Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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TARGET Your business OUR Bullseye! Call 484-6200 Visit upandcomingweekly.com Congratulations to Mr. James Thompson Beginning Teacher of the Month for Cumberland County Schools Mr. Thompson began working as a long term substitute at Max Abbott MS in February of 2006. Although the assign- ment was originally for 6 weeks, his out- standing performance led to him remain- ing until the end of the year. He worked closely with the teachers on his team and was inspired by them and the students to pursue a career in teaching. He was hired over the summer of 2006 as an EC teacher assistant and taught math and reading re- mediation to students who did not pass their EOG tests. Toward the end of that school year, Mr. Thompson experienced a life chang- ing event that further sparked his passion to teach. He met a parent in the parking lot who jumped out of her truck and hugged him. As she wept, she stated “Mr. Thompson, you have no idea what you have done for my son!” At first, he thought he did something wrong. Her son was one of his 7th grade EC students who had passed a standardized test for the first time. He told her that the child had it in him all along. Mr. Thompson describes that mo- ment as “the moment I knew that I wanted to teach.” Since then, he has performed many roles for Max Abbott to include teacher assistant, quiz bowl assistant coach, bus driver, traffic director, and remediation teacher graduated with honors from Fayetteville State Univer- sity in Middle Grades Education with a concentration in Science and So- cial Studies. His classroom management is excellent and the atmosphere is positive and warm. Students are attentive and engaged in meaningful learning. Mr. Thompson understands the content of his subjects well and infuses SMART Board technology to his daily instruction. He is a team player and loved by everyone. He greets everyone with a smile. His future plans include earning a master’s degree, becoming a curriculum specialist, and pursuing school administration in a few years. 28 UCW DECEMBER 15-21, 2010 End of an Era, Part I Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Rated PG-13) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS This film follows the original narrative very closely, and much like Rowling’s final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (146 minutes) meanders a bit. Any review of a Harry Potter film risks damning with faint praise, so I freely admit that the four star rat- ing is based on the previous films in the franchise. In other words, five of the other six Harry Potter mov- ies were easily five stars (Goblet of Fire kind of sucked). This movie was good, it just wasn’t as enchanting as the other movies ... although the scene where Ron (Rupert Grint) confronts his fears about Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione (Emma Watson) is eas- ily a top five scene. Rufus Scrimgeour (Bill Nighy) gets the up-the-nose-cam as an extreme close up shows him addressing the Wizard Press at the Ministry of Magic. Meanwhile, Snape (Alan Rickman) meets with Voldemort and the Death Eaters to inform on the move- ment of the Boy Who Lived. Soon after, the Order of the Phoenix arrives at Privet Drive to escort Harry to a secret location. By the way, don’t get too familiar with the Order, since almost the entire remaining movie is devoted to the major characters and the big baddies. Not even the decision to split the final book into two films allows time for the inclusion of fun supporting characters. After some minor set-up, the Great Harry Potter Road Trip begins. It is a nice change to get away from the “I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for those darn kids” Scooby-Doo plotlines of the first five or six books. The primary action takes place outside of Hogwarts, and without the large cast of supporting characters that shared so much screen time during the earlier movies. The trio find important clues to track the Horcruxes (a McGuffin by any other name) at Grimmauld Place. Kreacher the House Elf (Simon McBurney) sends them off to Mundungus Fletcher, who sends them off to Dolores Umbridge. As almost fully trained wizards, the three come up with a brilliant plan to magic their way into the presence of Umbridge. Hermione is so bril- liant, she stews up a potion of invisibility, while Harry cleverly dons his Cloak of Invisibility, and Ron takes care of keeping their exit open. Or at least, that is what would happen in a logically ordered world. Actually, in the book there is a list of reasons why none of this happens, which is why you should always read the book first, Michael. So you don’t spend hours trying to convince me that the movie doesn’t make sense unless wizard people use magic to take care of everything. Once the Horcrux is in hand, the movie turns into The Lord of the Rings. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turn into Frodo, bearing the psychic burden of possessed jewelry because it doesn’t occur to either one to use the Leviosa spell. While wearing the Horcrux Ron is convinced that the other two would be happier without him, so he wanders off to mope somewhere for a chunk of the movie. In a pivotal scene, which is probably very confusing for the two people who were in the theater without having read the book, a Patronus in the form of a doe leads Harry to exactly what he needs. The tension builds, and even- tually the film climaxes with a confrontation between The Heroes and Villains. Some of the wrong people die, and then the scene slowly fades to black. Then there is an awkward transition into a triumphant Voldemort. Overall the film will satisfy Potter fans. HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM