Best of the Year - Patrick's Picks

 by Patrick Gibbs
In terms of sheer volume, I may have seen more films this year than any other, and while as previously displayed, some of them were really terrible, and of course many were just kind of there (and here I am thinking of The Iron Lady), there were some truly terrific movie going experiences to be had. I've actually left  a number of my top movie going experiences of the year off the list, simply because they were re-releases, but I can't look back on the time I spent in a darkened theater in 2011 without thinking of Ghostsbusters, The Lion King, and most of all the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy.
But now, onto the great films of this year: 
1. (tie) War Horse and Hugo

 I have not had trouble choosing a clear standout best film of the year since 2000, when Gladiator, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and O Brother Where Art Thou? were all vying for the top spot, but this year, I couldn't choose between these two. It seems like such an obvious choice to go for the Spielberg and Scorsese films, but for me it is the only choice. War Horse is genuinely one of Spielberg’s best films, beautifully photographed, emotionally involving and perfectly paced. In addition, it features a steady stream of moving, wonderfully understated performances by a talented cast, and the best very best of all come from the horses themselves. This is a genuinely perfect movie that harkens back to the days of the great Hollywood epics, and is something to be celebrated.

When I first saw Hugo, I heard people saying it was nothing you'd expect from Martin Scorsese. I would argue that anyone who says that doesn't really know who Scorsese is as an artist or as a person. This is the quintessential Scorsese film, a masterful work of art that stands as a stunning tribute to the medium of film from one of it's greatest contributors. “Have you ever wondered where your dreams come from? This is where they are made.” I could not agree more.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The Harry Potter series is more than just movies or books to me – it's an entire magical world all it's own, and it has been my privilege to get to spend time there. Harry and company have been there with me through many of the biggest ups and downs of my life, and I weep openly every time I watch this film. Seeing the series come to an end at last was probably the single most defining moment of the year for me, and it's something I am still processing.




3. Rise of The Planet Of The Apes

 “Apes alone weak. Apes together . . . strong.”

Andy Serkiss gives hands down the most mesmerizing performance of the year as Caesar, the William Wallace of the primate family, in a rare movie that surpasses all expectations. Thoughtful, emotional, suspenseful, and ultimately inspiring, this is a far cry from Tim Burton's insipid remake earlier this decade. Director Rupert Wyatt deserves major kudos for letting the apes be the main characters and forcing the humans to take a back seat, and rarely has more been expressed though facial expression and body language. Quite possibly the riskiest movie of the year, in that much of what is seen here could have produced laughs if not pulled off perfectly, but even as I watched it for the first time in an audience made up entirely of cynical film critics that are hard to impress, the sequence wherein Tom Felton renders unto Caesar the most iconic line from the Planet of the Apes series, and Caesar actually speaks back, the only reaction to what by all rights should have been a cheesy moment was an audible gasp going through group and at least one “whoa.” Why? Because this was a movie that dared to say good enough isn't good enough, and just because this is popcorn entertainment doesn't mean it shouldn't be truly great.

4. (tie) Moneyball and The Muppets

 In a year when I found myself doing a lot of soul searching, two movies stood out to me and said “Hey, the main character in this film – that's you.” Those character are Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt), the general manager of a baseball team who is in a desperate search for an elusive feeling of accomplishment and meaning, and Walter, an aspiring Muppet who does not quite fit in anywhere, but deep down just wants to be a part of the thing he loves most. There are many other reasons to love these two films, but the fact that they both spoke to me on a uniquely personal level and are so insightful that I often still find them running through my head at night gives them a special place on my list.

5. The Adventures of Tintin

A rousing and thoroughly enjoyable adventure from beginning to end, that recalls the best of Indiana Jones, James Bond and Alfred Hitchcock. As a fan of Hergé's creation since childhood, I found this movie to be a sheer joy. This is everything I expect from a collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, and after being so dismally disappointed by their first teaming, 2009's The Lovely Bones, this was a great Christmas gift.

6. The Conspirator

 Robert Redford managed to make a far better film about the pitfalls of the war on terror, and the division of political ideologies that can threaten a nation, with this post Civil War true story than he did with the unfocused, meandering Iraq war diatribe Lions For Lambs. This truly an unforgettable, and deeply disturbing film, and one that everyone should see.

 7. SUPER 8

J.J. Abrams salute to the golden age of Spielberg, aliens, and adolescence, is a terrific thrill ride that is also filled with heart. The young ensemble gives some of the most sincere and believable performances of the year, and for those of us who were spending are Junior High years running around with a camera, this is a movie that resonates in an exciting and heartfelt way.  

8. The Artist

 

The silent film era is recaptured flawlessly by director Michel Hazanavicius, in a movie that is filled with great acting, a gorgeous musical score, and a fascinating melding of joy and melancholy that will stay with you for some time. Stars Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo shine as brightly as any of the old Hollywood legends (in particular, a moment where Bejo uses a tuxedo jacket and her own arm to create a person to hold her in his arms, is breathtaking.). The simplicity of this movie is major part of it's charm, and those who complain that it does not have enough plot are missing the point entirely.

9. The Help

Brilliant acting and touching human drama combine in a story that could have been manipulative and maudlin, but is instead is sincere and utterly profound. A movie that fills you with joy and a sense of outrage at the same time, but ultimately leaves you feeling hopeful. I have to wonder how many people watched this film and were appalled at the treatment of black people in the south decades ago but are clueless as their own part in discrimination today.

10. Coriolanus

Ralph Fiennes directs and stars as Caius Martius Coriolanus in this big screen adaptation of a play that was, and I cannot emphasize this enough, not written by Edward De Vere, damn it. The best Shakespeare film I've seen in a decade and a half, and easily the best modernized incarnation, this is a passionate and unflinching piece of storytelling. The choice by Fiennes and screenwriter John Logan of a modern setting for this tale of war and political intrigue in ancient Rome is no mere gimmick – it's a motivated choice that brings a timely resonance to a timeless tale. The stellar cast includes Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox, 2011's most impressive newcomer, Jessica Chastain (The Help, The Debt) and a surprisingly low key and nuanced Gerard Butler, who is allowed to keep both his shirt and his accent, and as a result, actually acts for the first time in years, and does so very well. Fiennes promises to be a very interesting director, and let's hope this isn't his last foray into adapting Shakespeare.

