Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows posters and trailer... did you expect less than awesome?

Seriously? Did we expect anything less from the duo of Robert Downey Jr. and Guy Ritchie?  The first Sherlock Holmes film was a massive hit.  It was a fun film with a lot of action and humor to keep us occupied for two hours.  Now comes the trailer to the sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. 

Missing is the beautiful Rachel McAdams, but we get the lovely Noomi Rapace and returning, Jude Law.  It's the franchises first stab at the villain Professor Moriaty, played by Jared Harris.  Check it out and tell us what you think!

Due Date DVD review

DVD reviews give us a chance to review a movie that we may not have seen in theaters.  Or, we saw it in theaters and we were too lazy to review it.  Or, we want to give you all a heads up as to what cool extras are on the DVD or Blu-Ray. 

Due Date is directed by Todd Phillips who's helped create such hits as Old School and The Hangover.  It stars the amazing Robert Downey Jr. and 'Hangover' breakout star, Zach Galifianakis. 

Downey is about to be a father, but is on the opposite side of the country, and needs to get to his wife.  Due to hilarious events, he can't fly, so he MUST take a road trip with Galifianakis, an aspiring actor.  Hilarity ensues as they start their road trip across country with a little dog, no money and a ton of funny situations.  I'm gonna start.

What I liked about the film:
It's Simplicity

This film is very simple and very straight forward.  Two guys who have nothing in common, who are very different from each other, are forced to drive cross country.  There is some physical comedy but for the most part, it's grounded in reality.  I'm starting to mention that more and more in my reviews because I'm realizing it's a vital part of my movie-going experience.  If I can't relate, it doesn't equate.  Sorry, I had a Johnnie Cochran moment.

The Cast

Downey is one of my favorite actors, and Galifianakis is right there.  The two play such contradictory characters, they're bound to clash from time to time.  They play off each other like a game of ping pong.  Downey is great as a stuffed shirt, always serious, business man.

Galifianakis basically plays a variation of his character in 'Hangover', but it's still different enough for it to be fresh.  That's why it's not a "dislike" on my review.  He has a few emotional scenes in the film that gave me a whole new perspective on him as an actor, kudos for showing some range.

The supporting cast is great, including one of my favorites, Danny McBride, also Michelle Monaghan and Jaime Foxx.  Good stuff.

Director
Todd Phillips just has a knack for these comedies.  If you look at his work, he always has a terrific cast and supporting cast to carry the film.  His movies all have that "it could happen" feel, as well as relateable characters.  He also knows how important timing is when it comes to comedy.  The jokes and execution are perfect.  Nicely done, again.


What I didn't like about the film:
Sub Plot

Without giving too much away, there is a sub plot in the film that doesn't really ever go anywhere.  It involves Monaghan and Foxx's characters and it felt so stupid and a complete filler.  It's not enough to write off the movie or anything, its just one aspect that didn't work.


The Blu-Ray:
A Let Down
There aren't too many features to jump up and down for.  Also, it's important to note that if you want any features at all, you'll have to shell out $24.99 for the Blu-Ray/DVD combo.  The single Blu-Ray and single DVD don't have any features at all.  The combo has the complete "Two and a half Men" scene that is mentioned throughout the film.  It has a few mash-ups featuring scenes already in the film.  A short featurette about Galifianakis' character and a gag reel.  That's it. 

The Verdict:
Buy the DVD
The film is great in my opinion.  The actors, the story, the direction are all great.  The movie is a definite buy in my book.  But I would go with the DVD.  There are no scenes that require 1080p visuals, and the features fall flat on the expensive Blu-Ray combo.  Get the good 'ol regular DVD for $13.99 on Amazon.com.  Great price for a new release.  Enjoy!

New "Sherlock Holmes 2" Picture

This is the second picture to be released and it comes from an article in the LA Times. The article talks about the plot for the sequel to the 2009 smash hit. I loved the first film and so did Matt. Both films are directed by Guy Ritchie. We're both looking forward to this Christmas weekend when the sequel will be released. That is all for now kids!

