Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2012) Review

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While the movie is certainly worthy of praise and is a very excellent sequel to the first one, my review will be focusing on what now has become a monumental case of false advertising about getting a "Digital Copy" product. To be fair to the movie, I did give this a 5 star rating. There are other excellent descriptions of the movie already published under reviews so I am focusing on the product.

What you are getting with this and any other "Ultraviolet" product is NOT a digital copy. You don't get a copy of anything. All you get is the right to create an account to access the servers of the so called "Ultraviolet" system. Hence, if you are at an airport, you get the joy of using your data plan to capacity (and paying actual additional dollars if you have exceeded capacity) only to realize that while on the plane, you have no access to your purported digital copy. This is one of the biggest scams in the digital age. Advertising to let you think that you are getting a "copy" of a movie, when all you get is access to a web site, when it is up, using your own internet bandwidth and the dollars that go along with it. If consumers don't fight this severe advertising deception, soon true digital copies will be a thing of the past and you will be stuck with Bluray vs. iTunes. Buyer beware. Stand up to Ultraviolet and don't let them ruin the digital copy experience. We are all paying good money for these. The least we could get in return is a digital copy to take with us, legally on a plane ride or traveling otherwise.

Again, remember, all you get is access to the Ultraviolet website with no guarantee of its continued existence. That is not getting a copy of anything at all. Just a promise that as of today, you will be able to access a web site owned by a greedy conglomerate of movie studios who want to prevent you from having a portable copy of the movie so they don't have to share any profit with companies like Apple.

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After the very good opening film in the Guy Richie Sherlock Holmes franchiseA Game Of Shadows takes the series to another level. There is a real feeling that the actors have a firmer grasp on their characters. It can also be said that Richie seems to be in more of a flow in this second installment. How many times can we actually say that a second film in a series improves upon the first?

First and foremost, Robert Downey Jr is an extremely gifted actor. Most people know that, but his command of this role is exceptional. You have probably seen the extent of his preparation in regards to the proper English accent he had to masterbefore ever getting infront of the camera! His acting in this film is up there with Chaplin and his other great performances. He is Sherlock Holmes and I believe any version of Sherlock in the future will be hard pressed to equal Downey's version. And Sherlock definately needs a worthy Watson. Enter Jude Law. The perfect sidekick, who has to shake off Sherlock's barbs at times, but is equal at firing back. Its part of the charm of these movies. When the going is rough they are a perfect team. When they are at each other's throatsthey're just as perfect.

Watson's wedding and honeymoon should have been great memories for himtoo bad Sherlock is working on "the single greatest case" of his career! That meansedge of your seat action, mystery and not the least of all ruining poor Watson's honeymoon! The scenes where Sherlock and Watson are on the train are some of the funnier moments of the film. "I'm on my honeymoon!" "Did you just kill my new wife!". To top it off, Sherlock's disguise!

The men are in pursuit of Professor James Moriarty. A challenging opponent for Sherlock, which is proven countless times throughout the film. Mr.Moriarty is waiting for an outbreak of war, because he owns a large weopons cache/factory. Sherlock must get to the professor before France and Germany put Europe in turmoil. There are some classic confrontations between Sherlock and the professor. Great dialogue and witty banter back and forth. The two men finish a chess game without even looking at the board, while talking about their own personal moves in the next room. That is a great scene.

Not to be forgotten in all the excitementare the scenes with the gypsies. Sherlock's interest in the gypsies is for the sister of Renee. Noomi Rapace -from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoois excellent in this role. And a natural fit with the other actors. There are several great scenes with Sherlock and Watson trying to mix with the gypsies. Then theres the case of how Sherlock will travel across the countrysidehave to see this!

Lets hope there is a 3rd installment. It looks like a sure bet, but things can change. I think Downey and Law have great comedic chemistry. It would be great to see these guys atleast one more time playing these iconic characters. And adding another chapter in Sherlock lore.

The End?

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Well this film is that level of fun. After kicking into gear they quickly take an old and familiar setting and bring it into the modern day (figuratively that is, since this is actually set in the late 19th century). They manage to do this without making it too youth oriented. The true fun in this film will be in rewatching it, the quick banter and fun plot twists that turn out to be thought out well in advance (for the most part), will only be more enjoyable upon multiple viewings. The layers, much like those found in the Pirates script, are multiple and cerebral. They hit the viewer without our full awareness and when we later realize this it brings a smirk if not a smile to the face. Many plot points that seem by chance or appear to be toss away jokes end up returning and playing a larger role in the story, it's nice to see some effort in a big budget blockbuster especially when its a sequel.

