice new protective spells.

The film, like the book, is a handful. But the film's beauty doesn't come from its eccentric adaptation — it comes from its fluid telling of a much-condensed story to make it enjoyable for the average moviegoer.

Like each "Harry Potter" film before it, "Order of the Phoenix" is missing things from the novel, most of which is profound character development. In order to understand what's on the screen, it's imperative to have seen the previous films or, better yet, have read the novels.

One thing that's different from previous films is the acting, all around, is quite good. Radcliffe reprises the Potter role well, and has tuned down his overacting during dramatic scenes. This installment's Potter is angst-filled, which could have been taken over the edge but, luckily, it wasn't.

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger does better than she has before. While she still overdoes it with the eyebrow movements, she's an enjoyable watch, and adapts well to the change in her character from being a goodie-goodie to standing up and taking charge.

To complete the magical trio comes Ron Weasley, played by Rupert Grint. Grint is the most-improved actor this film. His role is smaller but he shines through the cast of teenagers.

One addition to the cast includes Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters.

Carter, known for her roles in "Big Fish" and "Fight Club," is a solid choice for Lestrange's character. The last name fits, no doubt — she's insane and disheveled, and her only goal is to help purify the magical race by getting rid of the Mudbloods (magic users who have at least one non-magical parent).

Many of the book's fans will fall in love with Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood. Lovegood — an awkward, wallflower type of witch — is constantly teased for being weird. She claims to see creatures no one else can see, and her father runs a tabloid that only prints unbelievable "news," "news" she strongly defends.

Lynch is simply great as Lovegood. She pulls off the character's dreamy-eyed and innocent look with ease.

Lynch, 15, and who has been a long-time "Harry Potter" fan, has never had acting classes but tried out for the role. Her demeanor and love for the character won over the casting directors, and thank goodness for that.

Director David Yates ("Rank") makes his "Harry Potter" debut with "Order of the Phoenix." Yates can take credit for transforming the film's atmosphere into what it is — dark, brooding and affective.

He's known for his dramas and sexually explicit scenes, and though "Order of the Phoenix" doesn’t include any of the latter, Yates' directorial vision is paramount in making the film what it is.

The use of camera shots and angles also help in changing the feel of the series.

There are a couple scenes where Yates effectively uses what's commonly called guerilla filming, which is where the camera follows the characters through, mostly, intense situations and scenes, much like in "28 Days Later" or "City of God."

This makes a profound impact on the film's entire impression, as it makes it a more-mature film, which coincides with the fact fans have watched the characters grow since the first "Harry Potter" film debuted in 2001.

"Order of the Phoenix's" sound and visual effects call for some jaw dropping. Both make for an aesthetic experience, especially during the final battle. When wands fling and words are muttered, magic ensues.

Imagine the confrontation between Potter and Lord Voldemort in "Goblet of Fire," but extend it to about three times in length and in awing appeal. The film is full of eye candy, but it's got a strong story, acting and presentation to back it up.

As Potter, his friends and the story mature, so do the films. "Order of the Phoenix," needless to say, isn't for kids who are easily startled.

There are a lot of dark undertones to the film, and a lot of intense and violent scenes and situations. This holds true when Umbridge, a rather bitter and intolerant woman, makes Potter use her special quill to write lines saying, "I must not tell lies." The quill uses the writer's blood as ink, and as the writer writes on the paper, the words cut into his or her hands and arms.

The characters' journey, specifically that of Potter's, resonates compassion. The main themes of the film — companionship, trust and tolerance — really shine through, especially through dialogue between Potter and Lovegood, and Potter and Dumbledore.

If "Order of the Phoenix" is any indication of the upcoming and final two film installments, the series could easily be recognized as one of the greatest fantasy series of all time.

The fact this could be considered the best "Harry Potter" film to date is reason enough to see it. While it's fun and seductive in its nature, and easy to follow, it's also fierce in its delivery.

Potter isn't a child anymore and this film, much like the book, makes it brilliantly apparent. Good thing children aren't the only ones who can appreciate this kind of magic.

Rating: A

After seven years of waiting, Smashing Pumpkins fans have something to be excited about. The band's newest album, "Zeitgeist," is live and it's not that bad.

Since the band broke up in 2000 after the release of "Machina: The Machines of God," the Smashing Pumpkins haven't had much of a voice in the rock world. Under the supervision of front man Billy Corgan, "Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music" was released to Internet scourers as the last official release from the band. Following the break up came Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlain's Zwan in 2003, a ho-hum rock band with a indie pop attitude that didn’t make an incredible impression on anyone. Now, the Smashing Pumpkins are back and in full effect, though minus half the original members.

