Movies

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

After being falsely accused, imprisoned and losing his family to fate a barber returns to London as Sweeney Todd. He sets about his bloody revenge with the aid of his downstairs neighbour who could always use a better source of meat for her pie shop.

Depp here is wonderful as this revenge obsessed Todd and shows very little interest in anything else. Carter is mostly the quirky character she often plays which is just right here given the material. Spall and Rickman (Rickman's being the only subtle characterization in the whole movie and the better for it) are great as the principle villains. Sasha Baron unsurprisingly plays the duality of his role brilliantly. Of particularly note also is young Ed Sanders who masters a difficult role often played by a much older actor.

A musical could be a turn-off to some, yet as the only lovesong per se is a ode to a set Barber's Switchblades which are intended for murderous use, you can assured this is no sappy affair. The songs have also been pared to the bare amount necessary. The design is a typically Burton Gothic with the palate mostly in black, white and grey. This shows the blood all the better and there is a lot of it here, This is easily one of (if not the) most dark and gory films Burton has done.

Not for the easily offended but a wonderfully dark and bleakly humorous take on revenge.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

When Dewey's older brothers life is cut short in a machete playfighting accident, The younger Cox promises to be double great in his place. If he is to be a legendary music star though, He's going to have to Walk Hard.

Rielly as the titular character has a brilliant knack for deadpan comedy, saying things so sincerely stupid you're likely to believe he is a geniuene idiot. The film is also laden with brilliant cameos including Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Justin Long, Jason Schwartzmann (as John, Paul, George and Ringo respectively) and Jack White (as Elvis Aaron Presley).

Put together by Jake Kasdan and the writing and production talent of such recent comedy hits as Knocked Up and Superbad, Walk Hard is not short of laughs. Yet unlike those films this a pastiche of recent musical boipics particularly I Walk The Line and Ray, this doesn't have the pathos at its core and whilst it is periodically hilarious its a little patchy in the overall.

A very funny, if a little patchy film and a decent antidote to January blues.

No Country for Old Men

When Llewelyn Moss stumbles across a drug deal turned bad and 2 million dollars no longer in any living persons possession whilst hunting, he decides to go on the run with it. This decision is made all the worse by the relentless force on this tail.

Once again in this past year Josh Brolin makes you wonder where he has been since he stared as the elder Goonie as he completely inhabits Moss' determined desperation. Bardem is a revelation as the unstoppable sociopath Anton Chigurh. Tommy Lee Jones is perfect as the weary Sheriff who also narrates some of the movie. Rounding off a brilliant cast is Woody Harrelson who does a great job as pragmatic hitman, Carson Wells and Scottish actress Kelly McDonald (Trainspotting) is pitch perfect as Moss' wife Carla Jean.

The Coen Brothers are back on form after a couple of rocky entries on their prolific filmography with this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's book of the same name. Like their movie Fargo (thanks partly in both cases no doubt to longtime collaborator, Roger Deakins) this movie brings a serene quality to horrible events even without Fargo's lighter moments and idiotic villains. You could not get a better translation of McCarthy's book.

A wonderfully compelling thriller with a slew of brilliant performances. Easily one the best films in the last year.

Dan in Real Life

Dan is a widowed newspaper columnist who putting all his energies into raising his 3 daughters, who of late he's having a hard time relating to. On the annual family get together he meets a wonderful woman, only to find out she is seeing his brother and staying with them for week.

Steve Carrell here is equal parts witty and touching and brilliant when showing a man who is desperately trying to hold onto the way he thinks it needs to be and driving everyone away because of it. Dane Cook plays it solid as Dan's younger brother Mitch and a great supporting cast is helmed brilliantly by Diane Wiest and John Mahoney.

Directed and Co-Written by Peter Hedges, This is equal part dramatic, romantic and comic without seeming lob sided in either direction.

An enjoyably old-fashioned romantic comedy and a very fun watch.