Sherlock Holmes

2009 Warner Bros. Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 2 hr 8min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Mystery ~ Crime Thriller

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly, and Eddie Marsan.

Nothing Escapes Him!

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his partner Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) are drawn into a dark case when they prevent the ritualistic murder of a woman by Lord Henry Blackwood (Mark Strong), a nobleman with deadly secrets who claims to possess supernatural powers. Blackwood is arrested and sentenced to death, but before his execution, he ominously warns Holmes that three more deaths will follow. Meanwhile, Watson’s life is changing as he plans to marry Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), a governess, which begins to strain his partnership with Holmes.

After Blackwood’s execution, strange events begin to unfold, including the discovery of Blackwood’s broken tomb containing the body of Luke Reordan. Holmes investigates Reordan’s secret laboratory and uncovers experiments blending science with mysticism. Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a cunning and independent thief known as the only woman to have outwitted Holmes before, re-enters his life seeking help to find Reordan and entangles Holmes in a complex conspiracy, all while hinting at deeper connections with Holmes’s enigmatic adversary, Professor Moriarty.

As Holmes digs deeper, he is introduced to the secretive Temple of the Four Orders, a powerful magical society with ties to Blackwood’s plan to overthrow the British government by releasing deadly cyanide gas into Parliament. Holmes, Watson, and Adler work together to thwart the plot, using Holmes’s brilliant deductive skills and combat prowess to navigate deadly traps and political intrigue. Watson struggles to balance his budding family life with continuing to support Holmes through the dangerous case.

The film concludes with a tense confrontation atop the unfinished Tower Bridge, where Holmes reveals that Blackwood’s supernatural feats were a mix of science and deception. Holmes saves Adler, who warns him of Moriarty’s greater threat, perfectly setting up a sequel. Kelly Reilly’s Mary brings a grounding emotional layer as Watson’s fiancée, representing his desire for normalcy, while Rachel McAdams’s Adler adds complexity as a fierce, independent ally entwined with Holmes’s life and work. This blend of mystery, action, and character dynamics defines this energetic, modern take on Sherlock Holmes.

Growing up, I was captivated by the Sherlock Holmes stories, losing myself in the clever mysteries and the sharp wit of the great detective. Seeing these tales brought to life on the big screen was a thrilling experience the first time I saw this movie and even more so every time I watch it. Robert Downey Jr. perfectly captures Holmes’s brilliance and quirky charm, while Jude Law’s Watson gives us a grounded, loyal counterpart that felt true to the originals. Watching their chemistry and the dynamic storytelling unfold reminded me why I fell in love with these characters in the first place, now infused with exciting action and cinematic flair.

For me, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes bridges nostalgia and fresh excitement, letting me experience Holmes’s world in a whole new way. The film’s atmospheric settings, clever plot twists, and rich character moments turned my childhood readings into a vivid, immersive adventure. It’s a unique joy to revisit those timeless stories through such a modern lens, and it reinforced for me how enduring and captivating Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creations remain, decades after I first opened those classic books.

Sherlock Holmes is a classic movie that brilliantly honors the timeless works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It captures the spirit of his iconic detective through a perfect blend of period authenticity and modern cinematic energy, bringing Holmes’s sharp intellect and thrilling adventures vividly to life on the big screen. And now for the sequel Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows, tonight’s movie for Streaming Movie Night and tomorrow’s Movie Review! SO if you haven’t seen Sherlock Holmes I highly Recommend it, and if you have, Watch it again!

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie!

Currently on NETFLIX.

Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows

Deep Cover

2025 Amazon Prime Video

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 39min

Action ~ Comedy ~ Crime

Directed by: Tom Kingsley

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, Paddy Considine, Ian McShane and Sean Bean.

If you want to survive, improvise.

Hugh (Nick Mohammed) is a nerdy, very socially awkward IT Office worker. After a very unsuccessful and stressful day at work trying to fit in, he finds himself on the streets of London feeling dejected. He comes across a comedy club with a poster out front advertising a Comedy Improv Class:

“Find Your Voice ~ Build Confidence!”

IMPROV COMEDY CLASS

Newcomers welcome,

come on in and give it a go!

Hugh decides to do just that and enters the club where he sees Kat (Bryce Dallas Howard) teaching a class. She notices him and encourages him to join up with Marlon (Orlando Bloom) and go on stage and try out some improv. Marlon is an aspiring actor who isn’t having much luck staying gainfully employed and has just told his agent to take a hike. Detective Billings (Sean Bean) is sitting in the audience and afterwards approaches Kat and tells her that she and her class are exactly what the Police Department need for an undercover program they have initiated. He wants to employ Kat and two of her students to go undercover and infiltrate a local crime syndicate, improving their way through the whole process.

