The Hot Blog

Nope, it's no Trannys 2 or Crystal Skull. Both of those were better.

Also, GOOD HEADLINE.

I hope this doesn't take the air out of the mad hype sails of MCN regular Hunter Tremayne, who's posted here several times in the last few weeks to pump up excitement for Holmes, I believe claiming it wasn't just good, wasn't just great, but could be a potential Best Picture WINNER and some kind of immortal classic.

I sort of liked his spirit, and kinda wanted to believe him, since I'm a big fan of Ritchie and of course McAdams.

And, really, who doesn't love Downey, but... Hasn't he been doing this variation on his "Ain't I somethin'?" fast-talking routine since "Pick-Up Artist"? Like, dude, you're a genius, you're one of the best actors in the world, but play a dumb guy or a socially inept pervert or something. Even Nicholson would mix in an "Ironweed" or a "The Border" in between being "Jack."

RDJ played a great moron in KISS KISS BANG BANG. It's one of his best performances.

I loved that movie (KKBB) but I don't necessarily think of his character as a "moron." He was still quick-thinking, quick-talking, energetic and awesomely full of shit. How about for once playing a guy who ISN'T the smartest, snappiest guy in the room, doing riffs and asides to dazzle us? Could be a Philip Seymour Hoffman/Jackie Earle Haley perv, or a Rourkian sadsack, or a film noir dupe, or a Denzelian unironic ass-kicker, or a Cruiseian straight shooter, a Clooneyesque wounded slickster.

Again, HUGE RDJ fan dating back to Less Than Zero, and for some actors it's hard NOT to play smart, sharp and quick-witted on screen, but Iron Man and now Sherlock Holmes seem to be the same blithe, riffing, devil-may-care, smartest guy in the room shtick from Back to School and Pick-Up Artist. Just think once in a while it would be interesting to see him throw in a guy who WASN'T kind of ironically commenting on the festivities and ten paces ahead of everyone.

Just wait...he'll play a mentally handicapped dude soon enough to try and seriously win an Oscar.

The character in Tropic Thunder was kind of different...and did get a nomination.

never go full retard

Christ, man, SPELL CHECK!!! It's not that hard.

(And, yes, I know you'll now post some snappy little comeback about how I'm not contributing to the conversation, etc., etc.)

DP, gotta disagree with you. While you are correct that McA doesn't have "all the right curves" for a period dress, I think she is one of the few thin hollywood types who has real beauty and she isn't as curvy as I like my ladies, but that ass in that dress in WEDDING CRASHERS...Oh yeah! Petite but curvy. Nothing wrong with that, friendo.

It's sAlma hayek and it's wild wild west without the 'the'.

That said, Downey Jr. just got Golden Globe-nominated, what do you think of that?

Somehow I don't think Golden Globes love will sway anybody's opinion.

Wait, did that awesome SERIOUS MAN dude just get nominated... for Actor in a COMEDY? How the hell is that a comedy????

Also? Timberlake, please fuck off.

On topic: McAdams is PURE hotness. Curves not required. Giant tits are the most overrated thing since coffee.

Salma Hayek just seems like she'd yell at you a lot. McAdams by a ZILLION miles.

I'm pretty sure that right now, they're hiring Downey for exactly the type of character he normally plays. Way back when, I don't know if he was good or bad, but he did do the quiet, childish psycho in In Dreams. I think he did well and I like that movie, but I can't exactly say either was "good."

And Wild Wild West was PAIN. I'm usually a fairly easygoing guy on movies, but I was actually embarassed for the actors watching that movie. Those endless scenes of Will Smith and Branaugh trading horrible quips about how they're crippled or black have got to be some of the worst shit to be in a major release in some time. Didn't anyone see those scenes and suggest they be cut?

I knew this movie was going to suck when Downey started doing interviews about how he had to get in shape to play Sherlock Holmes.

Yeah, I remember liking "In Dreams" in theaters, and that for some reason it had a bad reputation that seemed unwarranted. Also forgot that he played the (US MARSHALS SPOILER 10 years on, YEP YEP) not-so-surprising, not-so-menacing, big-star-who's in the movie-for-no-other-reason villain in US MARSHALS. That's kinda different.

Any connoissuers of straight-up DTV '90s bullshit remember him doing some bad action buddy cable movie with Billy Zane? Can't even imagine what kind of bender he was on to turn up in that level of debuted-on-HBO bullshit.

As long as the big studios wanna break open the checkbook for more Tony Stark, I guess that's better than more Hugo Pool or more Hail Caesar, his performances in which kind of have to be seen to be believed.

In Dreams is one of those thrillers like 8mm that for some reason get a lot of hate, but I don't know why. I could see not liking them, but calling them the worst movies of their actor's careers doesn't make sense. But I hear it a lot with those two. I loved 8mm!

I know why Holmes got into the ring, David. Ritchie needed a reason for hims to be topless for his trademark array of lingering slow-motion shots or twitching pectoral muscles. Ritchie is an artist and his medium is half naked dudes....not that there's anything wrong with that.

I haven't seen the movie so I can't comment...but would Sherlock Holmes really explain why he wants to do stuff?

Also a fan of 8MM. I have always felt guilty about it, but Ebert's three-star review sums it up nicely. I remember liking In Dreams but I haven't seen it since its theatrical release. I really like Neil Jordan. Lex, Danger Zone! I saw it back in the day.

