Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

When I first heard that Tim Burton and muse, Johnny Deep were teaming up for a musical number called Sweeney Todd, I Netflixed everything I could- then Googled. Unfamiliar with the butchering barber, I didn't know what to expect. After viewing the 2006 BBC production I was intrigued. The BBC production starred Ray Winstone and was both shocking and deliciously demented. Burton and Depp were the perfect team to tackle such a morbid story.

Where to begin...

Benjamin Barker (Depp) was a young barber with a beautiful young wife and little girl who had the world at hand. When Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) falls for Barker's wife and she refuses him, Turpin has Barker imprisoned. Years later, Sweeney Todd (Depp) emerges. Returning to London in a murderous rage, Todd is determined to seek his revenge. First up, Judge Turpin.

Todd returns to Fleet Street and discovers Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) and her meat pies inhabit his former residence. After a brief introduction (and song) Mrs. Lovett allows Todd to engage her upper apartment as his shop- fully aware of his intention.

Todd hones his razor with each customer. Barber/swindler Signor Adolfo Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen) becomes Todd's first victim. Pirelli shouldn't have threatened him. What to do with the body?! Aw, Mrs. Lovett! The price of meat is indeed rising and it would be such a waste. After another delicious song and dance, in goes Pirelli.

With the help of Mrs. Lovett, Todd is freed to murder at will and before long, a murderous shave is old hat and Mrs. Lovett's meat pies are sought after by all of London.

Dare I say it? Burton and Depp have done it again. While I could cop-out and say it's another wonderfully macabre production in the vein of Edward Scissorhands, but that would be wrong. This, my friends, is a masterpiece of American theatre!

Director Tim Burton walks the fine line of humor and wickedness. From the moment the film opens with rain drops turning to blood that winds its way down to the sewers of London, Sweeney Todd captivates. London is a dark cesspool of social classes-- dark, Gothic, and unfeeling. Burton creates a world that feels fresh, yet eerie and disturbing and then Johnny Depp steps in.

From first glance, Depp is his evil best as Sweeney Todd. Gone are the sparking rogue eyes of Capt. Jack. In their place are soulless, demented eyes and a broken soul. At first note, this viewer was entranced. Depp's voice is not perfect, but rather solid and delightfully intoxicating. Depp brings an amazing complexity to his character that is enthralling.

Helena Bonham Carter's Mrs. Lovett is the perfect colorful foil to Depp's darker Todd. She is given perhaps the most difficult of tasks- to imbue bits of humor, no matter how dark, in this demented tail. She does so wonderfully. It's almost as if, Mrs. Lovett keeps dear Mr. T sane. Or sane-er, perhaps. Much like Depp, Bonham Carter's voice is spot-on.

The supporting cast of Alan Rickman {that was a surprise}, Timothy Spall {Peter Pettigrew of Harry Potter films}, Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower and Ed Sanders all sing with conviction and fit well within Burton's world.

The production is stunning. There is a seamless blend of CGI and live action. Burton seems to know just how far to push his victims, er, audience. In Sweeney Todd, he pushes a bit further. This is NOT a family film. It's nightmarishly graphic. Bloody squishes and squirts. Todd's razor is sparkles as is slices through his patron's throat. Slinging the straight blade and with a deft flick of the wrist, blood lays across Todd's face. His eyes gleaming beneath it all. Demented indeed. With a touch of the foot, the now deceased patron slides into Mrs. Lovett's kitchen- bashing the head in for good measure. The camera holds long enough to tumble your stomach and tingle your spine.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the costuming and set dressings. The devil is in the details. Depp's tailored suiting, crisp white shirting and worn boots are brilliant. He stands so authoritarian among the derelict shop. Mrs. Lovett is given a 'crazy-cat lady' look of the Victorian Era. Everything is dark and beautiful.

The music of Stephen Sondheim is tantalizing and chilling from the first notes. The cast does it more than justice. To deem Sweeney Todd a 'musical' does it a disservice; this is far cry from your mother's Sound of Music.

One of Burton's most appealing qualities for me has always been his lack of regard for what 'they say'. Sweeney Todd is hardly a laughing matter, but I found myself desparating trying to muffle my own laughter. Serial killings aren't funny, but this film is. It's Mrs. Lovett's reply. Or Mr. T's glance.

So who should see this? Sweeney Todd will most assuredly become classic among Burton and Depp's most ardent fans. If you're idea of a musical is Oklahoma, stay home. Kill Bill fans would appreciate the blood. Broadway fans would appreciate the stylings. General movie-goers should best avoid it.

Dazzlingly disturbing and gloriously grotesque, embrace you own demented side and you will enjoy Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to its fullest.

Helvetica (2007)

This is a documentary about typeface. This is a boring documentary about typeface. Seriously! The first fifteen minutes are interesting. You will easily associate brands with this Swedish invented font {I knew they were 'neutral, but this is ridiculous}, but the accented graphic artists, old people, and general weirdo making ga-ga over typeface is too nerdy. Even for me.