Kat sees an opportunity to pull herself out of her financial troubles and approaches Hugh and Marlon with the proposition. Marlon and Hugh both agree and the team set out on several missions guided by Detective Billings, each one more dangerous than the last. They quickly become adept at improving their way into each scenario and convincing criminals that they are ruthless criminals and drug dealers themselves. And each mission gets them deeper into trouble and deeper undercover with lots of action and tons of laughs.

The movie starts out with an intense car chase with the Crime syndicate the “Deep Cover” group go after and the police losing and getting one of their own shot and killed. The syndicate is completely out of control and the police need their help. As the trio get deeper and deeper under cover there are twists and turns you don’t see coming. In the very beginning as Hugh is trying to buddy-up with his co-workers and fails miserably to connect because he is so nerdy, I didn’t much like him and had my doubts about the movie. As we turn to Orlando Bloom and watch him overact so badly that it is painful, I really had my doubts. Oh, another Amazon Prime Dog, I thought!

But I hung in there and I did like Bryce and her character. I felt for her as she was struggling to be a successful comedian while all her friends were obviously well off and belittling her for still trying “The Comedy Thing”. I like Sean Bean, there is always something a little secretive about him, so I had the feeling there was more up his sleeve than what he was telling The Deep Cover crew. I am glad I hung in there, the trio quickly grew on me and I got sucked in there with them on their missions, rooting for them in the end. Orlando’s overacting turned into an asset as they got deeper into their missions. And Hugh’s ineptness socially turned on it’s heels and the next thing you know….Hugh is one hell of a Bad Ass convincing criminals how tough he is. Brilliant!

In the end I loved it! I loved everyone of the characters… Kat, Hugh and Marlon. They turned into a great team and it turned into a great movie filled with action, intrigue, comedy and laughter. It does not disappoint! I went from, “Oh no…another Prime Dog… to Wow, that was great!”

The only questions I have are:

Have You Seen It? (If you haven’t, you should watch it!)
WHEN’S THE SEQUEL COMING?

I think it’s worthy of a sequel, and worth a watch!

Play Dirty

2025 Amazon MGM Studios

Rated: R

Length: 2 hr 5min

Action ~ Crime ~ Drama ~ Thriller

Directed by: Shane Black

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, LaKeith Stanfield, Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, Chukwudi Iwuji, Nat Wolff, Gretchen Mol, Thomas Jane, and Tony Shalhoub.

Even Robbers Get Robbed

THE BOOK:

The Hunter: A Parker Novel Paperback – September 1, 2008 by Richard Stark (Originally Published in 1962)

The Parker Novels are a collection of 24 novels written by Donald E. Westlake under the pen name Richard Stark between 1962 and 2008. The first book in the series, The Hunter was written in 1962 and was the inspiration for the 1967 movie Point Blank starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn and Carroll O’Connor.

FROM AMAZON:

Where it all begins: The first book in the action-packed classic crime series that’s the basis for the forthcoming film Play Dirty!

Richard Stark’s Parker novels are the hardest of hard-boiled, classic crime novels where the heists are huge, the body counts are high, and the bad guys usually win. The Parker novels have been a huge influence on countless writers and filmmakers, including Quentin Tarantino, Stephen King, George Pelecanos, Colson Whitehead, Lucy Sante, John Banville, and many more. Their stripped-down language and hard-as-nails amorality create an unforgettable world where the next score could be the big one, but your next mistake could also be your last. There’s nothing else like them.

The Hunter is where it all begin. It opens with Parker’s woman shooting him just above the belt and leaving him for dead. She and his partner torch the house, with Parker in it, and take the money he had helped them steal. It all went down just the way they’d planned, except for one thing: Parker didn’t die. From there, our ruthless antihero roars into New York City, seeking revenge on the woman who betrayed him and on the man who took his money, stealing and scamming his way to redemption.

THE MOVIE:

Professional thief Parker (Mark Wahlberg) and his partner Philly (Clifton Collins Jr.) orchestrate a daring heist at a racetrack, but the operation unravels due to a betrayal by their getaway driver, Zen (Rosa Salazar). When Philly is killed during the fallout, Parker vows revenge and begins tracking down those responsible. As he delves deeper, Parker discovers that Zen was once an elite operative in the professional death squad of South American dictator President De La Paz, whose corrupt regime oppresses her homeland and orchestrates high-stakes thefts to fund its tyranny. Zen is revealed to be connected intimately to De La Paz’s plans involving a priceless United Nations artifact known as the Lady of Arintero. Despite his thirst for vengeance, Parker initially works with Zen, using her knowledge and connections to navigate the dangerous criminal and political landscape as they plan their next heist.

