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By Michael Lopez

You've got to hand it to director Guy Ritchie, he's definitely given Sherlock Holmes a modern kick in the butt. Gone are the stuffy English formalities and slow-paced mysteries. Here, we get explosions, train wrecks, and a British detective with fists of steel! It all works rather well for this week's Holmes sequel, A Game of Shadows, keeping audiences entertained until the very last minute.

Honestly, we were a little nervous when we heard that Sherlock 2 was getting fast-tracked to December. The original came out barely two years ago and many fans were nervous the writers didn't have time to properly flesh out a followup. Happily that's not the case here, as this story seems wittier and more engaging than its predecessor.

It’s also great to see the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law develop. It's clear these actors work brilliantly off of each other. Downey Jr.'s Holmes is the fast talking man of action, with a mind that works at a rapid pace. Law's Dr. Watson is much more even-tempered and a rather unwilling participant in the Game.

An exciting addition to this sequel is the Sherlock nemesis, Professor Moriarty. Played menacingly by Jared Harris, this villain proves to be quite a rival for the great detective. A man of superior intellect, Moriarty is the puppeteer of the Game of Shadows, constantly leaving our heroes guessing about his dastardly plans.

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace also makes her Sherlock debut with this movie and if we have one criticism, it's that she's sorely underused. A engaging actress, her role as the gypsy sidekick Simza never quite materializes into anything of substance.

As expected, Jude and Robert deliver superb performances, but the real Holmes hero is Ritchie. His film style really sets this movie apart from anything else in theaters. The choreographed action sequences, the gorgeous scenery, and the visualization of Holmes' analyses kept us on our feet from beginning to end!

Bottom line: All of us yearning for a summeresque blockbuster during these cold winter months have found our salvation. This Sherlock Holmes sequel delivers one heck of a punch in the action department and it's got a sharp story to boot. Plus, they're showing the newest Dark Knight Rises trailer before the film. That's win/win in our book!

Are you planning on watching Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Guy Ritchie, Jared Harris, Jude Law, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Noomi Rapace, Robert Downey Jr, Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Dark Knight Rises

By Larry Yepez Jr.

The Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese gave the New York Film Festival audience a sneak peek at his latest film, Hugo, which is a "work in progress"...meaning, his 3-D family adventure film has no final special effects, no finalized color, and no final music. Regardless of the unfinished film, the audience at Avery Fisher Hall apparently loved it and gave Marty a standing ovation.

Hugo is based on the 2007 best-seller Hugo Cabaret by Brian Selznick, about an orphan (played by Asa Butterfield), who lives in a train station in the 1930's Paris. He befriends another orphan, played by Chloe Moretz, and the two are pursued by a goofy police man, played by Sasha Baron Cohen.

In the film, the orphan fixes clocks at the train station and tinkers with a broken robot left behind by his late father  (Jude Law).  Ben Kingsley co-stars as George Melies, the real-life silent cinema pioneer who did spend his last years selling toys in Paris' train stations.

The screenplay was written by John Logan (The Aviator). Although Hugo is Scorsese's first family adventure, there's still a dark edge to it, as to be expected. After all, this is the man who made Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and The Departed, for which he won the 2006 Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture.

The surprise screening at the New York Film Festival was announced just a few hours before it took place. A good strategy to add hype to the film's pre-release buzz.

"This is a work in progress," Scorcese told the packed audience. "I hope that those of you who really do like it come and see the final film."

"We're just as proud this evening to have this film," Pena said.

Rumors that co-producer Johnny Depp has a cameo are still uncertain. Apparently a painter who makes a brief appearance in the film looks a lot like him. Although Paramount said that it's not the acclaimed actor, the studio apparently wouldn't confirm whether or not Depp will be appearing at all, I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

The film is due to hit theaters on November 23rd.

Are you excited to see Hugo, Scorsese's first family film?

