"Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows": I watched this movie on the way to Brazil. I liked it a lot...at least a 4 star rating. In fact, I think it's better than the first "Sherlock Holmes" movie.Robert Downey Jr. is back as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law is back as Dr. Watson. The two actors are really great in these roles. In this movie, Dr. Moriarty is more than a shadowy figure manipulating events, he is now Holmes' #1 nemesis, and is capable of matching wits with Holmes throughout the movie. In fact, it seems that Moriarty often has the upper hand. With the fate of all of Europe hanging in the balance, Holmes has to overcome his greatest nemesis to stop all out war.
As I said above, "Game of Shadows" is a very good movie. With lots of action and humor, I found this was 2 hours well spent.
"We Bought a Zoo": I have to admit, I was very skeptical about "We Bought a Zoo", but after hearing rave reviews from many friends, I decided to give it a try on the way home. I was glad I agreed to give this a shot, as it turned out to be a really nice feel good story. And anyone who has read this blog knows how I love feel good movies. Matt Damon stars as Benjamin Mee, a recently widowed journalist raising two children. When his son is expelled from school, Benjamin decides to move the family. The family settles on buying a great home in the country that has one small catch, it's also a zoo. With the help of the zoo staff, led by Scarlett Johansson, Benjamin and his family set about repairing the run down zoo, and in the process they repair their family and learn that life moves on, even after great loss.
This is a very touching story. It's based on actual events, but from what I've read, Hollywood changed it up a bit. Matt Damon does a great job in this role. Add in the always capable Johansson, rising star Elle Fanning and Thomas Haden Church as Damon's older brother, and you have a cast that melded really well.
There is a little language and innuendo, but I think this is a family appropriate movie. I think we'll watch it as a family at some point. I give "We Bought a Zoo", 4 stars.
"Haywire": Don't watch this movie...1 star. Sometimes when on a plane, you pick a movie because the time it runs happens to fit the schedule you want prior to going to sleep. That was the case with "Haywire". It's a really stupid movie, and I'm sorta ashamed that I watched the entire thing.
The biggest thing I don't understand is how the producers got Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Ewan McGreagor and Channing Tatum to appear in this movie. Didn't they read the script?