8MM is one of the most balls-out, hardcore movies of its era; Yeah, it's kind of a Silence-Seven-Hardcore riff (from the writer of Seven), but I loved it... All the things critics hated -- Cage's melodramatic performance, the over-the-top loathesome villains, the multiple endings, the protracted runtime -- were big selling points with me.

And Gandolfini KILLS in that movie. Strangely, he's gone on to diss it, but he's a perfect, creepy sleazebag villain in it... as is Peter Stormare.

With that one, I think it mostly just falls under milquetoast critics' trademark unease with vigilantism and revenge stories... Look at reviews for anything from Dirty Harry on up through Death Sentence, and time and again that kind of unleashed vengeance aimed at society's scumbags just makes critics squeamish.

HA! Stella, the fact that it was called DANGER ZONE makes it even more generic and AWESOME! I wonder if Downey even *remembers* making it.

Agreed on 8MM Lex. Gandolfini and Stormare are great, and I really like Phoenix's performance as Max California. I was genuinely bummed by his character's fate. I'm a big Chris Bauer fan (True Blood, The Wire) as well. Overall a really solid cast.

What's funny about Danger Zone too is that if you look at Downey's work in the 90s, despite his personal problems, it's mostly studio stuff as well as respectable indies. Then, there's Danger Zone.

I think it'll be interesting to see how Downey plays the straight man to Zach Galifianakas in "Due Date".

Also, the line "Salma Hayek seems like she'd just yell at you a lot" =greatness.

Well, as the BFCA has SHERLOCK HOLMES at Four Stars with an 85 score, Todd McCarthy at VARIETY was pretty much into it, too, as are the majority of the British press., so I wouldn't read too much into David's pan. This is a guy who didn't much care for The Dark Knight, either.

Stella, one of these nights I'm gonna have to revisit DANGER ZONE and double-feature it with the equally mystifying, totally forgotten Nicolas Cage low-rent ten-cent foreign action movie A TIME TO KILL (no, not that one).

I had to IMDB that one Lex. Never heard of it. Hopefully Showtime or TMC will air it sometime.

LexG, we all get your preferences at this point, but I have to disagree - women should have curves, sorry.

I'll take Kate Winslet over Rachel McAdams any day of the week. You can have your little girls masquerading as women. Still sad about what has happened to Jennifer Connelly.

David Poland: He's on the outside looking in... AGAIN! When what happens happens David. I hope you don't get all Tim Tebow on us like you did with Phantom and Dreamgirls and so and so forth.

Jennifer Connelly matured Geoff. She's also not that tall. She's not Emily Deschanel. Whose actually seriously tall.

A. Not saying I don't still think McA is a hottie... just that she is a lot hotter when she actually has something to say. If she's just there to be ogled by the camera, I will take the Salma and Penelope Show any day... though they too are sexier with good words in their mouths.

B. Comparison to my take on Dark Knight is silly. I liked that movie a lot. I just didn't think it changed the future of cinema as we knew it or was destined to be in the highest levels of the pantheon. This movie is not anywhere close to the worst moments of Dark Knight.

C. Really... we're quoting BFCA scores now? Really?

D. Grady... at least contribute what spelling mistake you are having an issue with. Obviously, there is spell check, dude. But things slip through.

Obvious criticism I know but Ironman would have been a lot better if they dumped the whole boring moral redemption/pepper potts hetero-normative arc. The movie is downhill after the first sequence. It's a perfect example of how hollywood movies often glance in the direction of legitimate cultural satire (in this case highlighting the corporate militarism underlying america's central asian enterprise) then attempt to reconcile the audience to this state of affairs through generic plot points. I know nothing of the comic book nor do I care to, but why can't we just have a degenerate and unredeemed Tony Stark?

I was on Team Downey the first time I saw LESS THAN ZERO and couldn't believe he didn't get a supporting actor nod.

Actually finaly watched CHAPLIN the other night. Overwrought as it is, Downey IS Chaplin. That's the kind of work he's capable of in the right hands.

And I got all goose-pimply seeing him go from a sad Hollywood casualty to a modern superhero star. He deserves it.

Another loud blow-'em-up shoot-'em-up movie. Does it have Razzies written all over it?

David, I'll answer your one question.

He's in the ring for two reasons, both spelled out quite clearly by the film if you're paying attention. First, when Sherlock does not have a case, his "great mind" turns inward, and he's given to fits of insane depression and self-destructive behavior. Normally, Watson is the person who keeps him afloat in those moments, but as we see in the scene immediately preceding the fight, Watson's leaving him. Getting married. Breaking up the band. So his anchor abandons him and Holmes is looking to punish himself for the way he just acted, and to get outside his head somehow. The fight is just the ticket until Irene shows up and distracts him.

That's not supposition. I didn't have to make that up. It's right there in the text of the film. It's not a clever gimmick. The scene is driven by Sherlock's character, and the importance of us seeing how he breaks down a fight the same way he breaks down a crime scene is further establishing who he is.

Wow, looks like someone has spent a lot of time analyzing Sherlock Holmes. I had no idea it was a film of such depth and complexity. I take it Drew is a fan.

"But... why is Sherlock in the ring in the first place?"

From Wikipedia:

Holmes is described as a formidable bare-knuckle fighter. In The Sign of the Four, Holmes introduces himself to a prize-fighter as:
"The amateur who fought three rounds with you at Alison's rooms on the night of your benefit four years back." McMurdo responds by saying, "Ah, you're one that has wasted your gifts, you have! You might have aimed high, if you had joined the fancy."

