Synopsis:
The world’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.), is asked to aide in the investigation of several grisly murders throughout London. With a little help from his trusty sidekick, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), the ruthless Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) is brought to justice, tried, and hung. But what was supposed to be their last case together, turns in to the mystery of a lifetime when Blackwood rises from the dead and sets out to reshape the modern world. Can Holmes solve this great caper on his own or are there sinister powers that even he can’t overcome?

Review:
I must say that I was thrilled when I first saw the trailer for this movie. It looked like the type of facelift that Sherlock Holmes needed. I’ve seen several old films with the great detective in them. Each of them was full of detail and the slow methodical resolution of the mystery at the heart of the story. That’s not to say that there was anything wrong with these old films. Most were great from what I remember. The problem is that they’re from a different time. They wouldn’t stand a chance in today’s box office, and they would never succeed in bring such a great character to the modern audience. Here’s my take on the film that will hopefully breath a little life in to a classic character.

Plot: My greatest complaint about the film was the plot. It wasn’t the story that bothered me so much as the pacing. The writers came up with a great story that fits right in with the type of mysteries I would expect from Sir Aurther Conan Doyle. The movie clocked in at roughly 2:15 which is on the long side by most standards. Its not that I felt bored. I simple wish that they went farther with that time rather than being more explicit. In other words, I wish that they had tightened up the exposition to show us a longer story rather than a more detailed story. Now, Holmes stories by nature are detailed, but that’s when it comes to print. Film is a different media and so what we expect is totally different. This might sound like I’m nitpicking, but this was an aspect that I found surprisingly disappointing.

Acting: The acting was solid in this film. RDJ and Jude Law played their characters well and the witty banter between the two is enjoyable. I’m afraid some of the better interchanges are in the trailer, but there is still a lot of quips and jabs to enjoy. RDJ is definitely having a good run, because this is another one in the bank. I have to admit that Rachel McAdams was good too. She plays Irene Addler, a former flame of Holmes and a criminal. Its not that I think she’s bad (I liked her in Red Eye and others), she just rarely stands out. To be honest, she still sits in the shadow of RDJ and Jude Law for this film.

Overall: As a whole, this was a good movie and I highly recommend you catch it at the theaters if you can. Its definitely worth the price of entry. Though I had trouble with the pacing/length of the plot, I didn’t really feel the 2:15 so I was pretty entertained. Since he’s been making some great ones, RDJ as Holmes is also a great reason to watch this film. Finally, it won’t be hard to catch the subplot that will surely lead to sequels, so I would catch this one in some form, even if it becomes a rental. All-in-all, this one is fuzz-worthy.

Synopsis:
Bolt (John Travolta) is a super-powered dog who can run faster than a train, jump higher than a helicopter, shoot laser beams from his eyes, and use a devastating bark. He is a canine with only one mission, to use his powers to protect his lovable owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus). There’s only one problem, he’s actually an ordinary dog in a tv show, he just doesn’t know it. When he accidentally gets shipped to New York, Bolt must learn that he may be ordinary, but he doesn’t need superpowers be a hero. With the help of some new friends, Mittens (Suzie Essman) and Rhino (Mark Walton), Bolt must make it across the country to find his way home.

Review:
I never actually saw this movie at the theaters, but I found a brand new blu-ray at the local used-cd store at a great price, so I bought it just because. A friend had seen the movie and said it was worth the watch, and I figured it would make a great blu-ray. I was not disappointed. This is a fun family movie and it makes a beautiful hd movie.

Plot: The story is predictable in its exposition. Most people who watch it won’t be surprised by the plot, but they will be surprised at how much they enjoy it. Its a nice mix of touching, exciting and hilarious. Though I couldn’t name an example, I feel like all of the characters have met before in another movie. A misguided and under-powered hero makes an enemy-to-become-friend and a hapless sidekick achieve success. Been there done that, but for some reason, still enjoying it.

