Movies
Seen a few things the last few weeks
Sherlock Holmes
Preface: I am quite the Holmes fan. I've read all of Conan-Doyle and a few from others (Nicholas Meyer's "Seven Percent Solution" is fun -- the same Nicholas Meyer directed Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan) and have seen a good many tv/film adaptations with Jeremy Brett's BBC 80's run being the best. I have seen plays which adapted Conan-Doyle and immediately picked up that the movie "Zero Effect" was a very close adaptation of the first Holmes short story "A Scandal in Bohemia."
Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" is exactly that. Sherlock Holmes dropped into a Guy Ritchie film and the two are not as exclusive as you'd think. If you're a fan of Guy's kinetic, working class films you'll like this. If you're a Holmes fan you'll probably like this as well. While the overall plot could have used some help, Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law portrayed an excellent Holmes and Watson. Even Rachel McAdams as love interest was acceptable because her role was that of Irene Adler, the only woman Holmes ever respected. Conan-Doyle wrote Holmes not necessarily as a misogynist (though maybe) but clearly had no respect for women. In the movie Dr. Watson is getting married and his fiance, finally having her first meeting with the detective at a posh restaurant, asks Holmes (over Watson's protests) to tell her about herself. Holmes crushes her with his scrutiny causing her run off and Watson to follow. Holmes' entree is served just as they leave -- he knew he would be dining solo but it feels true to character. They avoid discussion Holmes' drug use (the seven percent solution is 7% cocaine) but they do not deny it either. Holmes is often discovered in such a state that a reference to his habit would not be out of place.
There is a story involving a dastardly plot to take over the world, magic, and Holmes coming to terms with being alone with Watson getting married. Holmes also has to expand his horizons because magic is beyond logic. The technology looks a bit steampunky but it was kept relatively toned down. At least there were no giant Wild, Wild West spiders which I feared going in. (I lie! There can never be too many Wild, Wild West steampunk spiders!) So good, not great. Story is OK. Characterization from writing and acting are both excellent.
They took a few too many liberties with Irene Adler's post "A Scandal in Bohemia" life (as everyone must to include her) but I'm always thrilled with an appearance. One last nerd note: Irene (EE-RAY-NAH) was originally the Mina Murray/Harker role in Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but even Moore thought not enough people would know her.
The Princess and the Frog
"Disney's triumphant return to 2D animation!" I had fun but lets pick on a few things. Our first Black Disney Princess spends much more screen time as a frog than as a black woman. The songs are only OK - two weeks have passed and I can not remember a single one. I still have Little Mermaid songs running around in my head. OK that's it. The rest of it is a good movie, I think if there were more memorable songs, it'd be great. The story is set in New Orleans 100 or so years ago. It's about Tiana, a girl who's dream is to fulfill her deceased father's dream of owning a great restaurant. She works very hard at this, sacrificing her social life to earn enough money. All work - no play. Charlotte, her childhood friend, dreams of marrying a prince (Tiana's mom worked for Charlotte's very rich father making dresses for Charlotte) and one day Indian Prince Naveen arrives. Naveen is all play, no work - you can see where this is going. But Naveen ends up in the machinations of Dr. Facilier who voodoo's Naveen into a frog while Naveen's disrespected and abused servant Lawrence is voodoo'ed up to become Naveen. Eventually frog Naveen escapes, meets Tiana and convinces her to kiss him which (oops!) changes her into a frog. The movie is their adventures in trying to return to human and stop Dr. Facilier and Lawrence from marrying Charlotte and killing Charlotte's dad. There is a good blend of funny, action/thriller and romance. I saw it opening day and there was a group of high-school girls who sat a few rows in front of me who giggled (appropriately) throughout.
Avatar
Somehow I now hear the Beastie Boys Sabotage whenever I see something about Avatar. "Listen All O' Y'All, This is Avatar! Listen All O' Y'All, This is Avatar!"
So believe the tech hype. Despite the commercials showing clearly computer generated beings the 3D is so well done that you don't realize they're CG anymore. I know. I was skeptic too. And while I'm not the one to go to fully critique HD, 3D, CGI I felt immersed in the world. They didn't play the "paddle ball" trick where things come out of the screen at you and thus didn't exploit the technology. James Cameron shot the film as if it was a 2D film and maybe his 3D tech was better.
The movie is two movies. Movie One is a discover the an alien world and Movie Two is an adventure movie about primitive natives fighting off invaders who want their "oil" and have modern technology. Both movies are fun if a bit simple. The "oil" is "unobtanium" which is a different unobtanium from one of my favorite bad movies, "The Core" with Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank. It is the future and all of Earth's resources are gone. Unobtanium will somehow help and this planet (moon?) is rich in the resource. The atmosphere is toxic to humans so the natives DNA has been mixed with human DNA to make a body called an Avatar that a human can put their consciousness into and thus interact with the natives. The main character, Jake Sully - played by T4's and Clash of the Titan's Sam Worthington, had a brother who was going to be an Avatar rider but was killed. Avatars cost lots so the government gets Jake to take over his contract. Jake agrees, he is former military but lost use of his legs. Once on planet, he is pulled at from the military who want Jake to do recon for them. The scientists are unwilling because they won't abide conflict between the two races. Amazingly the natives accept Jake because he is a warrior, a respected role among them, unlike the others who are all scientists. That's the setup.
None of the three are great stories but all are enjoyable.
