Sherlock Holmes/A Game of Shadows

Europe - 1891, France and Germany are at war.

We are brought into this story by a recollected series of prior events encompassed with incredibly stupefied mystery and action.

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) is up to yet another sleuth, and once again, he enlists the assistance of his dear friend Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) as together they attempt to disarm a new deadly plot of doom.

Sherlock is about to be reminded of Watson’s approaching wedding to Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly) however, Watson is about to be informed of Sherlock’s theory about Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris).

Moriarty owns various supply facilities and plans to get rich by using bombs and other means to threaten European Officials in an attempt to create a world war.

Sherlock also enlists the assistance of his brother Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry), to protect and keep Watson’s new bride safe. And the help of Madam Heron (Noomi Rapace), the gypsy fortune teller who’s brother has also become another of Moriarty’s victims.

The story seems to quickly unravel from one scene to the next, I personally found it rather hard to keep up until closer toward the end as all the clues started to unclutter. But by then, Sherlock and Moriarty were dangling from a Swiss balcony and about to fall to their deaths.

　

This movie was a bit too far fetched for me. Although I believe anyone following Sherlock Holmes mysteries will find it very entertaining.

Cowboys and Aliens (2011)

This film starts out looking like any other classic Western Movie with sand ravaged cliffs and dry desolate land. A stranger (Daniel Craig) wakes alone in the hot desert sun, his body bloodied and bruised, but on his wrist, an iron shackle the likes of which no one has seen before. After a brief confrontation with a small group of hustlers, he gains a clean attire and a horse, and rides into the small old mining town of Absolution. He walks into what appears to be a vacant home and begins to clean himself when he gets surprised from behind by a man with a shotgun. A few questions later and it seems this stranger doesn’t know who he is, where he’s been or what has happened to him. Sensing no threat, the preacher man (Clancy Brown) lays him down and tends his wound. Outside, the silence is broken by gunfire as Percy Dolarhyde (Paul Dano) decides to have some fun bullying the local residents in the street. But Percy goes too far when he accidentally shoots a deputy while trying to intimidate the stranger, now sheriff Taggart (Keith Carradine) has to arrest and hold him for the federal marshal. It is in fact, the sheriff, who identifies the stranger as being Jake Lonergan, a fiercely known man wanted for many crimes including arson, robbery and even murder.

Meanwhile, over at the saloon, Jake walks in and meets Ella (Olivia Wilde). She is beautiful, and very interested in him and his unique iron wristband, she seems to know more about him, than he even knows of himself. Suddenly the saloon empties as sheriff Taggart calls out Jake’s name, there is a scuffle, but all it takes is a blow to the head, by Ella, to knock him out so the sheriff can lock him up in the jail. Now both he and Percy will await the federal marshal’s arrival. Later that evening, after the sheriff manages to gets both men loaded into the marshal’s wagon, Percy’s father, Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford) rides into town with his ranch hands. He lays claim, accusing Jake of steeling his gold, and demands custody of both men. But there comes a lull before sheriff Taggart can reply as strange tiny lights appear on the dark horizon and begin to approach the town. Jake’s wristband comes to life with beeps and flashing lights of it’s own. And then blue light beams from above deliver flaming fire bombs and the dirt street begins to burn as people are being lassoed like cattle. Doc (Sam Rockwell) watches helplessly while his wife gets snatched up into the night sky and whisked away. Then the Colonel is next to feel the wrath as Percy gets snatched, next Emmet (Noah Ringer) freezes in horror as he watches his grandfather, sheriff Taggart, get drug out and snatched up. The town is defenseless against these invaders because bullets have no affect, but Jake ends this battle when he walks out into the street and uses his wristband to shoot one attacker out of the sky. The rest retreat as the lone ship crashes to the ground. Although clearly injured, the demon inside has survived and escaped and is a force to be reckoned with again, perhaps later in the daylight. Colonel Dolarhyde orders his hands to gather supplies and he announces his intention to track the demon at first light, and retrieve their abducted kin, he expects Jake to join his posse because his wristband is the only weapon that works against these creatures. But Jake declines, he wants nothing to do with Dolarhyde or any one else for that matter, so he disappears alone out into the darkness and sets off on his own quest.

But don’t worry! They all meet up again later out in the desert, where they run into Jake’s old heist gang, and even manage to stumble onto a band of Apache Indians, who agree to join forces to recover their lost family members as well.

OMG! I nearly choked at the boat scene, where Emmet thought the Alien had passed by, without seeing him. I could feel my heart race while they were face to face! And I cried watching Jake carry Ella across the hot desert, I knew she had died. And then again later, while Jake laid helpless in the sand watching the Indian throw her body into the fire. Holy Resurrection ! Opps, this is where I stop, you’ll simply have to watch to see the end!

AWESOME MOVIE!!

The Descendants (2011)

This story is about the hardship and struggles of a prominent Hawaiian real-estate attorney, Matt King (George Clooney) as he tries to bond with his two daughters Scottie (Amara Miller) and Alexandra (Shailene Woodley), and deal with a family crisis after a near death boating accident leaves his wife (Elizabeth) in an irrevocable coma.

Matt is not only a successful lawyer, he is also the Soul-Trustee to a huge family dynasty. And now because of some new legal rule, he is in charge of dissolving this trust by the lawfully forced selling off of his family’s inherited virgin Hawaiian land. Although he is the Soul-Trustee, he still holds regular meetings with cousins to discuss family interests and prospective buyers.

It’s hard to understand, but for many of us, it takes a devastating trauma to wake us up and shed light on how to achieve happiness. Sometimes for others, maybe just the thought of such an event.

