![Screening Log: 12 December 2011
1. Last 1/3 of In the Electric Mist (2009, Bertrand Tavernier) Interesting anti-procedural, in that Tommy Lee Jones is allowed to repeatedly plant or fudge evidence in order to do the right thing, but can’t bring himself to bust one of the main bad guys on account of abruptly coming down with a case of “compassion.” The argument, if I’m getting it right, is that when it comes to certain unpunished crimes from the deep past, the real punishment isn’t prison but living with it every day. Not entirely successful, but the loose vibe — which likely kept it from scoring theatrical distribution — helps pardon even loopy ideas like Levon Helm as the ghost of a Civil War general. [Netflix Instant]
2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game or Book of Shadows or Thrones (2011, Guy Ritchie) The things that are enjoyable about this — RDJ and Law as, to borrow from Sean Burns, movies’ best gay couple — are in the first. Even more of a muddle than the first, and suffering from Captain Jack Sparrow Syndrome, to boot. How you waste Lane Pryce as Moriarty is beyond me.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw5jmeyFdh1qzoio3o1_1280.jpg)
Screening Log: 12 December 2011
1. Last 1/3 of In the Electric Mist (2009, Bertrand Tavernier) Interesting anti-procedural, in that Tommy Lee Jones is allowed to repeatedly plant or fudge evidence in order to do the right thing, but can’t bring himself to bust one of the main bad guys on account of abruptly coming down with a case of “compassion.” The argument, if I’m getting it right, is that when it comes to certain unpunished crimes from the deep past, the real punishment isn’t prison but living with it every day. Not entirely successful, but the loose vibe — which likely kept it from scoring theatrical distribution — helps pardon even loopy ideas like Levon Helm as the ghost of a Civil War general. [Netflix Instant]
2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game or Book of Shadows or Thrones (2011, Guy Ritchie) The things that are enjoyable about this — RDJ and Law as, to borrow from Sean Burns, movies’ best gay couple — are in the first. Even more of a muddle than the first, and suffering from Captain Jack Sparrow Syndrome, to boot. How you waste Lane Pryce as Moriarty is beyond me.