"Iron Man 2" DVD Review

Iron Man 2 was obviously one of the biggest movies of the summer/year in 2010. Director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr. are back for another go. Let's just say we covered it A LOT here at AtD. As a huge fan of the first film, I expected a lot out of the sequel, and have to be honest, was a bit disappointed. For my original review, go here. What I'm going to do now is give some additional insight that I've seen it multiple times, and talk about the Blu-Ray.

As far as my review, I still feel the same way about my "likes." The writing, the villains, the action are all still pretty awesome. The sequel contained what worked in the first film and improved on them. The writing was great in both films; quick, witty and smart. The villains were much better in the sequel (as far as depth), more unique and visually better than the first. And of course, the action was improved upon, big time.
The "likes" are the same, but the "dislikes" are even more of a dislike now that I've seen the movie a couple of times. The second act of the movie is God-awfully slow. There is nearly nothing going on in the middle of the movie and the pace is paralyzing. I wrote about the "misused acting," and boy was I right. Don Cheadle is a wonderful actor, but it just didn't show in Iron Man 2. Watching it again made me wish Terrance Howard was signed for the sequel. There is zero chemistry between Downey Jr. and Cheadle.

And worst of all is the abrupt, horrible climax that did not justify the earlier action sequences. This is immediately following the never-ending chase scene with the droids. Jeez Louise.

Now the special features. I give them a 7/10. There is a nice 'making of' that was satisfying and insightful. The featurettes are fun, and again, give an insider look to the making-of. I also liked the concept art involved in making the movie.

I bought the 2 Disc Special Edition Blu-Ray. There is a 1 Disc Blu-Ray as well as a DVD. Enjoy the film.

"Due Date" Poster

Todd Phillips directed, Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis starring, Due Date. Just for kicks, here's the poster. Also, check out the trailer here.

"Avengers" Assemble... at Comic-Con

Left to Right: Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Liam Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Captain America, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Jeremy Renner as Hawk Eye, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Director Joss Whedon, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige

Movie stars filled the panels, rumors were laid to rest, and every nerd on the planet was waiting for this moment. The Avengers cast, in one place, at one time. That's the power of Comic-Con. I've talked about it a lot on the blog: everything from Chris Evans casting as the Captain, to Edward Norton's ugly exit, all things Avengers. At Comic-Con in San Diego this year, the entire cast went up on stage, settling three, very talked-about rumors.

First, Joss Whedon WILL direct the film. That's an obvious one, but Marvel never announced it officially before Comic-Con.

Second, Jeremy Renner WILL play Hawk Eye! I love this move by the way.

Third, and I guess most talked about... Mark Ruffalo WILL replace Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/Hulk. This movie can't get any more epic, can it? We'll have to wait and see. There's still those rumors of Nathan Fillion and Eva Longoria joining the cast as Ant-Man and Wasp. We'll let you know what happens. You satisfied with the cast?

Robert Downey Jr. & Zach Galifianakis' "Due Date" Trailer

We've been hearing about Due Date for a while now. Director Todd Phillips follows up The Hangover with this gem of a comedy. Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, road trip, 'nuff said. Check out the trailer... I don't like it at all, but have hope the movie will be funny.

Cuarón's "Gravity" Will Be 60% CGI

Alfonso Cuarón, (director of AtD favorite Children of Men), has a sci-fi space thriller in development called Gravity which will star Robert Downey Jr.
The film will be 60% CGI and the story was written by Cuarón's son, Jonás.

This new information comes from the website of the film's special-effects company Framestone, who have previously worked on Avatar, so we can expect some pretty good stuff CGI-wise.

The film will balance hybrid CG and live action, much like Avatar, and the opening shot alone is expected to be at least 20 minutes long. This is no surprise coming from Cuarón, who specializes in lengthy, intricate shots. One shot in Children of Men is about 8-minutes long and takes place in the middle of a battle scene.

Here's a little look at the plot, as taken from Framestone:

"...the film is a contemporary survival thriller that follows a woman as she attempts to make her way back to earth after a satellite crash sets off a chain reaction of further crashes. Because it’s set in space, most shots require every element to float in zero-gravity."