Holmes engages in hand to hand combat with his adversaries on occasions throughout the stories, inevitably emerging the victor. It is iterated in "Gloria Scott" that Holmes trained as a boxer.

"The Adventure of the Empty House", Holmes recounts to Watson how he used martial arts to overcome Professor Moriarty and fling his adversary to his death at the Reichenbach Falls. He states that "I have some knowledge, however, of baritsu, or the Japanese system of wrestling, which has more than once been very useful to me." The name "baritsu" appears to be a reference to the real-life martial art of bartitsu.

"I take it Drew is a fan."

He calls himself "Moriarty" for a reason...

Ha. Good point LYT.

Yeah, Drew... I got that idea... that's what I would assume it to be about... but unfortunately, it is not really put in any perspective in the screenplay or direction of the film.

And amazingly, as I discussed the specific scene as an example of what I wish the film had done better, not one person I spoke to - not all morons, sorry - seemed to make the connection between the earlier scene and the fight scene.

They didn't have to scream "he fights because he thinks!!!!" but if the movie doesn't make the connection, however subtly, in the actual movie and not just over dinner afterwards, analyzing Sherlock F-ing Holmes, it is a mistake... a failure. Even the notion in the ring that he chooses to be hit in the head, since the text of the scene tells us that he knows exactly how to win without getting himself hurt - unless distracted - is not in there. And if it was in there, it might have been a brilliant stroke... but it wasn't there. Sorry.

In a film like Avatar, Cameron can beat you over the head a little with motivation and how things work. But when the heat is on, in the third act, no one is guessing about how the mechanics are working or wondering how, all of a sudden, something works differently than it did in the first act. It can make for some clunky narrative, but man, does it ever pay off for the audience.

And Ponderer... yeah... my friend Ed remembered references to him fighting in the books as well... but I don't go to a movie to research a romp in Wikipedia.

I thought SH was great - not top of the line although over the top at times. But certainly no bottom feeder.

In the first Holmes story written by Sir ACD Watson meets his new roommate and Holmes instantly deduces Watson has recently returned from active service in Afghanistan (We. find out how Holmes knew in a future chapter.). Watson writes in chapter 2 of A Study in Scarlet that "His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge." This would certainly explain why Downey Jr./Holmes sniffs the cork of red wine that RMcA has drugged. You don't sniff the cork froma bottle of red, you touch the wet end.
Watson makes a list of things Holmes is good at. No. 11 reads "Is an excellent singlestick player, boxer and swordsman."

I thought it was really obvious why he was fighting in that next scene.

I'm getting sick of people saying that they've changed his character. He's exactly like he was in the books. I've heard and read snobby comments like that and then you realize their only exposure to Holmes were the previous movies which established a much different Holmes.

I forget who originally said this but: In a movie, you have to announce each key piece of information at least three times. First, for the really smart folks, who'll catch it right away. Then for your average moviegoers. And the third time for the mouth breathers.

and then there is National Treasure where you have to announce that you plan to steal the Declaration of Independance at least 27 times.

Of course, this has nothing to do with the film's quality, but I'm having seven 13 & 14-year-old boys sleeping over on Saturday and I asked them, "Wanna see Avatar?!" And they kind of looked at each other and mumbled, nah. Then one of 'em said excitedly, "Is Sherlock Holmes out yet?"

And Dave, have you ever gracefully accepted that you were wr...wro...not 100% right? Try it. Your wife will like it.

Dave, that's fair, but it sounded like you were attacking the whole premise with the "why are they having a thinking man fight" sort of angle - and the fighting aspects is one of the few allusions to *Doyle's* Sherlock that I was anticipating. I've sort of grown sick of the entirely cerebral interpretations of him, when Conan Doyle clearly painted him as both a man of intellect and a man of physical action. I mean, Conan Doyle DID try to kill Holmes off with a fight scene.

So what if you don't want to go research the character before you see the film?

The fact is that this is one of the few depictions of both Sherlock and Watson that actually uses ALL of what Conan Doyle wrote as source, and if it freaks you out to see him fighting... sorry. But that is from the text. And the fact that this isn't an origin story that overexplains every single character trait of both men is EXACTLY why it works. Thank god.

Wow, are there actually going to be Sherlock vs. Avatar camps developing, now??? Looks like Dave chose his side, but I'm looking forward to seeing both.

Not too worried about his review, as he did not like Iron Man. And Dave, don't go all revisionist and tell us you actually liked Iron Man - you gave a negative review and it's ok.

Nope, it's not going to get Razzies. In fact, lots of people are going to actually like it.

Nope, it's not going to get Razzies. In fact, lots of people are going to actually like it.

It's especially interesting that Holmesians and Sherlockians (respectively the British and American Holmes societies) love the film for its faithfulness to Conan Doyle. Leslie S. Klinger, editor of the wonderful Annotated Sherlock Holmes, said on his twitter "Saw the new SH movie last night. It's a triumph, IMHO. Much satisfying Canonical dialogue, a great Holmes/Watson duo & a fine mystery."

Exactly. Whether I liked it or not, I've been sent so much Holmes stuff over the last twelve years I could have started a museum. I think I have a pretty firm grasp on what is or isn't canon, and I was very impressed by the way the film turns up things that Conan Doyle created, without ever feeling like they were violating his intent. It's a tricky line to walk, and they pulled it off.

The Sherlockians will surprise you. As I have posted elsewhere: Some have told me their favorite movie interpreter of Dr. Watson was Robert Duvall in The Seven Per-Cent Solution.

Joe, suprised you haven't given a shout out to Without a Clue yet.

