The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The English version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo had some big shoes to fill with the crossover of not only the Swedish book, but also the Swedish film as well. David Fincher is one of the few directors I could have seen actually pulling this off and he did it quite well.

Exciting, entrancing, enthralling, and entertaining from beginning to end, this version would have done Stieg Larsson proud. I went into this movie a little weary because of how good the Swedish version was. I didn't think any actress could match what Noomi Rapace had done in the first version, but then there is Rooney Mara. Absolutely stupendous! Bringing Lisbeth Salander's vengefulness, brutality, and smarts to the big screen is no easy feat, but Mara does it with elegance, enticing beauty, and ease. She carries the movie with seemingly little effort. Fincher made a great call casting a little known actress such as Mara for this role. She has a great chance of at least being nominated for many awards this season.

Daniel Craig lays down his Walther PPK and instead picks up his pen for this movie and proves that he is more than just an action star. His acting was believable and a far cry from his previous roles, but he couldn't really hold up across from Mara. Stellan Skarsgård as always was spectacular, I think better than Peter Haber, creating a character who could have been the head of company and liked by people he worked with. Haber was just too strange in my opinion.

The storyline of this version stays relatively close to the Swedish version, but adds its own bits and pieces here and there to make it a fresh version. Having a foreign film to base much of this movie off of probably helped a lot with how to pace it and how to present events. The story, obviously thanks entirely to Larsson,  is amazing and great fun to watch on the big screen, especially this time in English instead of having to read the entire time.

The layout of the island was sleek and mysterious and Martin's house was perfect. Every building was similar to the Swedish version, but had interesting tweaks making them new and exciting. However, the guest house was very similar to the guest house in the Swedish version, which was a pleasant surprise. The combination of similarities and differences throughout this version of the first in the Millennium series worked in perfect harmony.

The one difference I didn't like was the lessened violence. That was one of the most important parts of the Swedish version to me. Yes, some parts of the movie were still violent/aggressive enough almost to the point of having to look away, but others needed more to give the shock value the Swedish version had. The time in Martin's house should have been extended as well.

This remake of the Swedish original definitely did both the movie and the book justice and was in no way a disappointment. See it while you can! But it definitely won't be the last we see from this stellar group of entertainers.

8/10

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

You're probably thinking "Another Mission Impossible movie? Come on, why would they make another one?" or "the only impossible mission here is to make a good movie" or something along these lines. However, I can assure you that the newest mission has everything that the first one did, with better special effects and acting.

The IMF has been blamed for the bombing of the Kremlin and disavowed. Ethan Hunt and his team of three work to clear the IMF's name all while lacking many of their common resources provided by the full IMF.

Tom Cruise may have lost his mind a few years back, but his acting hasn't gone anywhere. Bouncing back from his cookie-cutter summer action/comedy Knight & Day in 2010 he shows he can still roll with the big boys when it comes to action movies. Performing one of the most thrilling sequences of Ghost Protocol Cruise was suspended from a few ropes and pulleys from Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. While climbing and running up, down, and all around the outside of the building Cruise keeps his character poised on the mission at hand. If this scene doesn't raise your pulse or get your palms sweating I don't know what is wrong with you.

The rest of Ethan's team are great, each bringing something to the table. Jane (Paula Patton) provides vengeance and sex appeal. Brandt (Jeremy Renner) is a mysterious character bringing surprisingly good skills to the table for an analyst. And Benji (Simon Pegg) provides much of the comedic relief, but like any good action movie there is a healthy balance between the comedy and action.

Tying interestingly and surprisingly well to the third movie Ghost Protocol keeps the twists and turns coming, but never really strays into the completely unbelievable. Each twist breaks the plot and propels it forward to keep the movie moving. Even the dialogue scenes keep the plot moving, engaging us and allows us to take a breather between death defying stunts and plans.

The plot and the acting are both good, but what pushes Ghost Protocol ahead are the action sequences. Ranging from heights to depths and escapes to chases among many others, every scene is thought out brilliantly. The last 45 minutes has scenes reminiscent of the original Mission Impossible and is an incredible ending to a spectacular film.