Honorable Mentions: (in random order)  Winnie The Pooh, Midnight in Paris, Kung Fu Panda 2, X-Men: First Class, Captain America, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and Thor.

Best of 2011 - Paul's Picks

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   1. War Horse
   Steven Spielberg's beautifully executed, sentimental, emotional drama was was easily the film which most captivated me in 2011.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese's exquisite love letter to film was an absolute joy. While in many ways a complete departure from what we expect from Scorsese, I consider this one of his most personal works.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. The Adventures of Tintin
   Spielberg's other film, a collaboration with Peter Jackson, was the most pure fun I had with a movie in 2011.
   
   
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Conspirator
   Robert Redford's welcome return to form after the disappointing political science lecture that was Lions For Lambs was, in my opinion, the most under appreciated film of 2011. Extremely compelling.
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
   The soulful, dramatic first half of the finale was concluded with a bang, in an action-packed and emotionally satisfying climax fitting for one of the great franchises of our time. I'm going to miss this series a lot.
   
   
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   6. The Muppets
   Hilarious, emotional, and utterly true to the spirit of the beloved characters.
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Super 8
   J.J. Abrams ode to 70s and 80's Spielbergian sci-fi was sheer magic, especially for those of us who spent out childhood making movies.
   
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
   Without a doubt the biggest and best surprise of 2011. I never predicted that this would be anywhere near as compelling and satisfying as it was.
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. The Artist
    Michel Hazanavicius delivers a unique, delightful (mostly) silent movie that utterly mesmerizes its audience.
   
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne's drama is heartbreaking, sometimes uplifting, sometimes funny, and always compelling. George Clooney gives not only the performance of his career, but one of the most touching and expressive I've ever seen.
    
    
    

    

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    11. Moneyball 
    Bennett Miller's drama/comedy is brilliant, insightful and witty, even if (like me) you care nothing about baseball.   The fact that I found a story about baseball so much more compelling than biographies of J. Edgar Hoover or Margaret Thatcher perfectly illustrates that sometimes how you tell the story is more important than the story itself.
    
    
    
    
    Runners-Up: (In no particular order) Moneyball, Midnight in Paris, Winnie-the-Pooh, Captain America: The First Avenger, Contagion, Coriolanus, Arthur Christmas, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, The Help, Kung Fu Panda 2

THE 10 WORST FILMS OF 2011

By Patrick Gibbs

According to some, the Mayan calender tells us that the world will end in 2012. This is actually not the case – the calender merely starts over at the beginning in 2012. But if the following big screen offerings from Hollywood are any indication of the kind of the entertainment we have to look forward to, maybe the end of the world wouldn't be such a bad thing.  

1. RED RIDING HOOD

 "My, what a big BLANK you have.”

“All the better to BLANK you with, my dear!”

Okay, so that line isn't actually in the movie. But it might as well have been.

Do you read a lot of Harlequin romance novels? Have you ever watched a production of The Crucible and thought “Why can't John Proctor have hair like Edward?" Did you really enjoy M. Night Shyamalan's The Village? If so, you need serious professional help. Even worse, you're right in the target audience for this painfully bad take on the classic children's story. In a small, isolated hamlet, a teenaged girl named Valerie (Amanda Seyfried), is given a red cape and hood by her grandmother, because otherwise the film would have no title. Seyfried does her best to live up to her reputation as a bad movie icon, particularly when, in order to get a boy's attention during a dance in the town square, she starts bumping and grinding with her best gal pal as alternative rock plays in the background, in a scene that is equally and laughably out of place whether this is a retelling of a kiddie story or a Gothic horror tale.  

The plot, such as it is, begins when Valerie's sister is killed in a werewolf attack.  Soon, another person is killed.  This wolf could be anyone in the village – and whoever it is, it's stalking our heroine. But the right good werewolf hunter, Solomon (played Gary Oldman, who manages to overact and phone it in at the same time) will get to the bottom of this, even if he has to put everyone in town into his traveling torture device, a steal statue of an elephant that seems have a sauna inside it.  

But who is the wolf? Could it be Peter (some disposable Ken Doll who's name I flat out refuse to look up), the town bad boy who has been Valerie's childhood sweetheart? Peter seems to pull a Clark Kent whenever the wolf shows up. But no, it can't be Peter. He's so hot. Although . . . when he is about to make love to Valerie, he does say “I could just eat you up.” A clue, perhaps? (plus, his name is “Peter.” As in Peter and the Wolf. Get it? It's so subtle.). Then again, it could be Grandmother herself (Julie Christie.). That would be a twist, wouldn't it? Or it could it be someone who was in Twilight and otherwise has no reason whatsoever to be in the film? The only real mystery here is how this atrocity ever got made. 

2. THE THREE MUSKETEERS

I know that when I think of Dumas, I think of humongous airships loaded down with Gatling guns. Director Paul W.S. Anderson, who gave us the Resident Evil series (and chronic migraines), teams once again with his wife, Milla Jovovich, to create this brilliant and creative new take on the material, by which I mean adding a D after the word “Three.” Anderson went to great pains to create spectacular visual effects, but unfortunately, what he did not do was read the book. In fact, at press time, it is unclear whether he has ever read any book. The result: this isn't just a bad film - it is a glorious, mesmerizing bad film, the kind that can be more entertaining than many, far, far better films precisely because it is so unabashedly stupid. The way to enjoy this is to see it with friends and see who laughs the hardest, especially whenever Orlando Bloom is on screen.

3. TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

When Megan Fox got herself fired from this franchise by comparing director Michael Bay to Hitler, the celebrated filmmaker conducted an exhaustive search through the Victoria's Secret catalog to find another actress of her caliber. And as amazing it sounds, he actually failed. But don't worry. There's more to this movie than meets the eye. Bay has pulled out all the stops on this one, and there is nothing he is not willing to try. Can't get Christopher Walken? Hire John Malkovich and pay him to do a bad impression of Walken. Exploding robots and gratuitous butt close ups of super models doesn't do it for you? How about shrill, over the top comedy sequences that seem to last 48 minutes each and go absolutely nowhere? Tired of seeing Shia LaBeouf do the same old thing? Well, what if he did the same old thing, but with an annoying, frenetic energy that suggests he was hopped up on enough caffeine to keep India awake for a year?