Hcat: LOL. That was funny, as I recall. (I don't think the Sherlockians approved.) But my favorite Sherlock Holmes movie of all time is A Study in Terror -- which, alas, in unavailable in the US on DVD, though I understand it'll air Dec. 25 on TCM.

i read 'sherlock holmes' voraciously as a kid after i happened to read 'the red-headed league' in school (my own boy just started with 'the man with the twisted lip' & 'the adventure of the devils foot', which i have as a double feature in an old collection of miniature volumes of the short stories). i haven't seen ritchie's incarnation yet (definitely will tho, i love anything holmes) but i just wanted to mention for any SH fans out there that the best incarnation i've seen yet of the conan doyle/holmes universe is actually the BBC's 'murder rooms: the dark beginnings of sherlock holmes'.

the short series follows arthur conan doyle's real-life exploits with his tutor at the university of edinburgh and crack forensics man dr. bell, on whom conan doyle closely based the character of sherlock holmes.

ian richardson plays dr. bell - the prototype holmes - brilliantly, and arthur conan doyle (played by charles edwards tho in the pilot episode it was a different actor) plays the part of the watson-esque sidekick to dr. bell's holmes. the perfs, superb production design and terrifically woven mysteries incorporating many of the story elements conan doyle would later use when writing his holmes books/short stories are top notch, extremely compelling and often palpably sinister and creepy. i've yet to see a better 'holmes' than richardson's dr. bell, just perfect.

(i'm really looking forward to seeing what RDJ does with the role of holmes, tho my one reservation from what i've seen in trailers is that RDJ - and law for that matter - looks too young to play holmes, unless it's like a revised 'sherlock and watson: the early years' deal)

just to clarify, 'murder rooms' isn't a tv series, it's 5 (i think) stand-alone movie length mysteries, rather like a movie mini-series

It's not exactly Sherlock Holmes, but I really enjoyed the underwatched Zero Effect, which is based on a Holmes story. Not perfect by any means, but some nice writing and some good turns from Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller. Its humor is a little dry, but that's just fine by me.

Geoff, the Yenta Hubrian aka David Poland pretty much did what he always does. He picked a film, fell in love with it, then decided to trounce the next film coming out which could destroy the earning potential of the film he loves. If you go all the way back to the beginning with this man. You will see that this is his pattern.

So he picked sides, I am rooting for his side to fail as always, but I do fear the thing on the hill. Toby Ziegler taught me as much, but I cannot wait till Saturday morning. It's Complicated, y'all!

Oh yeah... 8MM? FUCK AND YOU! FUCK AND YOU! Seriously, the next time your two bit ass insults anything I like. I will just have to remember torture-porn and fucking 8MM! GOOD FUCKING LORD!

Oh, torture porn! IO is a little baby wussy boy!

IO, if you were in front of me right now, I'd blast you in the face.

So Mr. Tremayne - you've seen it, right? I know your time is heavily occupied with being an eminent psychiatrist and all...

I don't think RDJ and Law are too young for the characters - I mean, when they first meet in Study in Scarlet, they're both supposed to be pretty young, just out of the military and graduate school respectively, right? So they'd each be, most likely, their late 20s at the oldest?

And I never saw The Soloist - how was RDJ in that? It seemed like pretty standard Oscar-mongering but you never know...

I don't think 8mm, but I would argue it has at least one great scene: When Nicolas Cage calls the young girl's mother to break the bad news -- and to ask her permission to avenge the girl's death. I've never seen another scene quite like this one in any other movie.

That is a good scene...and the third act is pretty unexpected. You figure justice in the general view of the law will be served, but when the evidence is destroyed and the woman who hires him kills herself, you wonder what the hell can happen to resolve this? And then it becomes a full fledged revenge movie, which doesn't usually happen just in the third act. I love the mood and art direction of the movie, and love the actors. Schumacher, when in serious mode, makes good movies. He should have made his Batman in the vein of Phonebooth or Falling Down (liked those too).

I know gross things are too rough for IO, who likes to be sure his cartoon villains are beaten by men in capes, but sometimes a disturbing movie is great for the filmgoing vigor.

I'm usually opposed to the term "torture porn," but 8MM is literally a movie about the making of actual torture porn.

Well yeah, that was kind of the point. And it was evil and drove a decent man to the depths of evil himself. It wasn't a rah-rah yay for torture porn movie.

I absolutely love IN DREAMS. Neil Jordan directed a sumptuous movie. The visuals are absolutely stunning, with a great Elliot Goldenthal score. The scene of the children running around in the forest with the translucent fairy wings is worth the price of admission alone. For the life of me, I don't understand why this film is so underrated. Another supremely underrated thriller is Jeb Stuarts SWITCHBACK with Dennis Quaid. It's got such a dark, ominous vibe to it - and a cool, original locale.

The problem with In Dreams is that it does a lot of stuff so well, but then it's tempered by the horribly shitty scenes of Annette Bening being menaced by pictures of apples on the computer and then hysterically pushing tons of apples down the garbage disposal. It's always good in a lot of ways, but it's also really stupid in a lot of ways.

I never saw Switchback but I heard good things about it. Maybe I'll check that out. It looked sort of like a generic thriller to me.

Er, in my above post, that should read: "I don't think 8mm is a great movie, but I would argue it has at least one great scene..." Geez, and I can't even blame it on Merlot this evening.

BTW: Switchback reminds you that Danny Glover can be one bad-ass bad guy.

No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!