Matt meets with his wife’s doctor who informs him that test results have revealed that Elizabeth shows no sings of brain activity, although machines can keep her alive she will continue to deteriorate, she will never be the same again and will never wake from her coma. He is advised to contact family and friends and begin preparing final arrangements.

He decides to tell Alexandra first as she is the oldest and will be better able to help him tell Scottie and everyone else. But Alexandra has been extremely angry with her mother. She drops a bomb on Matt when she divulges the reason for her anger and describes witnessing her mother’s affair behind his back. She then points out the fact that he has always been too busy with work to have ever even noticed. This news puts him in a shocking tailspin and adds challenge to the burden of contacting family and friends and also adds challenge to his obligations of handling his family’s inherited trust. Matt learns the name of the man Elizabeth was seeing, Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard) who also happens to be a successful real-estate broker. Matt decides he needs to meet him and offer the chance of a final visit with Elizabeth, which, sets his quest in a whole different direction.

We meet Alexandra’s friend Sid (Nick Krause). Oh My God! Sid is a trip! He has the persona of a hippie/ surfer dude. As I’m sure you can imagine, Matt is not at all impressed with Sid, but he does become a valued asset as the story continues to unfolds. Matt takes them all to Elizabeth’s parent’s house so he can break the bitter news. Next they are all off to find Brian Speer, finish contacting of family and friends, make time with last good-bye, move on with family business, and complete final resting arrangements.

My favorite part! Sid laughs at Alexandra’s grandmother and gets punched in the eyeball by her grandfather Scott Thorson (Robert Forster).

My next favorite part was a breath taking glimpse of the King Family’s untouched land on Hawaii. It was absolutely glorious!

And then finally in the end, watching the three of them, father and daughters, nestle in peace together on the couch under a blanket to watch tv.

Definitely another, Academy Award Nominee, Must See movie!

The Happening (2008)

New York City, New York 8:33 a.m.: It’s a normal bright and sunny morning in Central Park, but in an instant things begins to change as you hear distant screams and watch active people just stop and stand still as if they are frozen in time. Three blocks away 8:59 a.m.: It’s still a normal morning at a construction site, until crews on the ground helplessly watch in horror as bodies suddenly begin to fall from the sky. Their co-workers high above are literally walking off the job!

 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 9:45 a.m.: High school Science teacher Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg) has engaged his class to discuss the strange disappearance of the Honey Bees and the laws of Nature when his class is interrupted, and he is lead to a nearby staff meeting. The principal informs them of an "event" and explains that Central Park has just been hit by a terrorist attack. He gives a short briefing about the release of an airborne chemical toxin, and tells them all students are to be dismissed. As school readies to close, Elliot’s best friend, Julian (John Leguizamo) pops in with a plan to get his family out of town and invites Elliot and his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel) to join them. They agree to meet at the train station where Julian is already waiting with his young daughter Jess (Ashley Sanchez), his wife is to board a different train and meet them all later at his mother’s house.

News travels through the train as they learn that Philadelphia has just been attacked. Julian calls his wife and she tells him that she made it out in time by catching a bus heading to Princeton, N.J. Alma tells Elliot she just heard that Boston has been hit too, and they realize the train is beginning to slow down. One of the conductors informs Elliot that the train service has just been discontinued as they seem to have lost contact with everyone including rail control, so Filbert Pennsylvania will be the last stop for all passengers. Little Jess becomes frightened as tensions sore, but Elliot is able to calm her after they manage to get a table in the small town’s diner. That sense of calm is short lived as media news reveals that, based on localized reports, authorities no longer believe the event is being caused by terrorists because the incidents seem to be limited to the U.S. Northeast where smaller towns are now being attacked. All calm is then lost in a free-for-all when the power goes out and the crowd disbands in a panicked search for safety. One car pulls up and the driver offers Elliot and his friends a ride, Julian also secures a ride and they are headed to Princeton but, they only have room for one more passenger. With little time for debate Alma and Elliot agree to keep Jess with them while Julian goes on alone to find his wife.

While on one short stop with Elliot’s ride, the driver shares his thoughts on the cause of this strange event, he explains that plants can release chemicals and that they respond to human stimulus. Okay, so yeah, that does sound weird, but it is true!

During the same time but with Julian’s ride, they have reached Princeton. The road ahead takes them through a grim scene with dead bodies hanging from the trees and no other signs of life, it’s obvious Princeton has also been attacked and Julian knows they are in danger as it becomes harder to think and you can hear the wind whipping through the slit in the jeep’s canvas cover.

Back again with Elliot’s ride, they are nearing another small town, the driver stops when they realize dead bodies laying across the road up ahead. They decide to backtrack, but are cut off by other survivors who describe equally horrible sights from their direction. This crowd agrees to break up into smaller groups and head out on foot to seek safety in a less populated area.

It’s really neat and yet still kind of scary to watch this event roll across the land as if it has a mind of it’s own and knows exactly where it’s going.

Suddenly, a few distant screams cease from the group in the rear and we hear several single gun shots slowly ring out, one by one. The event has found them, and Elliot’s group panics and breaks again into even smaller groups as they all run away with nowhere to hide.

My heart sank with anger and sorrow when Josh and Jared needlessly became the first murdered victims. And I nearly fell out of my chair when Mrs. Jones scared the shyt out of me as she popped up from behind the door yelling at Elliot to get out of her house!

Soon it’s down to just Elliot, Alma and Jess outside an old farmhouse where they are somehow able to withstand the brunt of the event.

But, elsewhere in France, it’s HAPPENING again.

This is another very good fictional drama mystery that keeps you guessing as it goes, but there are a few graphic scenes that definitely are not well suited for young children.