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By Michael Lopez

Harry Potter fans are in for quite a jolt with this week's Woman In Black release. Daniel Radcliffe, who played the boy wizard in eight films, is all grown up and showing a dark, mature edge Hogwarts fans may not be used to. But ultimately it pays off, with Black turning out to be a very capable and creepy thriller.

Produced by Hammer Films (which specialized in British horror flicks from the 60's and 70's), Black definitely takes its cues from the classic haunted house genre. But it also punches things up with a modern twist, treating audiences to a scream-inducing villain comparable to specters from The Ring and The Grudge.

Most importantly, Black feels like a breath of fresh air in the unimaginative horror genre. With remakes like The Thing and endless Paranormal Activity sequels flooding theaters, it's nice to have a group of personalities built up entirely from scratch. Audiences meet Radcliffe's Arthur Kipps character without any background knowledge and soon find themselves drawn into his dark and dreary world.

As the story begins, we find out that Kipps is a widowed father who's been asked by his law firm to manage the affairs of a recently deceased client. Little does he know that this client had a gruesome past and a supernatural curse brought on the by the death of a child.

As Kipps uncovers more shady details at his client’s dilapidated mansion, the strange occurrences increase. First kids in the town start dying, then the mansion takes on a life of its own, and finally, our hero is forced to come face-to-face with The Woman In Black!

What does this Woman want and how can she be stopped? You won't get any spoilers here. But trust us when we say, it's a pretty awesome payoff (if you can uncover your eyes long enough to see it). Though there is a bit of a slow build up, Black more than makes up for it in its final hour. The mystery is compelling, Radcliffe's performance is top notch, and yes, it'll get you jumping out of your seat on more than one occasion.

Bottom line: Don't be frightened by The Woman In Black’s PG-13 rating. This film is far creepier than the gore fests we've seen in theaters recently. Director James Watkins has done a phenomenal job of pacing out the frights and providing a solid story for serious horror fans. And beyond that, it's a fantastic showcase for the talents of Daniel Radcliffe. If he wants a future in scary movies, Black is a great way to start.

Are you planning on watching The Woman In Black this weekend? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Daniel Radcliffe, Hammer Films, Harry Potter, James Watkins, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, The Woman In Black, Woman In Black

By Astrid Rivera

Harry Potter fans listen up! The boy who lived would now like to be known as the boy who moved on. For more than a decade millions worldwide watched Daniel Radcliffe grow up on the movie screen playing a troubled teenage wizard but now the actor is attempting to move away from the iconic role.

He might just have done it with his new movie, his first since the final Harry Potter film, The Woman In Black. A far cry from the Harry Potter series, The Woman In Black is a dark and creepy ghost story about a lawyer (played by Radcliffe) who is called in to settle the affairs of an elderly widow who died.

At the film's premiere in London the actor said, "It felt very natural to be stepping into another character and starting this next phase of my career."

The 22-year-old was recently burning up the Broadway stage in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying before accepting this role. He revealed to The Daily Mail that this role was a great departure from the Harry Potter series.

"The Woman In Black is very different from Harry Potter, but it's different enough without me having to go all extreme and play a drug-dealing rent boy, or something where people go 'oh, ok, he's trying to shock us now' I was simple after a good role", he said.

Daniel may be ready to move on but millions of Harry Potter fans are definitely not. Hundreds lined the red carpet at The Woman In Black premiere with Harry Potter books and other memorabilia from the series for Radcliffe to sign.

This role may be a big departure from his Potter role but I don't see fans letting go of their wizard hero anytime soon. Yet, this could work towards Radcliffe's advantage because many people are going to watch The Woman In Black just to get another glimpse of the young actor (I know I will!).

Daniel's future looks incredibly bright and, although we might not be ready to move on, we'll definitely keep watching as he enters the next phase in his life.

Will you watch The Woman In Black? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, New Movies, The Daily Mail, Woman In Black

By Larry Yepez Jr.

Warner Brothers is getting ready to launch an aggressive campaign so that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 be noticed and recognized in the next Academy Awards ceremony, according to Variety magazine.

