REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes
-PG-13-
release December 25, 2009


Films now a days have a realer feel to them because of all the hard work that goes into the design and research of what the time was really like.


This film only enhanced the realism of the time Sherlock Holmes lived.


Of course, Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character, inspired by the creator, Arthur Conan Doyle's friend Joseph Bell.
Each story created gives more detail of the life of Sherlock Holmes.  Written from Watson, Holmes devoted sidekick's perspective we learn more and more about what it is like to be Sherlock Holmes.  


Only in this new vision of Sherlock Holmes do we see the life that Watson saw.  Holmes is a visionary, but some times when great men like this are inspired they take food and other necessities of life for granted until they achieve what they desire.  Read up on the original ideas from Doyle at this site.  What I love most about this film is that Holmes is not depicted as this 'put-together' guy, who I grew up with.  He has those flaws were he neglects his hygiene and refuse to go out of the house, scaring the housekeeper/landlady while working on a hand pistol (silencer).  Yet he is a man and as most men's weakness comes down to loving a woman who uses him.  Rachel Adams plays Irene Adler, Holmes love interest.  The one person who will destroy him by weakening his mind.


The antagonist, Lord Blackwood, played by Mark Strong (Stardust), who deceives to show that he is magically powerful, transforms himself into an evil man.  Fear is one of the worst possible ways to rule over someone.  Strong is amazing in his ability to secure the evilness of playing a role that will strike fear into your soul.


Holmes has a sidekick, a doctor who lives with him.  But in this film Watson is on the verge of getting married, forcing a wedge between Watson and Holmes.  Although this wedge becomes a new link to make the chain of relationships stronger for Watson and Holmes.  One new aspect I love about this depiction of the timeless story, is that Watson is portrayed as a strong sidekick who can fight.  With his background in the military, Watson is opposite of Holmes.  He is clean-cut and the strong link in the relationship, always taking care of Holmes' needs.  What's great is that this film proves that opposites attract.  Only that they work well together as a team. They depend upon each other.  They are  yin and yang.

Holmes, played by Robert Downey Jr., has proved that he can conquer any role he is given with outstanding ability.  He immerses himself into this role with a fervor that I admire.  Wow!


Watson, played by Jude Law, is also amazing.  He plays a sidekick, yet stands on his own when on screen.  It's like there are two protagonists instead of only one.


The strength of these two men only add to the timeless relationship that was created by Watson and Holmes in the written word.  What a masterful piece of film making.  As seen below, Downey and Law carry each other and yet their juxtaposition only adds to the beauty of the film.

This film will keep you on the edge of your seat with all the action, or it will have you pushing against the back of the seat with some of the action's intensity.  You will enjoy this film for ages and I hope there will be another to follow... At least that's how the movie was left open to at the end of the movie!

REVIEW: Invictus

Invictus
-PG-13-
released December 11, 2009


Inspired by the true story of Nelson Mandella's election as president of South Africa in 1994.  After being released from prison in 1990, Mandella, played by Morgan Freeman,  works to bring down the apartheid.  Being a black president after the apartheid has many problems.  It is Mandella's leadership and inspiration which brings the country from chaos and segregation to a unified nation.  He does it through the Rugby team.  Like Mandella the team is predicted to never make it, not even to the World Cup.  Mandella works with the captain of the Rugby team, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon's character).


Inspiring a nation takes many hearts to be turned to work together.  Struggle in the face of failure can lead to an amazing victory or the worst failure.  Faith is the key in this story.  Faith that those hearts will turn.  Faith that a nation will come together.  Faith in a nation needing the change.


The title of the movie is the title of a poem that Nelson Mandella used as his personal inspiration while in prison.


INVICTUS
by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

The last two lines are the main lines used in the film.  Really inspiring and wonderful!

Please watch this film!  It will inspire you to keep going and never give up on what is right!

REVIEW: Leap Year

Leap Year
-PG-
released January 8, 2010


On February 29 there is a tradition in Ireland that women can propose to men.  So Anna, Amy Adams' character decides to follow her 4 year boyfriend to his medical conference in Dublin, Ireland to propose to him on Leap Day...
Unfortunately her plans to get to Dublin are accompanied by many set backs.  In the process of getting to Ireland she meets Declan, Matthew Goode's character, who promises to help her get to Dublin.  


This film reminded me a another film Matthew Goode was in called Chasing Liberty.  In both films he treks across countries in Europe helping lost women to find themselves. It also reminds me of the film French Kiss.


