Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Cast
Johnny Depp
Helena Bonham Carter
Alan Rickman
Timothy Spall
Sacha Baron Cohen
Screenwriter
John Logan
Director
Tim Burton
Running Time
116m 14s

Early 19th-century London. Barber Benjamin Barker (Depp) is transported to a penal colony by Judge Turpin (Rickman), who wants Barker’s wife. Fifteen years later, Barker returns under the guise of Sweeney Todd, moves into his old room above Mrs. Lovett’s (Bonham Carter) pie shop and starts plotting his bloody revenge...

I didn't know the story except for the most basic information and found the film thoroughly absorbing and enjoyable. As good as the cast is, I can't help but wonder what a difference musical theatre actors would have made.

No Country For Old Men

Cast
Josh Brolin
Tommy Lee Jones
Javier Bardem
Kelly Macdonald
Woody Harrelson
Screenwriters
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen
Directors
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen
Running Time
122 minutes

Texas, 1980. Hunting in the desert, Llewellyn Moss (Brolin) comes across the wreckage of a drug deal gone wrong and takes the cash — without counting on the man sent after him, an implacable killer (Bardem) intent on recovering the loot at any cost.

It was good. I've given it the score I have, because the big showdown scene between the protagonists is just not there and the film just carries on beyond the point it should have happened, changing from a thriller into something philosophical. Which, honestly, was a disappointment.

Charlie Wilson's War

Cast
Tom Hanks
Julia Roberts
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Amy Adams
Ken Stott
Emily Blunt
Shiri Appleby
Screenwriter
Aaron Sorkin
Director
Mike Nichols
Running Time
101m 38s

In the early ‘80s, Congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks) organised, with the help of a socialite (Roberts) and a CIA loose cannon (Hoffman), the covert US support of Afghani rebels fighting against the Soviets...

Funny and informative, what more can you ask for? The three leads are great and Shiri Appleby, who I hadn't seen since Roswell ended, had a small role. Unfortunately there are a couple battle scenes with ropey CGI.

I Am Legend

Cast
Will Smith
Alice Braga
Dash Mihok
Charlie Tahan
Salli Richardson
Screenwriters
Akiva Goldsman
Mark Protosevich
Director
Francis Lawrence
Running Time
100m 17s

It’s been three years since a killer virus struck Manhattan. Those who aren’t dead have mutated into vampire-like beasts. All except Robert Neville (Smith), a military scientist desperately looking for a cure.

I bought a Creative Zen last month and got an offer of two free audio books from Audible included with it. The first one I chose was I Am Legend because I knew the film was coming and was intrigued to see the differences between the two. The vampiric nature of the creatures [or the belief by them and the initial survivors of that nature] was removed, along with the garlic and crosses and he was changed from an amateur scientist to one by profession in the army plus he no longer lived in the suburbs but in the city. I not sure what the point of the changes were really. The creature effects were alright but not that great, with sort of a Resident Evil video game vibe to them. The cast credits listed alpha male & alpha female and the crew credits had stuff about prosthetic suits as if the actors were there on set but then animated over in post production. The ending which has got negative comments on several reviews is similar to the books with regard to Robert Neville's outcome but the complete opposite for humanity.