Sweeny Todd film review

Sweeny Todd is a musical. I know that may seem an obvious statement to make given the years it has been on Broadway (and my school theatre when I was 13) but I think some people in the audience hadn't quite realised that. It reminded me of the time I went to see the South Park film a group of kids kept tutting all the way through when the songs started. Singing a story is a bit too high-brow for some people.

Another obvious statement to make is that this is a Tim Burton film. So naturally it has to have Johnny Depp in it, which is fortuitous as he makes the perfect Sweeny Todd - anger, despair, hatred with a very small slice of humour on the side of the glass. And it also has to have Helena Bonham Carter too, and again, she's perfectly cast as the loopy, rampently amorous Mrs. Lovett.

Other fantastic performances grace the film. The excellent Sasha Baron Cohen plays 'Signor Adolfo Pirelli', a rival to Sweeny Todd. His performance is flawless and his foreign accent so much more convincing than 'Talladaga Nights'. One of my favourite actors, Alan Rickman alongside Timothy Spall, who must be best buddies by now from Harry Potter, cast a perfect target as the menacing and corrupt duo who destroyed Sweeny Todd's former life.

And then back to Burton. Sure, it's a Burton film and by now, we should all know what to expect. He doesn't let you down. The scenes are sinister and dark, the sets are brutal and unforgiving and the images of London and its surroundings are relentlessly depressing. Even when Sweeny whips out his blade and carves his victims across the neck, Burton makes sure we bare the brunt of the shock with oodles of oozing blood. The Mrs. Lovett dream sequence about marrying Sweeny is just classic Burton in every aspect.

The only things that let this film down is the score, and the singing. Yes, Sondheim's music is renown, but the film lacks the punch of one or two blockbusting and memorable songs - something that could bring a climax or two to a scene, and really illustrate the emotion in the characters. And unlike a musical like Moulin Rouge, Depp, Carter, Spall, Rickman and even COhen, are not the strongest of singers by any means necessary - a fact that really stands out when child actor Ed Saunders, playing Toby, opens his gob and starts a duet with Carter, blowing her off set.

But you can get over this because the film is so visually stunning, and to be honest, you'd rather have Depp in this role with a so-so singing voice than seeing someone else who can sing cock the whole character up.

2010 is the estimated release date for one of Burton's next projects - Alice in Wonderland. Hopefully, it'll be as warped and disturbing as Sweeny Todd's world. Although, obviously with less blood...

1408 Review

To be fair, after the last John Cusack film I saw 'The Contract', which set all-time lows for both this great actor and Morgan Freeman, there was probably no-way it could get any worse for the 41-year old American.

'1408' is based on a short story by Stephen King about a haunted hotel room and was transferred to the big screen by director Mikael Håfström, the man behind the surprisingly-good 'Derailed' a couple of years back.

The problem with short stories is, well, they're short. And in the 104 minutes of the film you can't help but think that maybe we're getting a quick fable pulled out at either end to help fit it onto the cinema screen.

Cusack's character performance moves backwards and forwards from the suitably disdainful Mike Enslin to the terrified and apologetic Mike Enslin, at the instant sight of the ghosts he's been hunting for the past years since the death of his daughter. One would question why, when faced with something he's been looking for, does he turn into a nervous wreck so quickly? Given his profession, an element of fascination would probably have been more suitable, but Cusack's character breaks down mentally as soon as he's faced with his first real test.

Samuel L Jackson also makes an appearance as the hotel manager, warning Cusack not to enter the room that has claimed 56 lives as he arrives for his overnight stay. Jackson's character is amusing, if a little one dimensional.

But this film is really all about Cusack and the terror. And of course, with any Stephen King story, it's about the twist in the plot. Sad to say those that haven't read the book will most likely still see both twists coming a mile off.

The other things that let the film down is that we don't see the connection between what's happening in the room and its history of deaths. We don't get to understand how/who invited Cusack to the hotel in the first place, other than a weak postcard connection. We get a soft conversation between the room and Cusack that frankly delivers a 'get out of jail' card so big it spoils the horror. And any background about Cusack's disturbed state of mind is shoved in haphazardly to try and explain to us what's going on in his head.

When you look back at Cusack's work, you struggle to see past 2000's 'Hi-Fidelity'. There's been 6 or 7 years of fairly low quality films and had the script-writers on 1408 offered us a better and cleaner insight into the character of Mike Enslin, we might be looking at a Cusack revival...

The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford

I went to see a preview of this film on Monday and forgot to write the review then, so given that its out yesterday/today, I'll just do a potted version.

1. This film is long - 160 minutes. And to its credit, it doesn't abandon the story at James's death but continues to show the decline and breakdown of Robert Ford post-assassination.
2. Brad Pitt's performance is brilliant, although sometimes just a little un-nerving and a little lost in direction. His version of Jesse James almost becomes TOO eccentric.
3. Casey Affleck - genius performance, anyone who says otherwise should be shot in the back.
4. Also great performances from Sam Rockwell (as Charley Ford, Robert's brother and in a MUCH better position to benefit his career than as Zaphod Beeblebrox) and Paul Schneider (as Dick Liddle), a relative new-comer in acting.
5. Cinematography was fantastic...the most stunning shots throughout the film.

There. That's all I have for this. Go and see it, but be prepared to pay attention and not drift off. Save half your bag of M&Ms for later in the film.