Voices: I don’t like Miley Cyrus and John Travolta didn’t have to do much. Suzie Essman is not so memorable either. Mark Walton, on the other hand, makes the movie (at least for me.) Rhino is awesome and he really does steal the show. He’s a little hamster in a plastic ball that has a really big personality.

Media: The blu-ray is a nice presentation of the film and has some nice extras. I particularly enjoyed the Rhino short. I also got a good laugh watching John Travolta sing with Miley Cyrus. It was disturbing yet fascinating. The picture is great and this is definitely worthy of being called high definition.

Overall: The movie is fun, entertaining, and great for families. It is just funny enough to be worth it even if you don’t have kids and just enjoy animated movies (like me.) I will say one thing, the box claimed it was the best Disney movie since The Incredibles, and that’s just not true (have you heard of Wall-E?) Anyway, when it comes down to it, Bolt is definitely fuzzworthy. Its just not fuzzy enough to beat some of the more memorable Pixar films.

Synopsis:
Everyone’s favorite whip-toting, hat-wearing archeologist is back for a new adventure in the popular franchise envisioned by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg. Years after his Last Crusade, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is older, but still getting in to trouble. This time, he’s being pursued by the Soviet Dr. Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) as he searches for the lost city of gold. Guided by a crystal skull and aided by the young greaser, Mutt (Shia LeBeouf), son of his old flame Marion (Karen Allen), Indy must beat the Russians to the lost city and prevent its secrets from falling in to their hands.

Review:
I have to admit, I liked this movie, but I was still disappointed by it. If I had viewed this movie without any nostalgia for the original films, I would have probably given this movie a better rating. I think that’s the risk you run with reviving any classic film series so long after it’s last installment. We saw this with the Star Wars prequels and (though I didn’t see it) the Rocky series. Interestingly, I think it was the Die Hard series that didn’t fall victim to this problem with Live Free or Die Hard.

Plot: I think my first complaint has to be with the plot. The film reveals pretty early on that the crystal skull and the lost city of gold are all linked to aliens, or “inter-dimensional beings” to be precise. Not to nitpick, but the three previous films were all in some way about mystical elements of history. I would call them historical fantasy. This film became historical science-fiction. It might seem like a small distinction, but in the world of Indiana Jones, I think it’s an important one. That took a little magic out of it for me. Other than that, the rest of the story unfolds much like you would expect it to. Though I guess I also wished he had a few more puzzles to solve (like he did at the end of The Last Crusade).

Acting: The cast was solid and the acting was fine. I especially enjoyed John Hurt as the mentally disturbed Professor Oxley. As I’ve said in some of my other reviews, Shia LaBeouf has talent and it shows. A little less then it would if this were a drama, but he still gives a good performance. Cate Blanchett is an amazing actress. I think she has real talent, but somehow, I didn’t enjoy her Dr. Spalko. Maybe it was because I knew the accent was fake. Of course, the question of Harrison Ford’s performance is an interesting one. I personally think he played the aging Indy quite well. He seemed like an adventurer who’s reaching the end of his run (just like Ford, check out Firewall for proof). I think anymore Indy films would be pushing it for Ford as a believable hero.

Effects/Action: The action in this movie is great. All the fights and stunt sequences are in tune with what you’ve come to expect from the series. The problem is the effects. Like I mentioned before, if I had seen this movie without nostalgic sensitivities, I would have been thoroughly impressed by the intense CGI-driven effects that are common in today’s movies. The problem is that I remember Raiders of the Lost Ark, where the effects are over a quarter of a century old. It just doesn’t work when you want to remember the movies that have become modern classics.

Media: Of course this review is also about the Blu-Ray release, so I should spend a little time talking about the media itself. This is a wonderful HD presentation of the film. The picture and sound were great on my 1080i LCD (have to wait until I can allocate funds for a 1080p screen). The 2-disc release is packed with special features, all in HD. I found the making of’s quite interesting and I also liked the Indiana Jones timelines feature found on the first disc. Another good one is how they actually made the crystal skull and the skeletons.

