Double review: "Sherlock Holmes" and "The Princess and the Frog"

Let's start with "Sherlock."

I am in love with Robert Downey Jr. I first fell in love with him at age 13 when he was in "Only You" with Marisa Tomei. That's when I also fell in love with the idea of Italy.

I sort of lost track of RDJ, but then he came back into my life with a vengeance in "Iron Man." He was still totally hot, he got totally buff and he was firing off sarcasm that makes a snarky bitch like me get weak in the knees.

So, basically "Sherlock" is all of the above with a British accent. *SWOON*

Also, I've always thought Jude Law was kind of a sleazebag. But damn if he isn't good looking.

A friend of mine disliked this movie because he's a Sherlock purist and wanted less action and more talk. It didn't bother me at all. This is a very fun movie, and from what I hear the first in what is sure to be a trilogy. (Side note: Do people make single movies anymore or are they all a series?)

If you go see it, come back and agree with me when I say that the villain looks like he could be Andy Garcia's twin brother. Oh, that reminds me: The good vs. evil plot is kind of lame, but I can forgive it because there's a bigger evil looming -- and that's always fun.

Now "The Princess and the Frog."

I'm a total Disney kid, which I know I've blogged about at least once. I won't repeat any of that (except to say that my all-Disney-heroines-don't-have-moms theory is shot to hell. This one has a mom. But the dad dies. So maybe they all just only get one parent? Whatever, I'll save it for another blog.)

The music in this movie is awesome. I'm all about the accordion. It's also beautifully drawn. That's right, I said DRAWN. This is the first time Disney's returned to hand-drawn animation in like 15 years. There are also songs in here. Nothing that's going to become a classic, mind you, but still. (Classics: "Hakuna Matata," "Under the Sea") They're going back to their roots and I like it.

Now, I might be a bit biased. I mean, I can quote from "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin," "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King." I cannot for the life of me remember a quote from "The Princess and the Frog." And I couldn't even as I was leaving the theater. A friend says that's because the quartet of movies I listed are from my childhood and are ingrained in me. That could be. But I also think it's because this one just wasn't as magical. Cute, yes. Magical... meh. (Doesn't mean I won't buy it on DVD, though.)

Disney gets a bunch of points for having the first ever black princess. Also, she fits the spunky Disney heroine mold. Even more points for not having her fall all over herself for the prince.

But the most points of all are won because I was inspired to cook gumbo for the first time in my life. Thanks, Disney. It was delicious.