Naturally, a movie this utterly devoid of charm and any real merit was a monster hit at the box office, raking in well over $300 million, and the latest polls indicate that it is leading in Iowa. When H.L. Mencken said “nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public,” he may not have realized that he was prophesying the idea of movies based on Hasbro toys, but I still salute him for his keen foresight, and congratulate him on dying long before before being forced to sit through any of them.

4. GREEN LANTERN

According to recent estimates, there is a comic book based movie released every 12.8 seconds. In a year that was packed full of surprisingly good ones (Captain America, Thor, and even a triumphant return to form for the floundering X-Men franchise), Warner Bros. and DC Comics decided it was time that we saw a comic book movie that combined all of the worst elements of Daredevil and Howard the Duck. The multi talented Ryan Reynolds shows incredible range – he can self consciously smirk out his dialogue with or without his shirt on. Woefully miscast in a role that was then tailored to be the same character he plays in each and every one of his craptacular films, it must be said that Reynolds is probably the best part of this movie, but that's kind of like saying that the best part of bronchitis is when you finally start coughing up large wads of gray phlegm. Director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, The Mask of Zorro) has given us ample reason to expect better, though in retrospect, an action director known for his spectacular, practical effect stunt work and elaborately staged fight sequences was not well matched to a super hero who's powers can really only be done through C.G.I., but at least he got the chance to indulge his penchant for bad green screen shots (probably the reason the suit was done digitally.). The studio, in it's infinite wisdom, decided that if the movie couldn't be good, it could at least be short, so they sent in celebrated editor and failed director Stuart Baird (Star Trek: Nemesis) to deal with the problem. The result is that the story doesn't make a lick of sense, and even fans of the original comic book are left scratching their heads as to what is going on. But Warner executives promise that they have learned from their mistakes and pledge that the sequel will be “darker and grittier.”At some point they might want to make “good” their goal, but I don't mean to nitpick (although with all of the head scratching, picking a few nits is kind of inevitable.). 

5. PRIEST 

A post apocalyptic sci-fi western set in a world where the Catholic Church has trained Priests, both male and female, to become an elite squad of vampire killers. Yes, this movie is based on a comic book. Paul Bettany and Karl Urban compete to see who can do the silliest Clint Eastwood impression (Urban has the clear advantage, being costumed to look like he stepped off of the set of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, but he does his best to level the playing field by throwing in liberal portions of Brad Pitt's Missouri drawl.).The most memorable sequence in the film involves Maggie Q surfing on a motorcycle, playing chicken with a freight train loaded down with vampire egg sacks (I'll bet you didn't know vampire laid egg sacks, did you? You learn something new every day.). Maggie jumps off the bike just in time to let it collide head on with the train, which of course causes a huge explosion and takes out the giant locomotive. (There may have been explosives on the motorcycle. I really don't know. or care, for that matter.).  Bettany seems to settling for a bizarre niche starring in campy, Anti Catholic action films, playing fallen angels or butt kicking clergy, but if he really were any kind of holy man, he might be able to pray himself out of his current rut and back into a decent movie.

6. ANONYMOUS

What if Shakespeare was a fraud? What if his plays had been written by someone else? What if director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Godzilla, 2012) understood the meaning of the word subtlety? None of these questions is adequately addressed in this insipid melodrama, which pushes the “Oxfordian Theory,' that Shakespeare's plays were written by Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford. It goes further to present Shakespeare himself as an illiterate buffoon, and to postulate that De Vere was inspired by events in his own life, though the literal realization of the incestuous overtones in Hamlet were apparently added subliminally, as De Vere does not learn until after writing his plays (in the wrong order, mind you) that not only did he father a son with “The Virgin Queen,” but she is also his birth mother (normally for a "virgin" to get this much action she has to live in Wasilla, Alaska.). There are a few genuinely good performances, in particular from Rhys Ifans as De Vere and Sebastian Armesto as Ben Johnson (though Tristan Gravelle's over the top, Snidely Whiplash style portrayal of Kit Marlowe is arguably the single worst performance of the year, and if you want to see the great Vanessa Redgrave in a tale from The Bard, you are better off waiting for Ralph Fiennes brilliant new version of Coriolanus, coming in January.). The film has a few good moments in spite of itself,  and whenever we are seeing scenes written by Shakespeare (oops, I mean De Vere) it becomes just diverting enough to sit through. In truth, it may not be quite bad enough to appear on such a list had it not taken itself so seriously, made all the more insufferable by the pomposity of a book end device featuring Derek Jacobi, doing a variation on his classic turn in Ken Branagh's Henry V, telling us the "truth" behind Shakespeare (Jacobi himself is an Oxfordian and wanted to be a part of telling this "important' story. The bottom line: if you are going to make a movie maligning the greatest playwright of all time, you'd better present at least a marginally good script with even one remotely compelling character.

 7. IN TIME

What do you do when your movie has to be carried by the acting chops of Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried? Judging by this film, you put together a cast so bland and wooden that they make these two look good by comparison. I know what you are thinking:  "But he was so great in The Social Network!," and while it is true that the former N'Sync star shone quite brightly in that film, it's important to remember that he had a great director who knew how to use the pop star persona in such a way that it added to the character. But here, Timberlake is cast as an every man tough guy with a heart of gold, and he is not remotely believable. He is not truly terrible, but he's way over his head, playing like Will Smith in season one of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Give him some time and he might prove he can carry a movie and lose himself in the role. But for now, he needs to stick with Yogi Bear 2.  The science fiction premise of this movie is simple: through genetic manipulation, people in the future stop aging at 25, at which point they are living on borrowed time, or more precisely, purchased time, as extra years are now the chosen form of currency. This idea is almost interesting enough to sustain an 8 minute student film, but not a feature. And the generic title indicates that writer/director Andrew Niccol said “let's just come up with something that has the word time in it.” Borrowed Time, Time Is Money, The Time of Your Life or even Time to Make The Donuts would have worked just as well, if not better.  
8. PAUL

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the duo behind the delightful Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, disappoint spectacularly with this painfully Americanized, shock value = wit excuse for a comedic salute to Steven Spielberg and the popular space based flicks of the '80's. Long time collaborator Edgar Wright, who has gone on to give us Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and co-write The Adventures of Tintin, is noticeably absent from this dreadful affair, which deserves some credit for balancing out it's nasty anti religion message with a surprising amount of nasty homophobic jokes so that people on all sides of the spectrum, or just everyone with taste, can be put off by it. And this would be one thing if it was actually funny, but it isn't. It's just crass and juvenile. Here's hoping these guys try harder next time.