Leap Year is clean and funny.  Amy Adams is so cute in the movie.  She plays a desperate woman who wants to take that next step in her relationship and risks everything to get to her boyfriend, only finding that what she really wants is someone totally different.  Matthew Goode plays the type of man who we all wish would come to our rescue and save us from ourselves.  The chemistry between the two actors is amazing & believable.  It's heartwarming and will keep you entertained till the very end.

REVIEW: The Princess and the Frog

The Princess and the Frog
-PG-
released December 11, 2009


What a classic story.  


As a kid I grew up loving all the Disney animated classics.  Then the studio started with The Little Mermaid in 1990 and then each year after that a new animated film followed.  Each story came from our world history and the fairy tales we grew up with.  But to keep them at lower ratings, the stories have been altered.  The same is true in this instance.  Some might say that the changes are inappropriate.  Controversy was thick with this new feature.  This is the first time in history where the heroin is black.  


Set in New Orleans in 1912, Tiana (our heroin), voiced by Anika Noni Rose, a hard working young woman who has a dream of owning her own restaurant, in honor of her father. 
Meeting Prince Naveen, voiced by Bruno Campos, Tiana is asked to kiss him after he had been turned into a frog by an evil witch doctor.  Unfortunately Tiana is not a princess and the story takes an awkward turn as Tiana is also turned into a frog.  

This bi-racial relationship is forgotten as they are forced to face a trial that they both need to overcome.  Coming from different backgrounds, they learn to live with each other and that develops into love.  With colorful animal sidekicks who talk (a Disney favorite) this film will keep you laughing till the very end.  And the controversy of the racial differences should show us all how far we've come instead of looking at how hard it was.  Look to the future and keep moving forward. (The theme from the movie Meet the Robinsons)

REVIEW: Avatar

Avatar
-PG-13-
released December 18, 2009


This is the year for 3D movies.  So many movies have been 3D.  I hate wearing the glasses cause they squish my head, so I went to see this movie non-3D.  It was amazing.  I loved it so much that I went back a couple of days later to see it in 3D.  It was just as good.  The story and the vision was beautiful!!!!  WOW!!!  After the first 5 minutes of the movie I knew I would own it right when it came out.


I love to know how movies are made, so I went to the official website for Avatar and learned how this incredible vision came to life.  James Cameron created a camera that is meant to film in 3D.
How many people make their opinions of movies before they know all the details of it.  I have heard some say that they weren't all that impressed with the animation/CG elements in it.  Visit the site and see how involved the actors had to be to film this film.  


James Cameron, the director and the writer, dreamed of this vision before he made the motion picture, Titanic, but the technology at the time was not where he needed it to even try to make this film.  

The colors in this film were wonderful.  These are just a few pictures that show a glimpse of how extraordinary it truly is.   This movie is the reason why I love movies.  I am so glad that there are creative people in this world.  Thanks to James Cameron for sharing his vision with the world... 

REVIEW: Everybody's Fine

Everybody's Fine
-Pg-13-
released December 4, 2009


A movie about a family who have lost their keystone (their mother) only months before.  She was the confidant to all.  So This movie starts out with Frank Goode, Robert De Niro's character, cleaning up his home, bringing out the grill & buying wine for his kids (which was one of the funniest scenes, where he talks to one of the grocery store employees about buying wine for his kids... watch this trailer to see it!)
The trailer makes it seem more of a comedy than what it really is.  Be prepared to cry.  It is an emotional movie.  


I liked it a lot.  It was hard to see Frank go through so much to travel to see all of his kids.  I won't give away anything, but please keep an open mind to the variety of different lives in this movie.  


Families are important.  When you loose a family members, it should bring you closer together.  Don't let it put a wedge in your family.  


On a side note- it was weird to see Drew Barrymore and Sam Rockwell as brother and sister when they hooked up in Charlie's Angels.

REVIEW: Planet 51

Planet 51
-PG-
released November 20, 2009


An interesting story with humans being the aliens to those who live on, what we call "Planet 51".


Click on the title to a link with a detailed explanation of the film.


I liked it, but it made the human astronaut look incompetent and that our future with first contact of an alien species will be met with someone who got the job because of his looks and nothing else.  It was very disheartening.  


I did enjoy the flow of the film and the personalities of the main characters.  
It was interesting how the planet is based in a time that is similar to our 1950s.  The fact that they have the technology to have floating cars makes me wonder, but every species evolves in different ways.  


I loved their circular designs for everything on their planet.  I would love a house like that.  The burgers on the grill are floating.  Another thing is that it rains rocks instead of rain.  Interesting.  


Watch it at least once with the kids and they will get a kick out of it.  It would be a great teaching tool for anyone to not be so prejudice of anyone we don't understand.  They may become a better friend to you than anyone of your own race/species.