As Parker assembles a ragtag crew—including the unpredictable Zen, Ed and Brenda Mackey (Peter Stormare and Brooklyn Decker), and fixer Stan Devers (David Spade)—the group embarks on a high-stakes double heist filled with shifting allegiances and escalating violence. Parker’s trust in Zen is uneasy and transactional; while he relies on her expertise and insights to outsmart the Outfit crime syndicate and the dictator’s forces, he constantly keeps his ultimate goal in mind, to avenge Philly’s death caused by Zen’s betrayal. Their complicated dynamic adds a charged tension to the team, as Parker balances using Zen’s skills while suppressing his growing desire for retribution.

The heist unfolds through elaborate cons, tense chases, and explosive confrontations, with Zen’s insider knowledge proving vital in countering De La Paz’s plans to steal and sell off the treasure, which would devastate her war-torn country. Parker’s strategy is to play along with Zen’s heist ambitions just long enough to secure the artifact and the money, while preparing to settle the old score with her personally. The film culminates in a dramatic showdown where Parker confronts Zen with the promise of either forgiveness or vengeance, underscoring the murky moral ground the characters inhabit and the complex mix of betrayal, loyalty, and survival that drives the story.

BOBBY’S TAKE:

I am a huge Mark Wahlberg fan and one of my favorites is Spenser Confidential. Play Dirty reminded me of Mark Wahlberg’s Spenser. There were also shades of Uncharted and The Italian Job as well. The beginning reminded me of an old James Bond movie where there was an action scene in the beginning and then it went to the opening credits in animation, having set up the story. It is one of those movies that splits the audience, there are those who love it and those who don’t:

Some people love Play Dirty because it’s a fun, action-packed ride filled with fast-paced heists, snappy dialogue, and wild twists. The movie delivers plenty of chaotic, stylized violence and memorable moments set in a gritty yet vibrant world. Mark Wahlberg’s Parker, along with LaKeith Stanfield’s Grofield and Rosa Salazar’s Zen, provide likable performances, and Shane Black’s trademark dark humor and energetic direction give it a nostalgic feel that appeals especially to fans of retro crime thrillers. The clever twists and the unpredictable story keeps you engaged and entertained, making it a satisfying choice if you are looking for a rebellious, no-holds-barred action-comedy.

On the flip side, some people hate it because the movie can feel overly complicated and confusing, with too many characters and double-crosses that don’t always make sense. The plot comes off as messy and drawn-out, making it hard to care about the characters or what happens to them. Mark Wahlberg’s performance is sometimes seen as too serious and flat, lacking charisma or emotional depth to truly connect with the audience. Critics also point out that the humor is inconsistent and few jokes land, which is a letdown in what’s supposed to be an action-comedy. Some find the storyline superficial and the movie lacking soul, feeling like it tries too hard but doesn’t quite deliver the excitement or engagement expected from the genre.

The character Parker from the book was intentionally all business, with no conscience and no remorse and little emotion. Shane Black is a fan of the Parker books and took his inspiration for this movie from all the novels but based it on the first novel’s story. He wanted to modernize Parker and round him out, give him some depth and emotion, make him more than just a hard core criminal with no soul. So I think that Shane and Mark succeeded in that. I thought it was good, witty, tons of action and double crossing. Here’s what I think, give it a go. Turn everything off and just get lost in the movie, don’t try to think about it too much, or dissect the plot. Just enjoy the ride!

I forgot to mention Mark Cuban, he has a cameo in the movie and is taken out by Mark Wahlberg. That is a good scene!

Turn off the lights and devices,

Make some popcorn,

grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie

on Amazon Prime!

Spenser Confidential

Uncharted

Heads Of State

2025 Amazon Prime Studios

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 53min

Action ~ Comedy

Directed by: Ilya Naishuller

Starring: John Cena, Idris Elba, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jack Quaid, Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, and Carla Gugino.

Two Leaders. One Mission. No Diplomacy.

Heads of State, an action comedy about two world leaders who must put aside their differences when they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary, is streaming now exclusively on Prime Video. Despite their not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries’ “special relationship,” UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only people they can trust: each other. Allied with brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must go on the run and find a way to work together long enough to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world.

The movie starts with The World’s Greatest Food Fight in Bruñol, Spain. The site of the annual overripe tomato festival which erupts into everyone throwing tomatoes at everyone, it is a big red mess. MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), is undercover as a news broadcaster covering the event along with her crew in the undercover News van. They are on the lookout for Russian arms dealer Viktor Gradov and when they think they have spotted him, they quickly realize that it is a trap set up to eliminate the undercover team. The entire team is eliminated with the exception of MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). She holds her own in the gun battle but is shot in the chest in the end. Luckily she had on her bulletproof vest.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) are meeting in London before they head to the NATO summit in Italy. President Derringer suggests that Prime Minister Clarke should join him on Air Force One so they could arrive together in Italy for the summit. He does and after they are airborne things take a turn for the worst. The Airplane staff has been infiltrated by assassins and another plane shows up and starts firing armed drones at Air Force One. The President and The Prime Minister manage to make it to the back of the plane and get the last two good parachutes with the help of a Secret Service Agent.

