Sherlock Holmes

Whenever attempting to solve a murder where black magic, satanism, or the dark arts are suspected, it's best to plot out the locations of earlier slayings on a map. Now if you connect the dots, the lines will most likely form a perfect pentagram...or a pentacle for the Robert Langdon students among you. This oversight was Sherlock Holmes biggest mistake in the latest Robert Downey Jr. vehicle; though he did eventually figure it out. But beyond that eye rolling cliche, this movie was a lot better than I anticipated. It appears Guy Ritchie has given up on his stylized indie films in favor of safe, crowd-pleasing fare that the average movie goer can enjoy without the aid of subtitles. Still, you can catch glimpses of Ritchie's style in the snappy dialogue and frantic fight sequences. I've never read a Sherlock Holmes novel, nor have I seen a memorable film featuring the characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, so I can't speak to the authenticity of the material. But it all comes together rather nicely, thanks in large part to Downey's eccentric performance. It's also nice to see Jude Law in a strong supporting role as Watson. Overall, this is a good old fashioned detective story. Sure, we do get the Scooby Doo ending where Holmes explains how he figured everything out, but this is a case where the full-disclosure technique is welcome, as there's far too many loose ends to keep track of. Speaking of loose ends, the movie has a rather ambitious ending as Holmes prepares for his next case...involving Professor Moriarty. Now that's a sequel I wouldn't mind seeing.

Avatar

I wasn't completely aware of this movie until Comic Con. Sure, I knew James Cameron was the director, but I had no idea what it was about. But that massive mech-like AMP suit on the convention floor sure got my attention. Then I had the chance to see James Cameron himself, talking about the film at a panel with Peter Jackson. From that point on I took note of the steady stream of marketing, building up the hype. I even got familiar with the world of Pandora while getting an early sneak peak at the video game. It was then that I realized the scope of this film. Unlike most current movies, Avatar is an original concept. It's not based on a comic book nor is it some remake of an old movie or TV show. This is a completely new world, complete with unique flora and fauna. The movie definitely captures the sense of wonder experienced by the characters as they see this world for the first time. This is made all the more impressive by the top-notch CG "performance capture" and immersive 3D photography. But I never got the sense that the film was showboating its visuals; they were just part of the story. While the world of Pandora is truly original, the story feels a bit recycled. It's basically a sci-fi retelling of the Pochahontas/John Smith tale. The RDA (the humans) are after a rare type of mineral called Unobtainium. It just so happens that the local Na'vi tribe reside on a large deposit of this MacGuffin-like resource. Conflict ensues. The similarities between the Na'vi and Native Americans are hard to overlook. Hey, Wes Studi even plays one of the Na'vi elders. But even if the story is a bit too familiar, that doesn't make the movie any less appealing. At nearly three hours long, I was afraid this film would drag. But that wasn't the case. Cameron's pacing is nearly perfect, peppering the screen with the right mix of action, drama, and sci-fi awesomeness to keep things interesting from beginning to end. Definitely worth checking out and paying a little extra for the 3D experience.