Back to Back ~ Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol & Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows

After more than two weeks of movie draught, there is no way I will miss the first day showing of Sherlock Holmes or the re-showing of Mission Impossible.  So as early as Saturday morning, I booked my seats via the ever reliable Shang Cineplex.

First up is Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol.  There’s a lot edge-of-your-seat action in this film, the storyline was good and it’s a very entertaining film throughout.  I am glad that Tom Cruise was able to make this movie exceptional, especially since it’s his own production company.  Of course Mr. Cruise got older, looked older…but everybody ages.  At least he’s aging gracefully and fit.  Not to be missed if you love action films.  Finally, the opening scene location at the Kremlin in Russia, brings fond memories of my travels there.  Russia should be in everyone’s must see before you die list.  The people are friendly, Moscow is as cosmopolitan as any other city and the attractions are just superb.

Here  is a link of my 2008 album : From Russia with Love

SPOILER ALERT FOR SHERLOCK HOLMES : GAME OF SHADOWS below:

Next up was Sherlock Holmes. I got to rest and have dinner for about an hour before my next movie marathon began.  I love RDJ and I wish and hope beyond anything that he will continue to lead a straight life…and continue to make wonderful movies and entertain us all with his remarkable talent.  Of course I enjoyed this movie.  BUT there is one scene I wasn’t really fond of…its where they were running for their lives in the forest and being BOMBED! Being BOMBED in full artillery in the year 1891?!  That scene was just trying too hard and felt like I was watching a world war movie!  It just doesn’t fit.  The worst was all the slow-mo they had to place on it.  The other slow-mo on the other scenes were fine and in some case necessary, but that forest scene…most definitely unnecessary.

Last but not least, as a Make-Up Artist; I can’t help but notice the makeup on these film stars.  In the scene where Sherlock went to see Madam Simza for the first time,  the camera focuses on Simza’s side view profile and it clearly shows her real and false eyelashes ~ separately!  Maybe it was intentional?  But it surely looked weird.  They were probably in a hurry to shoot the scene and the MUA didn’t have enough time to clamp the eyelashes together…

Finally, there is something that is most interesting about these two movies.  Connected in some way.  Two actors playing in the supporting cast might come off as newcomers to some and unknown or unheard of to others.  That’s Michael Nyqvist who plays the vilian Kurt Hendricks in Mission Impossible.  And Noomi Rapace who plays Madam Simza Heron in Sherlock Holmes.  So what’s the connection of these two stars?  Michael Nyqvist is well known as Mikael Blomkvist and Noomie Rapace is known as Lisbeth Salander.  Both are scene names they used and starred together in this famous Swedish Millennium Trilogy: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (The Original),  I say original because there’s a Hollywood remake of this film with the same title that was so coveted and all the big named Hollywood & even British actresses tried to bag, namely Natalie Portman & Emma Watson; but the role went to newcomer Rooney Mara playing Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as financial analyst Blomkvist.  The original is always the best, but I will surely watch the remake and see how Hollywood will fare.  Kudos to these two Swedish film stars (Michael Nyqvist  & Noomi Rapace) for making their breakthrough in Hollywood with no less that two highly grossing franchise which coincidentally are being shown at the same time, starring alongside two of Hollywood ‘s A+ actors!

Advertisement