Spring Break
Movie Reviews
David Coley
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: Culture
The Savages
The trailer for "The Savages" bills it as a "serious comedy." I find that to be an accurate description of this story of a brother and sister (Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney) who are forced to take care of their father as he descends into dementia. The dialogue is often funny, but there is a real tragedy going on here, as both siblings, especially the sister Wendy, find themselves dealing with familial emotions long buried.
I've been of the mind that it's a tragedy that Laura Linney doesn't have an Oscar yet, and this film confirms that feeling. While Hoffman delivers another outstanding performance, this is Linney's show, and her range here is stunning.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
For me, a film adaptation of my favorite musical is a tall order to fill, but I'm happy to say that Tim Burton's adaptation met my standards, maybe even exceeded them. Stephen Sondheim's revisionist melodrama tells the story of a barber (Johnny Depp) whose life is ruined by a government official. He returns from exile to get revenge, taking up the persona of "Sweeney Todd" and slitting countless throats in the process, working his way up the class system.
His cohort is Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who finds an economic way of disposing of the corpses. Blood by the bucketful abounds, but luckily it doesn't overpower the beautiful music and great performances, all of which are bound together by Burton's dark and macabre vision, appropriate as always.
dcoley@unews.com
The trailer for "The Savages" bills it as a "serious comedy." I find that to be an accurate description of this story of a brother and sister (Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney) who are forced to take care of their father as he descends into dementia. The dialogue is often funny, but there is a real tragedy going on here, as both siblings, especially the sister Wendy, find themselves dealing with familial emotions long buried.
I've been of the mind that it's a tragedy that Laura Linney doesn't have an Oscar yet, and this film confirms that feeling. While Hoffman delivers another outstanding performance, this is Linney's show, and her range here is stunning.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
For me, a film adaptation of my favorite musical is a tall order to fill, but I'm happy to say that Tim Burton's adaptation met my standards, maybe even exceeded them. Stephen Sondheim's revisionist melodrama tells the story of a barber (Johnny Depp) whose life is ruined by a government official. He returns from exile to get revenge, taking up the persona of "Sweeney Todd" and slitting countless throats in the process, working his way up the class system.
His cohort is Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who finds an economic way of disposing of the corpses. Blood by the bucketful abounds, but luckily it doesn't overpower the beautiful music and great performances, all of which are bound together by Burton's dark and macabre vision, appropriate as always.
dcoley@unews.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 3
Mary Jefferson
posted 1/21/08 @ 12:59 PM CST
When I see movie reviewers giving rave reviews to a movie, the subject of which is murder and canabalism, I have to wonder what this portends for the future of this society. (Continued…)
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