I wasn't able to write my essay when I learned that Guy Ritchie's version of Sherlock Holmes won't include Professor Moriarty. What was he thinking?

Moriarty is Holmes' archenemy. It's like a Superman show wouldn't be complete without Lex Luthor. Or how dull Batman's life would be without the Joker. I'm sure that's what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had in mind while composing his tales about literature's most famous detective.

I couldn't write my essay when I found out that Robert Downey, Jr. will play Holmes. Another box-office gamble. "Iron Man" was a success, but that doesn't mean that Downey is a box-office draw (like Will Smith). "Sherlock Holmes" will open this Christmas. It may be a jolly Yuletide for both Ritchie and Downey, Jr. - or a holiday to forget.