Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince [DVD] [2009]

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) suspects Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) to be a new Death Eater recruit on a special mission for the Dark Lord. In the meantime, Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) seems to have finally removed the shroud of secrecy from Harry about the dark path that lies ahead, and instead provides private lessons to get him prepared. It's in these intriguing scenes that the dark past of Tom Riddle (a.k.a. Voldemort) is finally revealed. The actors cast as the different young versions of Riddle (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin and Frank Dillane) do an eerily fantastic job of portraying the villain as a child. While the previous movies' many new characters could be slightly overwhelming, only one new key character is introduced this time: Professor Horace Slughorn (with a spot-on performance by Jim Broadbent). Within his mind he holds a key secret in the battle to defeat the Dark Lord, and Harry is tasked by Dumbledore to uncover a memory about Voldemort's darkest weapon--the Horcrux. Despite the long list of distractions, Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) still try to focus on being teenagers, and audiences will enjoy the budding awkward romances. All of the actors have developed nicely, giving their most convincing performances to date.

More dramatic and significant things go down in this movie than any of its predecessors, and the stakes are higher than ever. The creators have been tasked with a practically impossible challenge, as fans of the beloved J.K. Rowling book series desperately want the movies to capture the magic of the books as closely as possible. Alas, the point at which one accepts that these two mediums are very different is the point at which one can truly enjoy these brilliant adaptations. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is no exception: it may be the best film yet. For those who have not read the book, nail-biting entertainment is guaranteed. For those who have, the movie does it justice. The key dramatic scenes, including the cave and the shocking twist in the final chapter, are executed very well. It does a perfect job of setting up the two-part grand finale that is to follow. --Jordan Thompson

Adolescent wizard-in-training Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for another year of schooling and learns more about the dark past of the boy who grew up to become Lord Voldemort in this, the sixth installment of the film series that originated from the writings of author J.K. Rowling. There was a time when Hogwarts was thought of as a safe haven, but thanks to Voldemort's tightening grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, that simply isn't the case anymore. Suspecting that the castle may even harbour an outright threat, Harry finds his investigation into the matter sidelined by Dumbledore's attempts to prepare him for the monumental battle looming ever closer on the horizon. In order to discover the key to Voldemort's defences, Dumbledore enlists the aid of resourceful yet unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, who may have a clue as to their enemy's Achilles' heel. Meanwhile, teenage hormones cause the students at Hogwarts to lose focus on their true mission. As Harry and Dean Thomas clash for the affections of the lovely Ginny, Romilda Vane attempts to woo Ron away from Lavender Brown with some particularly tasty chocolates. Even Hermione isn't immune from the love bug, though she tries her hardest to suppress her growing jealousy and keep her emotions bottled up. But there is one student who remains completely aloof from the romance blossoming all around, and he intends to leave a dark impression on his classmates. With tragedy looming ever closer, it begins to appear as if peace will prove elusive in Hogwarts for some time to come.

Special Features:
Disc 1: Feature film

Disc 2:
Behind the Story: Close Up with the Cast of Harry Potter: Hosts Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and Alfie Enoch (Dean Thomas) lead us on an entertaining look at the cast of Harry Potter as they explore their interests away from acting and spend a day on set with the production team:
• Editing with Daniel Radcliffe: Daniel and editor Mark Day have a lighthearted conversation about film editing and how to get the right shot for a scene.
• Special Effects with Matthew Lewis, Oliver Phelps and Tom Felton: The guys get a "science lesson" from Special Effects Supervisor John Richardson and technician Matthew Harlow.
• Owl Training with Jessie Cave: Jessie heads outside for training tips with “hootie” and owl trainer Guillaume Grange.
• Stunt Training with Rupert Grint: Rupert shows off his thrill for danger with the stunt department.
• Costume Designs with Evanna Lynch: Evanna shares her jewelry designs with Costume Designer Jany Temime.
• Art with Bonnie Wright: Bonnie and graphic designer Eduardo Lima show off the fun props, products and set designs.
• Behind The Camera with James Phelps: In his debut performance in the assistant director department, James actually becomes a crew member on set.
• Make-Up with Emma Watson: Emma and designer Amanda Knight talk about the biggest challenges on this year’s film.

One Minute Drills: The cast has 60 seconds to describe their character’s personality, history, relationships and other traits before time runs out.

Extras:
J.K. Rowling: A Year In The Life: A fascinating and intimate look into the life of J.K. Rowling over the last year of writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
What’s On Your Mind: Hosted by Tom Felton, the cast is put on the spot when asked a series of rapid-fire questions on their likes and dislikes.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Sneak Peak: Get an inside look at the amazing world of magic and excitement being created at Universal Orlando® Resort in Florida.

Additional Scenes:
• Harry and Hermione Walk Through the Halls of Hogwarts
• Harry and Hermione Discuss Marauder’s Map
• Harry, Ron & Hermione Discuss The Vanishing Cabinet
• Harry and Dumbledore Arrive At Cave Entrance
• Harry and Dumbledore Leave Cave
• Clouds Gather Over Hogwarts as Flitwick Conducts Choir
• Harry Joins Ron, Hermione and Ginny In The Common Room
• Harry and Hermione Discuss Ron At Astronomy Tower