Tags Asa Butterfield, Avery Fisher Hall, Beauty and the Beast, ben kingsley, Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, Brian Selznick, Chloe Moretz, George Melies, Goodfellas, Hugo, Hugo Cabaret, John Logan, johnny depp, Jude Law, Martin Scorsese, New York Film Festival, Paramount Pictures, Raging Bull, Richard Pena, Sasha Baron Cohen, Taxi Driver, The Aviator, The Departed

By Michael Lopez

Director Steven Soderbergh knows how to weave an intricate tale. Back in 2000 he gave us his take on the drug trade in Traffic and now, 11 years later, he's offering a similar all-star exploration into the world of pandemic diseases. But somehow Contagion feels far less entertaining and, at times, can be rather depressing.

It's probably unfair to call Contagion a "downer" movie because its message is significant and (with all of the recent cholera and H1N1 outbreaks) very timely. Its script was obviously compelling enough to catch the attention of Hollywood's A-list, who recently told us they were hooked from page one.

Playing out as an ensemble piece, Contagion follows the lives of roughly four main characters. There's Mitch (Matt Damon), the "everyman" whose family is impacted by the disease, Dr. Cheever (Laurence Fishburne), the M.D. fighting to find a cure, Alan (Jude Law), the blogger who spreads fear and paranoia on his site, and Dr. Orantes (Marion Cotillard), a researcher tracing the outbreak's origin.

Each person's storyline reflects a different perspective of the pandemic and a host of other stars (Kate Winslet, Jennifer Ehle, Gwyneth Paltrow) make cameos within each vignette. And though it's fun playing "spot the celeb," their roles can't seem to save the film's drab undertones.

Sadly, with all that talent Contagion still feels like a drag. It's clear that Soderbergh went for the "slow burn" effect with the way he shot the movie. And though his style definitely adds a bit of realism to the situation, it lacks excitement (and makes those 110 minutes in the theater seem way too long).

Ultimately Steven does try to throw in one final punch with a twist ending about the disease's origin, but it winds up being too little too late. Contagion tries very hard to justify itself as an "important" film, which it may very well be. But it hasn't quite found the cure for the boring movie blues.

Bottom line: It's hard to figure out what an audience member should take away from this film. Is it designed to make you more aware of pandemic diseases? Is it going for horror movie scares? Or is it just trying to boost the sales of Purell anti-germ bottles? All we can say for sure is, Contagion won't leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling when you leave the theater.

Did you watch Contagion this past weekend? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Contagion, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, MAtt Damon, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Steven Soderbergh

By Bashira Webb

Lady Gaga has reached the kind of monster fame that would make Godzilla jealous. It seems like a new Gaga cover appears on the web ever day; you know Gagita is on the fast track to being an icon when other accomplished musicians and celebs cover her music.

Here are some of the best covers we've spotted: check them out and tell us your favorite in the comments!

We've got the hottest Lady Gaga covers, after the jump! Read more...

Tags Celebrities, covers, Jude Law, Lady Gaga, Mika, Videos

Do we think the upcoming WB película 'Sherlock Holmes,' featuring Robert Downey, Jr. as el gran detective, will be absolutely awesome?  Elemental, mi querido Watson, we sure do!

La película also stars Jude Law as Holmes' loyal assistant Mr. Watson y la bella Rachel McAdams as Holmes' main love interest.  Y claro, you can't have a detective movie without a real mean villain, so this time around Mark Strong plays Lord Blackwood, a Satanic lord hellbent on causing some major mischief.  The movie, que fue dirigida por Guy Ritchie, mixes equal parts humor and action, with some kickass martial arts and fighting scenes.

Watch the exclusive trailer below, and head over to MTV.com's Sherlock Holmes page for more info including photos and scenes from the movie!

Tags exclusive premiere, Guy Ritchie, Jude Law, Mark Strong, Rachel McAdams, Robert Downey Jr, Sherlock Holmes, trailer, Video, WB