Perm, you want to blow your load in Jeff's face. Remember: that's how you tell him you love him. Seriously, what asshole praises 8mm, then slams 300 and V for Vendetta? Fucking disgusting, but that's the hot blog for you. The Hot Blog: Where Shitheads Happen.

Because maybe people have different tastes? And maybe because one is a drama while the others are nerd wankfests for losers like you to jerk off to and then use your funny books to wipe the cum off your fat belly, and then carefully place the funny book back in your special plastic bag to preserve it?

And if you mean me, because I don't know that I ever weighed on 300 or V around here...I liked 8mm, liked 300, thought V was kind of dull.

Oh yeah, also let me ask you IO...since you hate torture porn, HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU LIKE 300? That movie is nothing but torture/gore porn. Which is why I like it, but why do you, fuckface?

I do have to side with Poland in that the explanation has to be effectively contained within the movie. I remember getting into an argument with a friend many years ago over Queen of the Damned - I felt it was ridiculous that the vampire LeStat would know anything about rock after having been asleep for years, and my friend replied, "Well, if you'd read the books you'd know..."

I don't want to have to do prep to watch a movie. I want to sit down, enjoy my two hours or so, and then go and do something else. I can't comment if Holme's fascination with boxing is conveyed in the movie because I haven't seen it, but assuming that "everyone should know this" (or words to that effect) damages your ability to be a four quadrant smash.

joaquin is bonza in '8mm', 'max california' (what's happened to schumacher? i watched that 'number 23' movie the other night to my lasting regret and wanted to pick out a little piece of my brain afterwards. i hope 'the schu' can bounce back after that flatline poopfest)

"No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!"

(foamy, true story: i haven't sipped a drop of merlot since hearing those immortal words how ever many years ago now. i must be easily swayed)

Drew - No. I was not freaked out by Holmes boxing. I am not freaked out by reconsidering famous characters. If you want to fight that fight, we are on the same side. Not my point at all.

My point is that the movie is mediocre at best - ironically, the boxing scene was one of my more favored sequences - and a piece of crap at worst.

But if you like it, you like it.

And IO, as usual, wrong. I saw Holmes well before I saw Avatar. The two films have nothing to do with each other for me. My position on Holmes developed after I saw it... it just waited for an embargo date for publication.

Besides, there is no actual competition between these films. No two camps. Avatar will more than double Sherlock's domestic number, if not triple or more. And there will be an even greater spread overseas. I expect Sherlock to open pretty well. But it's not going to be a movie people - outside of the geeks - talk about ever again after January 4.

And Jennab... I acknowledge being wrong all the time. I'm not wrong on this. And even when I am wrong, someone being an asshole about it doesn't make them less of an ass because I am wrong. Separate issues. I know that some people don't seem to understand that concept, but that's not my issue.

Geoff - My review of Iron Man was that what worked was the cool suit and Downey being charming, but not particularly well written or directed. It is a better film than this.

People are certainly welcome to disagree with me on this. I have never suggested that my opinion on a movie is the only opinion. I often represent one side. In this case, I expect it to be the majority. On Iron Man, I did not. On Star Trek and The Dark Knight, I liked both films and felt both were overrated, Trek more than TDK.

Loved the phone call scene in 8mm, and the first half of the film is a pretty strong detective story. It only loses me when it seems to equate enjoying abnormal sexual activities with being a crazed murderer. Never thought I'd see Switchback mentioned ever again, but count me as a fan. I agree with DP in that you shouldn't have to bring outside information with you to understand a movie. Sure, outside info can enhance context and improve enjoyment, but, unless it's a sequel/prequel to a prior film, I should be able to follow the film itself purely by what's happening or implied onscreen. I actually consider Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to be one of the lesser Potter films purely because you really have to have read the book to understand the finale.

Come what may, I won't be in any position to complain about 'purity' in this new Holmes picture, as the only Holmes movies I've seen through and through are Without A Clue and Young Sherlock Holmes. I may be the only one, but I rather love Young Sherlock Holmes, which contains the all-time best credit cookie in film history.

I'll throw down for THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS...

"THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS..."

tee hee (g.c. scott and woodward are arguably the weirdest holmes and watson to date!)

How is MURDER BY DECREE, the Holmes movie with Christopher Plummer and (I believe?) James Mason?

Picked that up for a cheap a while back after its director, Bob Clark, passed on, because I wanted to see some more of his early, acclaimed flicks. Like so many DVDs, bought it on a whim then never opened it... worth a look?

"Perm, you want to blow your load in Jeff's face. Remember: that's how you tell him you love him."

I love how IOI can say vile, baldly insulting stuff like this, and then when he gets called out for it, will say something like "I'm just kidding, I love to laugh and have fun." IOI, your sense of fun sucks.

Joe Straat -- I really enjoyed ZERO EFFECT when it was released but haven't seen it since. It's become a mild source of contention between my wife and me: she has no memory of seeing it even when I list the cast or read a synopsis. I'm too lazy to rent it. Now after so many years, I'm am starting to doubt myself; maybe I saw it with someone else.

It's okay, Jeff. I hope IO gets stabbed to death by some Mexicans.

Jeff, now why don't you respond to Perm with the same response? Oh wait. Your stupid monkey ass has no problem with those statements, but me referring to you as a "MONKEY ASS" gets you all hot and bothered. Good for you, but you are a douche, Perm is a douche, and the two of you just need to fuck.

