Sherlock, Edge of Darkness, a Single Man: Phew.

Well, that was a whirlwind week. I feel like I just lost time, like Edward Norton in "Primal Fear" -- one minute, you're looking straight ahead, the next you've gone and committed a cruel crime against a man of the cloth.

Maybe not that bad, but time seems to have slipped by for a few days, and I haven't even written about the movies I've seen. And, there've been plenty.

I finally saw "Sherlock Holmes," the film I'd been wanting to see for weeks (months), but somehow got sidetracked each day that it was on my to-do list. Had to go watch a corporate intramural game (you know who you are), had to go eat a roasted bird (you know who you are), had to ... well, doesn't matter.

I saw it in the Times Square theater, much to the chagrin of ... myself. And, know what? I loved it. There, I said it.

My Favorite Food Critic hated it, and wrote publicly that he thought it was a waste of time. This, after I'd just gone and rambled on about how great a film Guy Ritchie'd put out. I want to say I loved it in the way I loved "Wanted" -- a bad movie that was entertaining, and great -- but I think Sherlock was even better.

Opening scene:

A mesmerizing look at how to immobilize your opponent. A whack here, a whack there; a blow to both sides of your head, so as to discombobulate your victim. You see it in slow motion, then watch it in fast motion ... it's as if you had a VHS player and went rewind-fast-forward in the span of 15 seconds.

I thought it was beautiful, and so dream-making.

Then I saw "Edge of Darkness," the new crazy Mel Gibson flick. I went to the theater out in Crooklyn, where people chat and make a mockery of the movie-going experience. I had to do it, though. My earliest memories involve Mama Grice taking me to action films that were well-beyond my capacity of understanding all the elements; but, I looked forward to each and all of them, and I surely didn't miss one. So, DUI-Mel puts out something these days? Must go see.

It was actually a treat -- I sat, balled up, the entire time and enjoyed the holy smokes out of it. Jumped a lot, ooh-ed at his dapperness here and there. They even give you a little twist on the old cop story. It was Law & Order ^2. The only thing I can relate it to is "Righteous Kill," which I panned -- but that was because I was trying to be high and mighty.

I also saw "A Single Man," which is so bad that it needs another post to talk about.

Slice: `Lethal Weapon 5' Is Perhaps No More, Says Donner

It was just pointed out to me by Work Friend that the alleged "Lethal Weapon 5," which had so lifted my spirits but a week ago seems to be dead in the water. Say it isn't so, Richard Donner!

Nope, Donner says, it's so, as reported by Coming Soon:

"It's too bad, actually, because Channing Gibson, who wrote the fourth one, and Mike Riva, a designer on three of them, and myself and Derek [Hoffman, an associate at The Donner Company] had an incredibly strong story for the fifth movie. But we weren't given the opportunity and I think maybe I could have convinced Mel to do it. But Warners chose to go with Joel Silver."

"Yes, the project is pretty much dead in the water unless someone had the sense to come to me."

I like his candor. Unfortunately, so few people seem to have any sense. The full L.A. Times article is here, if anyone cares that much. Doubtful.

Slice: Riggs and Murtaugh ... `Lethal Weapon 5' (!!)

I thought it was going to be a boring day for the movies.

When what do my wandering eyes find before me?

"Lethal Weapon 5" (!!!!!) is on the fast track, or so says Columbus Short (of movies like Stomp the Yard, Save the Last Dance 2, etc. -- we can't win them all...).

While "Lethal Weapon 4" ought to be erased from our collective consciousness, the three LW's before brought me so much joy as a child that I'll take any reason to see Riggs and Murtaugh again -- no doubt flanked by a couple younger cops who'll make me cringe.

The interview with Short:



I've always loved this clip about the original opening scene of "Lethal Weapon." Oh, how I miss good buddy cop movies.