Sherlock Holmes [review]

This film was superb on many levels.
Guy Ritchie's directing skills are triumphant in this film depiction of Sherlock Holmes. It follows the novels/short stories extremely well. Many who follow the films of past will probably not be too satisfied with it, but according to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short stories on Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, It has done a remarkable job of painting us a picture of who they truly were imagined. As for Irene Adler's story, the movie pretty much made a sequel to the only story she shows up in, but taking her personality and Holmes' ideals of her.

The acting in this film was sensational! Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for a Golden Globe for this role (perhaps an academy award nomination is to come). He made you understand who Sherlock Holmes was written out to be - a scrutinizing man so soaked up in his work and his companion while adoring the only woman who could ever outwit him. Jude Law's Watson is the best version ever put on screen. Finally they make a point that he was a medic in Afgahn wars and was a gambler. One thing that was not pointed out was that his fiancee/wife Mary was a woman who was seriously so gorgeous and hired them formerly to help her with a case in which Watson helped her big time (and love was formed). They did however keep her personality also true to the story. As for the nemesis in the books (Moriate, he does show up but we don't get to know who he is for sure until the end of the film which smells of sequels.)

One thing that I thought was wonderful is that probably to protect a bit of RDJ's past, we don't see Sherlock doing his cocaine, morphine, and opium as he did from time to time in the stories. It was not something to focus on and I am glad it didn't come up, while we get to understand that he is a fighter, violinist, pipe smoker, and other things that were brought up often in the stories. On the other hand in telling my husband this before we saw the movie, there is a scene where it seems like Mr. Holmes is hullucinating or dreaming which my husband said, "That must be one of his trips" while watching it in the theatre. If this is true, they did an excellent job of concealing it. Afterall, I for one hate movies with drug use.

There was no nudity or vulgar/profane tongue in this film from what my memory recalls. If you saw the original trailer in May or June (whenever it came out), I am sure it led to the idea that there would be such things involved. It was so nice that the focus of the film were the characters and the breaking down of a mystery. In the original trailer there were things like Irene Adler (played very well by Rachel McAdams) in a bodice/corset and kicking Mr. Holmes in his pelvic region as well as the main characters in a boat in which Watson and Holmes are at it in discussion and she says, ""uh, they've been flirting like this for hours".". . .all of that was cut. The most nudity there is here would be of a fat old man in a copper bathtub (we don't see anything), Rachel McAdams' upper back as she takes off a garment, and Robert Downey Jr. cuffed to a bed with a pillow covering him in a sensitive area. Considering how most of Guy Ritchie's films are, it was very clean in the language department.

As for violence in the film, there are a bunch of fighting scenes but nothing shocking and gross. The most gore we get to see is shrapnel sticking out of the shoulder of Watson. If there is anything this movie has, it is loads of action.

An excellent website I check because I don't like bad language, sexual sequences, drugs, and content that ruins films for me, is Kids in mind. They explain in full detail what is in the movie for sex& violence, language, and profanity.

and yes, this was the 55th RDJ film I've seen and it is certainly one of his greatest. I rate this film 4.25 out of 5 stars!!

09

Greetings!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday!

Anyway, I think it would be great if you all send us your top lists of 09. It can be movies,books,music,events,etc. Just e-mail me at melissamanfredi@att.net. Writers, you can just post your lists of course :)

Deck The Halls

Happy Holidays everyone!

Iron Man 2 Trailer

There have been a lot of DC Comic reviews on this blog, but in our household we are Marvel fans. . .and more specifically even I am a big time Robert Downey Jr. fan. The combination of Iron Man and RDJ playing Tony Stark is just great. I have all of the Iron Man comics on my computer and read a few of them as a child (thanks to my Marvel loving brothers). Although there are some changes to the story, I can't help but love to watch Iron Man over and over (my husband is just as bad with it which is nice, and even my older son loves it - but he has more of a Spiderman fascination).

Since the start of the filming of Iron Man 2, I have made sure to keep updated with director/actor Jon Favreau's Twitter and all the news articles released. The trailer has come out!! I thought I'd share it. Let me know your thoughts (whether you know the comics or not).

Monster Squad

Now, I don't know how to review this movie without giving tons away, but I will try. Monster Squad is a the story of a young boy, Sean, who is the fearless leader of a club of boys who hang out in a tree and obsess over monsters. Well, it turns out to much of their amazement, monsters aren't just a figment of their imagination. It features all of my favorite classic horror stars such as Dracula, The Creature of the Black Lagoon, The Mummy, Wolfman, and Frankenstein's Monster. There are a lot of surprises that are unusually for these monsters. One is actually very heart warming. You will have to watch the movie to figure it out. Also, this whole thing got started because of a lost copy of Van Helsing's diary. The guy really should have kept a hold on that thing.

Rent Monster Squad on Netflix: click

For Fans Of: The Goonies, The Lost Boys, and Universal Monster Movies

Rated: PG-13 (adult content)

Romeo x Juliet - The Anime

Romeo and Juliet is one of those stories many people are drawn to. It is rare that a story does not have a happy ending. It is a story of infatuation and power and confusion.