Fuzzworthy?: This is a bit of a challenge. Its an Indiana Jones movie, so how can you not own it? But on the other hand, it just doesn’t feel like the Indy of old. I own it and I definitely believe its worth a rental, but I think there are a great many people who wouldn’t find it fuzzworthy. The truth of the matter is that as a standalone adventure flick, it really is pretty good. It only suffers from having a much-loved legacy that it just can’t live up to.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [Blu-ray]

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Synopsis:
A naive but brilliant weapons manufacturer has his eyes opened when a missile demonstration leads to a life-changing experience. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is all about weapons, girls, and money. He’s never questioned the direction of his company, Stark Industries, which was founded by his father, a scientist on the Manhattan Project. While in Afghanistan for a weapons demonstration, Stark is seriously injured during a kidnapping. Now he requires an electromagnet to repel shrapnel from one of his own weapons from reach his heart. Seeing the error of his ways, he develops mechanized armor (the Iron Man suit) powered by the small and ingenuitive arch-reactor to free himself of his captors and right the wrongs his weapons have brought upon the world. At his side are his computer AI, Jarvis, his military-liason-best-friend Rhodey (Terence Howard), and his lovable assistant Ms. Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow).

Review:

Seeing as its a little late to review the movie, I’ll keep my likes and dislikes about the film itself brief, ok, maybe not that brief.

Acting: This by far is the strongest aspect of this movie. Robert Downey Jr. (let’s call him RDJ for short) is great as Tony Stark. Though I’m a semi-Marvel junkie (Amazing Spider-man, Ultimate Spider-man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, etc…), I’m not too familiar with Stark’s character. I can’t speak for the trueness of the portrayal, but I can say that RDJ makes Stark the center of this film, not Iron Man. RDJ is funny, but beyond that, you can see Stark’s problems with drinking start to show. You can also clearly see the character’s transition from genius playboy to superhero.

Gwyneth Paltrow is nothing more than window dressing for the cast. She’s a good actress, but her character didn’t have to do much. Terence Howard on the other hand was perfect as the sidekick, with just enough seriousness to make it funny. The reference to War Machine was fun. Of course, the little cameo at the end was also great but I’ll save that for those who haven’t seen the movie yet.

Effects and Action: I can’t complain about the effects. Most of the films today have a certain CGI clean look to them. Its hard to say that this is superb effects, but they’re in no way shabby. Iron Man looked impressive in every battle sequence. The sequences with Iron Man and the jets was incredibly fun and the fight with Iron Monger was intense, albeit short. I guess that would be my one comment, the movie was light on the action, or at least it felt light on the action. Its not like I was left feeling like I needed more, but if you look at the number of fight sequence in the film, there weren’t a lot.

The Media: By media, I mean the actual Blu-ray discs (BD). The BD version of the movie comes with a host of featurettes and extras. Because I’m a little dorky, I bought the special edition from Target that looks like the Iron Man mask. It sports a bunch of making of documentaries (all in HD), the film of course, and deleted and extended scenes. I have to say, some of the deleted material was fun to watch, and the making of had some interesting facts. In the suit-test sequences, they had RDJ in a wire rig that held his arms and legs as opposed to his waist. This gave the scene a touch of realism, because he was balancing himself with his hands and legs, just like Iron Man.

Fuzzworthy?: Most definitely. For a Marvel fanboy, RDJ stalker, or BD collector, this is a must own. If you don’t like comics, action movies, or anything staring Robert Downey, Jr. then stay away. I definitely recommend the purchase, its all around fun, with good effects and some nice acting. Not HD’d yet? No worries, single- and double-disc SD dvds are available everywhere.

Iron Man (Ultimate Two-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray]

Review:

I never reviewed the first two films in this series, but I feel like they would be very similar to the review you are about to read. All three of the films are, at least in my opinion, equally impressive. I find it difficult to pick a favorite.

