“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”
Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) battle Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris).
What makes the sequel better than the original is the inclusion of Holmes’ chief nemesis, Moriarty, and the replacement of wimpish Rachel McAdams with the robust Noomi Rapace. Both characters are intriguing enough to help gloss over Guy Ritchie’s directing quirks.
Harris brings a smug brilliance to the role of Moriarty that generates a genuine spark in the scenes in which he mentally spars with Holmes.
Grade: B-
“Scandal: The Complete First Season”
Kerry Washington stars as Olivia Pope, a fixer who deals with high-profile problems that range from keeping the client list of a Washington D.C. madam under wraps to a scandal surrounding the president. Her tactics are cold, calculated and effective.
A combination of Washington’s strong performance and smart scripts make this midseason ABC series a hit. Pick up the first season to prep for the return in the fall.
Grade: B+
Also coming
“Spider-Man”: The film, plus “Spider-Man 2” and “Spider-Man 3,” debut on Blu-ray.
“Too Big to Fail”: William Hurt stars in this cable offering about the financial collapse.
“Doctor Who: The Seeds of Death Special Edition”: When Earth’s delivery system breaks down, global shortages begin. Only The Doctor can help.
“Entourage: The Complete Eighth Season”: Adrian Grenier stars in the series about a movie star and his best buddies.
“Lethal Weapon Collection”: Set contains all four theatrical releases in the series on Blu-ray.
Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)
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