TV series review: Sherlock (BBC) Season 1

The name "Sherlock Holmes" should not be foreign to many people. The fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has become a popular, iconic character since the stories were first published more than a hundred years ago.

There have been many TV series, and movies based on Sherlock Holmes. The recent movie "Sherlock Holmes" which came out in 2009 was an instant box office hit. While the movie was good, and Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Sherlock Holmes was entertaining and believable, but the movie just didn't quite capture the vibe from the original books.

In 2010, BBC broad casted a series of TV mini series, titled "Sherlock". This TV series is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, but set in modern day London. Each episode is 90 minutes, and the entire season only has 3 episodes. The style of this BBC series is similar to "Bourne Ultimatum".

What's really good about this TV series is that, it managed to capture the character of Sherlock Holmes really well, and the portrayal is very faithful to the source materials. All the while the story never forget to show the quirkiness in the friendship between Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. John Watson, which provided humorous relieves to the intense stories.

Another good aspect about "Sherlock" is the logical deduction, a skill constantly employed by Holmes. In each episode, Sherlock's trademark skill of logical deduction is well thought of, logical with strong reasoning, and most importantly, ingenious. While at the same time, each of the episode is based on the original story. For those who have read all the Sherlock Holmes stories, it will not be difficult to pick out the origins of the plots of this series as you watch it. Episode 1, is based on "A study in Scarlet", Episode 2, is based on "Valley of Fear" and "Dancing man", Episode 3, is based on "The five orange pips", and the "Naval architect".

I have to say the final episode is probably, in my opinion the best in the series. Not only does it have an excellent plot, but it also set up for the future premises of the story by introducing some interesting, and memorable villains, such as "Jim Moriaty" and "Golem".

Personally, I have read all 4 novels and 56 short stories of "Sherlock Holmes", and I have to say that this mini series, is in my opinion, the best adaptation of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes up to date. The violence level is very low, and sex scenes are practically none-existent. The plots are well thought, intelligent, quirky and full of suspense. Very good entertainment and not to be missed.

Rating: 8.6/10

Book Review: Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy - Special Edition

I am a sucker when it comes to sci-fi/fantasy novels. Therefore it is no surprise that I have some "collector's edition" fantasy novels flying around on my bookshelf. More than 3 years ago, I saw this book "Dragonlance chronicles special edition" on the net. At the time, although I've heard the Dragonlance series, but I have never read any Dragonlance books. So I did my research and, well it appeared that the general reviews about the Dragonlance books are usually quite positive. Furthermore, it turned out that the first 6 books of the Dragonlance saga are very highly rated. So I took a big risk and decided to buy this book.

Dragonlance Chronicles special edition (the price is pretty "special" as well), is basically the collection of the first trilogy in the Dragonlance saga. It contains 3 books: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, and Dragons of Spring Dawning. The book itself, as you can see from the pictures above, is of high production quality. Not only is it hard covered, but also has golden edge coatings on all the pages. The papers are very high quality, with illustrations throughout the entire book. This massive tome amounts to +1000 pages, and it took me a month to read it from the starting to the end.

The book sure looks good, but the most important thing about a book (much like people), is not just about appreciating the outside cover and appearance, but to appreciate its contents. So, how is Dragonlance? The first Dragonlance book came out in 1984, and after almost 30 years, Dragonlance saga is still on-going, so it must have its unique charms that continues to attract the readers to come back for more. Therefore, without further delay, I will briefly review the story of the Chronicles Trilogy for you.

The novels took place in the fantasy world of Krynn, it is a story about good VS. evil. A group of friends had a re-union after 5 years of seperatoin. By chance, they became engaged on a quest to deliver a mysterious "Blue crystal staff" to a save location. As they travel, they discovered a major threat is related to their seemingly small quest, where they had to battle against the minions of an evil goddess, dragons and fantastic creatures to save their continent, as they became involved in bigger events that gradually unfolded surrounding their quest.

The story of Chronicles trilogy is a very common good VS. evil tale. However, the authors of the story managed to create a very compelling story that takes its readers to travel to fantastic locations, where the heroes of the story face dangers and continues to overcome dire perils.

For me, I think the best element in the story of the Chronicles trilogy is the character development. Not only did the authors created lively, complex, memorable, distinguishable characters, but in the story the readers will witness the continuous growth and maturing of the characters in the book. All of the characters in the book face their own personal struggles on this perilous journey, and by the end of the book, you will see that they have really grown and faced their personal demons to become the heroes they are called to be. If you read this book, you will like all the heroes in the book, because the readers can easily identifies themselves with any of the characters in the story.

