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After the explosive fight in the Ministry of Magic at the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I knew that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was going to be hilarious, exciting, emotional, and more. It was.

The film opens with Dumbledore and Harry being bombarded by the press after the battle in the Ministry of Magic. Harry’s face shows that he is reeling from Sirius’s death. And the emotional punches keep rolling from there. Harry must wrestle with recovering a vital memory from Professor Slughorn in his quest to help Dumbledore while fostering growing feelings for Ginny Weasley and a fear that Ron would kill him if he found out. Ron struggles with feelings of inadequacy on the dating scene until Lavendar Brown (deliciously played by Jessie Cave) literally throws herself at him during a celebration of the Gryffindor Quidditch team’s victory and gives Ron his first kiss. Hermione struggles with jealousy toward Lavendar Brown and anger toward Ron, who refuses to see that Hermione has feelings for him.

The newest addition to the teaching staff at Hogwarts, Professor Horace Slughorn (who is played by a lively Jim Broadbent), is a delight to watch from the moment he appears as a stuffed armchair to the moment he gives Harry his shameful memory of a conversation he had with the teenage Tom Riddle.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint are in top form in this installment. Daniel’s emotional depth in this film has improved markedly. One intense scene between Harry and Dumbledore in a coastal cave is riveting because of Dumbledore’s wrecked emotional state and Harry’s determination to follow his beloved professor’s orders even though it causes pain to them both.

Rupert Grint shines as the hilarious and heartwarming Ron Weasley. Grint nailed the comedic timing called for in his interactions with Lavendar Brown, his obsessive girlfriend. In addition, his few minutes on a broomstick during the Quidditch trials and subsequent match against Slytherin’s team prove that he has triumphed over his fear of crowds and is worthy of the recognition he seeks. I have been looking forward to seeing Ron play Quidditch since I read Order of the Phoenix several years ago and was delighted at the results.

Michael Gambon came into his own as Professor Albus Dumbledore, who convinced Harry of the weight of their quest for Slughorn’s memory without yelling (as he did in previous installments). This Dumbledore is calm, wise, humorous, and heartwrenching. The short word he utters (“Severus, Please”) to Severus Snape just before his death is powerful in the emotions it conveys. This makes Severus Snape’s brutal killing of the beloved headmaster even more hateful.

The omission of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour is troublesome considering the importance of their union in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In addition, it would have been exciting to see the skirmish at Hogwarts that should have taken place at the end of the film. And one question: Why is Ron sitting across the room from Harry and Hermione as they discuss their plans to find and destroy the horcruxes? My only conclusion is that this is clever foreshadowing of their positions in the first part of Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince may not have as much action as the other installments, but it excels at deepening the viewer’s understanding of the main characters and building suspense about what will happen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The film is funny, emotional, and a great lead-up to the final two installments of the series, which I will await as patiently as I can.

Sneakers, hats, t-shirts and jeans; all of which are at times limited in production. Well, add a cooler to that list, yes you read that right, a cooler. Gatorade has only produced 23 coolers to commemorate Michael Jordan’s legacy with brand new bottles. Obviously, the cooler will be difficult to obtain but look for the new Jordan labels on a number of Gatorades very soon!

With the NFL season vastly approaching, Adapt Advancer’s latest State of Mind products are decorated in the San Francisco 49ers colorway. Similar to the fall/spring release, the tees come in either a white or black colorway with the “S” and “F” in burgandy and the remaining letters fashioned in gold. Get yours today here and receive 20 percent off your initial purchase by using the discount code EO30998!

Check out the fresh line of eyewear from RetroSuperFuture. With many different color patterns, there should be a pair for you. These shades have a classic look that seem to never go out of style. Each piece is hand made in Italy, making any pair a high quality pickup and fresh addition to the collection. Check out the entire spring and summer line at RetroSuperFutere. Here are some of my favorites in the collection (Top to Bottom): The New York White, Robotnik, TechnicolorAutoMan 2, Viotech Flat 1.

Keep it Fresh.

Photos courtesy of RetroSuperFuture

Chali 2na, the baritone rap phenom, releases his first solo effort, Fish Outta Water. Listening to some of the beats from this album there is definitely an influence of the Latin hip-hop sound, which is suiting due to Chali’s days as front man of Ozomatli. The track “Comin’ Thru” is definitely a Jurassic 5 inspired track and takes you back to some of their old tracks. With collaborations featuring Beenie Man and Talib Kweli, Fish Outta Water is an album to check out.

Check out the recent release of the new Vans collection designed by Eric Elms. These high-tops by Vans are one of a kind with their combination fabrics of canvas and suede. These kicks are simple yet elegant in style and feel. You can purchase these at most Vans retailers.

In honor of the country of the Philippines, Nike will release the Filipino Hyperdunk. Inspired by the Philippine’s national flag, the shoe comes in the country’s traditional colors of blue, red, and yellow.  The Filipino version of Nike Hyperdunks can be found at select Nike/House of Hoops locations as well as Blends boutiques.

Stussy recently collaborated with Freestyle Watches to produce three dope colorways in the brand’s signature Shark Classic watch. This water-proof watch features Stussy’s iconic graphic imagery placed within the face backing and the logo atop. Be on the lookout for these watches at your local Stussy chapter. For those interested in the black/pink colorway, consider yourself unlucky as these are a ZOZO store exclusive.