The idea is to have an equivalent acknowledgement at the Oscar's as The Return of the King, the third film from the Lord of the Rings Saga, which took home 11 golden statuettes thanks to the strategic marketing scheme of New Line. This time, Warner Brothers plans to capitalize on the economic success and artistic recognition of the Potter saga, which is definitely one of the most popular of Hollywood's film history.

The last film of the Harry Potter franchise, currently in theaters, will have a powerful campaign with the ultimate objective of obtaining the Oscar for Best Film, just as Peter Jackson's last Rings Film. "Return of the King" also won for Best Director (Jackson) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Warner Bros. execs are saying that the 2012 Oscars could serve as a global recognition to one of the most popular and successful movie sagas of the last decade, a strategic concept that definitely helped The Lord of the Rings trilogy get their final Oscar recognitions.

Even though the seven Potter films have had numerous nominations (specially in the technical categories), which is also the prediction for this final film, the magical saga has yet to win a single Oscar. Let's hope Harry will take home some precious Oscar gold in the next Academy Awards.

Do you think Harry Potter should be recognized with Oscars for the completion of the popular saga?

Tags Academy Awards, Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Lord of the Rings, Oscars, Peter Jackson

By Larry Yepez Jr.

Thirteen years after the first Harry Potter book was published, J.K. Rowling brings us Pottermore, an interactive reading website. It's the same story from the books with a few crucial additions. Pottermore -just as the experience of reading- will require that the imagination of the author and reader work together to create the story, so Pottermore will be built in part by You, the reader.

According to J.K. Rowling, the digital generation will be able to enjoy a safe, unique online reading experience built around the Harry Potter books. Pottermore will be the place where fans of any age can share, participate and re-discover the stories. It will also be the exclusive place to purchase digital audio books and, for the first time, e-books of the Harry Potter series.

Rowling herself will also be an intricate part of the experience as she shares with us additional information she's been holding for years about the world of Harry Potter.

Pottermore is open to everyone starting October 2011, but a lucky few will be able to join early to help shape the experience in the Beta stages of the site..

Are you intrigued about Pottermore? What do you think of this new online reading experience for Harry Potter?

Tags Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, Harry Potter, JK. Rowling, Pottermore

By Michael Lopez

Time to crank up the Harry Potter re-watch parties, because the epic journey is almost over. This weekend marks the release of the second-to-last film for the boy (err…young man) wizard and it is truly a sight to be seen! Of course, if you happened to have skipped any of the earlier movie chapters, it may leave you a bit confused.

Image: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1 finds Harry, Hermione, and Ron a little older and a little more emo than 2009’s Half-Blood Prince. Could Daniel Radcliffe be channeling a bit of Twilight into his performance? Either way, it actually works. The characters are much more mature now and it would be pointless to keep them all sweet and cutesy.

As it starts off, creepy Lord Voldemort is still on the loose and determined to strike down our lightning-headed hero down. But Harry’s got a plan; to find and destroy every last Horcrux (which are the keys to snakeface’s immortality). Gathering the scattered pieces proves to be quite the challenge, but they’re getting some familiar help along the way.

Classic HP fans will enjoy tons of cameos from past movies. There’s oversized ogre Hagrid, Dobby the house-elf, the colorful Weasley brothers, and our favorite Spanish spellcaster, Nymphadora Donks. Though their parts are brief, each one brings some very memorable moments to the screen.

And for all of you Slytherin fans, there are plenty of bad guy appearances too (including an incredibly real looking CGI snake!). But ultimately this movie belongs to the Hogwarts trio. A solid chunk of the two-and-a-half-hour epic revolves around the three teens hiding out alone and hunting for Horcruxes.

Fans of fast-paced magical action may find those scenes the slowest, but they do add character development and tighten the bonds between the group. There’s also the breathtaking visuals of the Deathly Hallows story. No spoilers here, but after watching that sequence you’ll understand why it got stuck into the title.

Overall, Hallows is a fantastic cinematic achievement. The direction, the performances, and the amazing effects (which are used somewhat sparingly) guarantee that you can enjoy multiple viewings. Just be sure you do your Harry homework before you see it because most everyday Muggles will have a tough time keeping up!

