Sherlock Holmes (no spoilers)
Merry Christmas!
A group from MyPeopleConnection joined the crowd in Westwood to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie. Several of us loved it; a few were "meh."
Think of this as an alternate history Holmes story. It's a chance to see the characters we love in what is, at heart, a very contemporary storyline. Purists, you've been warned.
The movie has us spend a good bit of time inside Holmes' head, not only following his brilliant process, but also experiencing the pain it can cause. If you're in geekdom, you have possibly met a person with a Holmesian mind; possibly you've seen that person punched in the face. Intellect does not equal judgment. I've had my all too human flesh and failings submitted to detached and scrupulously logical analysis, so I rather liked this exploration of character. I can see why some might find it boring.
I know what the Robert Downey, Jr. fans want to read about, but the really good stuff involves spoilers. Let's just say there are some nice knots in this movie. Lots of intense fight scenes, including Holmes in a reprobate phase doing some bareknuckle blood-and-bruises brawling. I'm not a Jude Law fan, particularly, but my friend who is pronounced him suitably appetizing as Dr. Watson.
I believe the more you know about Victorian London, the more you'll enjoy this movie. Our resident anachronism-spotters looked hard, but didn't find any. The two female leads are fully developed characters, believable for their time and place.
Downsides are mainly related to spoilers. Let's say there are some pacing problems and a few plot holes, but none that kept me from enjoying the movie.
Upsides: all kinds of gothy goodness in the costumes; beautiful brass, gears and tubes in the machines. Wonderful millinery. Great score. A satisfying ending that points to a sequel.
A group from MyPeopleConnection joined the crowd in Westwood to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie. Several of us loved it; a few were "meh."
Think of this as an alternate history Holmes story. It's a chance to see the characters we love in what is, at heart, a very contemporary storyline. Purists, you've been warned.
The movie has us spend a good bit of time inside Holmes' head, not only following his brilliant process, but also experiencing the pain it can cause. If you're in geekdom, you have possibly met a person with a Holmesian mind; possibly you've seen that person punched in the face. Intellect does not equal judgment. I've had my all too human flesh and failings submitted to detached and scrupulously logical analysis, so I rather liked this exploration of character. I can see why some might find it boring.
I know what the Robert Downey, Jr. fans want to read about, but the really good stuff involves spoilers. Let's just say there are some nice knots in this movie. Lots of intense fight scenes, including Holmes in a reprobate phase doing some bareknuckle blood-and-bruises brawling. I'm not a Jude Law fan, particularly, but my friend who is pronounced him suitably appetizing as Dr. Watson.
I believe the more you know about Victorian London, the more you'll enjoy this movie. Our resident anachronism-spotters looked hard, but didn't find any. The two female leads are fully developed characters, believable for their time and place.
Downsides are mainly related to spoilers. Let's say there are some pacing problems and a few plot holes, but none that kept me from enjoying the movie.
Upsides: all kinds of gothy goodness in the costumes; beautiful brass, gears and tubes in the machines. Wonderful millinery. Great score. A satisfying ending that points to a sequel.