"Zeitgeist" isn't a masterpiece, nor is it a top-three Pumpkins' album, but it's good and deserving of attention. The music is enjoyable and is reminiscent of Pumpkins albums of the past.

Like "Gish" and "Siamese Dream," "Zeitgeist" was recorded entirely by Corgan and Chamberlain. Corgan, who has always been the band’s sole songwriter, keeps the guitar tracks practically the same — solos about, rhythm heavy and melodic.

Corgan, though, changes up the bass guitar's tone here and there, depending on the song. Past albums consisted of mostly low tones, but "Zeitgeist" has a couple tracks where audible cuts of treble break through the music.

The drums sound only as Chamberlain can make them sound, and they've got the punch and guts of "Siamese Dream" mixed with a bit of "Machina."

After the album was completed, the Pumpkins enlisted bassist Ginger Reyes of the Halo Friendlies and guitarist Jeff Schroeder of The Lassie Foundation to become full-time members.

Many of the tracks on "Zeitgeist" will mostly remind listeners of "Mellon Collie," "Adore," "Machina" and "Machina II." "Bleeding the Orchard" sounds like it should have been on "Mellon Collie" or "Adore," since it has that sad, somber sound to it. "That's the Way (My Love Is)" has "Machina" written all over it. It's a wonder if Corgan sat on these songs, waiting to release them, or if he got over his Zwan bug and had actually written something worthy of the Corgan name.

Tracks like "Tarantula," the album's first single, and "Doomsday Clock," which made its way onto the "Transformers" soundtrack, are some of the heavier hitters on the album. They yell Pumpkins through and through, and leave a lasting impression due to Corgan’s nearly infectious and catchy writing. Vocal hooks in a Pumpkins song? You bet.

An avid Pumpkins fan, most specifically anyone who’s followed Corgan's solo works, will notice the front man's limited vocal range on most of the album. Whether it's intentionally done or is due to being timid, Corgan hasn't sounded this apprehensive since, well, never. To make up for it, Corgan incorporates more harmonies and sing-along parts, something akin to "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," especially the second disc of the two-disc album. It's not exactly a bad thing, because the limitedness doesn't add nor take away from the album in any way.

"Zetgeist's" strongest tracks are "Tarantula," "Neverlost," "(Come On) Let's Go!" and "Pomp and Circumstances." All of them embody what's best about the Smashing Pumpkins — they're bold, addictive listens, and great works of music.

But, where there are plusses there must be negatives, and "Zeitgeist" has some imperfections. Some of the vocal effects, such as the echoing on "Starz" and "United States," are laughable. To end a nearly 10-minute rock opera like "United States" with vocal echoes can cause cringing. Though "Starz" seems like a "Machina II" reject, it doesn’t seem to correctly fit with the rest of the album, all due to those echoes.

One of the most noticeable differences is the album's political tinge. Everyone else is commenting on the current presidential administration, so why not the Pumpkins? Some might embrace it but the move might get a collective "eh" by most. It's not exactly breathtaking, awe-inspiring or thought provoking, but, in all respects, it gets the job done, albeit in a sophomoric way. Tracks like "United States" and "For God and Country" are fun listens but aren’t going to be the tracks fans jump to right away for their Pumpkins fix.

Once all is said and done, the best thing about "Zeitgeist" is the (fingers crossed) promise that the Smashing Pumpkins are back. As one of the best rock bands of the 1990s, it's great to hear something not monotonous (think Nickelback and Hinder) for a change. If this is the sound of the Pumpkins to come, all is mostly good, but there can be some changes for the better.

Rating: B

Not once have I experienced a story of hope quite like that in "Children of Men" and not once have I unwillingly become wrapped up in the extras of a film's DVD.

Alfonso Cuarón's "Children of Men" is the story of the world 20 years from now where women have become infertile and, as a result, the great countries of the world are left crippled by violence and poverty because so many people have given up on hope.

Clive Owen plays Theo, a former political activist, now a hopeless drunk, who gets caught up in trying to save a pregnant refugee named Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey). With the help of radical group that helps harbor refugees throughout England, led by Theo’s ex lover Julian (Julianne Moore), Theo agrees to help Kee reach the coast where she is given the chance of freedom.