The anime however is one I've followed for a while now. Unfortunately after the fansubs came out as the episodes were released from Japan, they asked the US to stop fansubbing and wait for the release of the anime to the States. For once we listened. Finally I am able to finish watching it. Netflix also has it available in two parts (4 disks). I have completed the first 3 disks as of yet. The great part about this version of Romeo and Juliet is that there is more of a plot line developed. There is more of a learning process about their family. There is also more time they get to spend with each other in comparison to Shakespear's quick wedded bliss of knowing one another a day. I don't know if this has a happy ending or a sad ending as we know it, but it still is very interesting. The art on the other hand is beautiful.

Although I have seen far too many anime over the years (please don't say "animes", as "anime" is plural for itself!), over the past few years I have had a hard time liking newer anime. Perhaps it is because I am one of those who speaks fondly of the anime of old, or I've just grown tired of the same old story. For once I wanted to see more than the first few episodes (lately if I watch a disk, I give up and go on to the next anime in hopes that I can enjoy the entire series). If you are into romantic tales and into classic stories retold, I recommend this anime!

Review For GLC #43

Last month's issue of the Green Lantern Corps left quite a few readers miffed. In the final pages of that issue, we saw Kyle Rayner (known by the Corps as The Torch Bearer due to his carrying the Green Lantern mantle alone during the duration of the late 90's and early 2000's prior to Geoff Johns rebooting the franchise in 2005) sacrifice himself defending the planet Oa's Central Power Battery. As it was under attack by a hefty legion of Black Lanterns, he managed to decimate a good majority of them with his final actions. The final page of the issue showed Rayner's ring flying from his finger off into space to a lay over destination. (Typically, when GL's pass, their rings immediately seek out replacement bearers. Due to the events of The Blackest Night and the Green Lantern Corps' inability to train new recruits in the face of war however, all rings from the deceased are being sent to the planet Mogo to hibernate until the crisis is over.)

In the opening pages of issue 43, we find Rayner's current flame Soranik Natu as well as best friend and GLC's very own tough skinned rebel Guy Gardner attempting to retain the ring from flying off to Mogo while simultaneously fending off an oncoming black ring from placing itself onto Kyle's lifeless hand. Natu, a surgeon on her homeworld attempts to revive the deceased while Gardner, already known throughout the Corps for not having the most level head in his earlier days, goes into a grief triggered rage. In the midst of this, Guy becomes unwillingly indoctrinated into the Red Lantern Corps and proceeds to tear apart more Black Lanterns in his rage.

The final scene in the book sees the arrival of a Star Sapphire who initiates one of the hokiest resurrections ever conceived in the history of comics.

While I've been a fan and out spoken supporter of the ongoing Blackest Night saga, I've also been able to admit that there's a high level of absurdity to the entire debacle. We're talking about undead individuals rising up and feeding off of the emotions of their loved ones before physically ripping out their hearts. The premise in itself isn't the most original, but the high end writing courtesy of both Geoff Johns in the main title as well as the GL title and Peter Tomasi in the GLC title has kept this a series to stay excited about. In GLC 43 however, Tomasi fumbles the ball big time.

What should have been a very meaningful death for a seminal character in the DCU pantheon last issue seems like it was nothing more then a cheap plot device to allow Guy Gardner the avenue to defect to another team. While I've enjoyed the color spectrum of the different Lantern Corps over the last several story lines leading up to The Blackest Night, I can't help feeling that I'm seeing something of a Power Rangers syndrome occurring ever so slightly. Even the speculation of a White Lantern showing up within this series to help tie up the resolution smacks of Saban. While I'm positive Johns in his master plan wasn't attempting to ape a Japanese derived children's show, the similarities are too up front and present to ignore. At the least, can I hope to add a Red Lantern Guy Gardner to my toy collection in the near future?

Having Kyle Rayner pass on in the line of duty was noble. His death was reminiscent of Kara Zor El (the Supergirl of Earth One)'s passing in Crisis On Infinite Earths and Connor Kent (Superboy)'s death in Infinite Crisis. Sure, the internet lit up with fans of Rayner outraged - but to be sure, his passing meant something. His return in this issue felt cheap and further emphasized the idea that this was simply a plot device for Gardner's defection. While I as a Kyle fan am quite happy to see he's now amongst the living and won't be joining the Black Lanterns, it would have been nice to leave the pot on the stove to simmer for a bit longer. In a year's time when this story arc is collected into a trade, folks reading it will find it anti-climatic and undercooked in both plot and execution.

While this particular issue isn't enough to spoil my enjoyment of the overall Blackest Night event, it certainly places a sour note into the overall pace and flow of the story. I hope Tomasi spins quite the yarn around Guy Gardner as Red Lantern considering the cheap tactics he's utilized to get the story to this particular plot point. Again with the action figure, DC Direct could just the sculpt of their previous Gardner figure and give it a new paint job to reflect his new (albeit temporary) color alliance. A mediocre story and the potential for a neat toy - I suppose the trade offs justify the means eh?

Issue Grade: C+