Cinematography: You will find that this movie feels like The Bourne Supremacy. If you pay attention you’ll notice that there is a difference in the way the fight scenes are shot in The Bourne Identity compared to the second and third movie. Though I initially liked the filming in Identity, I’ve found that the style in Supremacy and Ultimatum is superior. It gives you a better feel for the speed and ferocity of the fights as they occur.

Action/Effects: The action in this movie is pretty fast-paced and impressive. You don’t get bored at all and the stunts keep you on the edge of your seat. I don’t think they did much that was extraordinarily different from the other two films, but I did feel that it was a lot more suspenseful.

Plot: I don’t want to say much here because I don’t want to ruin the plot for those who haven’t seen it. I do have to say that they took an interesting approach to tying what we see at the end of Supremacy to the story in Ultimatum. Other than that, I would say that the bad guys were mildly predictable but the writers did a good job of keeping the audience frustratingly engaged.

Overall: I think this is definitely worth a movie ticket. As for the choice of matinée or prime time, I would defer to your enjoyment of the first two movies. This one is much the same. For the fans who can’t get enough, you won’t be disappointed.

The Bourne Files 3-Disc Collection (The Bourne Identity / The Bourne Supremacy)

Though I’ve been a long-time fan, I’ve never had the opportunity to see them live. I came close on October 11th, 2001, when they came to my hometown of Ann Arbor, MI. Unfortunately, that was to be my last chance for six years! Then I got one of the coolest birthday presents ever from my buddy Rohit, two tickets to a Travis concert here in D.C.! So this past Monday, June 16th, 2007, after many years of waiting, my girlfriend and I saw Travis live at the 9:30 Club in NW D.C. Here are my thoughts:

My opinion of the venue hasn’t changed since my review of Anna Nalick. The only difference this time was that it was much, much more crowded. This is understandable, since Travis is of a completely different caliber.

Having never seen them live, I was concerned that they would disappoint me. Some bands are great in a studio but horrible live. I think that Maroon 5 is a very good example of this phenomenon. They don’t even sound good on awards shows. I am happy to report that Travis did not let me down. They were everything I expected and more. The great thing about the band is that they had real personality. They didn’t just stand on the stage and sing (I’ve seen artists do this.) They actually gave us a show. The on-stage antics of the band were quite amusing. Only the drummer, Neil Primrose, seemed a bit subdued. I was a little concerned when guitarist Andy Dunlop climbed the speaker sets. Luckily, he didn’t fall and kill himself.

The music itself was incredible. They played a wide variety of their music spanning from their first album, Good Feeling, to their latest, The Boy With No Name. Of course I heard all of my favorites, including “Writing to Reach You,” “Sing,” “Pipe Dreams,” “Driftwood,” and “Eyes Wide Open.” The end of the main set was “Turn,” which is definitely a great. Things almost went awry when lead singer Fran Healy got shocked in the mouth by his mic and stopped the show. He was actually good-humored about it, but it did spoil the momentum of their last number. The encore was great too. I especially liked their performance of “Flowers in the Window“. I guess you could call it an acoustic version as all of the band members crowded around an acoustic guitar and a single mic and sang together. I also loved “Why Does it Always Rain on Me?”, when everyone (yes, me too) did the pogo for the last refrain. Oh, and you can’t forget their rendition of AC/DC’s “Back in Black” (which I am told by a critical listener was very good).

Another great thing about this concert was that it made me appreciate the music more than I did before. I’ve always liked “My Eyes” from The Boy with No Name. Before the band played this song, Fran paused and explained that he wrote this song the night he found out he was going to be a “papa.” Though I thought I understood the lyrics before, they suddenly seemed to be far more meaningful than before. This might sound lame, but I think it made the music a little more real for me.

If you want to actually hear what I heard, go to NPR. Click on the “Listen” link to hear the entire concert. It sounds decent, but it was so much cooler being there. In the end, I have to say that this will definitely be one the few concerts I remember in my life. I sang along to every song and I had the time of my life. If you ever have the opportunity, check them out live. If that’s not an option, I highly recommend their albums (links below). Enjoy!