9. COLUMBIANA

Zoe Saldana stars in this “gunderwear” action flick about a little girl who watches as her parents are murdered by Columbian drug cartels, and grows up hell bent on getting revenge by forcing the villains to sit through a plodding, lifeless mess that will leave you staring at your watch more often than the screen. It's really an impressive accomplishment when a movie can aim as low as this one and still manage to fall so woefully short.

 10. SUCKER PUNCH

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you crossed Annie, Little Women, Kill Bill, Moulin Rouge! One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Matrix, The Shawshank Redemption and Alice In Wonderland? Well, apparently Zack Snyder has wondered just that. The man who gave us 300, Watchmen and Legend of The Guardians certainly has a flare for visuals, and the action sequences, which including fighting dragons in Ward War I, are truly eye popping, and at times very exciting - there is no denying that this was one of the most visually spectacular films of the year, and for that reason I have to admit it is something of a guilty pleasure. But not only is the story a complete mess, but Snyder's “have your cake and ogle it to” approach to feminism by making his main characters strong, empowered young women who wield katanas and machine guns while parading around in lingerie, is to say the least problematic. By far the most expensive flop of the year, Sucker Punch will be remembered as the 1941 made by a director who'd never really given us a Jaws or Close Encounters.

But thankfully, there was more to 2011 than these ten films, because audiences deserve better. Well, maybe not the ones who paid to see Transformers: Dark Of The Moon multiple times, but the rest of us do. 

Coming Soon: The Best Films Of  2011.

WAR HORSE

WAR HORSE

Reviewed by Paul & Patrick Gibbs
Grade: A+

Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, Niels Arstrup, Tom Hiddleston,

Benedict Cumberbatch, Celine Buckens, Toby Kebbell

Based on the book by Michael Morpurgo

Screenplay by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis

Directed by Steven Spielberg

When it was announced that Steven Spielberg was going to to make a World War I film, the natural reaction was to expect another Saving Private Ryan. But the announcement that the story would center on the friendship between a boy and his horse immediately created the image that we were looking at something more like E.T. Whether you were excited or disappointed by that though will largely determine your response to to War Horse. This is the master filmmaker at his most blatantly, unabashedly sentimental, and if you're part of the crowd that doesn't like that, this movie probably isn't for you, and you'll likely consider it maudlin and corny. If you're part of the crowd that does like that side of Spielberg, this is a must-see, and his most heartfelt movie to come along in many a year. For out part, almost anyone who knows us will know that we are lifelong, devoted Spielberg fans. Degrees of sentiment that might seem overdone in someone else's film move can us to tears in a Spielberg movie, because they feel sincere and never forced. War Horse is a truly beautiful film in every sense of the word, from Janusz Kaminski's gorgeous cinemtaography (arguably his best since Schindler's List) to John Williams' breathtaking musical score, to the story itself. War Horse gets our vote as the best film of 2011. We've already seen it twice, and will see it many more times. And after proving that he can show the horrors of war so unflinchingly multiple times, it is nice to see that Spielberg still has the ability to portray such a weighty topic with equal effectiveness and power by what he does not show.

The lead character, a horse named Joey, is sold to a drunken farmer named Ted Narracot (Peter Mullan), who impulsively buys him at an auction, largely out of spite toward the other bidder, his landlord (David Thewlis). While Joey is not well suited to being a plow horse, Narracot's son Albert quickly becomes attached to the animal, forming a bond that is likely to remind Spielberg fans of E.T. and Elliot. But financial hardships force Narracot to sell this horse to a British cavalry officer (Tom Hiddleston, the villain from Thor) as World War I breaks out. Albert vows that one day he will see his beloved horse again.

From here, the film becomes episodic, as Joey drifts from place to place and owner to owner, seeing the war from the British, French and German points of view. The horse does not see the world in terms of French, English and German – to him, people are all the same. One of the great strengths of the film is that, while the viewer becomes attached to each new owner and is disappointed to see them go, we quickly become just as attached to the next character. Perhaps most effective are Niels Arestrup and Celine Buckens as a French farmer and his sickly daughter. Arestrup provides the best human performance in the film, giving his character a quiet dignity that is both uplifting and heart-breaking. But, of course, the real star of the film is the horse, and it's a testament to Spielberg's skill as a director that he is able to evoke so much emotion from Joey. Rarely, if ever, has a film so effectively followed an animal's point of view. And Spielberg is at his most visually and technically brilliant here, creating an epic scope that recalls Gone With the Wind and the films of John Ford. This is the most unabashedly old fashioned film to come out of Hollywood in years, and we mean that entirely in a good way. One sequence, of Joey charging dramatically across No Man's Land, ranks among the most impressive of Spielberg's career.

Detractors will call War Horse “manipulative”, and perhaps it is. But the vast majority of films manipulate emotion in one way or another, whether it's to thrill us, scare us, make us laugh, or make us cry. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo blatantly manipulates our emotions to shock, scare and disgust us, but somehow this sort of manipulation gets a pass from cynics. Spielberg manipulates our emotions here in the way he does better than anyone, and does so without ever insulting the audience or getting treacly .

This film pulls the viewer in from the beginning and will keep a hold of you long after you have left the theater. As stated before, the horse does not distinguish once side from the other, and this rubs off on those around him, seen most memorably in a touching and surprisingly funny sequence where the horse quite literally brings the two sides together, and the performances by actors Toby Kebbel and Hinnerk Schönemann bring a humanity to the soldiers on both sides of the conflict that is both joyful and heartbreaking. But the heart and soul of the film is in intuitive the performances given by the seven Horses who play the role of Joey. Spielberg himself professed to be in awe of the acting ability of these animals, and said that they had an ability to feel the emotion of the scene and be “in the moment” that matched an actor he has worked with. This may sound far fetched, but try watching the movie and arguing the point.

