Emma Watson

Even before Emma Watson took the stage at the UN to give a speech about feminism, and before the video was shared by everyone you know on Facebook, and everyone was talking about her and whether she should be the face of modern feminism…before all that, she was still our boss ass witch. Throughout all eight Harry Potter films, Watson played Hermione Granger, the female member of the Holy Trinity that also included Harry and Ron Weasley. Though Harry is ostensibly the hero of the series, considering it’s named after him, Hermione is the ingenious character and the one that saves the day more often than not. Many have pointed this out, but it’s worth saying it explicitly: Hermione Granger is the hero of the Harry Potter series.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Directed by Thor Freudenthal Written by Marc Guggenheim USA, 2013 The footprint that J.K. Rowling left in the world of pop culture is ever-expanding, even as those who are influenced by her work often produce something that feels less like an homage to the world of Hogwarts, Muggles, and wizards, …

The 2013 vision of the American dream is one of grossly vapid and misplaced entitlement, if the movies have anything to say about it. As much as coming-of-age stories like Mud and The Kings of Summer are building a trend at the halfway point of the year, the new age of narcissism is making an equally bold rush on Western cinema: first, Spring Breakers; then, Pain and Gain; and now, Sofia Coppola throws her hat in with The Bling Ring, a deliberately dispassionate look at some famous-for-wanting-to-be-famous kids who stole from the rich simply because they could.

The Bling Ring Written and Directed by Sofia Coppola USA, 2013 Her career was born in the excesses of the 1990s and Sofia Coppola’s career trajectory has brought her through one of the worst economic crisis’ in recent history and a period of social seriousness that she seems quite frankly out of step with. In …

This is the End Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg USA, 2013 Seth Rogen, more than most comic leading men of his generation, always seems to end up playing himself, for good or ill. From Knocked Up to Pineapple Express to even The Green Hornet, it’s hard …

While Seth Rogen’s acting profile has noticeably risen over the last few years to firmly plant him in A-list territory, his writing career has also seen an upswing, as he has shared writing duties with frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg on films such as Superbad and Pineapple Express. For their next project, however, the screenwriting team has chosen to …

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Directed by Stephen Chbosky Written by Stephen Chbosky USA, 2012 There are times during The Perks of Being a Wallflower when it looks like this film will be able to stand alongside such cinematic coming-of-age landmarks as Stand by Me and Rushmore, that its quality will remain steady and …

My Week with Marilyn Written by Adrian Hodges Directed by Simon Curtis UK/USA, 2011 My Week with Marilyn’s key strength, and obvious biggest point of interest for most viewers, is Michelle Williams’ turn as Monroe. Williams excels at portraying various facets of Monroe’s star image omnipresent in pop culture, but the quality of the performance …

What would you do to get a first date with your celebrity crush? How about make a movie? Meet Albert Sam Nunez (usually goes by Sam), he’s 21 years-old and has never been on a date before. About a year ago he was inspired to make a documentary film after watching My Date with Drew, …

Well, not really, but they might as well be. The Leaky Cauldron is reporting that at the end of this week and through the weekend the Biography Channel will be airing two “Creating the World of Harry Potter” programs, one which focuses on the first movie and the other on creating the characters. There will also …

Being the not so Harry Potter fan that I was and now a true believer in the franchise, seeing a few bits of the cast of the Harry Potter films visiting the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park was fun and fascinating. Robbie Coltrane, Emma Watson, Mathew Lewis, and James and Oliver Phelps …