They jump out of the plane, deploy their parachutes and land in the Belarus countryside. The agent had instructed them to make their way to Warsaw, Poland where they have a CIA safe house. Now Prime Minister Clarke and President Derringer must make their way safely through the countryside to the safehouse and figure out what is going on and who is responsible for trying to kill them. They make it to the safehouse in Warsaw only to find out that the safehouse’s cover has been blown and whoever is responsible is storming the house trying to kill them. The CIA agent at the safehouse informs them that the bad guys are using tech to turn all the NATO countries against each other and that all hell is about to break loose.

There are tons of Puns, pun intended. It is hilarious comedy, non-stop action and political intrigue as they try to outwit the bad guys and stop them from tearing down the world order. Priyanka Chopra Jonas does an awesome job as Agent Bisset coming to their rescue and helping them thwart the evil plans. The witty banter between John Cena and Idris Alba is infectious, it is simply good clean fun. The Tomato fight scene at the beginning was a sight to see, as was the gun battle during it. The Air Force One scene was pretty intense and worth a watch just to see. Well done CGI. I liked it, a lot. Made me laugh, I really enjoyed and I think you will too. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Ice Road: Vengeance

2025 Vertical

Rated: Unrated

Length: 1 hr 52min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Thriller

Directed by: Jonathan Hensleigh

Starring: Liam Neeson, Fan Bingbing, Bernard Curry, Marcus Thomas, Salim Fayad and Geoff Morrell.

A fight for justice on the most dangerous road in the world.

Mike McCann (Liam Neesoon), an experienced ice-road trucker haunted by the loss of his brother Gurty (Marcus Thomas), embarks on a journey to Nepal to fulfill Gurty’s last wish: to have his ashes scattered atop Mount Everest. Partnering with Dhani (Fan Bingbing), a skilled local guide, Mike boards a tour bus alongside a cast of international travelers, including an American professor and his daughter, only for their plans to spiral into chaos when ruthless mercenaries hijack the bus. The mercenaries are in pursuit of Vijay, the son of a local opposition leader who stands in the way of a corrupt industrialist’s plan to build a hydroelectric dam and displace the village.

Trapped in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse along the perilous mountain roads, Mike and Dhani must use their wits and courage to protect the innocent passengers and the village itself. As they race against time, evading mercenaries, crooked officials, and sabotaged escape routes, Mike is forced to confront not only the threats around him but also his own guilt and grief. The climactic journey pushes Mike beyond his breaking point, ultimately allowing him to find closure and honor his brother’s memory in the shadow of the Himalayas.

So the only thing I can say about this is they should have called it Ice Road: Exploited. It is like they took the first movie and exploited it to make another movie completely different from the first. There is no Ice Road in this movie, it is completely based in Nepal although it wasn’t filmed there. It was filmed primarily in Walhalla, Victoria, Australia, where the filmmakers built a detailed Nepalese village set to stand in for scenes set in Nepal. Additional key filming locations included Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, Nepal, where several street-level and authentic city scenes were shot to enhance the film’s realism. Studio and indoor scenes, including those needing special effects to replicate Himalayan settings, were filmed at NantStudios (Docklands Studios) in Melbourne, Australia. Which explains the Australian Bus Driver in Nepal, I guess.

The only common ground in this was Mike taking Gurty’s ashes to Mt. Everest. There were flashbacks to Mike and Gurty before Gurty’s time in Afghanistan where he suffered a head injury, that might have been good to see in the first movie Ice Road. Beyond that it was Liam Neeson being the Taken action star on a tourist bus in Nepal. Then he was playing McGyver pulling bus parts off the side of a mountain like it was an everyday occurrence. That aspect of the movie felt like a cheap B-movie, a poor imitation of some of Liam’s other action flicks. And I have a hard time seeing the Mike McCann Ice Road Trucker being a rock climber, just don’t see it. And then at the end, there is a hint of a romance between Liam and Fan. I definitely wasn’t feeling that at all, they should have steered clear of that little plot twist.

I think they should have gone in a different direction. Maybe Mike and Tantoo should have teamed up to be an Ace Ice Road trucking company and had some adventures that would have made Gurty proud. That would have been a better story and movie. This one is a dog, it never should have happened, easily forgotten on it’s own and has nothing to do with the first one’s “Ice Road”. If you haven’t seen Ice Road, watch that movie and skip this one Ice Road: Vengeance. If you have seen Ice Road watch it again if you liked it, but skip this one Ice Road: Vengeance.