The Boy with No Name
12 Memories
The Invisible Band
The Man Who
Good Feeling

Review:

I have to qualify this review. You may be able to tell from some of my other reviews that I am a bit biased when it comes to Harry Potter. I’m a big fan. BUT, and that’s a big “but,” I can be somewhat objective when it comes to the film as a whole. I’ll use my usual breakdown to cover the highlights.

Plot: This is always a challenge when it comes to making a movie based on a book. It’s especially difficult in this case considering the printed version of The Order of The Phoenix is a whopping 870 pages. I have to admit that they did a decent job of distilling the plot so it could be told in under 2.5 hours. This is not one of my favorite books, and unfortunately the parts I liked about it had to be cut. Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) got a bit of the shaft this time around. Most of his subplots were cut. Personally, I think it was a necessary evil, but evil none the less. One relatively small weakness is that Harry’s and Cho’s (Katie Leung) relationship is left somewhat up in the air, whereas the book is far more definitive. I think this will impact what we know must happen in Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.

Acting: What can I say, they are getting better. They were good in the first two films (too young to be bad). They were bad in the third film (they decided they were “actors”). Now, they’re on a slow but upward climb. There was an improvement in The Goblet of Fire and we see just a little bit more in The Order of the Phoenix. I’m becoming convinced that Rupert Grint is the best of the kid actors, but they are all pretty close.

Action/Effects: These movies get a little bit more impressive with each new chapter. I think this movie gave the effects team a bit more fun than before. Highlights are definitely the students’ battle with the Death Eaters and Dumbledore vs. Voldemort. Apparently all of the CG effects actually were a problem for the movie, so Harry Potter 6 will supposedly have fewer effects.

Overall: It’s Harry Potter. Of course you have to go see it. It should be seen on the big screen and I personally think this is worth a primetime ticket. It’s definitely a better movie than Harry Potter 3 and the plot is more interesting than Harry Potter 1 & 2. Good luck fighting the crowds. The Harry Potter schedule to keep your magical addiction in check:

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (book) :: July 21st, 2007
Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix (dvd) :: Winter 2007
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (theaters) :: November, 2008
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (theaters) :: June, 2010

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 4)

Review:

What can I say, this movie is a new look at a classic part of my childhood. How am I not going to enjoy this film? This was an awesome version of the 80s cartoon. I must say that all of the kids in the movie theater probably had no clue that this movie really is based on an old cartoon show. Here is what I thought about the robot movie of 2007:

Plot: The plot is interesting, but not overly complex. Mystical box of power lands on Earth, bad guys want it, good guys want to stop them. There is a bit of intrigue when it comes to Sam’s history and how his family is linked to the Transformer war. In the end this is a big action flick and the plot is meant to facilitate that. There is some humor in the movie, largely around Sam and Bumblebee.

Action/Effects: This movie was visually impressive. The Transformers are clearly CGI, but who cares. They just look really, really cool. I think that the movie is intended to wow you and it definitely seems to accomplish that goal. I don’t think the visuals are the only merit the movie has, but it is clearly one of its strong points.

Acting: I think Shia LaBeouf is a pretty good actor. He is a kid and he hasn’t been in that much, but everything I see him in, I’m impressed. I saw him in Disturbia and I really liked his performance there. Of course his character here is a little weaker than in that movie, but this is just an action flick. I thought that John Turturro was a little over the top in this movie. I think he’s a great actor (I love his character in Monk on USA), but he seemed too goofy, almost childish and out of place. The rest of the actors are not worth mentioning (including Jon Voight). I should note that some of the original voice talent from the cartoon reprised their roles, so that was cool.

Overall: This movie is a must-see for the big screen. I don’t think it was the greatest movie you’ll ever see, but it was definitely fun to watch. I’m on the fence about this being worth a primetime ticket, but I’m definitely for seeing it at the theater.

The Transformers – The Movie (20th Anniversary Special Edition)

Review:

Unfortunately, though I watched this on DVD and this should be a DVD review, I didn’t actually check out the special features (I watched a single disc widescreen copy from Blockbuster.) As a result, this review is going to be about the movie itself and not about the DVD. If I get a chance to actually check out the disc itself sometime, I’ll post an addendum to this review with details on special features and extras.

