Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

So here I am sitting at home minding my own business when I get a txt from a girl I know. Hqiz, it's a darn shame I'm 37 yeas older than she is... she's the daughter of a good friend who was looking for an escape from a boring evening with old fogies, and I'm tickled that she thought to give me a buzz - I think she knows a case of puer æternum when she sees one.

She had seen Avatar, so our choices were Sherlock and the Frog Princess thingie. We chose Sherlock, and I'm glad we did.

I'm actually in a poor position to critically review this film, because I've never {to my eternal shame and discredit) read one of Doyle's stories in print. On the other hand, I have Basil Rathbone's portrayal to use as a standard. And on the gripping hand, I remain relatively unspoiled because I've heard no other opinions about the show.

This ain't your granddaddy's Baker Street - but what a romp: at first I almost felt as if I were watching "Wild Wild West". Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are superb, and play against each other to delightful effect. The other performances were not as strong, in my opinion, but it may have been what they were given to work with - certainly nobody turned in a bad job in any sense of the word.

Parts of the plot seemed a bit contrived to me - all the emphasis on black magic seemed a bit out of phase with what I had come to expect from a Holmes plot. That said, it worked well, especially by the time the show was over and Holmes had deduced everything with his characteristic accuracy. On its own, the tale was riveting, and there were enough twists to keep it from being predictable. Good effects overall, with a couple of pretty tense moments, and more than a handful of really creepy ones.

This is a different Holmes than we're used to seeing, and yet - from what little I know - a more honestly portrayed one. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and look forward to the sequel(s) for which they left wide a gaping doorway at the end.

Overall Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Irish Atheists Use Carlin to Flout Law on Blasphemy

I'm not in favor of blasphemy. I think atheists are ripping themselves off, and I think those who belittle people of faith because of their traditions are acting contrary to their better nature. But that's just my opinion, valid for me. And in this case, the Irish humanists have got it right - a law banning blasphemy is about as chuckleheaded a statute as ever I have heard in a society that endorses freedom of religion, which - by extension - implies freedom of no religion.

Even arguing for the existence of God, His plan doesn't seem to call for raining hellfire down on the Janjaweed who are busy slaughtering thousands in Sudan, for example... why the hqiz would He show up to back a few wild-eyed lawmakers who don't like the way people talk about Him?

Once again, religion oversteps its bounds. Let the Catholic clergy preach from the pulpit that blasphemy is out of order. Let those who go to listen, choose for themselves. Let the Church censure those of their flock who stray, if they feel so inclined. But for the love of Mogg's Grandmother, don't expect those who are not part of your congregation or your traditions to conduct their lives according to your whims.