War Horse is the essence of cinematic storytelling, but Spielberg and company should be commended for giving due credit to the ground breaking stage production, listed prominently on the ending credits (in stark contrast to David Fincher's Dragon Tattoo trying to pretend it is is not a remake and refusing to acknowledge the strong influence of the original Swedish film.). The heart of a great film is a great story, and whether on the page, the stage, or the big screen, War Horse is a great story, and at the heart of that story is a hero with a nobility, courage and love that inspires us to be better. If that does not appeal to you, so be it, but you are missing out on something amazing.

War Horse is rated PG-13 for violence, peril and mild profanity.

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

Reviewed by Paul Gibbs

Grade: A+

Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost

Based on the books by Herge

Screenplay by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish

Directed by Steven Spielberg

When celebrated filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson announced they were teaming for a three-movie adaptation of The Adventures of Tintin, American audiences responded with a resounding “What?” Upon learning that Tintin was a beloved comic book character from Belgium, Americans responded with a resounding “Isn't that where they make the waffles?” Understandably, Spielberg and Jackson decided that the audience for Tintin lie primarily in Europe, and release their new motion-capture extravaganza first overseas, where it cleaned up at the box office, already clearing its production costs by $100 million, and guaranteeing that a sequel will be made (the first film is directed by Spielberg. Jackson will helm the second).

The good news is, audiences members don't need to be familiar with the comics to thoroughly enjoy the movie, though those of us who have read the comics will be delighted by the way the film captures the spirit of adventure and sense of humor of artist/writer Herge's work. The Adventures of Tintin (subtitled The Secret of The Unicorn for its European release) begins with a jazzy, entertaining animated title sequence that recalls Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can, or the Blake Edwards Pink Panther films, setting up the story of the young reporter (Jamie Bell) and his adventures. We then arrive in the mo-cap streets of post-World War II Paris, where Tintin and his faithful dog snowy purchase an old model of a sailing ship, the Unicorn. Another man, the vaguely menacing Ivan Ivanovich Sakharine (Daniel Craig) also wants the model ship, and shortly after Tintin takes the item home, it appears to be stolen, making Sakharine the obvious suspect. Tintin seeks after the missing ship, leading him into a series of adventures that introduces him to Captain Archibald Haddock (Andy Serkis), a well-meaning but buffoonish and drunken sea captain whose ancestor commanded the real Unicorn.

Much has been written about motion capture animation in the past, particular as used in the works of filmmaker Robert Zemeckis (The Polar Express). Jackson's Weta Digital has ironed out the flaws in the technology, making for eye-popping, gorgeous animation that never feels distracted, nor features the “Dead-eye” look. And, of course, Spielberg remains the master of action directing, giving us some thrilling and astounding sequences which rival his best Indiana Jones stunt spectaculars. One chase scene in particular, shot all in one setup, allows Spielberg a freedom of shot selection which would be impossible in live action, and would be worth the price of admission on its own (even at the inflated 3D-IMAX price), and ranks with the great Spielbergian action set pieces. Spielberg clearly had the time of his life playing with the motion capture toys, and that sense of fun extends to the audiences. He is so freed by the limitless possibilities of the virtual camera that it's hard to imagine any filmmaker could watch this and not want to attempt a mo-cap film. The Adventures of Tintin is as much fun an action/adventure movie as we've seen in many a year.

The cast is amiable and entertaining, with Bell's Tintin likable, if a bit nondescript (a trait he takes directly from the comic book character). Craig makes a terrific dastardly villain, and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost redeem themselves from the dud that was Paul with their amusing turns as Inspectors Thomson and Thompson, too seemingly interchangeable, buffoonish policemen. But the standout of the actors is, without question, Serkis, who steals every scene he's in with his hilarious portrayal of Captain Haddock. With this and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Serkis has given what I consider to be the two most entertaining performances of 2011.

So, don't worry about whether you have any idea what Tintin is, and take a chance on his big screen adventure. It's one of the most enjoyable popcorn movies of 2011, and the prospect of a franchise is welcome.

The Adventures of Tintin is rated PG for action violence, Haddock's boozing, and one crack about “animal husbandry”.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

Grade: B-
Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Joel Richardson, Yorick Van Wagenen
Screenplay by Steven Zaillian
Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson
Directed by David Fincher

David Fincher has, to say the least, had an interesting career. A one time music video director, shooting for stars such as Madonna and Sting, Fincher made the transition to features by stepping into the shoes once inhabited by Ridley Scott and James Cameron, and promptly discovered that the only thing he got from trying on the legendary filmmaker's footwear was a persistent, burning fungus, which was given the unimaginative name Alien3, because “Alieneses” is technically not a word. The film was greeted with all of the warmth and enthusiasm of the 1988 Mondale/Ferraro campaign, and perhaps its most vehement detractor was Fincher himself, who was ambivalent about ever directing again after this debacle.

But direct he did. With critically acclaimed hits such as Se7en and the surreal cult hit/major world religion Fight Club, he had decidedly stepped out of the shadow of his inauspicious debut and into the role of respected artist. This was cemented by two back to back Oscar nominations, departing from his usual signature, bleak, shocking style with 2009's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a sad but romantic, poignant and ultimately life affirming melodrama, and 2010's The Social Network, the brilliantly insightful and satirical look at the rise of Facebook. At the top of his game now as a seemingly perennial Oscar nominee, Fincher decided to return to his darker roots by tackling Stieg Larsson's bestseller The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which had already been adapted into a successful Swedish film with two sequels. Since American audiences love to see films based on books they have read, but refuse to see films that require them to read, an English language version seemed like a sure thing commercially, and Fincher seemed the perfect choice to make it.

The film begins with a dazzling opening credits sequence which answers the question: what if David Berkowitz had directed a James Bond movie?” set to a cover of Led Zeppelin’s The Immigrant Song, after which we jump into the story. Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a journalist for the Swedish political magazine Millennium, has just lost a libel case involving allegations published about billionaire financier Hans-Erik Wennerström. This is likely to be at best the end of Blomkvist’s career, at worst the start of a prison sentence. Meanwhile, we shift to our title character, one Lisbeth Salander, played here by Rooney Mara, whom you may remember as the girl who dumped Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. Lisbeth is a tattooed (obviously), Goth surveillance agent with more piercings than eyebrows, who has been contracted to investigate Blomkvist. Salander delivers a comprehensive report on Blomkvist. Who wants to know about Blomkvist? Why, 82 year-old Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), the former CEO of the Vanger Corporation, does, that's who. Blomkvist is invited to meet Vanger, who hires him to investigate the disappearance of his niece, Harriet. Vanger not only believes that Harriet was murdered, but that a member of the Vanger family is responsible. He shows Blomkvist a small collection of framed, pressed flowers that Harriet had given him on his birthday since she was eight years old. In the attic is an even larger collection of the framed flowers he has received at every birthday since her disappearance in 1966. He suspects that the sender could be Harriet's murderer.