The action and staging of set pieces might not properly belong in the era portrayed (according to some critics) but it makes for a fun and well balanced film in my opinion. This isn't meant to be historically accurate, its meant to be a version of history much like Gladiator or Pirates. The performances are excellent and I found RDJ to be even more comfortable in his role as Holmes, surprising since he has so many other films and franchises now on his plate. Having laid the groundwork in the first film he spends more of the film flexing Holme's emotional levels, mainly regarding his relations to Watson and Irene Adler. Jude Law becomes much more familiar as Watson and thus becomes much more likable because this time he adheres to the objective with much less resistance (possibly because he has a chance to really let out his frustrations with Holmes early on). The two obviously have that strong relationship that goes beyond friendship, something Ritchie quite enjoys playing with but that makes for something different and refreshing while allowing for moments of strong humor.

Also compelling was Noomi Rapace, filling a space left by McAdams departure after a short but meaningful cameo early in the film. Noomi is given somewhat of a small role and largely facilitates plot purposes but her character does have an arc and emotional stakes that make her important to the story, if not always fully utilized. She of course develops an interest in Holmes but again this is well justified given the events that transpire and doesn't feel as forced as one would assume. Another new face is Jared Harris, who is a very cerebral Moriarty. I really enjoyed his performance but was prepped for it, having enjoyed him on the series Mad Men. For those not familiar with his "proper/formal" Englishman style I'm not sure if he will come across as menacing as some might hope or expect, even based on the first film. I thought he played the villain in a unique way and did so quite well.

In short, if you enjoyed the first you will enjoy this, at least I don't see how you couldn't. If you didn't enjoy the first because of the occult vs. science storyline, the pacing, or perhaps the uneven still developing characters, I will say I personally found this one to be much improved and much more comfortable with itself all around. I did enjoy the first but never thought I'd need to see it again, but I found myself rewatching it after seeing this sequel, and this film I want to own and rewatch, again and again, just as I do with Pirates Curse of the Black Pearl.

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Sherlock Holmes was one of my favorite movies of 2009, so my expectations for this film were high. I was not disappointed in the least. Though the first film was tighter, I enjoyed this one far more. Game of Shadows has a very ambitious plot, that falters somewhat half way through. Holmes and Watson's trip to Germany, while host to the most exciting scene in the movie, is a bit cluttered story wise. Everything makes sense, but it isn't until the end of the movie that you find out why.

Robert Downey Jr. is compared to Benedict Cumberbatch, star of the excellent BBC show "Sherlock: Season One [Blu-ray]", a comparison which I find unfair. While Cumberbatch is indeed brilliant in his portrayal, Downey is equally so in a completely different way. Their performances are apples and oranges, with the only similarities being that you will enjoy both. Jude Law, once again, shines as Watson. Him and Downey have chemistry, the likes of which I have never seen on film. The term bromance is tossed around too frequently these days, but it fits Holmes and Watson to a tee.

The villain of this film, Moriarty, played to perfection by Jared Harris, elevates an already entertaining film to something with some weight behind it. He is a foe of intelligence on par with Holmes and the game they play is fascinating to behold. While there may be one too many action sequences, the fight at the stag party, and the always wonderful Noomi Rapace is given nothing of real importance to do, this is, as stated above, an unfailingly fun, and wonderfully enjoyable movie, well worth your time and hard earned dollar. Highly Recommended.

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Guy Ritchie's first 'Sherlock Holmes' was a decent, if completely forgettable attempt to reboot/remake the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle characters for a modern-movie audience. Now 'Sherlock Holmes:Game of Shadows' is out and while I don't think it comes any closer to successfully rebooting the franchise, as a sequel it makes a remarkable number of improvements and ends up being a very entertaining film.

The main story of 'Game of Shadows' has Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigating a series of bombings and assassinations that put them on the trail, and in the cross-hairs of arch-criminal Professor Moriarty and master sniper Sebastian Moran. The plot in this film has some fun twists and turns as Holmes and Watson team up with a mysterious gypsy and Holmes' older brother Mycroft, but it's the battle of wits between Sherlock and the Professor that keeps this film engaging; Moriarty is a dangerous and diabolical adversary which raises the stakes in this film head-and-shoulders above it's predecessor.