Plot: You can’t criticize the plot much because this movie is based on a true story. It’s hard to say real life wasn’t good enough. I thought the story flowed well and it definitely portrayed a man, down on his luck, who refused to let go of his dream. Though most of the movie was sad, with one setback after another, the overall story is uplifting. Surprisingly, there is a bit of comedy in the film and I did find myself laughing a few times. I don’t want to ruin the ending, though I think you can guess what it is. You’ll feel good when you’re done watching this movie.

Acting: The acting was great. I’ve always liked Will Smith, but this was definitely one of his best performances to date. He definitely produced Oscar-worthy work in this movie. He really shows the determination, fear, frustration, and hope that (I’d like to believe) the real Chris Gardner felt. I was also impressed by Jaden Smith. His role, though critical, doesn’t require great depth. After all, Christopher Gardner was only 5 years old. How deep can he be? Still, the boy acted well and I think the existing father/son relationship showed on the screen. The rest of the cast is inconsequential, though I really did get to hating Thandie Newton’s Linda.

Overall: I think that altogether this was a good movie. The story was great and the acting definitely left an impression. I would highly recommend you watch this movie if not purchase it. It’s definitely the type of movie that motivates you and keeps you hopeful. The movie has questionable replay value, but I think that being such a good film makes it a necessary part of a true move collection.

The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)

Review

I’ve always been a fan of the Die Hard films. The everyday cop takes on powerful maniacs has always been a good story, but what makes it better is McClane’s wit. I have to say that it’s a little lacking in this movie, but it doesn’t hurt the film too much. The action, effects, and overall plot more than overcome any shortage of McClane one-liners. Here is my take on Live Free or Die Hard:

Plot: By far, this is the most complex Die Hard plot. It takes a while for the motives of the villains to become clear. More than that, there are several pieces to a very complex scheme. In the end, this film stays true to the basic premise of the first film–it’s all about the money. In this fourth installment, McClane’s daughter (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) plays the role of the familial bargaining chip, a position formerly held by his wife in the first two films. That component of the movie was a little formulaic, but that’s ok.

Acting: Bruce Willis can still do a good job. McClane is back, but he is a little more jaded. In the previous films, McClane is a little more good-humored. In this film, he’s disgruntled due to a divorce and a crumbling relationship with his daughter. Justin Long is definitely a source of comic relief for this movie. He plays a hacker duped into helping the cyber-terrorists. Hearing him rant about a media-controlled society and the gross inadequacies of Creedence Clearwater Revival are fun to watch, not to mention his exchanges with Willis. Also, there is a funny but brief role played by Kevin Smith.

Action/Effects: The action in this movie is over-the-top and almost non-stop. You won’t get bored during this movie, and there isn’t a very long intro. I liked that about this movie–it picks up the action pretty quickly, but still does a good job of revealing the plot smoothly. The stunts, fight scenes, and CG stuff was great. All the action is fluid and the CGI stuff is not very obvious (except of course the F-35 jet, which couldn’t possibly be real.) Interesting note–they actually did take out a helicopter with a police cruiser. Only the propeller on the helicopter and falling gunman were CG.

Overall: This was a good movie and definitely worth watching. I would definitely recommend seeing it in the theater and I would go so far as to say its worth a prime-time ticket. You really have to see this on the big screen to appreciate the stunt sequences and special effects.

And in case you don’t believe me, here is a review from EW.com by Owen Gleiberman. I agree with the review on everything but the grade. When so many unentertaining films are popping up in theaters, Live Free or Die Hard stands out a little. I would have given it a B+/A-. I think that’s a fair grade when you come out of a theater saying “that was pretty good.”

Die Hard Collection (Die Hard / Die Hard 2 – Die Harder / Die Hard with a Vengence / Live Free or Die Hard – Bonus Disc)