21 Jump Street (8/10)

I will start off by saying that I am not a big fan of comedies. I think this stems from the fact that most of my life is pretty funny, and because of that I am more drawn to films that are of a darker nature. Or maybe I'm just pretentious. At this point I should also mention that I think Channing Tatum may be the worst actor of this generation (or any perhaps). This film did change my opinion a bit. Anyway, my wife wanted to see this movie on Saturday so I obliged.  Tatum and his co-star, Jonah Hill, were hilarious. Like freaking hilarious. Tatum and Hill star as cops tasked with going undercover as students in a local high school to infiltrate a growing drug ring. The film's primary source of humor lies in the inadequacy and immaturity of the film's stars as adults, let alone cops. I laughed regularly throughout the movie and sat among a sold out audience, over a month after the film's opening day. As Hollywood churns out more and more stale reboots and remakes of 80's and 90's TV shows and movies, 21 Jump Street stands out as a fresh take on an old favorite.

It's the RDJ Double Feature: Part 2 - Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes (the character) I've enjoyed most of the movies and TV shows featuring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation. That said, Guy Ritchie (the director of the latest films) and I have had an up and down relationship. I loved Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch - and then he decided to marry the wicked witch Madonna and made Swept Away, which I refused to watch based on every review on the planet (it has a whopping 3.4 rating on IMDB). As of late he's redeemed himself with the Sherlock Holmes movies. Hopefully he keeps it up, but enough about him...

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows pits Sherlock (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) against Professor Moriarty played by the brilliant Jared Harris, most recently of Mad Men fame. Coming along for the ride is Rachel McAdams (resuming her role), Noomi Rapace (from the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Stephen Fry playing Sherlock's brother Mycroft. While all the performances are solid, I wish the story would have allowed more character development, particularly for Moriarty. As one of the greatest characters from the Holmes mythos, the character comes across as one dimensional, though Mr. Harris does the best with what he was given, and comes across very believable.

The Good

• It's a really fun movie - very fast paced and you don't have a chance to get bored
• The interaction between Holmes and Watson - its very entertaining

The Bad

• The fast paced nature of the movie makes it hard to follow at points
• The cockiness of Holmes gets old after a while

Don't look for it to win any awards - but if you are looking to spend a couple hours being entertained definitely check it out. I give the movie a 6.5/10

Also if you are looking for more Sherlock Holmes greatness, I highly suggest checking out the BBC's adaptation starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. There are three 90 minute episodes out now, with three more coming this year. See the second trailer below.

It's the RDJ Double Feature: Part 1 - Due Date

Yesterday, after nursing my New Year's Eve hangover all day, the wife and I watched Due Date before falling asleep. The 2010 release features Robert Downey Jr. as Peter, an uptight father-to-be racing across country to witness the birth of his child. The problem is he's stuck with The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis playing pretty much the exact same character that made him famous, however this time he's named Ethan instead of Allen... big stretch, I know. I suppose if something isn't broken, why fix it.

The straight-man/funny-man interactions between them go from hilarious to infuriating (I can completely relate with RDJ's character and his sheer rage throughout the movie). With the theme of the movie being about fatherhood, you can see the roles being played out by the two main characters. Ethan as the son, ranges from being a loveable child who can't care for himself to an absolute irresponsible terror. Peter, doing his best to be a father, displays the joy and unconditional love of being a "new father" to the struggle of dealing with a an unruly child.

While both lead actors do well, I really enjoyed the cameos in the movie. Appearances by Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, Jamie Foxx, and the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA are all fantastic.

Despite the great performances by all, the annoyance of Galifianakis' character brings the movie down a bit for me (I'm sure that was the point of his character, but goshdarnit, I don't like being annoyed). Also, while I don't mind the story being far-fetched, there are some scenes that are so unbelievable (the car crash) that it takes me out of the movie experience so I give the movie a 7.5/10