At this time, England is the only country left standing on its own two feet, and the country’s military is detaining illegal immigrants and putting them behind bars, shipping them back to where they came from or killing them. Theo's job goes from being a mundane, behind-a-desk worker to an unlikely savior of a young pregnant woman — one the English officials would kill to have and one traitors to the cause would love to exploit for their own benefit; if either knew she existed.

"Children of Men," as a film, is peppered with genius, a genius greatly described and explained in the DVD’s montage of extras. There are deleted scenes, alternative viewing languages, making-of featurettes, commentary on the film’s ideals and a 30-plus minute documentary on the film's storytelling and how it portrays reality.

"The Possibility of Hope," the documentary, points out things about the film and its direction that everyone sees when watching it, but might not fully realize. The documentary touches on the film's beautiful aspect of hope while exploring the dangers of oppression in the form of ignorance and capitalism, which are the film's two main antagonists.

One of the film's most abrasive scenes is when Theo, Kee and Kee's midwife Miriam arrive at a refugee outpost that’s being controlled by British soldiers. As their bus pulls up to the outpost, outside the windows there can be seen cages full of refugees — some are being prodded by soldiers, some are completely naked and being taunted; some are being electrocuted, and some are being badly beaten. If the scene does only one thing for the viewer, it's that it reminds them of past and present occurrences that have happened and continue to happen with relevance to current world events and negative, government-sanctioned treatment of others. And the feelings viewers get while watching it? That of shame, regret, pity and sorrow — exactly one of the points Cuarón wants to get across.

The featurettes "Under Attack," "Theo and Julian Futuristic Design" and "Visual Effects: Creating the Baby" all open windows into the film’s interesting directorial, editorial and production sequences.

"Under Attack" showcases Cuarón's and his staff's tenacious attitude toward the directing approach taken to the film. There’s a scene that takes place entirely inside a compact car, no bigger than a Civic, with dialogue and interaction between five individuals. The entire scene is shot without jumps, meaning it’s one sequential shot. "Under Attack" shows how, with the help of technology and a little bit of elbow grease, the crew is able to pull it off.

"Visual Effects: Creating the Baby" is an interesting view because it shows how the entire delivery of Kee's child was created. From watching the movie it's hard to tell Ashitey was in a prosthetic body during the shoot, or that the baby was computer-generated, so it's kind of neat to been shown how it was all done.

As a film, "Children of Men" illustrates the triumph of compassion, understanding and hope over everything else. As a DVD, the value of the detailed look into those ingredients is priceless. It's but once a decade a film like this comes along, and it's been a long time since an entertaining yet enlightening DVD has made its way onto store shelves. Taste what "Children of Men" has to offer, and savor every minute of it.

Rating: A

Well, the news is out — a remake of the 1985 classic "Teen Wolf" is in the works. And guess who's starring in it? None other than the Man (Teen?) of Steel Tom Welling.

The movie is barely 20 years old. Seriously. What next, a remake of "The Breakfast Club"?

I'm not going to be sinking my teeth into that when it comes out (lols).

I don't know what took me so long to pick up this album, but it's probably the most amazing punk album I've heard since The Descendents released "Everything Sux" in 1996.

If you're into punk rock, check out the following...

Smoke or Fire — This Sinking Ship


Some sample lyrics...

The upper class, the middle class, the lower,
We're all one of the three.
It's true there is a color divide,
It's not black or white, it's green.
One nation of division and conformity,
Divided we stand, united we'll fall.
So where's this land of equal opportunity?
Divided we stand, United we'll fall.
As you walk along on stolen ground, ignoring poverty,
Remember anyone becomes a criminal
When you leave them starving.

Bang. Bang.
It's sex and violence on the television.
Give us all a cultural distraction or the cure.
Who's strong. Who's fast, who's in the game.
We've made our lives a competition,
and we all should be ashamed.
On the couch into the window of the world.
Who cares who ends up hurt,
as long as we're all entertained.
Who to be, what to eat, what to wear.
How would we make decisions
if the TV wasn't there?
We are laughing at each other.
Are we so insecure?

It's not every week a jaw-dropping action movie hits theaters. Let's face it — action movies of late have been drowning in monotony and rarely do we see any originality on the big screen. Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300," recently went to film, and, while it's not entirely original, it's the closest moviegoers can get today.