Are you planning to watch Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Harry Potter, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Movie Reviews, Movies, Movies & CineMás

By Michael Lopez

It’s been nine years and seven sequels, but like all good things, the Harry Potter movies are coming to an end. This week marks the release of the final Deathly Hallows chapter and we’ve got Hogwarts vet Nymphadora Tonks (aka Spanish actress Natalia Tena) to dish on the entire experience.

Image : Warner Bros. Pictures

Speaking exclusively with Blogamole, Natalia seemed very upbeat and excited about Part 1 of Deathly Hallows (Part 2 comes out next summer),

“It was soooo much fun! It’s truly a brilliant series. There’s been tragedy, sacrifice…This last movie is extremely dark.”

Just watching the commercials, it’s clear that the Harry in Deathly Hallows is very different from the lighthearted wizard in 2001’s The Sorcerer’s Stone. The five movies in between have seen (SPOILER ALERT) the death of headmaster Dumbledore and the rise of the very creepy Lord Voldemort.

Natalia joined the cast back in 2007 for The Order Of The Phoenix and has built up quite a cult following as the Metamorphmagus wizard Nymphadora Tonks (yes, she’s one of the good guys). Powerful, loyal, and now married to werewolf professor Remus Lupin, Tonks and her actress counterpart do share some similarities.

Natalia confessed, “I feel that we’ve both grown up a lot since the series started. She’s older and wiser and so am I. Though Tonks is someone who is quite quiet and that’s not like me at all. I like to talk A LOT!”

It was clear during the interview that Natalia is definitely not shy. Outside of being an actress, she is also an accomplished musician who performs regularly with her band, Molotov Jukebox. As the lead singer (and lead accordion player), Tena’s already scored a record deal and played a pretty cool venue this past month.

“Molotov Jukebox played the big 'Harry Potter' wrap party and everybody loved it! It was an amazing experience. Not only that, our ‘Laid To Rest’ single comes out on November 15th and we think the sound is beautiful!”

It’s obvious that even though Harry Potter may be ending, we can still expect big things from Natalia. And who knows, maybe they’ll even let Tonks whip out the accordion for a final celebration once big bad Voldemort goes down.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 hits theatres November 18.

Which has been your favorite ‘Harry Potter’ movie so far? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Harry Potter, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Molotov Jukebox, Movies, Movies & CineMás, Natalia Tena

Summer time is finally coming around...

That means there will be some serious lines for pedicures, theme-parks, and movies. We know you are preparing for the summer blockbuster explosion, which inspired MTV News to provide an exclusive run down of all of the action-packed hit-makers hitting the big screen this verano. Without a doubt, Wolverine will be clawing his way into the top spot. The jacked mutant will be up against Harry Potter's magical saga in "The Half Blood Prince."

Get a sneak peek of this summer's blockbuster faves and let us know which movies you are most excited about now! [MTV News]

Photos via 20th Century Fox

Tags Harry Potter, Hollywood, Movies, MTV, MTV NEws, Tr3s, Tres, Wolverine

With a few days to go until the release of Twilight there is one question on everyone's mind...

Who is the man behind Edward Cullen?

After the insane fan mobbing that Robert Pattinson experienced in Mexico, we decided to investigate the actor's real lowdown. Why are grown women and teenagers across the country smitten over the blood-sucking leading man? We caught-up with the 22-year-old Brit in his dressing room (YEP!) right before hitting-up Mi TRL. Take a peek at the man behind the mayhem, and find out how Robert feels about being admired by millions of women, why he wishes he voted on November 4th, and how he endangered the life of a cast-mate!
Read more...

Tags Harry Potter, Kristen Stewart, Mi TRL, Movies, MTV, Robert-Pattinson, Tr3s, Twilight, Xtreme

As Twilight's release gets closer and closer, we're bringing YOU closer to the cast behind the fantasy film. This week MTV News brings you the titan of the Twilight universe himself, Robert Pattinson. It's hard to imagine Robert as anyone but Edward from the film, but after watching his Q&A session, you'll soon see that the actor's interests extend farther than vamping for vampire flicks. See Robert get up close and personal en esta entrevista de MTV News. Watch here as he dishes on everything from Harry Potter and the size of his feet to why the actor compares himself to Al Pacino.

Tags Al Pacino, Harry Potter, MTV, Robert-Pattinson, Twilight