Sherlock Holmes 2 FTW

[clevermanka]

mckitterick and I just got back from seeing the new Sherlock Holmes movie. It's fucking awesome, people. So. Much. Fun. Non-spoilery comments:

They pretty much threw the homoerotic subtext out the window and just put that shit out there on a platter for all the slash-lovers to eat from. It was delightful. I can only imagine the screencaps that are going to come out of this once the DVD hits shelves.

The fight scenes aren't quite as ... well, I don't know what. Graphic? Visceral? Something? I don't know. I guess not much is going to measure up to that boxing scene in the first one. They're still very good, don't get me wrong. I think that boxing scene just set such a high bar.

But the FX stuff makes up for it. The running through the woods while being shot at sequence (that takes up so much of the previews) was outstanding. Really, really good.

The costumes. Oh my god the costumes. There are no words. Only drool and incoherent promises made in a darkened theater to outfit mckitterick in pretty much everything worn by either RDJ or Mr. Law. Ngnggngnggg. *wibble*

Oh thank god they wrote Irene Adler out in the first fifteen minutes. I feel bad for Rachel McAdams, I really do. It's gotta be hard knowing that you'll never have the onscreen chemistry with your leading man that he shares with the other leading man. But really, I swear to god that they could have cast RDJ's mother in that role and there would've been heavier sexual frission. To be honest, that spoiled a lot of the first movie for me, and I wonder if it's why I enjoyed this one so much.

The bit where they go over the waterfall? Damn. Good writing, there, screenwriters. I wish I'd seen it with someone who knew the books/story, because wow. For a minute, I thought "Did they really kill them?" And it would've been so great to share A Look with someone who caught that waterfall reference.

And because it seems no movie-going experience is possible for me these days without an Oh No They Didn't moment: At least this was in a trailer and wasn't another movie patron. So, Sacha Baron Cohen has a new movie coming out, The Dictator, which looks just awful, but it's not my type of movie, and that's okay. Here's the problem--he's portraying some sort of African/Middle Eastern type dictator, and all the visuals are strongly indicative of that culture. But the music they used for it? You guys, the music they used was (I swear it was, and I played the CD for mckitterick when we got home just to help confirm my hunch) Safri Boyz's Rahaye Rahaye. One of the most well-known Bhangra songs out there. And even if it wasn't that particular song, it was most definitely Bhangra music used in the preview. Bhangra. As in Indian Pop Music. Jesus, people. Total, absolute fail on the part of the music editor for this. I mean come on.

Comments

[sherwood21.livejournal.com]

I think the problem is that Guy Ritchie has absolutely no idea of what to do with female characters, because good lord, Irene Adler and Mary were completely boring and off-putting in the first one.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

You're probably right. The only other G.R. film I've seen is Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and not a lot of women in that one. But he didn't write this, he just directed it. I think a lot of the blame has to go to the casting agents for the Irene Adler problem. McAdams is very pretty and all, but geez. Negative chemistry with Downey, Jr.

And really, how is anyone going to compete with what he's got going on with Jude Law? It really is a losing battle.

Edit: Mary was quite charming and spunky in this, and the Noomi Rapace character was pretty great.

[sherwood21.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear the female leads are better in this one, because I am REALLY looking forward to seeing it.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to hear this... I paid to watch the first one in a hotel room, paid again when I got home to watch it on our cable, and I think even went for thirds... in the first month it was out, so yay! This sounds even better.
We're headed for it tomorrow.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

You'll love it! And you won't cringe too much at the portrayal of the Romani!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Cool... and I'd expect it to be stereotypical, considering the era portrayed. I can live with it. ;)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

It's actually very sympathetic to them--Rom culture, I mean. And omg their clothes. Of course they dress up Our Boys in order to Blend In and hooooooo gurl does RDJ look good as a storybook gypsy.

Look at that hot shit (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/111215090404-sherlock-holmes-2-game-of-shadows-story-top.jpg). I mean, just damn.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I wanna curl up in that coat.
(Is there a teacup missing in that pic?)

I bet I'll be tempted to grow up my curly mop after seeing it. :)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

A...teacup?

