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C.E. Morgan is a member of the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street When the “demon barber of Fleet Street” is plying his trade in your family room he may not have the giant presence that he had on the big screen, but he will impress you nonetheless. Jonnie Depp is mesmerizing as Benjamin Barker, the wronged ex-con turned barber — now known as Sweeney Todd.
His shop is atop Mrs. Lovett’s meat pie shop, and it is there that he avenges the ruination of his life by the corrupt Judge Turpin and his aristocratic cronies with the flick of his wrist, and his razor. He promises a very close shave!
The DVD is in a “can’t miss” two-disc package that artistically captures the dark mood of this musical. The extras are all there — interviews, making-of — you name it. Hours of murder, mayhem and music await your pleasure. Enjoy.
There Will Be Blood Just months after its long run at the theaters, this award-winning drama is available for home viewing. Daniel Day-Lewis is Daniel Plainview, a ruthless turn-of-the-century oilman who will stop at nothing to amass a fortune. His nemesis is a man of the cloth — Eli Sunday, who harbors his own brand of ambition. For Plainview, the pursuit of wealth eventually makes him a very lonely, empty man.
Well worth adding to your home video collection, this drama comes with plenty of moral baggage. The story is an adaptation of the Upton Sinclair novel, Oil! and a good one at that! Director Paul Thomas Anderson is responsible for the screenplay. An exceptionally long story, it is well received in the comfort of your own easy chair. A brilliant and memorable performance by Lewis will make this film a classic.
For the kids, I suggest The Waterhorse: Legend of the Deep, a two-disc special edition, containing the video and a good assortment of extras. It offers a nice, simple fantasy tale garnished with well-executed CGI effects. The CGI standards are so high with today’s technology that this has become a given.
When young Angus finds a rare waterhorse egg on the beach, little does he know what adventures are in store for him — and what a wonderful friend he will find inside the shell. When the egg finally hatches, a whole new set of problems is born. In case you don’t know the story, these lake “monsters” increase in size ten times daily — so Angus can forget about hiding him at home for very long.
Although primarily for the young, this pleasant little tale can be viewed by the whole family. And later it can be the focus of a nice dinner-time discussion. Nothing offensive, just some good, squeaky-clean monster fun here, so hit the “play” button and relax.
And let’s not forget Alvin and the Chipmunks that charming 2007 Christmas release that is now on the video shelves. Be advised that most young children will not notice or care that there is a Christmas theme to the plot. They will watch it all year long, over and over again.
And just so you’re in on the fun, all you have to know is that a songwriter, Dave (Jason Lee) is very fortunate to stumble upon a troupe of singing chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore who are being evicted from their tree. Talk about a fortunate career move, Dave.
When you find yourself singing like a chipmunk at work, put the DVD up for awhile. Just think — those silly chipmunks have been doing this for 50 years!
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