If you like Tolkein's Middle Earth saga, I think you will like the Chronicles trilogy as well.

Rating: 4.5/5

TV series review: Game of Thrones (HBO) Episode 1

The most highly anticipated TV series of 2011 finally debuted last weekend. HBO's fantasy TV series, "Game of Thrones" was aired on the 17th April.

Based on George R.R. Martin's first book of "A song of fire and ice", "Game of thrones" is set in the fantasy world of the 7 kingdoms of Westeros. Where summer can last a few decades and winter can last a life time.

The making of "Game of thrones" is an ambitious project, and the TV series itself is often referred to as "The Sopranos" in "Middle Earth", with HBO throwing in big budgets for season 1 (50~60 million USD). The series has a strong cast, the lead actor is Sean Bean, who is well known for his portrayal as Boromir in "Fellowship of the Ring".

The story evolves around the dynastic struggles amongst the 7 nobles families of Westeros to gain control over the Iron throne, this grand tale is filled with treacheries, twists and betrayals. In episode 1, some of the main characters are well introduced, setting up for the premises of the story.

After watching episode 1, I am really impressed by a few things:

1) The visuals of this TV series are absolutely stunning.

2) The story is compelling, complex and full of intrigues

3) Sean Bean really brought the main protagonaist "Eddard Stark" to live.

4) The supporting actors/actress all did great jobs

5) The production value and the direction of this TV series is probably the best I've seen before in any TV series.

6) The story is very faithful to the original novels of George R.R. Martin's "A song of fire and ice".

However, I also have to warn the would-be viewers that, Game of Thrones contains very heavy contents. Therefore, the violence is pretty heavy, and there are a lot of sex scenes (not very explicit but very suggestive). Therefore, if you want to watch this TV series, you have been warned of its heavy content.

Personally, I can't wait to see episode 2 this weekend.

Rating: 8.5/10

Movie Review: Thor

The superhero hype of 2011 starts with the movie Thor, a fictional character from the Marvel comics. Thor, is a part of the movie studio's plan to bring out a movie for Marvel's "Avenger" superhero team. So the question is, compared to Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk which came out in the last 2 years, is the latest movie about the God of Thunder any good? Let's find out.

Story:

Marvel's Thor, is a superhero based on the mythological god in Norse mythology. In the Norse myth, Thor, is the son of Odin, the father of all. The Norse gods lived in Asgard, and they protected our world Midgard(which actually translates to Middle Earth), by constantly battling against the giants. In Norse mythology, Thor is the God of thunder, the champion of Asgard who wields this magical rune hammer"Mjollnir", which can be thrown and will magically return to his hand. Thor also has a special belt where it grants him super human strength (sounds like some computer RPG hehe..) . Also in Norse mythology, Thor is a hot tempered warrior, who is destined to battle the Midgard serpent (Jurmungandr) who threatens to encircle and engulf the entire life tree of the universe with its body. In Norse mythology, it is said that at the Ragnarok (the end of the world), all the Asgardian gods will battle the giants that will bring about a new age. As for the God of thunder himself, Thor will battle the Midgard serpent until both of them die (a pretty cool story really). In ancient times, the Vikings, Icelanders, and possibly the Saxons have worshipped the Norse gods, and Thor, is one of the biggest diety of worship. Even today, one can find runestones situated throughout Scandinavia from ancient times describing Thor. Actually, the English word for "Thursday" is actually a day dedicated to Thor (Thor's day). I guess this really shows how pagan the English language is.

So, in 1962, Marvel introduced the character Thor, based on the mythological Norse god. The character is well received and is now one of the most notable character in the Marvel universe. In 2011, the movie is released as a part of the built up for the "Avengers" movie.

The story of this movie, is rather simple, linear and not very complex. In the case of the superhero movie, a simple, linear story is actually a good thing, because it allows the movie maker to emphasize the moral of the story instead of distracting audiences with complex plot progression. The movie starts with an introduction of the history of Asgard, where Thor is shown to be an arrogant, hot tempered warrior who is all about battle and glory. After Thor made a big mistake, he refused to listen to his father's teaching. After an argument, Odin stripped Thor of all his power, and banished him to earth. Thor's hammer, was also sent to earth, with Odin's whisper that whoever can lift the hammer, will be granted the power of Thor.

