I am getting VERY bad at this blogging once a week thing, but to be fair to me, it is Christmas! To update you on what I have watched since my last blog, I have seen "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" in the cinema, I watched "Red Eye" for a second time on DVD, "Aladdin" on Christmas day and I watched "Castle of Cagliostro" on Virgin Plus. I was so excited when I found out Film Four were doing a Studio Ghibli (which I like to pronounce "Jibli") season and I've set all the ones I haven't seen to tape. So far I've watched the one... Oh dear. I'm filling up the recording box or whatever it is to the brim but not getting round to watching any of it! I will watch some more soon, I hope...
Anyway, to get to the important stuff, Sherlock Holmes II!! What a brilliant film. The posters aren't wrong, it is bigger, better and funnier than the first one. RDJ is fantastic in any role, I will never disagree with casting him for anything. He's hilarious, his accent's ace (or at least I think so, I am often wrong about these things), and he's just got such charisma! I love Watson too, you need Jude Law's straight guy to balance out Holme's crazy ways. I was also presently surprised by Jared Harris as Moriarty, which initially disappointed me because I'd heard rumours that my favourite actor, Daniel Day Lewis - what a talent!! - was going to play him and I'd never heard of Jared Harris - apparently he's in "Mad Men"? - but he's perfect. He's smart, he's evil, he's kind of cool, he's a good nemesis for Holmes for sure. There's a bit more to the plot too this time, and the scenery is fantastic. The embassy in Switzerland at the end - not sure it's an embassy or in Switzerland, but that's what I remember - is basically a snow covered Rivendell, it looks awesome. Two more - very important - points I have so far neglected to mention are 1) RDJ in a dress! So funny and still hot and 2) Stephen Fry as Mycroft, very naked in one scene, also funny, but less hot. If you like Robert Downey Jr, if you like adventure, if you like cool fighting, basically if you like films, go see it!
Alas I still haven't seen the new "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", but that is the next film on my list. It's hard to find someone to go see it with, many think it's a bit too "rapey", which cannot be denied, but doesn't that advert look fantastic? The one where the only noise is that brilliant Led Zeppelin cover and it's so fast paced and has that fantastic Swedish scenery - I didn't realise until this week reading Empire that it's still set in Sweden.
I also watched, as I mentioned, "Aladdin" on Christmas day, and was reminded how awesome it is and how brilliant a good Disney tune is. That in mind, this week's list is my top 5 Disney films...
1. Hercules
OMG, what's not to love? The songs are sooo good. "Go the distance" is just one of my favourite songs full stop, plus "Zero to hero", plus all the rest really. And Hades! The best Disney villain ever, James Woods does some brilliant voice work and has some hilarious lines: "woah, is my hair out?" I think I must have seen it at least 20 times and I don't think it's fully appreciated as the classic it is.
2. Peter Pan
I so fancied him when I was a kid. He's just so cool and he lives the life all children want to, in a tree house, on an island filled with pirates, mermaids and NO adults. The story is a classic, though the songs are nothing special, but the lead character is just so cool, you've gotta want to be him and live his life.
3. The Emperor's New Groove
Another underrated masterpiece, this is probably the funniest Disney film ever. Who doesn't love a bit of John Goodman? and though he's probably done nothing to praise since, David Spade's comic delivery as Kuzco is perfect. But the BEST thing has to be Patrick Warburton, aka Joe Swanson, as Kronk! Doing his own theme tune, talking to squirrels. I've seen this one many times too and it doesn't stop being funny. Brilliant for kids and adults.
4. Beauty and the Beast
We all know it's one of, if not the, best. The music and songs are so good, the story is so moving, when the Beast "dies" at the end we all cry. Though I cry more when he comes back as a weird-looking lame-ass prince who deep down we all know isn't as hot as he was as a beast. Also, one of the BEST songs ever, "No one... like Gaston", which has one of the best lines ever "LeFou I'm afraid I've been thinking - A dangerous pass-time - I know". You do genuinely hate Gaston at the end when he storms the Beast's castle. Why can't everyone see he's gentle? But darn it can that man eat a lot of eggs!
As always, the last ones a tricky one, but the verdict is...
5. The Lion King
It kind of has to be, doesn't it? Simba was another character I wanted to be when I was little, running off and living in the jungle, no adults, only Timon and Pumbaa. What brilliant music and, like "Beauty and the Beast", what a moving story. I have to cry at least twice in that film. When Simba is telling his dad to wake up! Mufasa is possibly the coolest adult character ever, he definitely has the coolest voice and Scar is a pretty good baddy. The bits with him and the hyenas are genuinely scary. Everyone knows it's a classic, it cannot be denied, not just of Disney, but of all films.
Film news: Everyone should read "the Hunger Games" trilogy because it's really fun and the film is coming out in March and the trailer looks really good. People say it's the new "Twilight" but don't listen to them, it's actually good.
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