Sam Raimi directing Robert Downey Jr. as the Wizard of Oz

The origin story of the Wizard of Oz will be told through the eyes of Sam Raimi. Robert Downey Jr. will play the lead, the Wizard. The movie will be called Oz, the Great and Powerful which was written by Mitchell Kapner (The Whole Nine Yards).

Raimi created 3 of the biggest movies in the history of film with the Spider-Man trilogy. I really wasn't a fan. Yes, I paid to see all three in theaters and I own all three on DVD, but I didn't like the campy approach Saimi chose for the movies. Not every superhero movie needs to be The Dark Knight, but still, give me something a bit darker than Tobey Maguire skipping down the streets of New York. With no concept art, no other casting, no plot points, I'll stay skeptical of this project for now.

Quickie: Sherlock Holmes 2 gets a release date

Warner Bros have announced the release date for Sherlock Holmes 2. The movie will be released December 16th, 2011. Just like the first film, it will be directed by Guy Ritchie and star Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

Rachel McAdams will also be in the sequel according to the producer of the film, Joel Silver. I loved the first film and hopefully the sequel will live up to its predecessor. Keep ya fingers crossed!

Tony: Iron Man 2 review

Not since Avatar hit the big screen has there been a movie with this much hype... OK I guess it hasn't been that long, but still. Was there a doubt that Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. weren't going to deliver in this highly anticipated sequel? Let's get right into it folks, I have a lot to say.


What I liked:
The Writing
The story is better than the first one, but still has issues. There are just too many dang characters for a 2 hour movie. The villains are better, the dialogue is amazing in Iron Man 2. My wife and I could NOT stop laughing at Tony Stark trading barbs back and forth with the supporting cast. There are so many examples of this, I wont try to explain any further, just trust me. The movie is categorically a comedy it's so funny, you'll see.

Pepper Potts played by Gwyneth Paltrow has a great story arc in the movie, as does Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow. Paltrow is a true professional, and plays the part with such sincerity. I really enjoyed her in the movie. Johansson kicks some major ass in with what little screen time she has. Samuel L. Jackson is back as Nick Fury and had a lot more face time than the trailers indicated. Remember with the first film, he was in the post-credits clip. Speaking of; stay after the credits for a surprise! Don Cheadle replaces Terrance Howard as Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, but I will discuss that in a minute.

The Villains

The biggest complaint about the first Iron Man was the villain, or lack thereof. They didn't do a good enough job developing the fallout between Tony Stark and Obidiah Stone. But in this film, Mickey Rourke shines. If only there were more Rourke in this film. And kudos to Favreau and company for staying true to the look of Whiplash. Based on the photos and trailers released, you wouldn't think so, but wait until the end of the movie where you see a Whiplash that mirrors the comics, great job.

Justin Hammer is a new addition, played by Sam Rockwell (very underrated actor in Hollywood). Hammer is a fixture in the comics and was a perfect compliment to the story. Rockwell has to be funny, yet kind of annoying. We have to hate to love him, and he too nailed it in this movie.

The Action
Wow, there is a lot of action in this movie. You can tell pretty quickly that the Iron Man 2 budget was significantly higher than the first one. Now, I've said this a lot in the past, the action has to be in the movie to help the story along. There was definitely action in the movie for actions sake, but I'll get to that later.


What I didn't like:
Second Act
Wow, the second act drags so much. I told you above that the action is amped up for this movie, but it's important to note that a large chunk in the middle of the movie is story development. Yes, it's necessary, but it would have been nice to see a faster pace during this part where characters were being developed and Tony Stark makes a life changing discovery.

Misused Acting
I told you I loved Mickey Rourke in this, well I wish there was more of Mickey Rourke in this. The character is "underground" for most of the movie, but damn it would have been nice to see a bit more of Whiplash. Instead the story shifts towards droids that Justin Hammer has developed with the help of Whiplash (don't worry I'm not giving anything away). What I will tell you is the droids get a lot more attention than they should have.

Don Cheadle is a complete waste in this movie. As Col. James Rhodes, he has little to zero to work with. Yes, he does don the War Machine suit and kicks some major, major ass, but it's not enough. I hate to say this, I really do, but I wish Terrance Howard returned for this movie. His charm, presence and chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. was way better than Cheadle's.