Seen a few things the last few weeks
Sherlock Holmes
Preface: I am quite the Holmes fan. I've read all of Conan-Doyle and a few from others (Nicholas Meyer's "Seven Percent Solution" is fun -- the same Nicholas Meyer directed Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan) and have seen a good many tv/film adaptations with Jeremy Brett's BBC 80's run being the best. I have seen plays which adapted Conan-Doyle and immediately picked up that the movie "Zero Effect" was a very close adaptation of the first Holmes short story "A Scandal in Bohemia."
Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" is exactly that. Sherlock Holmes dropped into a Guy Ritchie film and the two are not as exclusive as you'd think. If you're a fan of Guy's kinetic, working class films you'll like this. If you're a Holmes fan you'll probably like this as well. While the overall plot could have used some help, Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law portrayed an excellent Holmes and Watson. Even Rachel McAdams as love interest was acceptable because her role was that of Irene Adler, the only woman Holmes ever respected. Conan-Doyle wrote Holmes not necessarily as a misogynist (though maybe) but clearly had no respect for women. In the movie Dr. Watson is getting married and his fiance, finally having her first meeting with the detective at a posh restaurant, asks Holmes (over Watson's protests) to tell her about herself. Holmes crushes her with his scrutiny causing her run off and Watson to follow. Holmes' entree is served just as they leave -- he knew he would be dining solo but it feels true to character. They avoid discussion Holmes' drug use (the seven percent solution is 7% cocaine) but they do not deny it either. Holmes is often discovered in such a state that a reference to his habit would not be out of place.
There is a story involving a dastardly plot to take over the world, magic, and Holmes coming to terms with being alone with Watson getting married. Holmes also has to expand his horizons because magic is beyond logic. The technology looks a bit steampunky but it was kept relatively toned down. At least there were no giant Wild, Wild West spiders which I feared going in. (I lie! There can never be too many Wild, Wild West steampunk spiders!) So good, not great. Story is OK. Characterization from writing and acting are both excellent.
They took a few too many liberties with Irene Adler's post "A Scandal in Bohemia" life (as everyone must to include her) but I'm always thrilled with an appearance. One last nerd note: Irene (EE-RAY-NAH) was originally the Mina Murray/Harker role in Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but even Moore thought not enough people would know her.
The Princess and the Frog
"Disney's triumphant return to 2D animation!" I had fun but lets pick on a few things. Our first Black Disney Princess spends much more screen time as a frog than as a black woman. The songs are only OK - two weeks have passed and I can not remember a single one. I still have Little Mermaid songs running around in my head. OK that's it. The rest of it is a good movie, I think if there were more memorable songs, it'd be great. The story is set in New Orleans 100 or so years ago. It's about Tiana, a girl who's dream is to fulfill her deceased father's dream of owning a great restaurant. She works very hard at this, sacrificing her social life to earn enough money. All work - no play. Charlotte, her childhood friend, dreams of marrying a prince (Tiana's mom worked for Charlotte's very rich father making dresses for Charlotte) and one day Indian Prince Naveen arrives. Naveen is all play, no work - you can see where this is going. But Naveen ends up in the machinations of Dr. Facilier who voodoo's Naveen into a frog while Naveen's disrespected and abused servant Lawrence is voodoo'ed up to become Naveen. Eventually frog Naveen escapes, meets Tiana and convinces her to kiss him which (oops!) changes her into a frog. The movie is their adventures in trying to return to human and stop Dr. Facilier and Lawrence from marrying Charlotte and killing Charlotte's dad. There is a good blend of funny, action/thriller and romance. I saw it opening day and there was a group of high-school girls who sat a few rows in front of me who giggled (appropriately) throughout.
Avatar
Somehow I now hear the Beastie Boys Sabotage whenever I see something about Avatar. "Listen All O' Y'All, This is Avatar! Listen All O' Y'All, This is Avatar!"
So believe the tech hype. Despite the commercials showing clearly computer generated beings the 3D is so well done that you don't realize they're CG anymore. I know. I was skeptic too. And while I'm not the one to go to fully critique HD, 3D, CGI I felt immersed in the world. They didn't play the "paddle ball" trick where things come out of the screen at you and thus didn't exploit the technology. James Cameron shot the film as if it was a 2D film and maybe his 3D tech was better.
The movie is two movies. Movie One is a discover the an alien world and Movie Two is an adventure movie about primitive natives fighting off invaders who want their "oil" and have modern technology. Both movies are fun if a bit simple. The "oil" is "unobtanium" which is a different unobtanium from one of my favorite bad movies, "The Core" with Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank. It is the future and all of Earth's resources are gone. Unobtanium will somehow help and this planet (moon?) is rich in the resource. The atmosphere is toxic to humans so the natives DNA has been mixed with human DNA to make a body called an Avatar that a human can put their consciousness into and thus interact with the natives. The main character, Jake Sully - played by T4's and Clash of the Titan's Sam Worthington, had a brother who was going to be an Avatar rider but was killed. Avatars cost lots so the government gets Jake to take over his contract. Jake agrees, he is former military but lost use of his legs. Once on planet, he is pulled at from the military who want Jake to do recon for them. The scientists are unwilling because they won't abide conflict between the two races. Amazingly the natives accept Jake because he is a warrior, a respected role among them, unlike the others who are all scientists. That's the setup.
None of the three are great stories but all are enjoyable.