Arriving on earth, although in mortal form, Thor still acted the same way as he did in Asgard. Arrogant, and full of pride. Thor met and befriended a group of scientists in search of the inter-galatic worm holes. At the same time his hammer landed in a desert, where no one can pick the hammer up. After Thor discovered that his hammer is here on earth, he attempted to retrieve his hammer to recover his former strength, only to discover that he cannot lift his hammer, because Odin is trying to teach his young and arrogant son a lesson about humility and the meaning of true leadership...

I will stop telling the rest of the story, so I don't spoil it for you. However, I have to say that although the story of Thor is really linear, simple, with cheesy romance, but it does have some very good values to it, values that are often taught in the Bible, such as humility, self-sacrifice, servitude and leadership..etc.. Another good thing about this movie is that, even though there are a lot of fighting, the level of blood and gore is very low. Sex scenes are non-existent in this film, there are no rude languages neither, and contains some quite humorous moments. Which makes it a good movie for the whole family in my opinion.

Final verdict:

Story 8/10 - Like I said before, Thor has a very linear, simple story with a few cheesy moments. However, I really liked the values and the morals of the story, such as humility, sacrifice, servitude and leadership. In my opinion, I much rather watch a movie with simple stories that has something good I can take with me, than a movie with a complex, sophisticated story but with philosophies that are going to corrupt my mind. Therefore, despite its cheesiness, I give the story an 8/10

Cinematography 8/10 - I saw the movie in 3D, and I think it is worth watching this movie in 3D because the special effects are quite good. The lighting contrast of the pictures are very crisp and clear, and is an entertaining experience.

Violence - low

This is a superhero movie, so there are a lot of fighting scenes. However, the level of blood and gore is really low.

Sex - none

I was really surprised that despite the cheesy romance in the movie, there are actually no sex scenes. Which is quite uncommon for a Hollywood production.

Final score: 8/10

I really enjoyed Thor, the story is simple and the movie doesn't require you to think too much. The moral of the story is very clearly presented and easy to understand, with good values to think about. I will leave it to you to find out how Thor recovered his power, which is the central theme of all these superhero movies. I think you will like it too..

Daniel's Top 10 recommended movies - films you have to see before you die

Everyone has their favorite movies, and this is my top 10 favorite movies of all time. If you haven't seen these movies then I would recommend that you check them out at some stage in your life before it's too late..

10) Se7en (1995)

Crime thriller can't get better than this. Se7en has a strong cast, staring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey. It has a very intriguing storyline that is full of suspenses and twists. The movie also contains horror and neo-noir elements, and is stylishly made. Se7en will keep you at the edge of your seat from the beginning to the end, one heck of a ride..

However, beware that there are heavy violence, and a lot of swearing in this movie for those who are easily offended by films with strong contents.

9) Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Despite its failure at the box office release in 1994, Shawshank Redemption was still nominated with 7 Academy awards, and is commonly praised by critics. What I really liked about this movie are the main themes of redemption, hope, salvation, the original sin, and faith in an afterlife. I wonder if this movie can be interpreted as a Christian parable.

If you haven't seen this yet, watch it. It's good.

8) Rocky (1976)

There is no doubt that Silvester Stallone has had a successful career as an actor, the man is 65 years old and he is still making action films... The first Rocky movie, in my opinion is one of the best drama films ever made. The film won 3 Academy awards, and Stallone was even nominated for best actor. The story of Rocky, is a "journey from poor to rich American dream" type of plot. While this might sound a bit clichéd, but Rocky is such an inspirational character that really came to life in the first Rocky movie. I always watch Rocky 1 whenever I feel downbeat and defeated by life, and I recommend this masterpiece to you.

7) Godfather (1972)

"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse..". I think many people have heard of this line. Based on the novel by Mario Puzo, Godfather, is one of those films that forever changed the way crime drama films are made. Following its success, media entertainment has produced so many Italian Mafia movies or TV series: Untouchables, Sopranos, Scarface, Carlito's way, Donnie Brasco, Goodfellas..etc. Godfather, is the pinnacle of crime drama films where Marlon Brando really brought the character of Vito Corleone to life.

Out of the many themes of the Godfather story, the most obvious one is the warning to us how easy it is for people slip off into the wrong side of things, and how that will affect you and your generations to come.

If you haven't seen this yet, watch it.

6) Good, the bad and the ugly (1966)

Clint Eastwood, is awesome.. period. This 1966 Western flick, is hall of fame material. It can be best described as a perfect blend between soundtrack use and cinematography. You haven't, and will probably never see anything quite like this.

This film has two of my favorite soundtracks of all time: The good, the bad and the ugly, and Ecstasy of Gold. The cinematography is great, at the end of the movie, the final showdown between the Good, the bad and the ugly at the cemetery will always be one of the best final showdown scene ever made.