I think the only thing missing from that pic is me doing very dirty things in that coat. While RDJ is wearing it.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

haha! Okay, I first looked at it on my phone screen, and Jude's watch chain looks like the outline of a teacup, especially considering the position of his fingers. Silly!

Noomi was awesome,.. cunning, quick, and not presented as a sexed-up hot Gypsy, for which I give Richie kudos.
But honestly, give me half an hour with all three and hoooboy! I'd not know where to lick first. She's hot.

Jared Harris was an excellent Moriarty, and seeing the falls, yeh, I'd have given you a sideways glance. I admit that it's not for reading the books, but for the Jeremy Brett BBC series that Rand watched over and over. Bloody well done. I see a third flick of this one coming.

Damn, that was hot! I totally agree.
The problem with the fight scenes? Well, my dahling, they were clothed.

This one will be on repeat viewings as well, I know.
I need a new icon for this post, but I got distracted by all the articles I found about it.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

The problem with the fight scenes? Well, my dahling, they were clothed.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha OMG you are totally right!

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

i tried "rahaye rahaye" in the youtube search engine but nothing came up. :(

sasha baron cohen is not my favorite actor...I heard he was supposed to play Freddie in an upcoming biographical movie. ugh.

My friend, Levi, wanted to go see Sherlock Holmes...maybe we'll give that a shot, though it's got some pretty stiff competition right now. (melancholia & girl with the dragon tattoo.)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I tried to find a link to that one and couldn't. Which is really strange, because it's one of their more popular songs. I wonder if a different recording company holds the rights to it, so they can't put it on their YouTube channel.

I think Mr. Cohen is a good actor when he's not performing under his own writing and directing. I think he has the shameless enthusiasm to do credit to Freddie, so I wouldn't despair. With a good script and firm guidance, I think he'd do well.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Is it this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGpSOg5vv24

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

That's a version of the song, definitely! It's not the one I have on the CD, but it's similar. Yay! Thanks!

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Bingo! Punjab MC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWC80cAw6Kc

In case I read your post correctly (it's kinda ambiguous) here's the deal:

[auroraceleste.livejournal.com]

The story is called "The Death of Sherlock Holmes". It had some pretty vicious "Edward v Jacob" fandom fights going on around it. There was the sect that refused to believe he was dead, which was so rabid they got Doyle to relent and write the "he wasn't dead, just pretending to be so Moriarity's cronies wouldn't try to kill him and Watson in revenge." Then there was the "it's a noble way to die, and very meta in the game of minds, and I refuse to accept that Doyle relented over anything other than the pressure of idiots and I won't read anything after it ever ever ever."

Re: In case I read your post correctly (it's kinda ambiguous) here's the deal:

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I knew the waterfall story, but I didn't know all the fan stuff about it. Thanks for sharing that! Geez, people are crazy. And fans even more so. Some things don't change, I guess.

Re: In case I read your post correctly (it's kinda ambiguous) here's the deal:

[auroraceleste.livejournal.com]

Crazily enough, husband Lou is in the "Never ever ever ever read" sect. I am amused that he's got a side in a hundred-year-old twilight fight :P

[the-themiscyran.livejournal.com]

Felt EXACTLY the same way about that damned song in the previews. UGH!

But the movie itself was SO pretty that it more than made up for having to sit through that. And I want all the clothes!! Including Irene Adler's gorgeous traveling costume (although it's hard for me to not love anything in that shade of blue).

The Reichenbach Falls scene was perfect. And I say that as a long-time Sherlock Holmes fan who has read the books. Per-fect.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

I liked this one better than the first one, too - the plotting was better and the girls were better. (Those were my complaints about the first one - bad Irene Adler and interminable, nonsensical epic battles.) RDJ and Jude Law... I can't imagine them NOT being awesome together.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I point you to a Tumblr post, of course (http://fuckyeahrobertdowneyjr.tumblr.com/post/14819633867/whenigrowupiwannabeadonut-jude-i-met-him).

There's actually a whole lotta awesome on that Tumblr, btw.

Okay, so there's an animated gif of what might be my favorite scene from the first Iron Man movie (http://fuckyeahrobertdowneyjr.tumblr.com/post/12665782447). My life is better, now. Thank you, universe.