I went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last night at a sold-out, opening night screening. While this isn’t the best Potter film yet (that honor belongs to the fourth, The Goblet of Fire), the Order of the Phoenix will satisfy die-hard fans like me and entertain casual fans. Although the movie is very fast-paced, there are still two more movies left in the saga, and at times story lines feel incomplete.

New cast additions Imelda Staunton, Helena Bonham Carter, and Evanna Lynch turn in excellent performances as Dolores Umbridge, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Luna Lovegood, respectively. The three young leads have all matured into talented actors, though Emma Watson constantly looks and sounds breathless.

Rated PG-13, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix isn’t a kids movie, but an action-filled drama starring teenagers. SEE IT!

Everybody has one summer blockbuster they can not wait to see. For some, it is The Simpsons. For others, it is Pirates of the Caribbean. For me, there is only one must-SEE IT movie this summer: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I just finished re-reading all the books in time for the July 21 release of the final book, and in the meantime I can’t wait to see the next movie. I am a total dweeb, and that’s ok.

This is the second trailer released by Warner Brothers. (For the first trailer, click here.) I continue to be amazed at how this franchise just continues to get better and better. The story is becoming more layered and the younger actors have become so skilled that they can go toe to toe against their Oscar-winning co-stars. Judging by both trailers, Order of the Phoenix looks like a suspense-filled movie that can stand on its own and entertain even non-Potter fans (such people exist?) who find themselves in the cinema. (How scary is that shot of Voldemort in a three-piece suit?)

And now, a casting question. The sixth Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is in pre-production and there is one small but juicy role to be cast. Narcissa Malfoy, mother of Draco and wife of evil Lucius, makes her first appearance in a pivotal scene at the start of the story. Narcissa is described as having blonde hair, blue eyes, and “a look on her face as if there were something smelly under her nose.” She has a sixteen-year-old son, so she would be at least 36 years old. Like the rest of the cast, the actress that plays her must be British. Naomi Watts’ name has been bandied about (she grew up in the UK), but she looks a little young and is identified as Australian. So who should play icy Narcissa Malfoy?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is rated PG-13 and opens on July 13. I can’t wait! (Official site)

Here at TrailerSpy, we mostly review the movie trailers. Sometimes, though, one of us will talk our way into an advance screening, and we’ll get to write a movie review before most reviews are released.

Last week, I was lucky enough to find myself at the premiere of Amazing Grace. As I had already reviewed the trailer, I was anxious to see the finished product. I am happy to tell you that the film is much, much better than the trailer would have you believe.

Amazing Grace is the true story of William Wilberforce, who fought to end slavery in England in the 1790s. In a time when England’s economy was wholly reliant on slave labor, Wilberforce took on the slave trade, which had most of Parliament in its pocket.

Charismatic Ioan Gruffudd plays the lead role, and he is supported by effective turns from Michael Gambon, Rufus Sewell, Benedict Cumberbatch, Youssou N’Dour, Albert Finney, Romola Garai, and Jeremy Swift. At the helm is Michael Apted, who also directed The World Is Not Enough and Nell.

Amazing Grace rides on the charm of its lead actor, Welshman Ioan Gruffudd (pronounced YO-an GRIFF-ith, or as I call him, Yummy Ioan). Gruffudd is in nearly every scene and he carries the film completely on his impassioned performance. He spends much of the movie in powdered wigs and make-up that makes him look sick and tired, but you can never take your eyes off of him. (Or maybe that was just me.)

After the film, I found myself asking why Gruffudd is not a bigger star. You may have seen him in The Fantastic Four or King Arthur, and across the pond he is quite well known for his stint as the title character in the Horatio Hornblower mini-series. Between Amazing Grace and The Fantastic Four sequel, perhaps 2007 will be the year everyone knows how to pronounce Ioan Gruffudd’s name.

The film is a moving biopic that will have you rooting for Wilberforce and his compatriots. At almost two hours, Amazing Grace never feels slow. It would be difficult to watch this movie and not to root for Wilberforce—it’s another retelling of David vs. Goliath.

Amazing Grace trips only when the film tries to connect itself to the song. In one early scene, Wilberforce tries to prove a point about slavery to a bunch of poker players by standing up on the card table and singing Amazing Grace. Even in 1784, I highly doubt this would have happened.

So put Amazing Grace on the rental queue—you’ll be happy you did. (And trust me, guys, this isn’t a chick flick.) Amazing Grace is rated PG and opens nationwide on Friday, February 23. (Official site)

Previously: Amazing Grace trailer review

If you’re looking for me on July 13, look no further than the largest auditorium at the Loews Kips Bay cinema, where I’ll happily be watching the newest installment of the Harry Potter movies.

There’s no suspense here–obviously I can’t wait to SEE IT. The Order of the Phoenix actually looks like it may be an improvement upon the book, which is saying alot. The kids have gotten better and better with each film. And the franchise continues to attract Britain’s top acting talent. This time around, Helena Bonham Carter and Imelda Staunton join the cast that already includes Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Gary Oldman, Maggie Smith, and Jason Isaacs. Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort was so evil, so scary, in the last ten minutes of the last installment that I can’t wait to see Voldemort with more screen time. But whatever, man, I’m just there for the Quidditch.

So now, without further ado, here is the teaser for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is not yet rated and opens July 13. (Official site)

As we saw with Freedom Writers, sometimes trailers do not do justice to the movies they are promoting. Unfortunately, the same appears to be true with Amazing Grace. I haven’t seen Amazing Grace yet, but I have a pretty strong suspicion that the final film is better than it looks from the preview.

Amazing Grace has some good things going for it. The movie tells a true story of an underdog fighting for what is right. Everybody knows the namesake song, but nobody knows where it came from. This looks like an interesting PG film, which is hard to find nowadays. The yummy Ioan Gruffudd stars with a great cast: Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Romola Garai, and newcomer Youssou N’Dour.

I just wish the trailer could be a little better. Why does it starts off with a saccharine-sappy version of the song, when there are a myriad of beautiful versions? Only toward the end of the trailer do we get to hear a moving example of the song. Halfway through the trailer, I really started to notice the voiceover, which is not something that should stand out. I see a movie about abolishing the slave trade; I don’t see a movie about one of the world’s best known songs.

Still, I am intrigued enough by Amazing Grace that I am going to RENT IT. Would you change the trailer?

Amazing Grace is rated PG and opens nationwide on February 23. (Official Site)