Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011, U.S.)

I have heard a lot of people say that they liked this one better than the first one, and I have a hard time deciding whether I agree or not. I remember liking the first one a lot when I first saw it, but when I rewatched it about a week ago, I only liked it about as much as anything else. So, hard to say. Still, this movie was great.

I think I said it before, but I'll say it again. Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. have such chemistry on screen, to the point where they really don't need any leading ladies. Not in a romantic sort of way or anything, but their witty banter and physical comedy seem interrupted by a lady's presence. They're just too funny. Still, the other actors were good too. I was so excited to see Noomi Rapace out of her goth Salander gear and with a few more healthy pounds on. She made a very good gypsy. The guy who played Moriarty was also eerily good, with that nerdy, seemingly good-natured facade masking pure evil. Oh, and Stephen Fry as "Shirley's" brother = priceless!

The plot was very twisty and convoluted and involved a big conspiracy, and it was fun to watch the whole thing unwind slowly and with such Holmesian flair. I don't want to give anything away, but it was definitely big. And the ending... wow-wee! So shocking, so funny, so entertaining.

And to save my favorite guy for last: Hans Zimmer is just a musical genius, and I loved his soundtrack for this movie. It's no POTC, but it's definitely heading in that direction. His compositions were all very original sounding, but with a hint of inspiration from the plot or setting. It's hard to explain what I mean, but there were some pieces that seemed very Victorian and some that seemed very industrial, etc. The best ones, however, were the ones that were gypsy inspired, with the fiddle and all. Just perfectly done.

I would definitely watch this one again.

Rating: 4.5

Sherlock Holmes (2009, U.S.)

I loved this movie. I don't know much about Sherlock Holmes, so I don't know how true this was to the original characters. But it was wonderful on its own. Above all, it was absolutely laugh-out-loud funny. There was also an excellent mystery that had all the appearance of being rooted in fantasy but having a perfectly realistic explanation.

There was great chemistry between the cast. Robert Downey Jr. has never been my favorite, but he was great, especially with Jude Law as his sidekick. And Rachel McAdams is one of the most underrated actresses of all time. Usually her performance is really subtle, but here she was so over the top, exactly what the role called for.

I haven't seen too many films lately where the scenery or special effects really stood out, but this was definitely one. Victorian London popped off the screen like it was filmed 150 years ago and yesterday all at once.

Hans Zimmer = brilliant composer. Enough said.

Loved it!

Rating: 4.5

RocknRolla (2008, UK)

I don't know why I insist on continuing to watch British crime comedies when I rarely end up liking them. Oh way, yes I do. Snatch—Brad Pitt. Layer Cake—Daniel Craig. RocknRolla—Gerard Butler. I'm a sucker for those British men, even if the movie isn't my favorite genre.

I can see why people who like this type of film would like it. It had some pretty extreme shoot outs and disgusting intimations of violence (such as dipping people in pools of man-eating crawfish). There were also some pretty funny lines, but not really my kind of funny.

Mostly I spent the whole movie confused about who was doing what and why, and whose relationships were what and why... and, of course, how sexy Gerard Butler is, even as a gangster!

Even though I'm giving it the same rating as Snatch, I believe I liked it quite a bit more. The twist at the end was especially awesome.

Rating: 2.5

Snatch. (2000, UK)

I watched this movie because Brad Pitt is in it. I had absolutely no idea what it was about before I watched it, and I was a bit shocked. Essentially, it's one big heist film. There's a diamond, and there are a bunch of different people who want it. Insert varying amounts of comedy and drama, much intrigue and plotting, and general randomness.

I kind of liked it. It was quite complex and well-planned. On the other hand, the violence was just a bit too much for me, as is often the case. However, if you like violent flicks about crime with more than a touch of comedy, this is definitely a good one to see. I can recognize that it is great for what it is.

Rating: 2.5