The acting in 'Game of Shadows' is much more level-headed than the first 'Sherlock Holmes' and therefore easier to swallow: Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law's Holmes and Watson act less like a bickering couple and more like long-time friends who actually care about each other. Stephen Fry brings dry-wit and welcome comic relief as Mycroft Holmes. Noomi Rapace is great but seems wasted in a smaller part as the gypsy. Rachael McAdams, who I couldn't stand as Irene Adler in the first film makes a surprisingly welcome (if brief) appearance in the film. As good as these actors are however it's Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty who ignites the screen and the scenes between him and Downey Jr. are nail-bitingly tense.

As with everything else in 'Game of Shadows', the camera-work is an improvement over the original 'Sherlock Holmes' though is still a bit overblown. The slow-motion, rewinding-hand-to-hand combat scenes are much more fun as things don't always go the way Holmes plans. The more open environments in this film add to the atmosphere and make the action seem less artificial. Ritchie still favors super-close-ups and a bit too much slow-to-fast motion (I couldn't tell what was going on during one particular chase scene through a forest) but overall the movie stays coherent from beginning to end.

As I've said: Guy Ritchie's 'Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows' is far from a successful reboot of the Holmes/Conan Doyle characters (and still carries a lot of pointless disguises and sight-gags), but as a sequel that gets right what it's predecessor got wrong it stands as a very fun movie experience.

Reviews of Dark Shadows Bloopers (1966)

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Bloopers are bloopers -if you've seen one, you've seen them all. Be they line flubs, accidents, misadventure or the result of downright ineptitude, to watch a blooper compilation of any sort usually amounts to an invitation to extreme repetition.

Two important factors distance "Dark Shadows Bloopers" from these pitfalls: the fact that with no facility for retakes, the show had to plough ahead regardless; and the way in which they succeed in offering a rounded overview of the production atmosphere on a unique footnote in broadcast history.

The sight of armies of running stagehands, misplaced booms and wayward camera lenses manage to give a lucid insight into the working environment of the "Dark Shadows" studio, which transcends any number of interviews or printed matter. Bloopers, by nature, are a trivial commodity, but by employing them in a way that illustrates the background of the show so well, they gain a value and quality far more satisfying than the sight of a stumbling actor or error in syntax.

Complimented with a selection of unbroadcast outtakes, complete with sarcastic stage-hands and Grayson Hall's raucous cackling, for the briefest moment, one finds oneself transported to ABC Studio 16, a cramped rabbit warren buzzing with activity. For that reason alone, "Dark Shadows Bloopers" is a tape I rarely tire of revisiting.

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This is definitely a must-have for DARK SHADOWS fans. My all-time favorite flub is the pompous Roger Collins stating that "some of my incestors are buried here." I'm concerned, however, that this video may be viewed by those who've never watched the show, and will end up thinking everyone involved with it was a bumbling idiot. So if you've never watch DARK SHADOWS, please do so before you watch this video.

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If you are a fan of the Dark Shadows show then you will love this tape!!! Real bad bloopers here folks make you wonder if they ever studied their lines!! A must have for your collection!

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It seems that most of the main cast has made a blooper during their time on the live soap opera "Dark Shadows" (1966-1971). As the video box says, "Dark Shadows was videotaped virtually live without stopping the camera". "Modern videotape editing was not yet commonly available". See the entire cast in their most embarrassing moments and under pressure of live videotaping, Lara Parker, Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Joan Bennett, Nancy Barrett, Louis Edmonds, Kathryn Leigh Scott, John Karlen, David Selby, Kate Jackson, Jim Storm, Roger Davis, Christopher Pennock, David Henesy and others. Bloopers you will see are the crew in the way, actors flubbing lines, forgetting lines, doors that close by themselves, actors that hit their heads in the doorway, television cameras in the way, boomers in the scene, "Hollywood" instead of Collinwood, actor's trip on something, the fly that insists to be in scenes and bother the actors, good ad-libbing, bad ad-libbing, problems with props, candles that re-light and blow out mysteriously, trees that wobble, earrings that fall off, noises off camera (the crew not being quiet), terrible camera shots and moving sets and sets that fall apart. This tape is only 40 minutes long. My favorite bloopers: Lara Parker when she says "Hollywood". I never imagined that I'd see it", and the orange bottle that shattered by touching it before the actor could use it to pretend to hit the actor in a fight.

Dark Shadows DVD Collection 1

DARK SHADOWS will be released in movie theaters May 11, 2012. It will be based upon the original DARK SHADOWS soap opera (1966-71).