Atonement (2007)

When 13-year-old Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) misinterprets a moment of flirtation between her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and a servant's son, Robbie Turner (James McAvoy), her confusion and hurt feelings at Robbie's rebuttal of her crush causes Briony to accuse him as the perpetrator of a crime. Briony's childhood lie in the English countryside of 1935 irrevocably changes the lives of people forever setting into motion tragedy that leaves no one untouched and Briony seeking atonement.

The wealthy Tallis family is expecting guests so the household is aflutter. Young Briony, an aspiring writer, has just finished her first play. Her childhood crush on Robbie, the intelligent son of the housekeeper, is abruptly squashed after she foolishly attempts to drowned herself. Robbie has fallen in love with Cecilia and she has returned that love. The tone of the movie quickly advances when Briony reads a sexually explicit letter mistakenly sent to Cecilia from Robbie. When a guest of the Tallis family is assaulted, Briony is quick to accuse Robbie partly because of hurt feelings, but more so out of jealousy of her sister.

Robbie is convicted and sent to prison. Four years later, war is at hand. Robbie, given the choice, fights for England. The two lovers once separated by bars are now separated by war. Cecilia is a nurse caring for wounded soldiers. Alienated from her family for standing by his side during the trial and imprisonment, Cecilia hasn't spoken to them in years. Meeting with Robbie before he ships out brings back the emotions of yesteryear. Robbie makes the promise to come back to her.

Older and presumably wiser, Briony (now portrayed by Romola Garai) seeks redemption. Giving up her illustrious scholarship, she chooses to atone for her lie by becoming a nurse. As a student, Briony exposes herself to the most ill of soldiers hoping in some way that it will make amends for rendering her family and imprisoning an innocent man. She writes often to Ce but to no avail.

War torn Europe is no place for lovers. Each battle finds Robbie further from Ce, but pining for her still. The horrors of war, culminating at the battle of Dunkirk are bearable only because of her memory.

I can't bring myself to ruin the ending for you.

The young Saoirse Ronan is a captivating young lady. She speaks volumes in her glances and body postures. She plays the innocence of youth beautifully, but their is evil in those eyes. 1940s fashion fits waif-like Keira Knightley. She is lovely as the elder sister Cecilia. As Cecilia, Knightley gives a powerful performance as she embodies a strong woman touched by tragedy. James McAvoy is a delight. He manages to play Robbie as smart and not dull. The chemistry between Knightley and McAvoy is stunning.

Atonement is based on the critically acclaimed novel by Ian McEwan {which I haven't read}. The film is a lush period production that balances romance and drama beautifully. Visually engaging, the cinematography is sweeping and poetic-- and reminiscent of director Joe Wright's previous work, Pride & Prejudice {a favourite}. The scenes at Dunkirk stand in stark contrast to those of the Tallis estate. Gone are the ethereal gardens and genteel formality, in its place is the gritty and cratered landscape brought by war. Attention to detail is exquisite. The screenplay and dialogue is written with obvious care and authenticity. The scoring and tick of the typewriter keys are in perfect cadence.

The pacing of Atonement is markedly slow. Deft flashbacks help break the pacing; additional points of view help add facets to this multi-dimensional story.

Ultimately, Atonement is about what we see, what we think we see and what we do about what we see or think we see. The viewer is left to determine how this story ends and while I think that will frustrated many {that was, in fact, my initial reaction} no other climax would be as fitting.

For a blog about films, my first post will be about a book.

Although slightly dated at this junction {copyright 2004} Inverne's Stage & Screen Trivia is quite a jewel. I couldn't put down this useless book of trivia. I say useless because trivia is under appreciated. Most people look at you as if you've come down with the plague when you share, "Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek were almost cast in Star Wars" in the course of a conversation. I imagine their inner monologue goes something like this: "Why would anyone know that? More importantly, why do I care? God, they're weird."

Inverne's State & Screen Trivia is good for those types of things. If you've every thought, "Only I'd notice something like that" this book is for you. Case in point: It always bothered me that in The Shawshank Redemption Andy {Tim Robbins} wears a suit that belongs to the warden {Bob Gunton}. Does anyone notice Andy is much taller and lankier than the stout and aged Warden Norton? The clothes fit well.

From Batman villains to pop stars screen flops, Inverne's Stage & Screen Trivia touches on a wee bit of it all. You can even find the lyrics to Monty Python's The Life of Brian's infamous song, "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life".

In the beginning...

Years ago, I discovered movies. It was 90s. It was Titanic. It was the special editions of Star Wars. It was being enveloped by blackness and then surrounded by stories. Movies took me places I'd never been. {Still do} Movies evoke emotion that I don't feel everyday. Movies are an escape. In the dark of the theatre I can be anyone.

My one goal for this blog is to chronicle the movies I see throughout 2008. I am unabashed in my love for film. That love knows no bounds. That love compels me to see one film five times during opening weekend {Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End}. That love compels me to disdain the Star Wars prequels. That love compels me to appreciate Rogers & Hammerstein, Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick. That love makes my heart soar at the sound of John Williams, Howard Shore and Hans Zimmer; it causes me to worship George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

Let me welcome you to my world... as I see it.