"300" is the tale about the Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans fended off thousands of Persian warriors during the Greco-Persian War. King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) leads his best troops into battle, going against the wishes of Sparta's councilmen and oracle. While Leonidas is away, his wife, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey), does her best to persuade the council into sending the rest of Sparta’s army to aid in the fight.

And, without spoiling the goods, just know everything in between and thereafter is non-stop action. Not meaningless action, but head-rolling, gut-checking and comic book-approved action, as waves of Xerxes I the Great’s (Rodrigo Santoro) troops get cut down (or thrown off cliffs) as they attempt to make their way into Sparta. The only problem is, the only road large enough for the Persian army is being conveniently blocked by Leonidas' men.

What has worked for large-scale war movies in the past works for "300" — computer graphics, slow-mo action shots, in-your-face intensity, and strong music and sound effects. The scenery and hordes of soldiers look great, even if it is all computer-generated. The movie looks astounding and has its own unique atmosphere, much like Miller’s comics do (just like "Sin City"). The film's score is appealing, and the clanging of swords and shields sounds like it's happening around you.

Another great aspect of the film is the fact it was adapted from a graphic novel, so the subtle differences and additions only add to the story's already-established flair. Introduced are intimidating and frightening villains like an executioner with blades for arms and a Frankenstein-like monster who has to be brought chained into battle, for his captors' safety. Throw-ins like that make the movie more enjoyable because it makes it different.

The film's historical accuracy is pretty good. Of course, Miller took liberties with the story to make it graphic novel-appropriate, but the core of the story is there. It's kind of difficult, though, to be inaccurate when 90 minutes of the film is non-stop battle. There are some slight differences to the story — they left out the fact nearly 700 Thespian and 6,000 other Greek-allied troops helped the Spartans, though those numbers sank to 1,000 after the third day of battle.

A neat aspect of the film is the historical quotes used throughout. When Queen Gorgo is watching Leonidas march off to battle, she tells him "On it or with it," referring to his shield, which is something Spartan mothers would tell their sons when they went off to become warriors at the age of seven. Another memorable quote is when, in the film, the Spartan Stelios says "Then we will fight in the shade," in response to a Persian telling him Persian arrows will block out the sun. Although the line was really spoken by Dienekes, the impact it has had in history, and the fact that is paid regards to in the film, is estimable.

Overall, Miller's on-screen version of the Battle of Thermopylae is an exciting one, despite one drawback — Director Zack Snyder's overuse of slowed down action shots, the kind "The Matrix" made famous. While good in moderation, the nausea-inducing art direction became boring after the first 30 minutes of battle, but, thankfully, didn't completely distract from the action itself.

What might seem trite and boring to some will be fresh and exciting to others. "300" is worth checking out, even if you think the whole large-scale war idea is played out.

Rating: B+

Situational comedy with meaning is a rare thing these days. In 2006, Sacha Cohen decided to delve back into what it means to be comical and released (take a deep breath) "Borat — Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." Now the film, with a handful of extras, is out on DVD.

To explain what most everyone already knows, "Borat" is the story of a Kazakh reporter, Borat, who travels to America in order to make a documentary film. While in the states, Borat and his producer, Azamat, visit a southern rodeo where they meet a homophobic redneck, learn how to wine and dine with high society, have a chat with feminazis, gets drunk with racist frat boys and attempts to meet Pamela Anderson. All of that, and more, in a nearly 90-minute span.

With the movie, Cohen pokes fun at the various facets of American culture. How he does it, however, is the comical genius — he acts like an outsider attempting to look in, and with that comes a hilarity rarely seen in modern films. While paying homage to comedic paragons, Cohen paints an alluring picture of our multicultural society, which forces us to think, "Do we really act that way?"

Does the DVD offer anything truly significant to the "Borat" experience? Not really, and that's where the disappointment sets in.

First, the good things about the DVD. Starting with the basics, the picture and sound quality are pretty vivid. Borat looks extra flamboyant in his trademark green thonged wetsuit, and the grunts, growls and cursing during Borat's totally-nude struggle with Azamat sound livelier than ever.

The extras themselves, albeit a handful, are funny. There's a newscast of the rodeo coverage, a Kazakhstan "Bay Watch" spoof, a movie promotion featurette and some deleted scenes.

The "Bay Watch" parody is the funniest thing the extras have to offer. Imagine Borat wearing a one piece while running on a beach. Now picture a hairy, 300-pound Azamat doing the same while wearing the same. Throw in some classic "Bay Watch" references and more characters from the movie and you'll find yourself rolling with laughter.

