Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

--R-- Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's best collaboration since Ed Wood.

Benjamin Barker (Depp) was wrongfully imprisoned due to the jealousy of a powerful Aristocrat known as Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). After 15 years Barker returns with a new moniker Sweeney Todd. With the aid of Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) Todd resumes his career as a barber with the hope of taking his revenge upon Turpin. Whether he succeeds or not and what happens in between you are just going to have to see the movie.

It is a mark in a good direction that I enjoyed this film considering it is foremost a musical. Now I hate musicals and quite frankly wouldn't give any other musical as glowing an endorsement as this.

Bonham Carter is at the top of her game, but let us be honest is she ever off? Depp is superb and it was fun to see him as a character other than the over-rated Jack Sparrow concoction. Now my only complaint is the blood. This movie didn't need to be rated R, if Burton had cut out the blood splatter this movie would have been more family friendly and would make more money.

I don't understand the reasoning of releasing a film during the Holiday season if it isn't either hands down an Oscar caliber film or family friendly. Sweeney Todd is neither, it may garner some Oscar attention and maybe even a nod or two but it really doesn't deserve it other than for set and costuming...maybe. Anyway Burton should have cut down on the blood and made this a more accessible film that could be enjoyed by all.

cah

Juno

--PG-13-- This movie is a perfect example of what is wrong with the rating system of America. While technically there is no F... words, no violence, no nudity or sex (the tell tale reasons for an R rating), this movie is of decidedly adult material and should not be seen by anyone of younger than adulthood.

That said; Juno is a sweet, fun, quirky film that exemplifies what a slice of life film should be. Juno Macguff is an outcast that is smarter and far more mature than your average 16 year old. The film begins with Juno taking her third pregnancy test refusing to believe that she is indeed pregnant. I mean after all she only had sex once and only did it because she was bored...and did it with her best friend Bleeker.

Now, Bleeker unlike Juno (that while she is an outcast is one of those people that doesn't care and in fact flourishes in her uniqueness), Bleeker is odd, geeky and as far as Juno is concerned the coolest guy she knows. Anyway I digress, Juno is a story about a teenage girl's pregnancy, the decisions she makes and how she grows into an even more mature and unique individual that realizes...oh well you have to see it to find out what she discovers about herself and life.

Once again Juno is a superb film, one that I recommend to anyone that can handle adult situations, because even though this film is about teenagers and received the rating of PG-13 the dialogue and situations call for a far more mature mindset.

cah

3:10 To Yuma

--R-- A Western film that was good...something that is not very common in this day and age. In my lifetime I can count on one hand quality Westerns. They are in no particular order Young Guns, Unforgiven, Silverado and now 3:10 To Yuma. There are few stars that can match both Russel Crowe and Christain Bale as tough guys and to have them both sharing the spotlight in this movie was a joy to watch.

This movie is a remake, I haven't seen the original but if it was anywhere near as good as this one I should probably rent it. Everything about this movie both technically and artistically is superb, I have no complaints, and for me that is saying something.

Last and certainly not least we have the R rating. I know that there are several of my readers that don't see R rated films, and to them I say that this is one of those rare movies that has this rating for the sole reason to draw in bigger crowds. A film with sparse foul language, no nudity and truth be told very little blood and blood splatter. If you wanted to see this movie and were scared away by the rating, trust me and don't let it stop you, it is a film that won't leave you feeling dirty.

cah

Stardust

--PG-13-- I don't like Claire Danes, in fact I dislike her enough to skip out on most films that she does. This is a personal thing, much like my dislike of Jodie Foster. I can't explain it, I just do not like either of them. This dislike prevents me from watching movies that I have moderate interest in, however when a film comes out that intrigues me I will see it regardless of who is in it. Stardust is one of these films.

Stardust is a fun lighthearted fantasy romance about a young poor boy named Tristan trying to win the heart of a beautiful rich girl. A simple enough plot-line and truth be told nothing new. The story is much richer and filled with wonder, magic and awe. Rarely can someone be equally impressed with the acting, directing, cinematography, screenplay and special effects. Lord of the Rings is really the only other fantasy films that I was so equally impressed with all the above mentioned attributes.

