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.