5) Rebel without a cause (1955)

My parents always bragged about how good and meaningful the movies were back when they were young, and how much "cooler" James Dean was compared to modern day movie stars. I always thought they were just old and boring, to prove them wrong, one day I decided to watch Rebel without a cause, because my parents always said to me how good this movie is.

Well, after watching the movie. I had to agree with them that James Dean really is very cool. To be honest, I had a man crush on James Dean after I saw this movie for the first time. The story of the movie is about the gap between parents and alienated teenagers in the 50's, behind the society's rise to prosperity in the post WWII era, the movie shows how ill equipped parents were that they could not communicate with their teenage children, and the negative effects it had on families. Somehow I think this problem is even worse today, especially in our increasingly materialistic society. I think this movie is great for the whole family.

4) Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

There are films that are influential, and there are films that are beyond influential that they actually leave legacies. Lawrence of Arabia, is without doubt one of the most epic movies ever made. The story of Lawrence of Arabia is based on the historical account of Arabia during WWI, by British officer, T.E. Lawrence (author of 7 pillars of wisdom).

In this 3 and half hour film, everything is well done. From music, acting, cinematography production value to directing, everything is perfectly done. T.E. Lawrence is an interesting character, and the story in this film is epic beyond description and engaging despite its slow pace.

3) Seven Samurai (1954)

Akira Kurosawa, is a master director in heroic epic films. Seven Samurai, is probably the best movies he has ever done. Despite its age, this film stood up to the test of time and is still one of the best heroic epic films ever made.

This black and white film, was made in 1954. The story of Seven Samurai is very similar to The Magnificent 7. It took place in feudal age Japan, where constant war ravaged the land and people were suffering from raiding bands of former samurai and bandits. One particular village was under the threat of a group of bandits, in desperation the village send out messengers to the outside to try to hire a group of samurai to protect them against the bandits.

The characterization in this film is really well done, all 7 samurai have their own distinct characters and are extremely memorable. The classical theme of sacrifice, justice and servitude are constantly present throughout the film. This is a film not to be missed.

2) Citizen Kane (1941)

Rosebud, Rosebud.. what is Rosebud? Well, I am not going to spoil it for you. Watch the film to find out for yourself.

Citizen Kane, is on No.2 of my most favorite movies of all time. The film was made in 1941, and is in black and white. The story follows a extremely wealth proprietor, Charles Foster Kane. Kane lived a secluded life in his private residence, a palatial estate. Upon his death, Kane's last word was "Rosebud". The news reporter decided to determine the mystery of "Rosebud" to find out why is this Kane's last word, and what is the significance of this "Rosebud" in this wealth man's life.

Citizen Kane, is one of those movies that has something important to say, and that something is what you can take with you after the movie ends. I will leave you to discover what this "something" is after you find out for yourself what is "Rosebud". This movie is at No.2 on my list of top 10 movies for a very good reason.

1) Schindler's List (1993)

Yep, my favorite movie of all time is Schindler's List. Directed by Steven Speilberg. Personally, I think Schindler's List is the best movie ever made. The story is also the most disurbing, shocking and sad story ever told, but full of hope, and full of life. Based on a true event, the story of Schindler's list depicts humanity's darkest moment, but also the brightest side.

The story of Shindler's list is based on the historical account of the heroic deed of a German businessman and opportunist, Oskar Schindler, and his actions of saving Jewish people from being sent to concentration camps. Schindler tried to save as many Jewish people as he could by employing them as his factory workers. In the end, Schindler went bankrupt in his business, but managed to save 1000 people. There is a documentary on the DVD that shows all the descendants of these 1000 people saved by Schindler. When I saw this documentary after the movie, I realized that no matter how small a good action is, it will always matter.

Some people don't like this movie because of the violence and nudity scenes, but I think the violence and nudity scenes were necessary, because these scenes provided the necessary information for audiences to understand the gravity of the situations, and characterizations portrayed in the film.

Honestly speaking, I was really emotional while watching this movie. The scene of a little girl wearing a red jacket, a little boy jumped into the sewerage pit to avoid being captured by the Nazi, and the final scene when Schindler broke down crying as he left for Russia. These scenes are exceedingly haunting yet simply beautifully done.

Here you have it, a list of my top 10 favorite movies. Most of these movies are quite old, and are in black and white. Despite the age of these movies, when considering aspects such as story, cinematography, soundtrack and directing, these movies are some of the best films ever produced, providing both style and substance, with meaningful stories but without pretentiousness and over the top CGI.

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