Now, Stardust is not Lord of the Rings and won't come close to winning any Oscars, but for what it is, it is perfect. As always with most great films it isn't the plot that makes it so, it is the acting, directing and story. Stardust has all three in spades and is fun for all to see.

cah

Day Watch (Dnevnoy dozor)

--R--Much like the first film (Night Watch) Day Watch (the second film in a trilogy) has style with the camera placement as well as the camera angles, and mood with the excellent dark and light contrast utilizing shadows, in addition the fast paced melancholic demeanor of the supernaturally inclined guardspeople of mankind is done superbly.

Now I admit when watching a well done foreign film I am always eagor to say that it is one of the better films of the year. The reason for this is mainly because the "Hollywood Machine" does whatever they can to make money and most foreign films won't even make it to our shores if it isn't at the very least a commercial success in its native land. I do however feel that most foreign films are also far superior to our local fair visually, as well as with direction and depth.

Day Watch is no exception to my general rule about foreign films. It was very well done and I enjoyed it immensely. The only thing that I can say negatively about Day Watch is that it doesn't stand on its own. If you haven't seen the first one, you will most likely leave the theater a bit confused. On the bright side Night Watch was everybit as good as Day Watch so make it a double feature and enjoy.

cah

Mr. Brooks

--R-- It has been a while since Kevin Costner has done anything worthy of note and the only reason that this one is of note is mainly due to the fact that it was fun watching him play a bad guy.

Like most Anti-Hero films this one focused on Costner's Mr. Brooks and humanized him, making him likable even though he was simply a serial-killer...okay an exceptional serial-killer, but a serial killer none-the-less. Unlike most Anti-Hero films this one made justifications for why Brooks killed. That is why I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as another Anti-Hero film like Payback, perhaps one of the best of its genre in recent memory. A film in which there was no excuses made, and no justifications to why he was bad...he just was.

In all, I did enjoy this film due to the cinematography, the directing, the acting with special attention to William Hurt (whom played a character that did more than simply add to Brooks' psychosis) who I have never seen give a sub-par performance (yes...including Lost In Space) and relished in the end as Mr. Brooks got a creepy and elegant punishment for his crimes.

cah

Pirates Of The Caribean: At Worlds End

--PG-13-- Much like the Spiderman and X-Men series there are those that are going to see this movie because of what it is, regardless of the quality of film.

The problem with the Pirates series is that after the success of the first one the writers and directors tried too hard to make these movies more than what they are. Curse of the Black Pearl was strictly a popcorn adventure film that garnered way too much attention for its quality. Gore Verbinskey would have been better off sticking to the formula of the original as opposed to trying to make an oscar worthy film. Much like Dead Mans Chest, At Worlds End's only redeeming quality was Johnny Depp. At Worlds End like Dead Mans Chest was long, convoluted and took itself far too seriously to be good.

At Worlds End is going to make a ton of money and it has nothing to do with the quality of this movie; because this movie sucked!

cah

28 Weeks Later

--R-- Recapturing the tense and creepy mood of 28 Days Later would have made this movie good, however the director failed and instead managed to create a second rate zombie film. The first 20 minutes of 28 Weeks was exactly like 28 Days and that was very well done and excellent film making. Following that preface to 28 Weeks the movie quickly descends to a mediocre formulaic film that failed to impress.

I don't like giving away too much in these reviews so please forgive this bit of information. The way the virus was brought back was a major reach in plot and how the virus seemed to affect one individual differently than the rest of the infected was laughable. The sole individual infected "differently" had focus and a calmness that when watched cheapened the movie and the "rage" virus. Making the individual appear more like an intelligent hunter doped up on amphetamines rather than the crazed out rage infected zombies that the rest were.