Meanwhile, Salander is in some trouble of her own. It seems that she is a ward of the state, and her new guardian, one Nils Bjurman (Yorick Van Wagnenen), attended the Herman Cain school of How To Win Friends and Influence People, and forces her to engage in numerous unspeakable (but apparently quite filmable) activities in order to get her monthly allowance. That is, until she decides to turn the tables. We soon learn that Lisbeth is more than capable of taking care of herself, and that you do not want to get on this girl's bad side (Fincher seems particularly determined to discover if actress Rooney Mara actually has a bad side, and dutifully photographs every inch of her body, multiple times, in search of it.).

Upon learning that Vanger had him investigated, and utterly blown away by how much information was discovered, Blomkvist becomes very interested in the woman who did this investigation, and before long, he has hired Lisbeth to assist him in solving the case. The two work surprisingly well together, and quickly decide that in the interest of adding even more nudity to the film, they decide they should start having regular sex.
What could have easily been a tawdry exercise in exploitation, under the hands of a masterful artist like Fincher, becomes an extremely stylish tawdry exercise in exploitation. This is not a movie for the squeamish, and if you are easily turned off by graphic depictions of rape, brutal murders or dead cats, well, frankly, you seem like a well adjusted individual. But you're not – I'm on to you. YOU read the book, didn't you? Because this is Utah, and nothing is unsavory unless it has a bold, capitalized letter attached to it. Eh - don't try to justify yourself.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is quite an involving mystery, and the story that unravels before us is like a car wreck or a Lady Gaga concert – disturbing, but you can't take your eyes off it. The saga of the Vanger family, and poor Harriet, is a deeply involving tale – or at least it was in the original Swedish film. Unfortunately, Fincher and screenwriter Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List), somehow manage to pull off the rather astounding feat of short changing the story at the expense of developing characters while at the same time short changing the character development in order to expedite the story. The first act moves slowly and deliberately, introducing us to the people and situations, and by the time we get to the second act, Fincher seems to realize that he has to move quickly so he can move on to the third act, which he jumps through as quickly as possible at the expense of coherence, so he can get to his extended, slightly new ending which was created entirely so that YOU, who read the book and loved it but would never dream of seeing a movie with that letter attached to it, will be driven crazy wondering what he changed and buy a pair of dark sunglasses and go to a midnight showing alone so that you can then have the privilege of saying “That's it?” and then denying you ever saw the film, until one day while talking about the book you accidentally refer to the character of Henrik as “Captain Von Trapp” in front of your entire book club, including the Bishop's wife.

The impressive cast turns in stellar performances, in particular Mara, who really rises to the challenge of the role, and the choice by the actress and director to add a level of vulnerability to the character in no way makes her any less strong – in fact, seeing that she is capable of being terrified but still has the courage to face the challenges set before her actually makes Lisbeth or more rounded and admirable figure, and this is by far the strongest aspect of this version of the story. Mara is quite an engaging presence, and may get a well deserved Oscar nomination. Daniel Craig, quite possibly the most versatile leading man in Hollywood today, delivers yet another solid performance, but this isn't an easy character to really like, and frankly, his role in Cowboys & Aliens had a great deal more nuance and depth. Plummer, who could deliver a dramatic reading of the phone book and provoke strong emotional response, is terrific, and adds greatly to the film, while SPOILER ALERT – DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ACTUALLY HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK, NO NOT YOU, WE ALREADY KNOW YOU READ IT, I'M TALKING TO ANOTHER READER, Stellan Skarsgaard makes a delicious evil, if utterly predictable, villain. This is the problem with murder mysteries on film. Just as you could always tell in advance who did it on any given episode of Murder, She wrote by peaking at the TV Guide listing and checking to see who the top billed guest star was, far too many movies give away the identity of the killer simply by virtue of the fact that any cinematically astute audience member find themselves thinking “why is he in this movie if he doesn't do anything? Ahhhh . . . “

There is a lot of skill to this film – the acting is top notch, the cinematography and editing slick, and Fincher really knows how to build tension. The creepy but effective musical score by Trent Renzor and Atticus Ross sets just the right mood, and in fact, after listening to it long enough you might want to kill someone yourself. The extended denouement, which may be the longest since The Return of the King, could certainly have been trimmed down, but Fincher's ending provokes surprising emotions, and a lot of this is due to Mara's performance.

On the whole, this is neither a terrific film nor a terrible film. It's just a solid but disappointing and completely uninspired effort from a skilled director who leaves us feeling that he wanted a break from stretching himself as an artist and to just sit back and make the audience squirm in the way that he does so well. It's just too bad that he was satisfied by setting this sights that low.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is rated a well deserved R for nudity (incidentally, Mark Zuckerberg wasn't lying in his blog), strong sexual content, violence, profanity, and Swedish names.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

Grade: A -

Tom Cruise, Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, 
Michael Nyqvist and Anil Kappor

Screenplay by Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec

Based on “Mission: Impossible” created by Bruce Geller

Directed by Brad Bird

First off, I need to make it clear that I am a big fan of this franchise, and as uncool as it is to say these days, I like Tom Cruise as an actor and producer, and frankly, as an action star, nobody does it better. He brings a level of intensity and believability to his roles and both physically and mentally commits 100 percent, and regardless of what you may think of him as a person, he commands the screen in a way few stars can match. There, I said it. Disagree if you like, but you are wrong.