The Climax
The Droids, I mean come on man! There is a scene where Iron Man and War Machine have to outrun (outfly) a lot of Droids. The scene does NOT end. There are at least 50 explosions in the chase and gets pretty redundant, pretty fast. And the worst part of the movie; the climax. Of course, it's a showdown with Iron Man and War Machine vs. Whiplash and it's LAME! Man, two hours of great story telling only to leave you with a sour taste in your mouth in the last 5 minutes of the movie. The holding hands climax (I don't want to spoil anything, you'll just have to see for yourself) is so bad.

The verdict is simple for me; I liked the movie, a lot. That's important, but it IS a sequel and will naturally be compared to it's predecessor. When comparing it to the first film, it's not as good. The charm and wit is there, but the creativity of the first film was replaced by a boat load of CGI and a lot more characters. The team of Favreau and Downey have struck gold, both figuratively and literally. We've even discussed whether it would beat The Dark Knight's record breaking opening weekend. That remains to be seen. As a movie fan and a comic book fan, I'm very satisfied with the finished product. And after watching the short clip at the end of the credits; I can't wait for more from the Marvel Universe!

Quick and Simple: Daniel Craig finalizes deal for Cowboys & Aliens

Just as the title reads... Bond, James Bond is in talks to replace Robert Downey Jr. in the comic book adaptation, Cowboys & Aliens.

A few days ago we told you about Downey's departure from the project due to scheduling conflicts; Craig is the first big name to be mentioned as far as a replacement.

I like Craig, I do, but he's no Downey. I don't think he can be as comedic as Downey, but can definitely portray a sense of toughness we haven't seen since the action movies of the 80's. So with that being said... please Dreamworks, hurry up and make this movie cause I can't wait!!!

UPDATE: Deadline is reporting that the deal is done, and Craig is confirmed for the picture. I think it's a good move for Craig while he sits and waits to see what happens with the "Bond" franchise.

A sad day... Robert Downey Jr. OUT from Cowboys & Aliens

I knew it was too good to be true. Robert Downey Jr. has pulled out of Cowboys and Aliens. He's just too damn busy. He can't keep up with the Iron Man franchise, the Sherlock Holmes franchise and The Vampire Chronicles franchise. What's weird is, he worked so hard to get Jon Favreau on board as director, only to drop out? Well, either way, Dreamworks is moving forward with their plans. What I think happened is this: Sherlock Holmes 2 is on the fast track (check out the next post), and that franchise is on solid ground. So Robert Downey Jr. had to decide between a POSSIBLE franchise, or a solid franchise. I would have done the same thing.

Al Berto: "Sherlock Holmes" Quick Review

Me and “the woman” decided to spend Christmas night at the movies along with literally everyone else in LA. It was crowded, it was cold, and I was tired after a 10 hour shift at work. We had a choice between James Cameron’s Avatar, and Sherlock Holmes. We decided on Sherlock Holmes. I hadn’t seen the trailer yet, but knew a combo with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law wouldn’t make me regret forking over a ridiculous amount of dough just to see a 2 hour flick and fatten ourselves with soda and popcorn.

Sherlock Holmes was everything I was expecting and more. One of the most extraordinary things about the movie is the amount of detail that went into trying to give you the feeling you were back in the late 1800’s. The buildings, the streets, the people, the props, I was extremely pleased.

I’ve always wondered what the deal with Robert Downey Jr. was, how at one point of his life, he’s a rising star, then goes through some really bad times and then Hollywood just accepts him right back in! There’s about a million people trying to get their foot in the door. He got his chance and blew it, and now it’s as if nothing ever happened. And this movie proved to me why, because HE IS A RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING ACTOR. It reminds me when I saw Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time and was just blown away with Johnny Depp's performance. I never really cared for Depp, I’ve seen his movies in the past, and he was just another actor in my eyes, but after watching Pirates of the Caribbean, I instantly became a new fan.

The one thing I was expecting was a great story, and it fully delivered. Sherlock Holmes pays a great amount of attention to detail; you should do the same if you think you’re going to be able to predict what’s going to happen in this movie.