Jonathan Frid, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Lara Parker and David Selby make an appearance.

Jonathan Frid passed away peacefully in his sleep of natural causes, April 134, 2012. He was 87.

SOLD OUT! Dark Shadows: The Original Complete Series set: The first set, "Limited Numbered Edition with Autographed Postcard by Jonathan Frid" will be available April 10, 2012. However, some pre-order customers may cancel.

Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series

The second coffin set, "Deluxe Edition" will be the complete series, but without the limited edition serial number and autograph postcard. It will be available July 10, 2012.

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This is an incredibly funny video and a must for any DS fan, but the problem is....:

The box talks about bloopers and out takes, but there are so many bloopers and not enough outtakes. I love to see when actors have to stop and break character.

Alas, that is why this video has 3 stars and not five.

Dark Shadows (2012) Reviews

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I had two big surprises when I started watching Dark Shadows. First: the trailer was very misleading. The trailers made this film look as if it was going to be a complete comedy. Much to my delight, the film was actually a lot darker than I thought it would be. While I have no problem with comedies, I felt that making this a completely comedic film would not do justice to the original Dark Shadows TV show, in which the comedic elements were not its main draw.

The second surprise for me was that this felt like an older Tim Burton film. Now when I say that, I mean it feels like a return to his more macabre films than his recent output. Burton has always been at his best in my mind when dealing with horror elements, such as Sleepy Hollow or even Ed Wood. He draws on classic horror films and plays with their tropes. He hasn't been doing this as much recently with the exception of Sweeney Todd. Other than that he's been doing more family friendly films (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland come to mind) which don't capture the feel of his older films. There's nothing wrong with trying something new, but this is a return to classic Burton.

The film works fairly well. The funny bits are funny and the scary bits are... well, I guess they could unnerve some people. Burton's usual color scheme is in effect, so expect a lot of dark colors with red highlights. The cinematography was a pleasant surprise, as the shots tend to be very much in the style of old Hammer Horror films (Horror film buffs should keep an eye out for shots that resemble some of your old favorites). The soundtrack is a nice mix of Danny Elfman's score and 70s rock. This is used to great effect throughout the movie (most notably Nights in White Satin).

The film is not Burton's best, nor is it Depp's (Both of which would be Ed Wood in my opinion). It is an entertaining film, nothing particularly special... but there's a sense of nostalgia to it... Both for fans of the show and old Burton fans.

Recommended for fans of Burton/Depp or those who liked old Hammer Horror films.

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I really look forward to the Blu-Ray Release of Burton's Dark Shadows as it sounds like there are nine additional segments to the movie that can be watched individually or as part of an expanded feature film...if I understand correctly. For sure there is a fairly fast, fun paced DARK yet FUNNY movie.

To begin with...if you are a traditional vampire purist...you WILL be aggravated that Barnabas never encounters a Crucifix, never disappears on demand or turns into a bat nor is required to sleep in his coffin by day.

The Burton "take" on the Collins family (and employees) yields Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, her brother Roger Collins, her daughter Carolyn, his son David, Dr Julia Hoffman, Willie Loomis, Sarah Johnson and of course Barnabas Collins. "Victoria Winters" and Angelique Bouchard round out the main cast.

The flick is a nice tight jaunt of around 113 minutes and is very well paced. Most of the material seen on the movie trailers are quickly whisked by in the film's first ten to fifteen minutes. The story of the Barnabas' original time period from 1752 thru 1776 is recounted swiftly including his being cursed (for rejecting Angelique) and buried alive by the town's people (for being a monster). Barnabas' parents Joshua and Naomi are shown so briefly that all we remember is Joshua's declaration that "family is only the REAL wealth" while he builds a formidable fortune (using the wealth he built up in Liverpool) by building the seaport town of Collinsport and transforming it into a great fishery/sea port.

Light humor abounds throughout the flick...most of it pertaining to Barnabas trying to `ingest" and "adjust to" this great new age of 1972 after being released from his chained coffin after a construction crew literally bangs into his coffin. Barnabas is released. The construction crew do not live to tell about their discovery as Barnabas' nutrient deprived body demands a quick and furious feast.

After an encounter with "Mephistopheles", "Lucifer" and the towns people...Barnabas finally makes his way to Collinwood. He is shocked to discover the dilapidated condition that Collinwood is in and immediately seeks out the matriarch for some answers. He makes it clear to the matriarch that he's the original Barnabas Collins cursed for two centuries. She thinks he's an intruder looking for money and blood until he shows her the Family Wealth safely hidden in the lowest secret passages of the mansion. She, then, realizes that Barnabas is the genuine item and she introduces him to the family the next morning at breakfast but keeps his secret intact.

