Sweeney Todd is just further proof that Tim Burton ("Corpse Bride") doesn't make bad movies. London is dark and gloomy. Johnny Depp ("Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End") is singing his pants off. (This is a musical, people. I went with my sister-in-law and after a few minutes, she leans over and says, "They sure sing a lot.") It's glorious. Not only does the music really compel you, there are lots of bloody deaths as well. (Please note the subhead: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. My sister-in-law also commented on how grisly some of the deaths were.) Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I, of course, have a couple of complaints which may or may not have any bearing on the actual film. The young guy who falls in love, Jamie Campbell Bower in his big screen debut, made me giggle. Almost every time he came on screen. I don't know why. Also, they didn't do my favorite song from the stage version of the play where they sing, "The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" really high.
And then, this isn't really a complaint, just some food for thought. Johnny Depp and Helena Bohnam Carter ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix"), who also captures her character magnificently, share so much screen time, with their faces very close together, that I began to notice just how much they look alike. If Depp were a woman, he would be Bohnam Carter. And if she were a man, she would be Depp. Which got me thinking...maybe, Tim Burton had directed Depp for so long that he just fell in love with his face. Then he met Bohnam Carter and realized the similarities. So he married her.
Duel is the first feature by director Steven Spielberg ("Munich"), though it is a made-for-TV-movie, which upset my husband. And is only rated PG. Also upsetting to my husband. Anyway, none of that really matters because the movie manages to be very, very tense while only having two real characters. One of whom we don't even see. The landscape is desolate and Speilberg shows a real eye for shots that keep us (mostly) interested during this battle between a man in a sporty car and a tractor-trailer truck. Truthfully, I got a little annoyed with the main character and wished him harm. But this is an enjoyable watch.
I'm not really sure what I thought Charlie Wilson's War would be like when I went into the theater. Yes, it's a comedy, but there's a message as well. And not a hit-you-over-your-head message, but a hey-we-should-probably-be-thinking-about-this sort of message. Tom Hanks ("The Da inci Code") and Julia Roberts ("Charlotte's Web") have amazing chemistry. They just feed off of each other. It's beautiful. And it's been awhile since I've seen the two of them having that kind of fun. But the real magic is Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Before the Devil Knows Your Dead"). He just swoops in and takes over every scene he's in. I really had a good time watching this film.