The Set of 400: #383 – My Favorite Old Timey Boat Construction

Today! Because she mis-interpreted my intention entirely –

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Directed by Guy Ritchie

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Geraldine James, Robert Maillet

I’ve also got a thing for Sherlock Holmes movies, which I recognize is a little specific, given that I’m not a huge Holmesaphile (Sherlockaphile? Moriaritypants? What would you call them?), but as you’ll see in the days to come, there are more movies featuring some version of the Holmes character than you might expect. The hyper-stylized 2009 Guy Ritchie version and its sequel get a bit maligned, I feel, maybe because this performance of Downey’s appears to be all he’s interested in doing over the last decade. That’s a shame, as this totally works for this character (and for Tony Stark, too) and makes for a pretty great interplay with Law’s atypical take on Watson. Bring in fun action sequences, Mark Strong’s totally solid villain, McAdams great trip as Irene Adler, and I frankly don’t get the backlash to this movie. Why the hell is the third film taking so long to come, for Conan Doyle’s sake??

Also, the movie MVP, obviously – Gladstone

With Downey’s Golden Globe for Comedy/Musical Actor, and some below the line nominations from the Academy, Holmes probably fared a bit better than straight action movies normally do year-end, but I’m going to take the big swing and award it Best 21st Century Sherlock Portrayal. That’s right, eat it, Cumberbatch! Hit the bricks, Jonny Lee Miller! Make mine Downey! Also, to go along with our previously established bridge-based honors, this film clearly receives Best Unfinished Tower Bridge Cameo. Pip pip!

And sure, he makes a bunch of appearances later on this list, but for now #397 Wonder Boys’ Robert Downey Jr. becomes the fifth repeat actor on the big list. Spotlight! Here are pictures of him in a film that had all the elements to possibly make it my favorite ever (a Red Sox World Series appearance, Michael Keaton, Cheers’ Bebe Neuwirth, SCTV’s Catherine O’Hara) but instead chose to be a bunch of crazy bullshit, Game 6 (2005).

Coming tomorrow! Here I am begging drinks from an idiot I shouldn’t be speaking to –