I originally thought this movie would have done the best in the summer, but the more I think about it the more I realize this was a perfect time for it to come out. While independent studios and filmmakers and producing limited released movies, audiences want a break from these and just want to see action. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol blends action, humor, and thought into one very entertaining movie. If you like action you won't be disappointed. Definitely see this in IMAX if you can. The extra money is worth it! (And you get a special treat before the movie in select theaters listed here)

I can't write about Ghost Protocol without mentioning the 6 minute 'Prologue' of The Dark Knight Rises (in theaters July 20th, 2012), especially because it is the reason I saw GP again. If you thought the opening of The Dark Knight was incredible you won't believe what Christopher Nolan has created for the last installment of his trilogy. Bane may be a little difficult to understand, but seeing everything unfold on an IMAX screen was amazing. This will easily top TDK and could top all the movies in 2012. An absolute must-see for anyone who has seen a Batman movie.

Ghost Protocol: 8/10

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

In 2009, Sherlock Holmes was released and was a pleasant surprise to everyone who saw it. A stylish and exciting adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels. While not as intricate or in depth as the novels are it was still a very fun movie to watch.

Well, now in 2011, Guy Ritchie has done it again. To be honest, I wasn't expecting this sequel to be as good as the first, but I was wrong. It was just as good if not better. Full of humor and heart, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, proves to be a stand out film of the holiday season.

Sherlock and Watson must team up again in this sequel to takedown their toughest adversary yet: Professor Moriarty. Beginning with a cameo from Rachel McAdams and a reminder of what made the first Sherlock so enjoyable. Some of my favorite parts of these movies are when we go into Sherlock's mind and get a feel for how he works things out, in fights he explains everything that is going to happen while we see it in slow motion. Always a pleasure to watch.

Robert Downey Jr. has come a long way since his last arrest in 2001. He rose from his plights and has become one of the best actors of the last five years. His role as Sherlock Holmes is no different. He really does justice to all that is the hero Sherlock Holmes. Playing the role with just the right amount of humor and intelligence as he did in the first one. And Jude Law is great reprising Dr. Watson who is, in this film, a smarter sidekick than Sherlock is used to. Noomi Rapace made her Hollywood debut and she brought the power and aloofness of Lisbeth Salander into the world of Sherlock Holmes. We will be seeing a lot more from her in Hollywood in the future.

The plot, much like the novels, provides you with all the details to solve the mysteries, but put them in such plain sight or just breeze over them that you think nothing of them when you first see them. Only when we see the same details through the crafty eyes of Holmes and Watson does it all makes sense.

Sticking with a similar formula from the first film, Game of Shadows edges past its' predecessor and keeps true to the Sherlock Holmes I believe was originally intended by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Don't miss this one in the theater!

8/10

The Ides of March

This really is the year of the Gosling and he will deserve any and every award he receives unless it is at the annual Razzie ceremony. I don't think he is capable of pulling a Sandra Bullock from two years ago and winning both best actor and worst actor in one year. Especially with the year he has been having with Crazy, Stupid, Love and Drive under his belt (The Ides of March being a predecessor to Drive) I believe that he has at least the best actor statue in his pocket and he very well could snag the best supporting actor as well. I don't know if that has happened in the history of the Academy. However there are still some great movie months on the way so I can't really call it yet.

Diving us right into the corrupt world of politics we follow the seemingly incorruptible Stephen Meyers, played by Ryan Gosling, the head of the campaign for presidential candidate Governor Mike Morris. We learn more and more about the perfect Morris (George Clooney) as we plunge into the grimy muck of politics.

Reprising his directorial role for the fourth time, George Clooney does an outstanding job yet again both in acting and directing. As a director he does a great job making us feel the world closing in around the main characters and as an actor we find ourselves torn over what to think of him. Stephen Meyers is a rock in the  torrential downpour from the politics around him, getting chipped away slowly, but surely. He tries to keep his hands clean in the dirty political world.

While much of the plot was predictable, the dialogue and interactions made up for the lackluster surprises. And of course the acting is what really propelled this movie to where it is now.

Gosling steals the show yet again in this movie and keeps the momentum he has gained this year rolling well on his way to many nominations and wins in the coming award season. Definitely an enjoyable movie worth seeing.

7/10