Solving the mystery of a dull �Sherlock Holmes' trailer

By Sarah Sluis

Allow me to play the part of the cranky critic for a moment, but the trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is so lifeless, I need to kick it to its grave. It's hard to believe that a trailer so packed with action can be so boring, but it is. I was no fan of the first film. Its tenuous hold on reality translated to weak tension and suspense. The matte work was awful, too. I kept staring at the bad special effects instead of what was going on the screen. They were that distracting. Robert Downey Jr. tried to do what Johnny Depp did in the first Pirates of the Caribbean and failed. Depp was so great in the original Pirates because he jumped into this movie that was supposed to be about Orlando Bloom saving Keira Knightly, rolled his eyes, and stole the show. It's hard for Downey to do that if he's playing the actual lead. He has to play the straight man, the one who buys the movie's premise. Which is why Sherlock Holmes is one of my least favorite movies to spawn a sequel.

Top Five Reasons Game of Shadows will be a yawn to get through

1. The trailer has three scenes of Robert Downey Jr. dressed as a woman or wearing makeup. This disguise was old five minutes before it even got put in the trailer. It made me reminisce about Some Like it Hot.

2. Showing us a really cool "crime room" with lots of webs and newspaper clippings that wouldn't be out of place in Zodiac of Seven (:59), then suggesting we're getting a war film instead with rifle fights in forests and machine guns. I like mystery films. Sherlock Holmes is a detective. Can't the movie just stick to that?

3. A set piece on a train. No more trains! At least there were no scenes of them walking on top of a train...in the trailer, at least.

4. Ending with not-clever innuendo. This exchange actually works better on the page than the screen. Holmes: "Get that out of my face." Watson: "It's not in your face, it's in my hand." Holmes: "Get what's in your hand out of my face." Can you imagine how painful it will be to sit through an entire film of this?

5. Slow-motion explosions, gun loading, kicking. I'd like to point out that when this whole slo-mo thing was pioneered in The Matrix, the style supported the narrative. When people were inside the Matrix, time could be slowed down since the world was not real. Even in the movie, the slo-mo thing wasn't used in the "real world." Every movie that's used this technique since is just showing that it cares more about cool fighting than the story. #5 makes it pretty clear that Book of Shadows will be cool action sequences cobbled together by an excuse for a mystery.

Dear Harry Potter, thanks for the memories

By Sarah Sluis

In the decade since Harry Potter first came out, I've aged from 16 to 26. There were a couple of movies lagging toward the end (including the penultimate Potter, Deathly Hallows Part I) that had me questioning my loyalty to the series. Maybe I had just outgrown it.

Rest assured, Harry Potter fans. The final film will not disappoint. Clocking in at a swift 131 minutes, the story propels swiftly the finish. Action scenes, which can be a little harder to visualize on the page, adapt to the screen in perfect form. After seven films, the eighth still manages to innovate on the existing Potter shorthand. As the series has evolved, it seemed as though we would be stuck with whatever the original set designers came up with. Instead, we get a Gringotts bank like you've never seen it before. Small changes, like the layout of the Gryffindor common room, help keep everything fresh.

Seeing Harry Potter and the evil Lord Voldemort duel for the final time adds excitement and finality to the series. Unlike earlier films, which had to omit or adapt the charming, meandering scenes that made the book so great, the final film is mostly business. The attack on Hogwarts castle is even more memorable than in the book, especially with the epic-level crowds of wizards fighting for control.

As the advance tickets sales and midnight screenings that characterized the series suggest, Harry Potter is one of those movies that demands to be seen with an audience. There are very few films that prompt audiences to clap and whoop not only after the movie, but during (I won't say when). So much of the laughter and involvement was from seeing Harry, Ron, and Hermione evolve over the decade. In flashback scenes, Harry looks so young! It's like flipping through a family photo album.

Deathly Hallows Part I finished with just under $1 billion worldwide. Surely, the final film will attain the $1 billion mark. I hardly believe that will be the end for the series, which is something like the Star Wars of a generation. DVDs will be bought. Books will be re-read. Action figures will be purchased. The series will live on as a theme park experience.

In fact, I couldn't help but watch the Gringotts scene and think that the creators must have consulted roller coaster creators when staging the set piece (which includes a water soaking, a traditional roller coaster addendum). The just-opened, wildly successful Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction in Universal Studios has plans (indeed, a mandate) to expand and incorporate material from the final films. What better way to cap the Harry Potter experience than to take a ride through Gringotts yourself?