The movie promotion featurette is just a compilation of all the promotional stops Cohen made to promote his movie. He stops at the Cannes Film Festival, a comic book convention (where he makes women laugh by making fun of them) and a couple late night talk shows, one of which Borat thanks Jay Leno for allowing him to bed Martha Stewart on his show.

No doubt funny, but the meat on the DVD's bones was kind of dry when it came to the deleted scenes. Watching them, it's easy to see why they weren't left in the film — they simply don't add to the strong social commentary Cohen fashioned. In a sense, they were pointless, but still fun to watch (kind of like some Eddie Murphy movies).

What I was hoping for I didn't get — funny audio commentary from Borat and Azamat, some making-of featurettes and the like. Nearly every DVD produced since the birth of the DVD has had audio commentary, and most of it is painfully boring. Some Borat commentary would have been appreciated, as it would have added some spice to the traditional recipe.

Alas, you get what you pay for: a funny movie with a modest side dish of extras. Is "Borat" worth the $20 price tag? Sure thing, but keep both eyes open for a (hopefully with more features) special edition in the future.

Rating: 3.5/5

Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" is the definition of movie magic. Drawing on childhood fairy tales as inspiration, del Toro creates a haunting wonderland that meshes with the realities of war, and created is a storybook fairytale that reminds us "Innocence has a power evil cannot imagine."

"Pan's Labyrinth" follows Ofelia, a young and imaginative Spanish girl, as she begins a new life with her pregnant mother, Carmen, and Carmen's new husband, Capitán Vidal, during World War II fascist Spain. Against the backdrop of war, Ofelia's fairytale begins as she stumbles upon Pan's mystical labyrinth where she learns she might be a long-lost princess.

From there, Pan gives Ofelia three tasks to perform to prove she hasn't become a mortal so she could return to the Underworld, her home she ventured from long ago but no longer remembers.

To refrain from spoiling anymore, it must be said that the film's beauty doesn't come entirely from its art direction; it mostly comes from its ability to create a tight grip around your imagination and wonderment.

While Ofelia struggles to prove herself, she also struggles with her life in Spain, as revolutionists attempt to destroy Vidal's last stronghold, hoping to take fascism along with it. Ofelia also must care for her mother, who's continuously sick due to her pregnancy, and learns Vidal only cares about his unborn son and not the woman carrying him.

You struggle with Ofelia every step of the way, and when she steps away from reality and happily into the fairy tale world, you can't help but let out a sigh of relief with her.

Del Toro's ability to create that kind of contrast is moving. To do so, however, he had to depict a Spain rife with violence. Though graphic, none of the violence is unnecessary. It shows us the type of brutal life Ofelia was thrust into, and helps explain why she wanted to get away so badly.

But don't be mistaken that Ofelia's fairytale world is of her imagination — by the end of the film, you're left wondering what life was more real to the little girl.

Visually, the film is a showcase of aesthetic imagery. Literally a storybook on screen, "Pan's Labyrinth" imprints itself on your mind, and with help of the artistic design and direction, creates an imaginative bedtime story.

Twelve-year-old Ivana Baquero as Ofelia is the key to making the film believable. Her acting ability far surpasses expectations and keeps you charmed just as much as the story.

Doug Jones, who was also in del Torro's "Hellboy," plays Pan. One part alluring, one part intriguing and one part threatening, Pan makes for an engrossing character. The way the film introduces Pan is memorable, as are the ways the film continuously inserts him seamlessly into scenes involving Ofelia's conflict with doing what is right versus what she wants to do.

What's intelligent about this film is del Toro never strays from the fairytale formula, but he does colorfully build on it. There's the archetypal princess, the supporting cast of characters and the never-ceasing quest; all things that make up the emblematic story. This simple construction, with help from its add-ons, reminds us of every fable we've ever heard, but makes it incredibly different — the story becomes its own entity.

However, contrary to the film's fairytale heart, "Pan's Labyrinth" is a giant of a drama, and isn't for children or the weak-stomached. The film is harsh, really harsh, and is somewhat of an "Alice in Wonderland" for adults.

Meaningful and thematic, arousing and one-of-a-kind, the film will pull on your heartstrings and make an impression you won't soon forget.

First impressions are lasting impressions, and "Pan's Labyrinth's" first impression is one you'll want to revisit again and again. And, like every good story, it's one you'll want to share with everyone you meet.

Rating: A

"Boy Meets World" is one of the greatest shows ever. The end.