Double Feature Duel (Rd3): Midnight in Paris vs. Sherlock Holmes 2

Double Feature Duel (Rd3):
Midnight in Paris vs. Sherlock Holmes 2 

Not since the first scored matchup has there been a Sweet 16 matchup with as high a combined Bug Score (17.5). For whatever that’s worth.

Title: I’m sticking with my rule of 5. SH2:AGOS is a marquee changers nightmare. (Point, Midnight 1-0)

Funnier: Whoa! Tough one. The ridiculousness of Adrian Brody playing Dali is one type of humor, but Robert Downey Jr is another. Actually, this isn’t a tough one. Sorry for misleading you. (Point, Sherlock 1-1)

Better Turn: I didn’t see it coming. Which is good enough for a point in a game that doesn’t matter. (Point, Midnight 2-1)

Better Ending: This really is a tough one for real. Well, no it’s not. (Point, Sherlock 2-2)

Better Message: In lieu of the better ending, I’ll wrap it up in the better message category. Because it deserves some recognition in this game that doesn’t matter. (Point, Midnight 3-2)

Better Acting: Rachel McAdams cancels herself out. Taking the lowest common denominator, that pits Jude Law and Downey Jr. against Owen Wilson and a bunch of kinda famous other people. Tiebreaker: Owen Wilson. And not in a good way. (Point, Sherlock 3-3)

More Creative: It’s getting tight! And though I’d give SH2 the “fun” award, I’ll have to go to Woody Allen for the Creativity category. (Point, Midnight 4-3)

Poster: Sherlock just doesn’t have a lot going for it. It was a good run. You’d have probably beat Super 8. (Point, Midnight 5-3)

Watch again: I’ll throw Sherlock a garbage point just out of respect. (Point, Sherlock 5-4)

Overall: Well, you weren’t able to take home any Oscars, but you made it to the Elite 8 in a game that doesn’t matter. How does that make you feel? Winner: Midnight in Paris (5-4)

Double Feature Duel (Rd2): Sherlock Holmes 2 vs. Monster

Double Feature Duel (Rd2):
Sherlock Holmes 2 vs. Monster 

Two 9-buggers meet in the last of the second round matchups. And these movies don’t have a lot of crossover.

Title: I err on the side of the one-word titles. Besides, the full title of Sherlock breaks the 7-word rule. (Point, Monster 0-1)

Funnier: What’s not funny about sexual assault and murder? (Point, Sherlock 1-1)

Better Turn: Not only is it dramatic, but it gets us to a place of understanding. (Point, Monster 1-2)

Better Ending: I do love the truth behind the end of Monster and the completion of the character, but Sherlock’s question mark was too funny. (Point, Sherlock 2-2)

Better Message: Not a lot of movies can get you to understand a serial killer. Especially not one from real life. (Point, Monster 2-3)

Better Acting: Love Downey and Law, but not even close. (Point, Monster 2-4)

More Creative: Guy Ritchie has fun with this one. (Point, Sherlock 3-4)

Poster: I think Monster may have actually been trying to look like it was made in the 80s or early 90s when the story took place. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. (Point, Sherlock 4-4)

Watch again: I do love Monster and I put the documentary about the actual serial killer on my Netflix list, but Sherlock was too fun. (Point, Sherlock 5-4)

Overall: What a comeback! Downey Jr. takes the last spot in Sweet 16. And now the matches actually get easier. Winner: Sherlock Holmes 2 (5-4)

Review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Finally, somebody remembered how to make an action movie. And even more impressive, somebody reached deep down into the vault to manage a sequel. Discounting Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings as they fly too close to the sun to qualify for as an action movie as I define the genre, you have to go back a ways to find a franchise willing to put this much effort into a sequel. Most take the road of Lethal Weapon and Die Hard and sloppily chop together scenes of the main characters in front of a green screen of massive explosions and catch phrases. This was a throwback to the days of Back to the Future and Indiana Jones. And say what you want about the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but the movie didn’t lack for effort. It’s just hard to build a sandcastle without water. Or sand.

In A Game of Shadows, Robert Downey Jr. plays the same character he always plays, but we like it and he does it well. And the refreshing interplay with Jude Law is what successfully adds the element of buddy comedy, pushing it past most other attempts at action movies. But it took the action sequences seriously, whereas the Lethal Weapon 2, 3 and 4 storyboards were written on napkins with the words “Joe Pesci,” “Renee Russo” and “Chris Rock” scribbled on them. A Game of Shadows trusted the action sequences and the strength of the main characters to drive the ship. They barely even needed to rely on Rachel McAdams to sell tickets.

The foundation of this film, however, lies in the action sequences and the creative ways in which they are approached. Holmes’ observation of the world around him yields way to either flashbacks of things that happened or flashforwards to things that will, like a really high-budget episode of Psych. It is shot with slow motion and close-ups that enhance the action without being annoying or gratuitous – well, maybe a little gratuitous. The story was tough to keep up with, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the film. I didn’t get The Big Lebowski the first time through either.

The action may be the foundation, but Downey Jr. is the meat and/or potatoes of the film. I’m willing to bet his MMA, drag queen version of Holmes isn’t Doyle’s original concept of the character, but it made for good cinema. This is more than I can say for J Edgar, which was hampered by the need to stay true to a character. And yes, I realize he is an actual person. Despite the lack of obedience to the original character, I thoroughly enjoyed A Game of Shadows. And isn’t that the point? 9 bugs.