That being said, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE has always been an imperfect franchise. The first film, which was released in 1996 and introduced us to super spy Ethan Hunt, was tightly plotted and entertaining, but alienated fans of the series by making the main character, Jim Phelps, a traitor and murderer. Honestly, I was never terribly bothered by this, as I felt that Mission: Impossible was always a concept based series rather than a character driven one, and Peter Graves' Phelps was not exactly the most charismatic of heroes. There were also many who criticized the plot, based around the the theft of the CIA's “N.O.C List,” which matched the code names of the agency's “Non-Official Cover” agents with their true names, as being too hard to follow. I never found it hard to follow, though it does bother me to this day that the possibility of foreign governments or terrorists to match the code names to their true names is treated as such a potential danger, and yet throughout the film we see the agents referring to each other as “Jim” and “Ethan” in all communications (indeed, in the space of four films, I have yet to see an IMF agent actually use a code name.). The “too confusing” complaint lead to the more streamlined, accessible Mission: Impossible II in 2000. While they did succeed very well with creating a “MacGuffin” that was clear and easy to understand, yet compelling, in the form of the Chimera virus and it's cure, Belarafon, the film as a whole was odd mixture of dumbed down soap opera situations and ridiculous action. It was as if Hitchcok's NOTORIOUS and TO CATCH A THEIF, a Looney Toons “Roadrunner” cartoon and a daytime soap had all collided tragically at a four way intersection, and despite being the most financially successful installment of the series, M:I-2 is genuinely referred to with rolled eyes and perplexed shaking off heads (though I confess, I still really love that motorcycle chase, in all it's ridiculous glory. I kept waiting to see Ethan get pulled over by the police. “Freeze! You're under arrest for multiple violations of the laws of physics.”) The third film, released in 2006, returned to the formula of the original, almost too much so (if you look at it, the plot is exactly the same: Ethan gets framed, the IMF's resident B.I.C. (Bastard In Charge) appears to be the villain, but in reality, it's actually the one man Ethan thought he could trust.). It also has quite possibly the lamest MacGuffin since the mysterious suitcase in Pulp Fiction (for the uninitiated, MacGuffin is a term coined by Alfred Hitchcock, referring to a device used to motivate the characters and plot in a film. For example, the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail.). In this case, the MacGuffin is a device called “The Rabbit's Foot,” which is never explained apart from a rambling monologue from Simon Pegg essentially stating “it may or may not be some sort of really bad thingy” (okay, that may not actually be a direct quote.) However, it also had great performances, with director J.J. Abrams exploring the human side of Ethan Hunt, and bringing in some genuinely compelling character based drama, as well as a charming IMF team, terrific action sequences, and some truly witty dialogue. It's a flawed but extremely entertaining film, and Abrams and Cruise made a very strong team.

Both Cruise and Abrams are back for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, though Abrams serves only as executive producer this time around, and hands over directing duties to Brad Bird, who is making his first live action feature, but is far from a novice. His previous credits as an animation director include The Incredibles, The Iron Giant and Ratatouille.

Ghost Protocol begins in Budapest, where agent Trevor Hanaway (Josh Holloway) is meant to intercept a courier working for a person of interest code-named "Cobalt," (only the villains use code names in these movies, but the good guys would never steal those lists, or they wouldn't be good guys). Hannaway's mission is cut short when he is shot dead by a freelance assassin, Sabine Moreau (Lea Seydoux), and his team leader, Jane Carter, (Paula Patton) must bring in a new agent: Ethan Hunt, who is languishing Jack Bauer style in a Moscow prison. Carter goes to Moscow to retrieve Ethan, and recruits him to lead her and newly instated field agent Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg, reprising his role from the third film) on a special mission: to infiltrate the secret archives of the Kremlin and locate files identifying Cobalt before Cobalt can erase them and all records of his existence. Things go awry, however, when an unknown person broadcasting on the IMF frequency alerts the Russians to the presence of Hunt's team. Although Hunt, Dunn and Carter escape, a bomb destroys the Kremlin. Hunt manages to escape, and meets up with the IMF Secretary (Oscar Winner Tom Wilkinson) and an analyst named William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), who explain that the bombing of the Kremlin has been pinned on IMF, and that the President has initiated “Ghost Protocol” - disavowing the entire Impossible Missions Force and placing Ethan and his team under arrest. Ethan must team up with Carter and Brandt, with Benji in tow, to not only clear themselves and all of IMF, but to stop the threat of a nuclear war.

Despite once again having Ethan on the run, framed for a crime he didn't commit, Ghost Protocol manages to break free of the most tired conventions of the franchise (for one thing, there are no masks, thank heaven) and develop a story of it's own. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the film is the choice to finally commit to making it a true ensemble piece, focusing on a team rather than a James Bond style one man show, and in fact, the character arcs given to Brant and Carter are far stronger than the one given to Ethan himself, as the once young agent finally settles into the Jim Phelps role (the team leader Jim Phelps, not the traitorous Jim Phelps.). Cruise allows Renner and Patton to share a lot more of his limelight than he has given to previous team members, and while serious film fans should know after his Oscar nominations for The Hurt Locker and The Town that Renner is an actor with incredible presence, what they will not expecting is the comedic chops he displays here (Bird places a much greater emphasis on humor than we are used to in the series, and while Simon Pegg is obviously trusted with a lot of the comedy, Renner actually provides many of the films biggest laughs.). And Patton is almost a co-lead, the first fully realized female agent character in the series, more than capable of leading the team on her own if needed. If there is one thing I'm really sick of in Hollywood it is the backhandedly sexist attempt at fighting sexism by trying to pass off “look – she can kick the crap out of people and kill the bad guys and look hot while doing” as feminism. There is more to a strong female protagonist than the ability to hold her own in a fight, just as there is more than that to a strong male one. While Patton is given the best fight in the movie, she is also Ethan's match intellectually, and is not there to be his love interest. Instead, the two share a different emotional bond based on dealing with personal loss due to their choice of profession, and it is one of the more emotionally satisfying elements of the story. Patton provides far more than just eye candy (although after all of that high minded feminist talk, I have to say that I'd like to thank Bird and company for the early Christmas present of showcasing her in that dress in full IMAX, and before a female reader complains about that comment, please, take a moment to shut up and remember that, if you didn't pay to see the insipid Reel Steel just to see Hugh Jackman take his shirt off in IMAX, you certainly wanted to.).

And speaking of IMAX, Ghost Protocol is meant to be seen in IMAX. This is the first full length feature to shoot multiple extended action sequences with IMAX cameras, and the result is truly spectacular, in particular a sequence where Ethan has to scale a skyscraper, Spider-Man style. Let's hope this catches on as a trend and we see a few more movies shot for IMAX and a maybe few less needlessly converted to 3D.

