Robin Hood

Goolphipp Award: 2.75 (Wait for DVD)

Goolsby:
I wasn't that excited to see this movie. Goolphipp had been on vacation, and we were going through movie withdrawals, so along comes Robin Hood. Point blank, I was not impressed, with anything really. I'm tired of hearing this story, and I didn't really think this new spin on it brought anything new to the table. The pairing between Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett was odd. It did not feel like they had chemistry, in spite of me wanting them to. I think the best part of this movie was the supporting cast. The three other guys that made up Robin's gang were awesome, and hilarious. Scott Grimes (from ER) played Will Scarlett; Kevin Durand (from Legion) played Little John; Alan Doyle played the musician of the lot. I think the movie as a whole had some really great parts, but at the end of it all, there was no "it" that made me cheer in excellence. Robin Hood: Men In Tights remains my favorite, followed closely by Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Goolsby overall: 2.5
There was a reference to home-brewed mead though.

Phipps:
Honestly, this movie came recommended. I didn't think it was a complete waste of time. There were moments that were worth it, but overall, I think this is just the next installment to the technically-superior-remakes-yet-short-on-heart series. Make fun of Kevin Costner all you want, but his version had heart - something about it makes you want to pick up a sword and join the fight against injustice. While Russell Crowe actually sports an English accent, I felt his performance was mostly flat. The strongest moment was Robin's monologue to the war party, which reminded me of Gladiator. I also felt that Cate Blanchett as Marian was miscast. While the Marian in this version was a bit more tough than all the other previous Marians, there wasn't enough femininity to soften the edges. I did, however, really love Max Von Sydow's performance as Sir Walter Loxley. I think it's because this aspect of Robin Hood was new - one of the new angles...and surprise! It was the most fun. Another historical angle I liked was the tie-in of the Magna Carta - which I totally remembered from 5th grade during the movie - and turns out, is historically-accurate timing. I appreciate that. Overall, it was a good movie for a cheap matinee or future Netflix queue item.

Phipps overall: 3
Decent, with some good moments.

Sherlock Holmes

Phipp Award: 3 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Phipps:
This is my first solo review. I saw Sherlock Holmes with my sister. We were really excited about it. And would you believe it, I didn't like this movie. Let me rephrase, I liked this movie as an action movie, but not as a Sherlock Holmes movie. You could have called the main characters Bert and Ernie...and the movie still would have worked, still would have been exciting, well-made, and in some respects, well-acted. It was, at the very core of it, an action movie. I've come to expect a little more brain with my Sherlock, and less reactionary headless chicken. Let me explain, I grew up with a movie called Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking. Rupert Everett is Sherlock Holmes, and is, in my opinion, one of the best portrayals. He combines the intelligence and the sarcasm, drug-user and strategist - and does it well. This is entirely my own opinion, and I'll be honest - most people disagree. In fact, a coworker looked at me and said, "Were you not entertained?" (Quoting Gladiator, of course.) I had to admit then, parts of Sherlock Holmes did entertain me. Jude Law as Watson is brilliant. If you watch this movie for no other reason than Jude Law, it's worth it. He's the best Watson I've seen. As I said before, this movie was put together well. The CG-Imaging of Old London Town was integrated well, and I thought the use of a dull color palatte was historically accurate. It sounds stupid, but I thought it was just missing something...some Sherlock X-factor. Go ahead, see it for yourselves, and then let us know what you thought of it.

Phipps overall: 3
For Jude Law.

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