Perm you ugly repetitive assfuck, you posted two videos stating why 300 and V for Vendetta sucked. So fuck you again, and if you ever got close enough to talk to me. You would cower like the tiny bitch of a man that you are. You know it, I know it, and there's no need for you to try to look hard. Especially when we know that those same Mexicans will be busy stabbing you in your ass with their COCKS!!!!!!!!!

David, wrong my motherfucking ass. Let's go through your post and point out the inconsistencies.

"And IO, as usual, wrong. I saw Holmes well before I saw Avatar. The two films have nothing to do with each other for me. My position on Holmes developed after I saw it... it just waited for an embargo date for publication."

You mean your completely uninformed and daft take on Holmes? This is WHO YOU ARE DAVID. You pick a side. I could care less when you saw the films because THIS IS WHO YOU ARE! You pick sides. You may not even know consciously that you pick sides, but you pick sides. You have picked a side. GOOD FOR YOU!

"Besides, there is no actual competition between these films. No two camps. Avatar will more than double Sherlock's domestic number, if not triple or more. And there will be an even greater spread overseas."

When this does not happen. When you are once again proven wrong. KNEEL. KNEEL BEFORE ME! Seriously, you are so out to fucking lunch with Avatar, that you may cry when it has a KONG WEEKEND.

"I expect Sherlock to open pretty well. But it's not going to be a movie people - outside of the geeks - talk about ever again after January 4."

WHO THE FUCK WANTS TO SEE AVATAR? Please... point out the people. Come on. I am going to see it because I LOVE FILM, but most people make a choice. Do you really believe that most people are going to pick the CAT SMURFS over ROBERT DOWNEY JR? REALLY? Holmes is the film of the people. Once this happens, and it will. I hope you realize then and there, that you are fucking out there man. OUT THERE!

"And Jennab... I acknowledge being wrong all the time. I'm not wrong on this."

It's a fucking opinion not a certitude. The fact that you think that highly of your opinion in terms of this film. Makes me giggle. You also never fucking admit when you are wrong. It's just not in you to do so.

"And even when I am wrong, someone being an asshole about it doesn't make them less of an ass because I am wrong."

You have to be a pothead or a heavy casual drinker because THAT'S YOU! Anytime anyone else in your community is WRONG. You respond like a complete and utter douche. It makes me like you as a person due to the sheer comical level of those responses, BUT YOU ALWAYS ACT LIKE AN ASS WHEN SOMEONE IS WRONG ABOUT ANYTHING! This is who you are. Take the blinders off, and go read your own damn posts.

"Separate issues. I know that some people don't seem to understand that concept, but that's not my issue."

One of those people happens to be David Poland, but do not let that get in the way of your detachment.

"Geoff - My review of Iron Man was that what worked was the cool suit and Downey being charming, but not particularly well written or directed. It is a better film than this."

Your review of Iron Man is pure and utter bullshit. It's written by man who obviously did not pay attention to the movie he was watching.

"People are certainly welcome to disagree with me on this."

We do, like assholes apparently, but Joe Leydon still has a better look than you do!

"I have never suggested that my opinion on a movie is the only opinion."

Here's you only SECONDS AGO; "And Jennab... I acknowledge being wrong all the time. I'm not wrong on this." YOU CONTRADICTED YOURSELF INSIDE THE SAME RESPONSE! FUCKING EY!

"I often represent one side. In this case, I expect it to be the majority."

How many times do I have to post this for you to get it. YOU ARE NOT THE MAJORITY. Your view on film and what makes a good film, is no where close to being a populous opinion. Your living inside your own rectum, and really do not have the time to spend on what's going on with the REST OF US.

"On Iron Man, I did not. On Star Trek and The Dark Knight, I liked both films and felt both were overrated, Trek more than TDK."

Three of the best films of the decade. Take care, comb you hair, and try harder Dave. Try harder.

Three of the best films of the decade?

You need to see more movies that don't have a sleeping bag tie-in.

Has there ever been a living being so desperately, obsessively in love with their own questionable taste as IO?

Good question. What a petulant, whiny tirade. In other words, more of the same.

Wow, IO sucks more than I thought. Star Trek is one of the best films of the decade? Good God.

I'd be intersted in seeing any videos I posted about how much I hate 300 since a) I always liked 300 and b) I've never posted a video on the internet in my life. I think loser's thinking of someone else.

And what's with all of the homophobic insults? Saying I should fuck Jeff is such a bad insult? Not that I have a problem with the gays, but I like women. Like, I thoroughly enjoyed fucking IO's mom last night while I had her head shoved in the toilet.

Jesus Perm, don't you know picking up truckstop hookers is a high risk behavior?

Man, I wish IO's mom was that high class. I picked her up from under a bridge.

How many bitches are out there? A lot here, and I have seen more movies this decade than you have hcat. I watch films all day everyday, and you can fuck you very much.

Every other bitch here can suck it. Whiny tirade? No, that's David Poland. Once again you motherfuckers picked a side, I am not your pick, but apparently the people you like can wish death on me or my family. Do you stupid ignorant motherfuckers realize the difference between referring to people as stupid ignorant motherfuckers and wishing death on them? If not, then you are a stupid ignorant motherfucker, and can hit the bricks. I just destroyed Poland on his website. Sorry you had such a problem with it, but you are a bunch of stupid ignorant motherfuckers. WOO!!!

