Sherlock Holmes

This is not your grandfather's Sherlock Holmes, but that's not what's going to put people in the seats. Guy Ritchie understands that as he attempts to revamp the series into an action blockbuster.

Holmes is a man of deductive reasoning, so it stands to reason that this may be a movie which blurs the line of suspense/mystery and action blockbuster. But in an age where Michael Bay is allowed to make movies the traits of the blockbuster will always win out.

Ritchie uses the same techniques he has always used in his movies, the quick cuts and intense fight scenes. But in a series like this where most of the audience already have an idea of what Sherlock Holmes is all about, it doesn't really work.

The plot isn't all that important to the enjoyment of the movie. It has secret societies, ritual sacrifices, and the use of black magic. Its all big picture stuff, the five writers who worked on the screenplay don't pay attention to any of the important details in order to keep the audience hooked. Rather they add some details to a couple of the scenes to make Holmes look like a genius later. But the whole movie is so overcrowded with objects to make it look like a period piece, many in the audience just won't be that invested. And this is all just little fluff pieces until they can get back to the ass kicking.

What makes this movie special in any kind of way is the cast. Robert Downey Jr. takes what is given to him and really makes it his own. It becomes enjoyable to watch Downey interact with the world around him. The subtle face tweaks and quirks he adds to a character which seems to have too much brawn is what helped to resurrect his career.

Jude Law is not what you would expect out of a Watson but who cares. Law does better when acting in period pieces anyway, so why not enjoy it. He proves equal to Downey's skill and the interaction between the two is a wonderful bromance with adorable flirtations throughout the movie. Holmes' jealousy of Watson's fiance adds to the tension between the two, as you know its these two that belong together.

Rachel McAdams is hot.

Eddie Marsan also does admirably as the chief investigator for Scotland Yard and also shares some great chemistry with Downey. Mark Strong looks more like an over-sized version of Andy Garcia but doesn't take anything away from the cast. It's too bad you couldn't put this cast into a project with a little more heart, that could really be something.

The franchise has been left open for a sequel as, similar to the Batman series, fans of Sherlock Holmes realize that the hero's greatest adversary, Professor Moriarty, was not the primary villain. But this movie lacks the substance for anyone seeing it opening weekend to suggest it to friends with so many other options during the holiday season. This franchise may just be left on the shelves right next to The Golden Compass. C+

Avatar

Want to see what a quarter-of-a-billion-dollars looks like? The King-of-the-World has created a new domain to rule.
One of the most successful director's of our time, he is responsible for blockbusters like Terminator, Titanic and Aquaman his newest conquest takes place years in the future with a group of natives in the way of a precious mineral. Many have declared that Cameron's new world seen in Avatar will revolutionize the way movies are made. And at first look the movie definitely has the qualities to revolutionize Hollywood.
This first half of this movie is made to be seen on IMAX with beautiful landscapes and wonderful colors, the screen lights up. Creating such a wonderfully vivid world with creative inhabitants is definitely what Cameron gets off to and what comes out is a beautiful explosion of florescent color or at least thats how i imagine it.
Cameron wants us to connect with the environment around him and has nothing but money to burn so he spends most of the first act exploring it. And while visually stunning it takes a while to progress to any kind of story.
The story is certainly nothing special with blatant references to recent American wars and environmental issues. The story is your typical cowboy and Indian plot line that takes place in the year 2154.
The characters are also rather simplistic, not that there is anything wrong with that. It allows the audience to easily connect to the lead character Jake Sully as he decides which side is really worth fighting for. Colonel Miles Quartich played by Stephen Lang is also rather simplistic and formulaic. But that doesn't make him any less fun to watch as his character doesn't have time to feel pain he has asses to kick and inhabitants to displace. Then there is Sigourney Weaver who more or less reprises her role as Dr. Ellen Ripley.
The end battle in the movie is epic with explosions everywhere. Its everything you were waiting for and its all done right.
Many of the theaters show the movie in 3D as well as 2D. And while normally I hate this type of production Cameron never breaks the fourth wall in a way to shock the audience as most movies which use this technique do. The use of 3D is there merely to enhance the scenery.
This movie is revolutionary and visually it has set the bar for generations to come. Hollywood will only benefit from its creation, but the story has been done better before and without quite the price tag. B

Up in the Air

There is no question that George Clooney's star is among one of the brightest in Hollywood, his new movie Up in the Air shows how bright it can be.

Jason Reitman began writing this script in 2002. It was supposed to be his directorial debut, but then the opportunity to direct Thank you for Smoking and Juno came along so he put the project on hold. Then you know how the story went: housing market tanked, banks became bankrupt, and joblessness flew higher than ever. All of a sudden this movie became topical and hit at the right moment.

BRIEF SPOILER (more like an introductory summary) ALERT
Clooney's character Ryan Bingham has what would seem like the unsavory job of firing people, he is brought in when the managers don't have the sack to do it themselves. His character may or may not enjoy his work but he is good at it and he loves the perks. The perks being frequent flier miles, and elite customer service by the hotel staff and car rentals he does business with. His life on the road is in jeopardy when a young upstart reduces the amount of travel by having the firings take place over the web (think skype with nothing but bad news).
FIN

Clooney turns on the charm as only he can, any other actor playing the lead character Ryan Bingham may have ruined the movie. He makes a ruthless terminator which has severed all human connections seem endearing. The character is slick and witty, everything the aspiring business executive would want to be.

There to challenge Bingham's lifestyle is love interest Alex Goran, played by Vera Farminga, and young upstart Natalie Keener, played by Anna Kendrick. Alex is more or less Bingham with a vagina. They are turned on by elite status and revel in their lifestyle on the road. Farminga goes toe to toe with Clooney and comes out a winner. Most actresses and actors alike may become intimidated, she responds to it. Farminga shows just as much class and wit as Clooney does. She has shown her ability to interact with top names before (such as DiCaprio and Damon, in the same movie) and i hope it is seen that she is not just a character actor, she's a movie star.

Natalie is a younger version of Ryan Bingham, while she may have qualms with the type of work she is doing she wants nothing more than please her boss, played by Jason Bateman. Bateman preforms outstandingly in an ensemble role as would be expected (Jason, please stay away from roles where you're asked to shoulder all the weight like the abysmal comedy Extract, thank you.) Kendrick can make you want to kick her in the face and comfort her all within 10 minutes. Truly showing powerful range, her performance steals the show away from Clooney at certain points in the movie.

The dialogue is quick and witty, only accentuated by the perfect casting of the movie. One of the most powerful bits of scripted dialogue comes when the three main characters share their views on life, love, and business. The other moments that prove gut-wrenching is when the people are actually being fired. Rather then cast actors, besides a few notables, Reitman decides instead to cast people in St. Louis and Detroit who have actually lost their jobs.

The movie takes a turn with the tone in the third act emotionally losing a bit of its biting satirical wit for something softer. This may lose some people in the audience but here is where I really connected with the character. The message of the movie may be laid on a little thick but it doesn't take away from its strength.

Up in the Air does everything right, from the writing, to the casting, to the music selection. This movie is going to hit close to home for a lot of people right now. If people in Hollywood could churn out more movies like this there would be a lot more job security in the studios. A-