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movie review - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Tokyo, 2008.01.07

No. Bad Tim Burton. Bad!

This is a movie featuring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. You can bet that it's directed by Tim Burton. It's about a butcher who returns to London after being sent to Australia as punishment by a corrupt judge. When he gets back he starts slitting the throats of the awful people of London, and taking the bodies to his new wife who then makes meat pies. There's a fair bit of sizzle here but not a lot of steak. The plot was unengaging and somehow the two stars (usually very watchable) failed to either seem interested in one another or the story itself. I've known many people who think that Tim Burton can do no wrong. I wish.

This movie was a big disappointment. Not recommended.

rand()m quote

On the endless saga of Rob Ford, mayor of Toronto; "It shouldn't have had to come to this. I'm so tired of getting up every morning and wondering, 'What will it be today?' I'm so tired of giving the benefit of the doubt again and again, only to be let down again and again.... Somewhere a responsible adult has to appear, draw a bright moral line, tell the truth and say unequivocally what won't be tolerated. Somebody has to do the right thing."

—Denzil Minnan-Wong