Homoerotic subtext in Sherlock Holmes?

Director Guy Ritchie did an interview with MTV (via The Playlist) recently and talked about what MTV calls the film's "tender bromance":

"Holmes and Watson have always been that couple," Ritchie told MTV News. "My intention was to get away from the slightly stuffier, quintessential Victorian concepts of men and make them warmer and more accessibly friendly and make them more into the kinds of guys I'd liked to be friends with."

"As a heterosexual couple that at moments could seem gay, they play it off very well," Ritchie said of Holmes and Watson. "These guys are sort of in love with each other. It's real mateship. It's trying to keep that balance. You have to endear yourself to them, and at times you skate on thin ice, because it's such a relationship about two men."

So they're heterosexual dudes who are in love with each other. Hmmmmm. Call me crazy if you want, but after getting halfway through the script I can understand why people would see the gay subtext. Holmes isn't exactly happy when he learns that Watson is going to be getting married and will be in fact, moving out of the living quarters they share. And so far the love interests for both Holmes and Watson have been a bit - how do I explain this? - meh. I've had more chemistry with a houseplant than these two have with their beards girlfriends. Maybe the chemistry will translate better onscreen, but I can practically see the upswing in slash coming from a mile away.

First photos of Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

There had been some very blurry images of Johansson in Iron Man 2 last night, but now we can all look at the high rez versions (via IESB and FirstShowing). Robert Downey Jr. and Mickey Rourke are featured on the front cover of Entertainment Weekly's Comic-Con preview issue, but who gives a damn about those two when you can drool over Scarlett in a skin-tight outfit? Hotness aside, I still think she was woefully miscast.

More Iron Man 2 details from EW: On one side is Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), a fast-talking weapons manufacturer who fancies himself the next Tony Stark; on the other, Vanko, who, while incarcerated in a Russian prison, creates his own battle-suit, which shoots devastating, whip-like beams. Hammer and Whiplash join forces to take down Downey’s character, Tony Stark. Rourke, for his part, wanted to instill some lightness into the role of the heavy. "I told Favreau, 'I don't want to just play him as a one-dimensional pussy,'" he says. "He let me have a cockatoo, who I talk to and get drunk with while I’m making my suit."[via FirstShowing]

You can check out more of the Entertainment Weekly Iron Man 2 exclusive at EW.

'Sherlock Holmes' trailer

Robert Downey Jr. on the set of 'Iron Man 2'

Every other movie blog has posted or will post the new photo that People has thrown out at us. And like a pack of hungry wolves we devour the thing. But who can help it? Downey Jr. looks cool as hell:

First 'Iron Man 2' photo

First official photo released:



From USAToday via ONTD!

Robert Downey Jr. is not amused

Movieline shows us how to piss off Robert Downey Jr. in one easy step:

First Journalist: I’ve got to ask. What do you think [Tropic Thunder Method actor] Lincoln O’Siris would think of Jamie’s performance in this?

Robert Downey Jr.: Next question.

Robert Downey Jr.: By the way I could just say that to all them.

First Journalist: Do you think he’d approve?

Robert Downey Jr.: I have no idea how to even begin answering that question. And by the way—I want to have a good time. I want to have a great time, just that one tied my fucking shoelaces together right off the bat. What else you got?

Second Journalist: So I’ll kiss your ass and maybe it’ll be better.

Robert Downey Jr.: I don’t think that’s the answer either. Yeah, you do your thing and I’ll do mine.

There's a helluva lot more class in Robert Downey Jr. than there is in me.

Okay, there's more Downey Jr. news (of the Less than Zero variety) so head on over to Get the Big Picture and The Playlist.

Apparently 'Sherlock Holmes' isn't British (or good) enough

The Playlist gives us the rundown of reasons why Sherlock Holmes might be ten kinds of shit. Hack extraordinaire director Guy Ritchie is reportedly giving us a more American style Holmes (translation: Bob Downey's accent is horrible) and Watson. Needless to say, Ritchie will be boiled in oil by his countrymen before the year is out. The trailer was shown at ShowWest in Las Vegas and the audience loved it despite descriptions that seem to scare the crap out of the people over at Playlist. I guess when words like zany or wacky are bandied about there, is pause for concern.




I get the feeling that Sherlock Holmes purists are going to loathe this film. A fun romp does not sound like the sort of description they're inclined to welcome. For the rest of us (I know, I know - what sort of aspiring writer doesn't read Conan Doyle) we'll just have to hope this thing doesn't flat out suck. I'm over halfway through the script and so far I think it's enjoyable and fun. Which means this film is going to turn into a giant franchise and infuriate anyone who loves the books. If this turns out to be pure shit, I'll just watch it for Downey, bad accent and all.

ComingSoon gives a lengthy description of the trailer if you're interested in killing a hell of a lot of time.