This kind of "mutation" in the virus would have been understandable if all were affected this way, but as I previously said it only affected one person this way and therefore while the reaches in plot points may be forgiven the mutated virus infection was not. Making this a poor follow up to the phenomenal 28 Days Later.

cah

Spiderman 3

--PG-13-- Most everyone I talked to prior to my seeing this movie felt that it was too long and not as good as the previous 2. So when I embarked to see it I had very little expectations, and in fact fully anticipated being bored and disappointed. Since my mindset was such I found that I fully enjoyed Spiderman 3, I wasn't expecting a great film like Spiderman 2 so I was able to sit back and just be entertained. On this regard the movie was very successful.

Now, while yes there are a few boring parts all in all this was a fun and enjoyable film. I challenge all that went to see Spiderman 3 in hopes of getting a fun and good story like in Spidey 2 to see 3 again for what it is, not what you wanted it to be. The special effects, the fighting sequences and even the cheese factor were all entertaining. In fact I felt that this was probably closer to what the comics really are as opposed to the serious nature of which 1 and 2 were.

As a side note I just want to give a shout out to Bruce Campbell, does anyone play over-the-top characters better. I love that Sam Raimi has put him in all 3. Now that they have signed to make at least 3 more in this franchise I hope they keep the entertainment value up and the cast intact.

cah

Vacancy

--R-- During the first 15 to 20 minutes of the movie, the director establishes his characters mindsets and relationship. During this time I was bored and felt the movie would not be able to bounce back from such a hum-drum start. I was wrong!

Once the Fox's (Beckinsale and Wilson) start to settle down for the night, their "neighbors" start harassing them with phone call hang-ups and banging. At this point the movie becomes a better than average horror flick. What makes it so different from most other horror movies is that the prey don't make all the cliched mistakes. They remain calm and level headed enough to think and plot plausible escape options. For instance: In one scene Beckinsale falls asleep due to the medications she is taking and awakes to find her husband studying the snuff films featuring the previous rooms tenants. He was studying them looking for mistakes the killers may have made in the past or routines they follow. The purpose of course was to find a way out of this horrifying situation. Something most characters in horror movies would not even think of doing. This was just one example of what made this movie terrifyingly intense as opposed to an almost comical slasher flick.

All in all Vacancy is a solid Horror movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat and entertained throughout.

cah

The Invisible

--PG-13--The Invisible is a more sinister and less enjoyable version of Just Like Heaven which starred Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon.

The acting and pacing of this movie was off and I couldn't shake the impression that the whole thing was a dream. Everyone in the film seemed to be walking around in a daze, and if it was intentional it was a mistake because I was bored and uninspired by its lack of originality and taste. Marcia Gay Harden who typically does good work was abysmal, the star Justin Chatwin was boring and lacked screen presence. The only aspect of The Invisible that I enjoyed was the young up and comer Margarita Levieva who starred in the short lived series Vanished. While her acting wasn't amazing she at least has screen presence and a magnetism that makes you want to watch her.

cah

Hot Fuzz

--R-- Hot Fuzz was an uneven film. It started out well providing a quick synopsis of who Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is and in so doing painted a portrait of an almost super human police officer. The synopsis is quite funny and immediately following we are provided with a perfect portrayel of a man betrayed and downtrodden.

After the synopsis the movie is slow for the next hour. While there are several funny scenes amidst the slow down you the viewer will not escape the feeling of boredom. During this slower portion of the film it is however important because you are shown how maddening it must be and genuinely feel for him as an individual as he slowly descends onto the edge of insanity.

Right when you are as bored as you think possible (in a comedy) the truth unfolds and Angel comes back Commando style to claim victory over the town. This is the point when the movie takes on new life and you understand why the Brit's found it so funny. The next 30 minutes are non-stop action and comedy making the aforementioned boredom worthwhile.

If you liked Shaun of the Dead you will like Hot Fuzz. As typical with British cinema there is an inordinate amount of expletives, and if you know that you don't like British humor don't see this film, but if you do...you won't regret it.

cah

Fracture

--R-- There isn't much to say about this film so this is going to be short.

