Sweeney Todd

Speaking of annoying ingenues, I forgot (rather, have been too busy) to write a blurb about this film (among others). What can I say? Every character that survived this comedic gore-fest, I personally wanted to slay. If this were the Toledo Rep's casting, I'd understand, but Tim Burton has access to a much deeper talent pool. Even Sasha Baron Cohen and Alan Rickman couldn't elevate the film out of the cutesy morass. Another reminder that - after years of being deceived by "Nightmare Before Xmas" - it is not Tim Burton whose talent I envy so much as Henry Selick's. Lest I sound too negative, I *did* like the film more than I thought I would, not being the biggest Sondheim afficionado (or scholar). I appreciated some nicely-structured bits of stage-to-film, and the singing wasn't abysmal. Besides the slay-worthy young, Tim Burton really needs to shuffle up his casting, however, I really had enough of Helena BC about fifteen years ago, and Johnny Depp's rep doesn't have *that* much redemptive power, let alone time and again. She does do "crazy" pretty well, though, I must say. Rated 4/5