'Old Boy' isn't dead after all

By Sarah Sluis

Back in college, shortly after 2005's Old Boy was released, the movie was a certifiable word-of-mouth cult hit. Recommendations for the movie passed from one freaked-out viewer to another. At that time, I had no idea that the movie was the 2004 recipient of the Grand Prize Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival. I just knew that this odd, compelling movie that was heads and tails above most movies that ten times as many people had seen.

Shortly after the Cannes triumph, there was talk of Steven Spielberg producing, and Will Smith starring, in a remake of the original. Now Mandate plans to produce the film with Spike Lee in talks to direct. Lee last directed the box-office disappointment Miracle of St. Anna in 2008, but he's also shown surprising chops at directing thriller/heist/crime fare like Clockers, The 25th Hour, and Inside Man, a far cry from the kind of film that originally gave Lee his cach, Do the Right Thing. Lee would know how to handle this action/thriller/drama.

Old Boy works because of its story as well as its style. Director Chan-wook Park awes with his creativity, especially in this long-take fight scene that's become a YouTube favorite, judging by the amount of videos that capsuled the scene. Park's most recent film, Thirst, showed a similar panache for creating an unsettling tone and striking visual landscape.

Lee, an auteur in his own right, will have to come up with his own take on Old Boy in order to match Park's acheivement. I hope that Will Smith is still considering the role. Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, another Smith film) has written the adaptation of the original screenplay, based on a popular manga. The story centers on a man who is imprisoned in a hotel room without cause for fifteen years. When he's finally released, he goes on a search to find out who kidnapped and jailed him. But it turns out his enemy's revenge plot isn't finished. In this case, revenge goes deep, with punishment that wouldn't be unfamiliar to Greek playrights. Just saying. Mandate is known for its smart, quirky projects (Juno, Whip It) along with its horror fare (Drag Me to Hell, Passengers). Maybe Old Boy will be both.

'Horrible Bosses' wins the comedy match against 'Zookeeper'

By Sarah Sluis

Dueling comedies Horrible Bosses and Zookeeper were both predicted to open north of $20 million, but Bosses sprinted ahead for a $28.1 million finish. Males over twenty-five turned out in force for the revenge comedy, which has sitcom stars such as Charlie Day of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and Jason Bateman of "Arrested Development" in the cast. Zookeeper, with its PG rating, drew more of a family crowd, earning $21 million. A full 59% of the audience was over 25, indicating that not only moms and dads turned out for the pic, but older and loyal Kevin James fans.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon continued its reign in first place with a $47 million finish. Though Dark of the Moon started off much lower than the second film, it's regained a lot of its speed. Measured falls like this week's 52% dropoff could make the latest Transformers film the highest grossing yet.

Fans turned out in force for Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest. The music documentary averaged $30,000 per screen on four screens.

Back in the top ten, Cars 2 continues to fall more than average for an animated film, dropping 42% to $15.2 million. Despite the competition of Horrible Bosses, Bad Teacher dipped a shy 38% to $9 million this week. Midnight in Paris topped the haul of Annie Hall this week as it added $2.7 million, raising its total to $38.6 million. The Woody Allen pic is still behind his highest-grossing outing, Hannah and Her Sisters, but let's not forget that these figures haven't been adjusted for inflation.

This Friday could be a record-breaking weekend, as the eighth and final Harry Potter film hits theatres. Tyke audiences will get a nod with Winnie the Pooh, a return to classic hand-drawn animation.

'Horrible Bosses' and 'Zookeeper' vie for laughs

By Sarah Sluis

In one corner, we have Zookeeper (3,482 theatres), a PG-rated Kevin James comedy that features talking animal matchmakers for laughs. In the other corner, we have Horrible Bosses (3,040 theatres), an R-rated dark comedy about killing bosses that goes for the "satisfying, nasty and funny," according to critic David Noh. Currently, Bosses is leading on Rotten Tomatoes, earning 74% positive ratings compared to Zookeeper's 14% positive status. But when it comes to the box office, the numbers are expected to be more even, around $20 million each. If anything, critical response for these films indicates their intended audience. Kids under 12 are apparently very excited to see animals talking (huge surprise), while adults are more likely to laugh at seeing worker bees getting their revenge.

