Films: Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd (2007)
Dir. Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower

I know what you're thinking; It's a Tim Burton movie, featuring Tim Burton's brat pack. But can I say that it is so much more than that?!

Honestly, I was getting a bit tired of the Depp/Bonham Carter duo where Tim Burton is concerned. Perhaps he's trying to say he doesn't like change. Nobody understands Burton like the slightly dark, quirky misfits that these two actors always seem to come across as. However, I do not think that anyone else could have played the two leads in Sweeney Todd so convincingly.

Todd/Benjamin Barker and Mrs Lovett enter into a cruel and disturbed world of murder and cannabalism in order to avenge Todd's wife and daughter, stolen from him by the vicious Judge Turpin (Rickman, who may have been born to play the villain). Though the subject matter is bleak, the film plays out in typically Burtonesque visual glory and is spattered with black, occasionally uncomfortable, comedy. Depp's performance as the 'Demon Barber of Fleet Street' is fantastic. I didn't know whether to feel sorry for him or appauled by him. Likewise Bonham Carter's Mrs Lovett, whose silly infatuation for Todd leads her into a squalid life of crime. The two of them are simultaneoulsy terrible and loveable, and that's a lot to deal with in 116 minutes.

The whole film is shot in greys and blacks, with great sweeping shots of the murky London skyline, and the occasional glint of sharpened metal in Todd's derelict barber shop. Visually, this film is completely perfect. I begin to wonder whether Burton was born to direct this film. His sensitivity to imagery, colour and timing is absolutely spot-on. I'm not going to lie and say that the blood and gore is tame. It's bloody. Though, a word of warning would be that the slicing of people's throats becomes less uncomfortable than the grotesque manner in which Todd removes the bodies from his barber shop. It is an 18 certificate, and you have been warned. And then there's the music.

This film could have gone so terribly wrong on the back of a dreadful mistake in choosing to make it a musical. Thanksfully, it was quite the opposite. Sondheim and Wheeler's soundtrack is a masterpiece. I didn't even care that they were breaking into song every 2 minutes, in fact, I began to not even notice. The songs seem to flow in and out of the dialogue as though that were completely normal. Depp is a very talented singer (though some time a little nasal, with pangs of Jack Sparrow) and Bonham Carter's warbling cockney voice lends humour to every word she sings. Even Rickman gives it a try and he gets by.

Other performances of note are that of Timothy Spall, who is so accomplised at playing a weasly sidekick that he may never be offered another role again, and the naive, boyish Jamie Campbell Power. Sacha Baron Cohen, better known as Kazakh tv talking head, Borat, and Staines' very own Ali G, lends the film his own brand of ridiculous humour in one of the film's best scenes.

My only criticism is that too many cast members have 3 names where 2 is perfectly adequate, making reviewing a slightly laborious process. Otherwise, prepare yourself for a darkly satirical, disturbingly comical, musically wonderful 2 hours at the cinema.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars
Recommendation: Get past the gore and admire a beautifully directed and performed piece of cinema.

Film: Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger was found dead in his apartment yesterday afternoon. He was 28.

This news hit me like a punch to the gut. Someone so young, and just beginning to show some real, amazing talent. It reminds me of the tragedy of Brandon Lee and River Phoenix. And it makes me wonder why it happens. Could they really all hide how they were feeling from those closest to them?

Ledger is most famous for his career turning role in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005), which saw him nominated for an Oscar. However, he is much loved for his parts in A Knight's Tale (2001), Monster's Ball (2001), The Patriot (2000) and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). If you're familiar with any of his performances, you'll know that he was a young, good-looking guy who was about to become a truly brilliant actor. And that's what he'll always be. Heath, his raggedy blonde waves and dimpled grin will be immortalised.