Anthony Hopkins playing the alleged murderer Ted Crawford as always did an admirable job, Ryan Gosling as ADA Willy Beachum did an adequate job. Gosling's whole problem was the eyes; he was playing an intense, anal retentive individual that was driven to be as perfect as he could be in every way. Throughout the film his eyes were distant, empty, some would say soulful...anything but intense, that fact bothered me throughout the movie.

In addition, within 10 minutes it was obvious what Crawford was doing and how he was going to get himself away with the murder of his wife. Furthermore, Crawford was a highly intelligent and very meticulous individual, how he didn't recognize the flaw in thinking about his double jeopardy notion confounds me. It was totally out of character for him and didn't make sense.

On the whole the movie was enjoyable and hard to watch in all the right places, it just fell a little flat for me, especially considering the remarkable leading cast it employed.

cah

Grindhouse

--R-- I went to see this movie to find out what Grindhouse theaters really were. My conclusion...just what I thought they were: B movies! I can appreciate the homage in which both Tarantino and Rodriguez were attempting, especially since I am sure there is a mass audience that has never before seen a B movie, gone to a "grindhouse" theater or to the drive-in to experience this kind of movie making. I just don't think they succeeded. To have succeeded in bringing back what the Grindhouse is suppose to be they shouldn't have taken the movie so seriously. In fact if you want to see a B movie with A-list actors watch Rodriguez's From Dusk 'Till Dawn. Save for the grainy film and missing reels that movie nailed what B movies are; far better than either of these films did.

Planet Terror

With Planet Terror what Rodriguez accomplished (save for the gratuitous blood splatter) was just a overpriced and over-hyped film. If we were suppose to be taken back to this cultish era of film we weren't. I mean the acting wasn't awful and cheesy, the cinematography was quite good, and the zombie story was actually fun and interesting. I was entertained without being annoyed. Simply put...I enjoyed it, but not enough to even consider seeing it again.

Death Proof

Death Proof, the second half of the "double-feature" directed by Tarantino didn't even have the typical cheesy feel of a B film at all. The main problem with it was the first 15 minutes. Those 15 minutes were torture and I was seriously contemplating getting up and walking out of a film for only the second time in my life. Thankfully I didn't. Once they introduced Kurt Russell's character the movie took on new life. In fact during the second portion of Death Proof it was quite good. I enjoyed the car chases, the dialogue was witty and the switch from hunter to hunted was worth the price of admission alone.

I can't recommend this movie to anyone, mainly because I don't think anyone I know would enjoy this unique twin bill, however if you would like to pay full price to see the last 45 minutes of the three hour film; feel free. In fact those 45 minutes was for me worth the torture of the first two and a quarter hours, but I only payed a few bucks at the early bird special to see it.

cah

Disturbia

--PG-13-- Let us be clear about this, I don't particularly like the title and making a movie that so closely resembles a masterpiece like Hitchcock's Rear Window...usually is a big mistake, and yes here comes the obvious but, in this case it wasn't. Director D.J. Caruso kept the film within itself, never trying to make it something it isn't. That is one of the reasons Disturbia is a fun, creepy paranoid driven thriller.

Young Shia LaBeouf is continuing to build his resume of solid work by playing the guilt ridden lead character Kale. David Morse the object of Kale's paranoia fuels that feeling by playing a character that can only be described as CREEPY! The rest of the cast does an adequate job and don't really do anything to add to or take away from the film.

What I really like about this movie is that even though the cast is dominated by teenagers you never get the feeling that this is another stupid teeny bopper wanna be thriller. It is a legitimate thriller that all ages above 13 can enjoy.

cah

The Pathfinder

--R-- When I first saw the trailer for Pathfinder I wasn't all that impressed, but thought it looked fun enough to warrant my attendance. Boy was I wrong! The only thing that was worth while in this movie was the scenery. Now, I don't know where they filmed Pathfinder but the snow covered mountains in the rich dense forests off an ocean coast was breathtaking. Other than that the acting was atrocious, the story weak, and watching another movie about a peaceful Native American society ravaged by the big bad Europeans has gotten a tad annoying.