While Zookeeper and Horrible Bosses compete for spots two and three, Transformers: Dark of the Moon will continue its reign at the top. The machine-driven sequel should grab around $40 million in its second weekend.

The safest bet this weekend on the specialty circuit is the latest James Marsh (Man on Wire) documentary Project Nim (4 theatres), the "gripping true-life yarn," as described by critic Ethan Alter, that details a project that led a chimp to make its home among a variety of science-minded humans. Fans of the eponymous hip-hop band can check out the musical documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (4 theatres), which details the band's rise, fall, and reunion.

On Monday, we'll see if audiences flocked for digital animals or vicarious revenge on evil supervisors in the weekend recap.

'Transformers' sets new Fourth of July record

By Sarah Sluis

Although Transformers: Dark of the Moon started out the holiday weekend well behind the prior sequel, the toy-inspired film franchise ended up debuting just 6% lower than the second film. It tallied up $116.4 million over the weekend, for a cumulative total of $181 million. Director Michael Bay went through a special effort to encourage exhibitors to show the 3D film using the proper bulb strength, and audiences may have noticed. 60% of the box office came from 3D screens. With a performance like this, a fourth film is more likely than not.

Light, recession-themed romantic comedy Larry Crowne sputtered, earning a middling $13.1 million ($15.7 million including Monday). An extremely old-skewing audience, at least by movie theatre standards, turned out for the film: 93% of viewers were over 25, and 71% of viewers were over 50, which some observers cited as the oldest demographic they've seen in a long time. If the audience is older, however, that means the movie will likely have long legs, since older viewers tend to be less intent on seeing a movie the second it comes out.

Tween pic Monte Carlo drew even fewer viewers, likely because it only appealed to the female half of the equation. The friendship and travel-themed movie grabbed $7.4 million, $8.7 million including Monday. I'm sure this picture will be the staple of sleepovers months from now, but it appears getting the audience to the movie theatre was more difficult.

Elsewhere in the top ten, Cars 2 fell a surprising 51% to $32 million, unusual for an animated film. Super 8 finally leveled its fall, dipping just 20% to $9.5 million, and crossing the $100 million mark. Midnight in Paris squeezed into the top ten, rising 3.5% to take in another $4.3 million.

This Friday, it's comedies for all ages. PG-rated Zookeeper will open, headed by Kevin James, and R-rated ensemble comedy Horrible Bosses will attempt to capture adult audiences.

With a head start, 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' set to dominate

By Sarah Sluis

The autobots and decepticons battle for the third time in Transformers: Dark of the Moon (4,011 theatres). While the new film is getting better reviews than the much-maligned second, it appears audiences are tiring of the toy-based series. The Wednesday opening earned $37.3 million, the highest opening that day this year, but that puts the sequel far behind the $62 million Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen made last year. We hear the flattening of Chicago is terrific, but the franchise as a whole hews to "juvenile standards" and remains a "merchandise-driven series," according to critic Maitland McDonagh.

Adult viewers may appreciate seeing Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts paired up in Larry Crowne (2,972 theatres), but they shouldn't set their sights too high. Critic Kevin Lally deems the recession-themed tale a "well-intentioned but low-energy comedy" that's way too "conventional." Hanks and Roberts' "warm regard for each other still shines through," but audiences may find themselves sighing as they cross the finish line of the movie, which counts a scooter as one of its greatest comic assets.

When critic David Noh channeled his inner tween, he pronounced Monte Carlo (2,472 theaters) "cotton candy." The "none-too-fresh plot" borrows from Billy Wilder-scripted Midnight and the plot of The Prince and the Pauper, but it's probably all new to the twelve-and-under set. Starring Disney workhorse Selena Gomez, "Gossip Girl's" Leighton Meester, and Hollywood royalty Katie Cassidy, the movie is sure to "delight" girls with its European travel fantasy.

Not much is releasing on the specialty circuit, but high school bullying dark comedy Terri has earned 81% positive accolades from Rotten Tomatoes critics. Noh was not one of them, calling the movie offensively quirky without anything "remotely funny or emotionally true." Ouch.

On Tuesday, we'll count the winners and losers of the four-day weekend. Make sure your viewings this weekend include some good old-fashioned fireworks.