Oh yeah Perm, it's not homophobic. I just think you and Jeff should swap spit, swallow for each other, and have a tremendous night of anal sex. That's not homophobia, you stupid ignorant motherfucker. That's wishing the best for two dillweed asshole motherfuckers. Seriously, stop posting, grab Jeff's schwantz, and have an amazing night of fornication! Oh yeah you dumb motherfucker, your post about 300 and V for Vendetta being stupid are in one of the Avatar threads. Seeing as you are a stupid ignorant motherfucker, that means about as much to me as a wart on your lover's ass. I will just let you hunt it down. Until then, TALLY HO BITCHES!

Now that wasn't whiny. That was fun to read. I especially liked the part about "stupid ignorant motherfuckers." It has a nice ring to it and immediately establishes the author as a person to be respected and admired. Every single one of us is lucky you post here.

IO watches movies by himself all day every day? What a shock.

And IO...me saying a movie is stupid has nothing to do whether I like it or not. There are tons of intelligent movies that I wouldn't give the time of day to. Does anyone think I spend any time watching The Remains of the Day?

But I don't like stupid people so you suck.

IO - I am sure that you have seen more movies than I have. There are certain roadblocks keeping me from watching movies all day, Marriage, Kid, House, Gainful employment, sometimes it would be nice not to be hindered by all these and watch movies all day, but this is the life I chose.

It is not that you do not see enough movies, its that you see all these films and pick Iron Man and Star Trek as the best of the decade.

and Perm, Remains of the Day kicks ass.

I just fucking hate stoic butlers.

He wasn't stoic as much as emotionally crippled, really an incredible movie and an even better novel.

And now I think I have to call bullshit on being outviewed by IO, I see about 100-110 movies from any recent year, and there just aren't enough fanboy properties realeased each year to match that number. You do realize that some direct to video green lantern cartoon or spongebob compelation doesn't count as a movie?

We're venturing into 'don't feed the troll' territory here.

I mean, if IOI didn't have arguments with internet strangers, he probably wouldn't have any human interactions at all.

"I watch films all day everyday, and you can fuck you very much."

Which explains oodles about your stellar social skills.

I think I should also clarify: I never wished death on IO's family. Just him, personally. Just so you guys understand that I'm a good guy at heart.

And seriously, I don't DEMAND that IO be killed. Crippled would be fine.

Again, if you let Perm slide, and give me shit bitches. You are simply hypocrites. You also do not know in what context I do anything, but you tried to be funny. Unfortunately the lot of you are a bunch of stupid ass ignorant motherfuckers. If you think the way you do Stella, then you should feel that way about everyone. Obviously you and your herd of bitch nuggets, have a hard-on for me. That's fine. I at least am me, and not you. Sure, that seems like a simple retort to your amazing rebuttal above, but it's the simple truth. All six of you are hypocritical bitches. If you draw a line with a person cussing you, but the same line is not extended to the vile and disturbing shit that expels from Perm's puggy finglets. Well, really, I am obviously conversing with a bunch of big wussy boys in here. Seriously, you can all go fuck yourselves.

If you want consistency, then be consistent. It seems that you like to attack me, but I cannot attack back. Boo hoo. Why don't you go and get your wives and girlfriends, and have them give you a pity blowjob. A pity blow because no good woman in her right mind would want to be with in 300 feet of the six of you.

Fortunately for Jeff and Perm, they have each other, and tonight the house is serving COCK. So you two stop posting, and have a fun time at the Days Inn. Less posting. More sucky sucky five dolla!

This has been a public service message from Turk 182. Please try to help the empty vessel that is Jeff figure out what Turk 182 is, because if you do not help him. He may throw a wee little fit, and Perm may have to toss his salad.

IOI, the difference is, Perm is obviously joking, and joking in a way that is actually clever and makes me laugh. But when you go on, it sounds like you're just plain angry and full of rage. I don't get any kind of ironic companionability to any of your comments.

So either you're a really angry, bitter person who lies to cover his tracks, or you're a decent guy who's just flat-out shitty at communicating and picking up social cues.

Not sure which one I prefer.

Jeff, again, you laugh at sick shit. If you get that from me, but find Perm funny. You are fucked in the head.

Again, you always go on and on about my social skills, but you remain one of the most soulless people on this or any other blog. You are pointless, derivative, and most of all most people dislike you. Over the last few months, you have gotten in more arguments and disputes with most people here, then I have. You have always been a problem, but Poland let's Lex discuss fucking underage girls. So I guess the empty-headed and pointless posts you add to your post count, are really not a big deal.

Again Jeff, you find Perm funny. I find him to be someone that needs to spend more time using his fingers in your ass, then on a keyboard.

So we all now know that you are as sick and twisted as your masturbating to Hostel 2 made you out to be. What a sad fucking sack of nothing you are Jeff. I pity you, but you at least have some PERM COCK waiting for you at the DAYS INN!

Rage? What a simpleton you are.

Whose the sixth Bitch Nugget? I was thinking of having t-shirts made.

Oh yeah, I do find it funny when you try to insult me. You try to be all sly about it as if that makes it better than being direct. You sir are nothing more than an empty shirt. Again, if you find him funny, that's the first step down the road to love! Cup his balls, Jeff. Cup his balls, and let him know that he's the one. Afterward, I hope a piano falls on you, a dog shits on your rotting corpses, and organ harvesters sell what's left of you to cheap medical schools in Havana.

Hopefully that last part makes you laugh. That does seem to be your sense of humour!

-.-

Hmmmm, seems like the Aristocrats might be on IOI's best of the decade list as well.

You know, there is really no need for an argument here. This picture, by all sensible published reviews, works for both those who love the original Conan Doyle stories and those who simply enjoy a grand adventure romp. It doesn't work, however, for people who like Basil Rathbone, deerstalkers, huge magnifying glances, a buffonish Watson, or any of that non-Canonical claptrap.

