Skip to main content

Now You See Me 2 (2016) - ★★★★☆


So THIS is Harry Potter! For some reason, I always thought Harry Potter was a series of books seven volumes long, and was about wizards and elves and trolls and probably some other types, not magicians! I guess I was wrong, though, because the only things I do know for sure about Harry Potter is that Daniel Radcliffe is in it, and that it's about magic; both of those things are in Now You See Me 2, so it must be Harry Potter!

I have to be honest; I was pretty sure that Daniel Radcliffe played a character who was actually named Harry Potter, but maybe that's his character's nickname and I just missed that part of the movie. I think it's kind of odd that no one would have mentioned to me that Harry Potter actually takes place in the Now You See Me universe, but again, that's probably my own fault for not paying enough attention.

I just googled 'Harry Potter' and this guy came up... apparently he was in this movie? It must have been a really small part, because I don't remember that at all!

All that being said, I liked this movie way more than I ever expected to like Harry Potter. I mean, check out this scene, which I truly believe to be one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history. It's perfect, and I have never seen anything better. Magic sure is amazing! 

Now You See Me 2, of course, also has the advantage of Woody Harrelsons. Plural! There are two Woodies in this movie, which I think just exponentially increases its value. One Woody is the magician we met in the first installment of this series, and the other is his both strange and estranged brother, clad in a nice curly wig. Seeing Woody act with himself is a rare pleasure, and alone makes this movie worth the watch.

Two Woodies for the price of one!

Even for a non-Woody fan, though, I think that having some familiarity with the phenomenon that is Harry Potter is important for the sake of cultural literacy so you can join in banter with your millennial acquaintances about what house you're in and which broomstick you'd ride (personally I missed these details the first time around, so I'll probably have to rewatch, not that I mind!). Definitely give this one a watch!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No Country For Old Men (2007) - ★★★★☆

I think it's interesting that this, the second movie I've viewed on this grand adventure with a motif of tube-related crime, is called 'No Country For Old Men,' because something I noticed while watching it was that there were actually a couple old men in it, and they don't even die. I think that some would have me believe it is called this because it is a line from a famous poem, and is a reference to the disillusionment Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (an old man) feels with these modern times.... kids have green hair and nose piercings, and guys do violence with tubes. He probably feels like he doesn't belong in Texas anymore because of all these crazy kids and their newfangled violence, thus making the country not one which is for an old man. Nonetheless, he's there, and time sort of goes on no matter what, and things have always been bad in one way or another. He should probably get over it. That being said, I have a few ideas of other names this movie (yeah, I kno...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Hi-Lo Country (1998) - ★★★★★

A shockingly underrated and under-talked about Woody Harrelson masterpiece. Reminsicent of the classic Marty Robbins banger, "Tall Handsome Stranger," this is a must watch for cowboy fans and Woody Harrelson fans alike. Unequivocally Woody's best cowboy role!!!!!
Post a Comment
Read more

The Big White (2005) - ★★★☆☆

It is, perhaps, a little-known fact that a movie only needs exactly one (1) ingredient to be a good movie. That ingredient is not a good director (what even is a director? The guy who clacks the black and white thing and shouts "action!"?). That ingredient is not beautiful cinematography (though The Big White  has no shortage of that. I really liked the vast snowy landscapes and also the matching snowy whiteness of the insurance office, especially since it was snowing outside my window while I watched this movie and I guess that just felt serendipitous). That ingredient is not an incredible and talented cast—something I think everyone agree this movie has (Robin Williams, yes, but also  this guy , who looks like Pete "Mad Men" Campbell, but isn't. I like him a lot and would like to see more of him!). That ingredient is not even—dare I say it?—Woody Harrelson. Many a movie, in fact, as this blog evidences, is very bad in spite of Woody's wonderful presence. ...
Post a Comment
Read more