It's been said that Ledger was suffering from insomnia since his most recent roles as Bob Dylan in I'm Not There and the Joker in The Dark Knight, which is due to be released in cinemas this summer. This might explain the sleeping tablets found in the bedroom alongside his body. But speculation will not bring any peace, resolution or answers. Despite having split from his girlfriend, Heath seemed to be completely in love with his 2 year-old daughter, Matilda, with no sign of wanting out.

We may never actually find out what happened to Heath. And we'll certainly never find out what was going through his mind on Tuesday afternoon. But he will be sorely missed by his family, and his detached but still genuinely mourning fans. Just because he's a movie star, his death is front page news, cameras surrounded his house and people crowded to pay their respects. It does not make him any less human, nor the event any less terrible.

Hollywood loses another young talent. Perhaps people ought to stop laughing about the exploits of our celebrities and their messy lives. These are the ones who are crying for help. Sadly, so sadly, Heath did not.

Music: Fan the Flames - Luke Leighfield

Imagine a world without a little bit of clever piano-pop to make you smile. Yeah, it wouldn’t be a fun place. Thank God for Luke Leighfield.

Leighfield has been touring so hard for the past year that he’s just recently celebrated his 250^th gig. He’s not picky either; he’ll play in your front room, at your little brother’s birthday party, and in real big venues, too. And it’s easy to see that Luke Leighfield is all about his music and his fans; the CD leaf is covered in photos of friends and gig-goers. He’s even slipped a CD into the hands of Prince Charles himself, no joke.

Fan the Flames is Luke Leighfield’s second album and it is an instantly likeable collection of piano-led pop tunes. He’s dubbed himself ‘basically a second-rate Ben Folds,’ which is no bad thing as Leighfield has mastered the art of melodic piano pop which is memorable, honest and fun.

Title track, Fan the Flames, makes an impressive album opener; the piano is complimented by chirpy brass, strings and a masterful sax solo. This is the first of the album’s many catchy, piano-driven tracks served with masses of instrumental variety. Another stand-out track is Don’t Break Your Back, a cry for people to be themselves, which builds up to a soaring guitar solo and huge sing-along chorus. But it’s not all mile-a-minute power-pop, as the tempo slows for a handful of tracks such as Home, Scared and It Goes On. Leighfield’s voice easily carries off these more reflective songs, which also make excellent use of his very talented supporting instrumentalists. But, with a merry band of backing vocalists, upbeat drums and an epic brass section, it is I Got Soul which will have even the most pop-hating cynic up and dancing. You can’t hide from such unabashed, down-to-earth and downright infectious music-for-the-sake-of-music.

Fan the Flames is out on Got Got Need Records and £1 from every purchase goes to Tearfund.

www.myspace.com/simplylukeleighfield

Album score – 8/10 Refreshingly shameless piano-pop!

A Mixed Bag

Music I'm getting excited about:

Newton Faulkner - Hand Built By Robots
A tall fellow with majestic ginger dreadlocks who can slap, tap and strum a guitar til it gently weeps. Check out his amazing version of Massive Attack's 'Teardrop.' It might reduce you to tears.

Luke Leighfield - Fan the Flames
Claims to be 'basically a second-rate Ben Folds,' which is no bad thing. This album is full of pop tunes, amazing sax and guitar solos, lots of chances to sing along with a beer in hand, and general good stuff.

Alan & Brian - The CU Notice CD
Easily the most unique and ingenious release of the year. Southampton Uni students will appreciate it best, but the witty lyrics and catchy tunes are enough to make anybody sing along smiling. Notices have never been so much fun.

Full reviews coming soon.

Did I Miss Something?

WHY, O WHY, O WHY WESTLIFE?!

Ok, that's out of my system. I do think it's a valid question, and a cry shared by millions of bewildered music lovers across the country. Well, I can proudly put my hand on my heart and say I have never bought a Westlife single or album, and I never will. I am willing to say that one or two of them have part-way decent singing voices. But really, people, this has to stop! They're not very good! They don't even have good looks in their favour. I even felt embarassed doing internet searches about them for this post!