It's disses are from people who say they know who Holmes should be, but who only know the character from lousy movies and personal conjecture.

As to box office, well, David is entitled to his opinion, but good lord, to say that Avatar will wipe the floor with Holmes' box office is ... well, risible. I don't know anyone who isn't dying to see Sherlock Holmes, which has pretty much the best trailer on the planet.

I have no desire to see Sherlock Holmes. None whatsoever. So, now you know one.

Wasn't David the one who dismissed the notion that Transformers would hit $200 million domestically?

Jeez, Hunter is SO British.

And again, the only way IO know to get at someone is to talk about two men sucking each other's balls. Yeah IO, you're really socially skilled and not homophobic at all!

But I still laugh at IO because I enjoy sucking dick...but only when it belongs to his mother.

How come IO gets to talk about sucking cock so much, but I catch grief for talking about eating pussy?

I have no desire to see Sherlock Holmes. None whatsoever. So, now you know one.

Yeah, seeing how the world's worst director tackles Holmes holds negative levels of interest for me, in that it actually takes away my interest in things completely unrelated to Ritchie, Holmes or Robert Downey Jr. So good work, I guess?

No grief here, Joe. Let's here all about it.

8)

"hear" all about it.

Or better still, let's not and say we already have.
Since we have;]

I was watching football with a friend over the weekend when the trailer for "Sherlock Holmes" came up. He said, "Why do I get the feeling that it's going to have a bunch of not funny lines trying to be funny?" I can kinda see that. Haven't seen the movie, but the trailer is very Roger Moore as James Bond.

My first reaction is why is there CGI in a Sherlock Holmes film? I went from wanting to see the movie to not caring if I miss it in a fairly short time period.

I can't bring myself to read over this thread to see if the info is above...but who said there's CGI in the movie? Although I'd assume there would be quite a bit, as they're recreating Victorian London and certainly they'd need to use special effects.

Well, Young Sherlock Holmes featured the first CGI character ever, so there is a tradition...

i'm still trying to figure out what -.- means

(i saw the extended trailer for 'sherlock holmes' last night and would like to officially reverse my 'RJD looks too young' sentiment from yesterday, seeing him up on the big screen he looks every one of his years and grizzled as hell as holmes. maybe it's that he looks too 'boyish', or something, i don't know i can't figure it out)

Christian: Party pooper.

You know... not much of a way to measure quality... and I am sure that Holmes will well outgross my idea of what it deserves, but still, please note:

"As to box office, well, David is entitled to his opinion, but good lord, to say that Avatar will wipe the floor with Holmes' box office is ... well, risible."

Post it. Remember it. We can discuss in a month.

Dude, I am coming after you as soon as you post Friday grosses. I got the knives, and they are ready to come out.

So, er, David: If you're wrong, will you eat your shoe?

Ha ha, kind of true Joe. DP still seems to downplay Paranormal Activity making lots of money as a worthy news item (even though it's a non-sequel non-star slow-paced low-budget horror movie that made a shitload of cash).

That's fine, IO, as long as you know what the story is and aren't screaming because there isn't a Dark Knight weekend.

And when Sherlock opens to half of what Avatar opens to, I will be clear that it has a lot to do with the weekend they are opening on and does not necessarily reflect on which movie will do more in the long run.

You will want to make this into a put down of Sherlock, but best Dec opening ever is $77m... best opening ever over Christmas weekend is $36m. It has nothing to do with me preferring one film to the other.

Maybe Avatar won't beat the $77m. Maybe Sherlock will set a new record. Both are absolutely possible. Neither answers the question of where the movie is headed.

can i ask, isn't it possible for people to like both 'avatar' and 'sherlock holmes', and for both films to do well financially?

this bizarre 'knives are out!', 'either/or!' mentality so pervasive on the internet is utterly baffling to me.

it seems like people go in to movies wanting to dislike them for some whatever reason, and then it's no great shocker when they do. from purely a selfish perspective, wouldn't it serve one better to go into the cinema with a blank slate/open mind? because then you have a much greater chance of actually enjoying a movie you've likely paid a chunk of change to see.

i don't get the preconceived bah-humbuggery, because unless you actually have some personal vested interest in seeing a film/filmmaker fail, ultimately it's just self-defeating

Blame Entertainment Tonight.

Can you imagine Kael and Sarris debating which film will open at number one?

As if one can't see both?

"this bizarre 'knives are out!', 'either/or!' mentality so pervasive on the internet is utterly baffling to me."

I hate that mentality, too.

Personally, I think it partially stems from geeks not "getting" sports rivalries, and creating their own equivalent.

Christian: "Blame Entertainment Tonight."

And blogs like this.

And posters like us.

None of us is innocent.

David's beloved Phantom of the Opera and Speed Racer are both Rotten at Rotten Tomatoes at 33% and 37% respectively while Sherlock Holmes is Fresh at 75%. No shit, Sherlock.

And with that, Hunter Tremayne taps out his pipe and exits into the fog.

I can totally see him raising a single extended index finger high into the air, dramatically bringing it down on the mouse button to click "POST," then leaning back and folding his arms together and announcing "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" to nobody in particular and then taking a celebratory handful of chips

"Have you chaps heard about how I bested David Poland? It was like winning a cricket match in Lancaster on a foggy morn. Let's you and I sod off and get some whores."

I like how English people talk.

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