Ghost Protocol is certainly not perfect – the drop in the budget after disappointing box office for part three is sometimes too apparent, some of the plotting is muddled and incoherent (par for the course for this series), and Ethan's character is not as fleshed out as it was in the third movie. In addition, Bird's animation background leads to a slightly more cartoony feel at times, but the difference from those elements in this film as opposed to M:I-2 is that Bird is well aware of it and embraces the fun of it, rather than trying to pass the silliest aspects of the movie off as drama ala John Woo. 
 
On the whole, this movie is what it is: the latest installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise. It's a very good one, but still, if the franchise does not appeal to you even at it's best, this isn't likely to win you over. However, you don't have to be a die hard Cruise fan to like this one, and if you do enjoy the series, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is rated PG-13 for violence, suspense and some fairly mild profanity.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs

Grade: A -

Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris and Rachel McAdams

Screenplay by Michelle Mulroney and Keiran Mulroney

Based on characters and situations created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Directed by Guy Ritchie

In 2009, when everyone else was going gaga over the trailer for Sherlock Holmes (which played approximately 100 time per hour on any available media outlet), I remained skeptical to the point of wariness. While I'm a long time fan of Robert Downey, Jr, having firmly believed since Chaplin that, if the actor could clean up his act he could be the biggest thing in Hollywood, I was considerably less enthusiastic about director Guy Ritchie, in particular his most recent film, the clumsily and self consciously cool but incessantly lowbrow Rock N' Rolla. More importantly, I'm a life long, obsessive Sherlockian, and the trailers did nothing to convince me that we were going to see Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes on the big screen. I gritted my teeth going into the film, prepared for the worst – and was pleasantly surprised. Ritchie's take on the material was unique – liberally piling on the comedic elements and stylized fight sequences, and playing heavily on the repartee between Holmes and Watson. In truth, it's really Sherlock Holmes by way of Lethal Weapon (the presence of producer Joel Silver on both franchises is hardly coincidental), but Ritchie did manage to make me feel a strong enough presence of Doyle that I welcomed this new incarnation as an interesting and entertaining take on the material rather than the feared total reworking.

With the follow up, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, I went with much higher hopes, but also with the lowered expectations that come with a sequel, and mixed feelings about seeing them tackle the story of Professor James Moriarty, Holmes’s arch nemesis. While Moriarty is a presence in the first film, seeing them actually square off was delving directly into territory covered by Doyle in The Final Problem, and I was not sure I wanted to see that story tossed out the window.

The film begins with a rousing sequence as Holmes follows Moriarty’s trail, engaging in a metaphorical chess game. The first pawn in that game is sacrificed in what might be a political assassination, which sets off tensions between Germany and France. Mixing business with pleasure, Holmes tracks the clues to an underground gentlemen’s club, where he and his brother, Mycroft (Stephen Fry) are toasting Dr. Watson (Jude Law) on his last night of bachelorhood. It is there that Holmes encounters Simza (Noomi Rapace, the star of the original Swedish version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), a Gypsy fortune teller, who sees more than she is telling and whose unwitting involvement in the murder makes her the killer’s next target. Holmes barely manages to save her life and, in return, she reluctantly agrees to help him. The investigation becomes ever more dangerous as it leads Holmes, Watson and Simza across the continent, from England to France to Germany and finally to Switzerland. But the cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead as he spins a web of death and destruction—all part of a greater plan that, if he succeeds, will change the course of history.

While Game of Shadows takes the story off in wildly different directions, adding a lot of new elements and greatly aggrandizing it for blockbuster scale, I found it to be an acceptable Hollywood re-imagining of The Final Problem, and a surprising number of the key elements are in place. This movie has just enough Doyle that it should please fans that are willing to go with Ritchie's approach, but also appeal to the crowd who aren't fans of the books but simply went to see the first film because of Downey and were caught up in it's silly charm. The action quotient is more than doubled this time around, and the film moves at a fast and gripping pace as Holmes is forced to keep up with an intellect that matches his own. Indeed, this is the very model of what you want a Hollywood sequel to be, and actually improves on the first installment in many respects.

Downey and Law are, of course, delightful as Holmes and Watson/Riggs and Murtaugh, though the faster pacing and greater emphasis on action and suspense means not as many memorable moments of bickering repartee. Downey seems to have taken the note that his fast talking and mumbling were a bit difficult to understand, and does his best to speak more clearly, and Law is given a chance to play a greater role in the action as Watson is given his own nemesis. The new additions to the cast are welcome ones. Rapace is quite an engaging presence, but this is a totally different version of her than fans of Lizbeth Salander might be expecting. She is really quite pretty without the Mohawk and piercings, and has a more natural chemistry with Downey and Law than Rachel McAdams (who is an actress I greatly admire, but somehow never quite gelled in the first film, and is given even less to do here.). Stephen Fry, well known to any serious fan of British comedy, makes a very enjoyable Mycroft – his eccentricities are exaggerated for comic effect, which has been Ritchie's largely successful approach to the characters from the beginning), and his obliviousness to the fact that he and his brother “Sherly” are the odd ones, not everyone else, leads to some amusing moments. But the standout here is Jared Harris, who may be best known to audiences as the Sea Captain in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and will be playing Ulysses S. Grant to Daniel Day Lewis' Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated 2012 release. The announcement of Harris as Moriarty was seen as a disappointment by some, after a number of big names, including Brad Pitt, had been talked up the role (as much as I am an unabashed fan of Pitt, this would have been truly terrible casting), but Harris really nails the character, perfectly personifying “the Napoleon of Crime,” and providing an enemy that is less over the top than Mark Strong's Lord Blackwood in the previous film, but if anything, a good deal more menacing. Indeed, Harris may be the definitive screen Moriarty.

The film does have it's flaws – anachronisms abound, and the story is at times too convoluted for it's own good. In addition, Ritchie's penchant for mixing slow motion and quick cuts sometimes makes his action sequences a little bit confusing. But there is far more here that does work than does not, and taken as a piece of large scale popcorn entertainment, it is arguably the most satisfying straight sequel of the year. If you enjoyed Sherlock Holmes, then Shadows is a game well worth taking the time to play.

Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows is rated PG-13 for violence, action suspense, mild profanity and brief partial nudity (thankfully, very partial – I don't think anyone out there wants to see any more of Stephen Fry than what we get here, though it is a funny scene.)