The worst thing about this movie is I was expecting a good action flick (in fact it was the only reason I went to see it), and even the action fell well short of what it needed. The action sequences were abbreviated at best, and focused far too much on the main characters facial expression as he was killing the destructive Viking invaders. The director tried to compensate for this by giving us brief glimpses of gore and blood splatter, this again did little to make this movie worth watching.

So...to wrap this up don't waste your money, and the time being spent to watch this movie would be better served if you took a nap.

cah

300

--R--The most important thing to note about this film is that it is not a comic book movie. It is however a graphic novel adapted to film. Is there a difference? In layman terms, yes...a comic book is typically portrayed as a caricatured version of reality, where as graphic novels are far darker and more of an anthology. So when adapting graphic novels to film they have to be taken more seriously than your standard comic book movie. The most notable comic book adaptations are probably either the Spiderman series or Batman Begins. The most notable graphic novel films would be Sin City, Road to Perdition and now 300.

300 is a flawless masterpiece! From start to finish you find seamless editing, striking costumes, as well as superb acting and many other remarkable assets. While 300 bills itself as an action film (which it is) it is also far more than that. With each significant role, you find that they all have a rich meaningful back-story which adds depth and color to these characters lives and the part they play in the battle against a Persian Emperor touting himself as a God. Whether the 300 strong Spartans survive or not doesn't matter, you understand their plight and the importance of their stance against corrupt politicians, tainted prognosticators and a maniacal emperor hell bent on world domination.

Is this movie going to win the Oscar for best picture? No, but this movie wasn't made to that end. A film like this is made to make money for its financial backers and by its director for the artisctic wonder of which it is.

cah

The Lookout

--R--The Lookout brings a new and fresh look at a heist film that beautifully intertwines the intricacies of psychological drama wrapped around the mental disabilities of a once gifted and beloved individual. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the titular character; a young man born into privilege and wealth as well as a gifted athlete who crashes his car into a broken down combine while trying to impress his girlfriend. This tragic accident kills two friends maims another and causes severe brain damage to Levitt's character Chris. This injury causes Chris to lead a life that is mundane and depressing, especially when compared to his previous existence.
Before I reveal too much of this magnificent film I would like to point out the surprisingly good acting by Jeff Daniels (Chris' blind best-friend), and Levitt's ever increasingly solid work is just a little of what makes this film worth watching. Not to mention that the cinematography, acting, directing and writing all combine to make this movie a potentially surprising film, especially come awards season.

cah

Blades of Glory

--PG-13--While watching this movie I knew that Will Ferrell wasn't acting any different than he does in all of his roles (save for Stranger Than Fiction) and that Jon Heder found another way to play the quirky weird character. Yes, while watching this movie I knew those things...they simply did not matter. As illogical as this film was, and as impossible some of the maneuvers they performed on ice were I was able to laugh from the moment the movie started to the second it ended.
Admittedly, I found the whole movie eerily similar to The Cutting Edge which was another pairs ice skating movie (that starred Moira Kelley and DB Sweeney). Even with the similarity to Edge and the creepiness of the premise, as I previously stated the faults that lay
in this movie are easily overshadowed by the hilarity of it's two stars, not to mention the excellent job of it's supporting cast. Jon Heder with his morality stance keeps the movie cleaner than any other Ferrell movie and not surprisingly the movie doesn't suffer from the lack of vulgarity.

cah

the one that explains it all

For a brief time in my scholastic endeavors I entertained the idea of becoming a film critic. After a semester or two I altered my major to behavioral science. Anyway...after I changed my mind about pursuing a career as a film critic I was talking to a friend that recommended I continue with my passion and publish my reviews on a blog. I have however decided to forgo publishing a full review and decided to focus more on a simple straight forward opinion about each film that I have seen. To make this easy for me and everyone else that might find their way to this page I will start from scratch and only comment about movies that I see in the future. If there is a film that anyone would like me to express my opinion on feel free to email me and tell me the movie. My goal is to have a written opinion about every movie I have ever seen. Since I have seen thousands of movies in my life this will be a momentous undertaking since I am starting from scratch. Happy reading and I hope my opinions fall on open minds.