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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman

(Warner Bros.; US theatrical: 17 Jul 2009; 2008)

Official Site

We’re getting close. The boy wizard and the gang at Hogwarts are only one more book (and, rumor has it, two more movies) away from completing J.K. Rowling’s celebrated publishing phenomenon, and while the original cast is aging gracefully, film fans are getting a little worried. You see, we were supposed to see this sixth movie in the unflappable franchise last November. Then Warner Bros. pulled the release, arguing that an impending actor’s strike (which has yet to happen, by the way) and the overwhelming success of The Dark Knight mandated the move. So while the seventh and eighth films are being prepared by the same individuals behind this one (director David Yates, series screenwriter Steve Kloves), we are finally going to see the storyline which supposedly ‘changes everything forever’. With the success of Order of the Phoenix, and audience anticipation at an all time high, we could be looking at one of 2009’s chart toppers.

(500) Days of Summer

Director: Marc Webb

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Chloe Moretz, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jennifer Hetrick

(Fox Searchlight; US theatrical: 17 Jul 2009 (General release); 2009)

Official Site

Oh…it’s a play on words. Summer is the name of a character in this anarchic, vignette oriented RomCom. Zooey Deschanel is the title gal, a woman who doesn’t believe in long term commitments. She’s the object of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s affections, and first time feature filmmaker Marc Webb applies a freestyle, experimental approach to the narrative. Dividing this relationship into individual moments, we get in-depth discussion one sequence, a musical number the next. Sounds very quirky and achingly independent. Here’s hoping it works.

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane

Director: Jonathan Levine

Cast: Amber Heard, Anson Mount, Michael Welch, Aaron Himelstein, Melissa Price

(Optimum Releasing; US theatrical: 17 Jul 2009 (Limited release); 2009)

Official Site

It’s part of a recent trend—the rest of the world gets a celebrated fright film, and then Americans have to wait six to nine months before the title actually hits our shores. Obviously, our reputation as horror haters proceeds us. Actually, hate is a strong word. We love to dismiss the genre, jumping on the boo bandwagon whenever a new fad—Asian terror, torture porn—comes along to call us out. This old school slasher attempt has been getting good notices. As usual, it will be another three months before we will know for sure.