The Irish 4-piece have hit on an absolute genius money-making formula for their music, or should I say their management has? 14 hit singles is quite an accomplishment and none other than x-Factor's Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh are the gruesome two responsible for this torture. Every song they release is tediously identical to the previous in structure and execution...

A solitary pianist plays some emotional chords.
The two who can sing on their own without too much embarrassment share the verses with the others 'Ooing' meaningfully.
More OOing and a chorus. Followed by verse three. More of the same.
Chorus 2. Note here the clenched fists and upward glances in the direction of
the camera.
Key change. The boys stand up off their stools and spread their arms.
Insert a gospel choir or rain if indoors.

And that's how it's done. They take a ballad, written for them by some chap who's most likely drowned in Guinness in small studio somewhere, and just do what they know. Now, obviously nobody is forcing me to listen to Westlife (although they get so much airplay, it's possible) and that's not even the problem.

What offends me most, is when they take old songs that are just about manageable and then brutally murder them. They did it to 'You Raise Me Up' (Josh Groban's original version tugs at the heart strings rather than activates the upchuck reflex) and now to 'Home,' a gorgeous song when performed by Michael Bublé, and absolute torture sung by the Irish whiners.

All the while Cowell and Walsh can jolly well sit there smugly raking in the money. They have hit a jackpot. And as long as there are impressionable pre-teen girls, and frankly deaf grannies around, Westlife are probably, regrettably, here to stay. But there's a way to stop their chart dominance. Parents - STOP giving young girls pocket money! Ladies - They are all either married or gay. Deal with it and stop screaming! Grannies - They are not nice boys. Get interested in McFly or someone!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Westlife wagon has been a'rollin for way too long and needs to be derailed. Perhaps it was a joke that got out of hand. I hope so, because otherwise it's just embarassing!

Alert the RSPCB - Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Blogs!

This poor blog is suffering from an inhumane amount of neglect (like a dog at Christmas time!) which I can only attribute to my dissertation, a mad, mad summer, teacher training and...no internet!

Never fear - I know you probably don't - I shall return soon with reviews a'plenty!

I have read a lot, listened to a lot and watched a lot since my last post. So keep checking back. Better yet, add an RSS feed to your browser - go, do it!

Films to see this month...

There are a whole bunch of films that i'd like to see in the next few weeks (student loan permitting). Hang on, can we pause for a moment to reflect on the fact that it is almost May already?!!

Some of the upcoming releases look, well, crap. It has to be said, Hollywood has taken to churning out some big-budget big flops of late. However, there are a few that seem to be a little different from the current phase of ambiguous, one-worded titles, like Fracture and Premonition.

So, here's my movie wish list before they come and go from the cinema, which they will in about a fortnight:

*Half-Nelson: This has been out for a week or so now, and has recieved some great reviews. It's Ryan Gosling (also in the overly-dramatically advertised Fracture) as a school teacher (no, I'm not obsessed with films set in school!) who lives a secret life as a drug addict. An unlikely friendship flourishes with one of his students who discovers his secrets. It's a case of who will have to inspire who to better things.

*Spiderman-3: I'm a sucker for a comic-book flick. If only because I've seen the other two and would feel cheated out of a trilogy if I didn't watch. Spiderman is back...in black.

*The Painted Veil: The old cinematic adaptation wins out again in 1920s heritage film style. Ed Norton (one of my all time favourites) and Naomi Watts (who has an Oscar and Norton doesn't - does that not seem unjust to anyone else?) are a couple in a troubled marriage who find unexpected unity and forgiveness amidst a cholera epidemic in China.


There we go. Chances are, it'll be Christmas before I actually see them, but I can hope!
Also, be prepared for mounting excitement about the latest Harry Potter release (Film June, Book July) and Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Yes!


UPDATE:
I retract the statement about Naomi Watts' Oscar win. She has, infact, also never won an academy award but I'm reliably informed that they are both nominated for one for The Painted Veil. Thanks, Richard! (Richard's Naomi Watts blog can be found here)