The one thing that did surprise me is how I thought it was going to be a fact finding movie like National Treasure. Instead there was way, way more action involved.
Go see it.

"Iron Man 2" Trailer!

Finally... here it is, and it's kick-ass:

Quickie: Sherlock Holmes trailer #2

I have to admit, I enjoyed the first trailer better. Check this out:

Quickie: Sherlock Holmes sequel has already began

Wow... I've been really looking forward to this movie for a long time; since the day Robert Downey Jr. was cast as the great detective, Sherlock Holmes. Matt on the other hand thinks it will be a failure; not sure why, I'll get back to you on that one. Either way, the movie hits theaters on Christmas Day, but a sequel has already began pre-production. Risky Business is reporting that Kieran and Michele Mulroney have been hired to write a continuation story for the sequel. This is normal in Hollywood. Anytime a movie is getting a lot of positive buzz, the studio wants a head start on the sequel. So let's just hope the first one is as good as its trailer and we get a sequel within a year or two of its release.

Downey Jr. AND Favreau on Cowboys and Aliens?

The Hollywood Reporter stats that Robert Downey Jr. has been cast in the comic book adaptation of Cowboys and Aliens. Simple concept really; Cowboys, and uh, Aliens. Yeah, that's a green light to a movie if I've ever seen one. Downey Jr. has been attached for awhile. In fact, the writing crew of Iron Man have also been writing the script. And now Favreau has been brought in to direct.

Dreamworks holds the movie rights, which is great considering it needs a hit, really badly. It is also interesting because the property is a Marvel Comic, and with Disney buying Marvel last week, I wonder how this movie will be handled? The same crap comic book movie style like Electra (Fox), or the amazing Iron Man treatment because of Marvel Entertainment? We'll have to wait and see.

Consider this... when Downey Jr. was cast in the upcoming "Vampire Chronicles", we told you that he has the potential for 3 different franchises, Cowboys and Aliens being 4 now! Amazing how badly this man is wanted all over Hollywood, and he deserves every bit of! Go Downey and Favreau!

Will Ferrell replacing Robert Downey Jr. in Oobermind

Remember a few months ago we reported that Robert Downey Jr. was cast in Oobermind? The Dreamworks Animation project about superheros? Well Variety is reporting that Downey Jr. has dropped out of the project and Will Ferrell is in. No reason was given for the switch but I'm sure scheduling the now busy Downey Jr. wasn't easy. Also added to the cast are Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. Tina Fey is still in the movie which is set to be released in the Fall of 2010.

The story is about Oobermind who is just too good as a superhero. He defeats his nemesis, played by Pitt, and is bored with life. So he creates another villain to keep him busy, played by Hill. We told you already, this movie sounds an awful lot like Mystery Men. Oobermind will be produced by Ben Still, just as Mystery Men was... no coincidence. We'll keep you posted!

Robert Downey Jr. cast in Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles"

bloodydisgusting is reporting that Robert Downey Jr. has signed on to a vampire film. He will play the role of Lestat, from Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles book series. You may remember the character Lestat from Interview with the Vampire, played by Tom Cruise, and from Queen of the Damned, played by Stuart Townsend. Those two movies were the first and third books in the series.

Now comes the tricky part. Does Warner Brothers studios reboot, or sequel? The first two films are still pretty fresh in the minds of the public and I think a reboot is unnecessary. A sequel would be fine I suppose. I'm getting a little sick of all these vampire movies coming out, but leave it to the tweens of this country to determine what makes a good film.

Now we know Iron Man is a huge franchise for Downey Jr., what if Sherlock Holmes ANNNND "The Vampire Chronicles" become franchises as well? The man may have cemented three viable franchises within the span of two years. Holy Shmoley! The only other person I can think of off the top my head to do that is Hugo Weaving; he had The Matrix ANNNND The Lord of the Rings trilogies at the same time.

Hate it or love it, the onslaught of vampire movies and TV shows is upon us. So at least we get a great actor to do it, rather than Robert Pattinson, the one look, one emotion actor of the Twilight franchise. I said it! Yeah I said it! Tell us what you think.