Angelique, meanwhile, has spent two centuries being a rival to the Collins family industry and has driven them to almost poverty levels. Angelique subsequently learns of Barnabas being released from his "life imprisonment" and throws all her witchery to wage war against Barnabas and the Collins family..

During the remaining hour and change of the film...we are treated to the fact that the Collins family members as well as the new governess, "Victoria Winters" each have secrets that are brought to light during the course of the film.

Dr Hoffman discovers that Barnabas is a vampire and promises to cure him as Barnabas is soon walking out in the light of day albeit that he appears somewhat like Michael Jackson with an umbrella.

In the midst of this drama...Barnabas wants to gain the favor of the townsfolk by throwing a "happening". According to Carolyn...the "happening" needs lots of booze and a superstar singer to "rock" the town as she suggests Alice Cooper. Barnabas promises enough booze to fill a schooner and declares "she", Alice Cooper, will be the guest of the Collins Family. The Collinsport "happening" is a success.

It's at this point that I would like to comment on the film's soundtrack. Burton very effectively uses Percy Faith's a theme from "A Summer Place"...The Moody Blues "Nights in White Satin"....The Carpenter's "Top Of The World" and Alice Cooper's "No More Mr Nice Guy" and "Ballad of Dwight Frye". Other nice selections are included. Loved the music.

As the film drives toward it's climax...Barnabas and the Collins family steadily move toward their final battle with Angelique which contains a surprise or two.

I found the ending (unlike most movie reviewers) quite satisfying after Burton throws everything but the kitchen sink into the final conflict. Unlike many reviewers I did not see a strong indication for a sequel. I don't expect one.

The cast performed superbly. Special Kudos to Johnny Depp and Eva Green as Barnabas and Angelique...but they were all superb in my opinion.

After all is said and done...I loved Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows" for being uniquely it's own film not borrowing from the two Dan Curtis films of the 1970s. The visuals do overshadow the script....but we are having so much fun watching all the dysfunctional members of the family fighting for the Collins' true core value that "family is the only REAL wealth"...that we don't see any reason to criticize the script's shortcomings because it's so darn much fun.

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Not like the original Dark Shadows. This was downright bad. I'm a big fan of both Depp/Burton, but it just came off as being silly, awkward, boring and downright bad.

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I really wasn't happy with this movie, it was slow and hard for me to get interested in it. The scenery and use of colors was awesome though.

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Tim Burton has made a career off of the `strange and unusual'. In fact, he has rarely strayed from that formula in his entire career. He has made gems like "Edward Scissorhands", "Beetlejuice", "Batman", "The Nightmare before Christmas", "Corpse Bride", "Ed Wood", "Sweeney Todd", and the list goes on and on. He has also teamed up with Johnny Depp now eight times. With "Dark Shadows" he has kept with the `strange and unusual' theme, but the strangest thing about it, is the lack of comedy in the film, despite the trailers obvious comedic tone.

I wasn't sure what to think about "Dark Shadows". I have been a huge fan of Tim Burton over the years, but the trailer promoting the film just didn't grab me as funny. I felt like the trailer was trying to be funny, and I found it `strange' and flat. I know now, after watching the film, that my perception and preconceived notion was the correct one.

For all I know, the film will enjoy the same camp following as the television show in which it is based upon. In 1966, the television show "Dark Shadows" debuted on ABC and it was melodramatic, campy and `strange'. The television show was a gothic soap opera and that is exactly what the film is. It centers around Barnabas Collins, a man who unfortunately draws the intense eye of a hired help named Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). He doesn't return her affections and when he falls in love with another. Bouchard, a witch, casts spells that change all of their lives forever.

The film has amazing effects and design. Most Burton films do. I was most drawn by the amazing effect they had for the witch as she cracks from time to time like a porcelain doll. It was an amazing effect, and it isn't the only one. The thing about "Dark Shadows" is that it could have been great. It had the potential to be great, but there were just too many scenes that served no purpose in the film, except to try and be funny and most weren't. The movie jumped from drama to comedy without warning and it never tapped into a single emotion the whole time.

I wanted to like it. That's the thing. When you go into a film `wanting' to like it and knowing you're going to like it, and don't. There's something wrong. A better script should have been written.