Blog #2- Sherlock's New Debut

             I watched a stunning movie recently. The movie was Warner Bros. Sherlock Holmes, a tale that was obviously based around the ideas of the book series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Going into the movie, my thoughts were telling me that the film would just be “one of those movies based on a book series,” but I was surely wrong. Of course, I was stereotyping the genre, something that most viewers and readers do, when I clearly should have been open to the movie. The movie's usage of style and the way it fits the genre make it very entertaining, to the point where it is hard not to watch it.

            The movie fits into the “action-mystery” genre, and it gave the viewer a good supply of both parts. That is my normal criteria for a mixed genres, I normally need an equal balance of both pieces. Also, considering the mystery genre, the mystery and plot not only have to be good, but they have to be great. Action is also important in this combination, because it keeps the viewer watching and excited. Sherlock Holmes did not disrupt any of my preconceived notions about the two genres.

            There were plenty of fights and explosions to keep the overall action level high and the mystery was amazing, each revealing Sherlock’s exceptional charm. Throughout the movie, Holmes’s exquisite wit created another mystery in the story, making the viewer question how reliable the character was. The moviemakers also included a slow-motion feature in certain complex situations, letting the viewer in on some of the hero's thoughts and plans of action pinpointed on the weaknesses of the people that he would brawl with. As the movie progressed, the storyline unveiled more about Sherlock and Dr. Watson, fixating the audience to see what would happen next. The story also included a touch of romance, which I feel was due to the era portrayed in the film, thus creating a female foil to Holmes that competes with him throughout the film. Like I spoke of before, the action and romance might have even added more captivation than the mystery, giving another type of uncertainty to the viewer. Nevertheless, this film was truly awesome in my opinion.

            As you can tell from the vague bits of the story that I have informed you about, reader, you can tell that there was a healthy amount of play with the stereotypical genre, but not too much that the viewer could not follow and was frustrated. If you know me personally, then you know that I am one to get frustrated in a fit of confusion after seeing a movie that breaks the mold of a genre too extremely. As you probably have heard, when using genres, certain criteria fit within them, expectations that the reader or viewer subconsciously has based on what they have seen or read previously. Rest assured, this movie fits in its genre quite snug, giving the viewer a good story while also helping them identify the movie with the genre. Between the characters and the enigmatic storyline, you should be able to notice how great the movie really is. I have included a video link to the movie's trailer at the bottom of this post.



Picture courtesy of: http://www.yourmoviestuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Sherlock-Holmes-movie-poster_600.jpg

The trailer can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7aROdTxt6M

Blog #1- Good times, Good times

Childhood is a time of exploration, a time in which the world transforms into something to be discovered. During childhood, a person’s personality normally involves curiosity. As the person gets older, the feeling of curiosity slowly develops into apathy toward new discoveries and experiences. Imagine who we could be if we could get back to that mindset.

Every once in a while, I think about childhood and the events that occurred then because it fascinates me to see the person that I am and my personality was based on those events. An important part of my upbringing was the years I spent living in Florida. Growing up there, I viewed the world as something to explore, almost as a conqueror, with no true concerns about life itself.  Seeing things that remind me of those times brings back the confident memories of childhood, which, assuming I am not alone in this thought, we constantly desire to bring back.

No matter how much you want to look toward the future, some events make you remember your past, such as childhood. Surely, reader, you have picked up something with your senses that induces the recollection of the memories in your past, as have I, such as smelling food that you associate with a time or maybe seeing an image that brings back a memory. For instance, while watching some TV, I’ll come across a show that I used to watch and still be able to remember everything about the series and also what I remember doing back when I watched the show. It reveals how our brain works: when we pick up something with our senses, we reveal our past.

As you can tell, I’m very interested in this subject. I do not try to live in the future, but like you I’m sure, I almost fear it. However, no matter how many fond memories I have of my child years, I don’t want to live in the past either. I try to live my life in the present, the convenient space in between the two.

As I gave an example before, certain things will bring back many memories. I saw this recently and remembered many bits and pieces of my childhood years. You might remember a bit while watching this, too, courtesy of Youtube.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKXvtQNvM-g