Once~

[+ Tygerscent]

Just watched the movie, "Once" last night. Really wonderful. Nice very Honest feeling film about a guy who sings on te street and the relationship he develops with a woman who happens to walk by listening and gives him a dime. The relationship they develop and the true passion they share together in writing music is so genuine I found myself tearful... happily tearful. Beautiful in many respects. Tonight going to see Sweeney Todd!

 

Tyger!

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[Guest zipperzone]

>Just watched the movie, "Once" last night. Really wonderful.

>Nice very Honest feeling film about a guy who sings on te

>street and the relationship he develops with a woman who

>happens to walk by listening and gives him a dime. The

>relationship they develop and the true passion they share

>together in writing music is so genuine I found myself

>tearful... happily tearful. Beautiful in many respects.

>Tonight going to see Sweeney Todd!

 

Now THERE'S a contrast if there ever was one.

[+ Tygerscent]

Sweeny Todd: Incredible Music! Voices that are not over-trained and still able to deliver the dramatic impression of the theater piece. (Context: I Freaking LOVE GOOD THEATER!!!!) Strong performances from J. Depp and the rest of the cast... The piece itself is complex and dramatic but still hits on some very real emotions and relationship complexities that occure in real life and make the film/play/theaetr piece very relavant!~

The music is outstanding~ I'm picky... I enjoy Broadway but sometimes get the feel that plays/presentation/music are specifically tailored for Broadway... It becomes "Broadway by numbers" to me at times. (You can only see so many "Broadway Plays" that follow predicessor succession rules and just feel like you have not seen it all before somewhere in a neighboring theater~) I still follow it, (Broadway that is... and truly enjoy it BTW... I just want to see it GROW!!!! to reach it's fullest potential and I feel it's "stuck" sometimes~), looking for innovators to push the Broadway scene bounderies... to grow and do something profound. I feel Chicago did this, (film and theater... Color Purple too~)... and feel this film production does this as well. This film offers the expanded Theater-to-film experience, for views, you could never get on stage. You CAN'T... Film moves and gives you "viewer perspectives you can not get on stage... PERIOD!!!

If you are looking for overtrained, operatic or "Broadway" stylized vocals you may be disappointed here... Expect good acting in the theatrical sense and vocals that support it in a "Theatrical sense"... Just listen to where the actors and actresses put inflection on their words! It's really amazing if you listen closely... When they sing... they talk!!!!!! The Piece itself is so well designed I had to stay for the second show to pull away and critique objectively...

At one point I just had to say to myself: "Hmmmph... Johnny Depp. Edward Scissors Hands, Chocolate... even Pirates... He was never Johnny Depp to be the others but lead up to this to be... Sweeney Todd~ This is the point of his career!!!!!". You want to see the culmination of his past film talents, (if you are into them), you will be fascinated to watch this film feature. His and EACH character is importnat and vital and relevant in a rather timesless sense. It's a GREAT FILM feature... You won't be wasting your money to see it on the "Big Screen"!

 

Tyger!

tygerkink@yahoo.com

503.317.8055

http://www.tygerscent.biz/Galleries.html

http://www.tygerscent.biz

http://www.daddysreviews.com/area.php?loc=63150&who=tyger_portland

men4rentnow.com tygerscent in Portland, Oregon

[Guest ReturnOfS]

Thanks for the critique.

 

I've never seen the play but I have gradually grown a desire to see the film.

 

Your critique shows that it will definitely be worth my time.

[Guest josephga]

I decided to pass on s todd im not a fan of musicals. i finally sat down and watched the departed yesterday i have about 15 dvds i need to catch up on..

[JT Brooklyn]

I Personally have always liked everything that Johnny Depp has Acted in.

 

Mainly because he is a very Talented "Actor", he picks his roles carefully as opposed to the Schlock "Movie Star" Types like Tom Cruise! IMHO of course

[Guest Wetnwildbear]

Thanks for the review Tyger.

 

I am very much looking forward to seeing Sweeney Todd. I enjoyed

 

a revival in NYC a few years back.

 

I agree with Zip - Johnny Depp

 

is a consumate actor who based on his skills became a star.

 

 

Whereas Tom Cruise is a star who occassionally acts well.

[jackhammer91406]

The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

 

I have been a fan of this piece of material for a long, long time. Tyger speaks about Broadway growing beyond itself and this show always represented that for me.

The movie has gotten good reviews, but none better than from our own Tyger.

 

As for Depp, he is one of, if not the best actor of his generation working today. His performances all elevate the craft and the material. He was far more deserving of the Oscar for his portrayal of Capt. Jack Sparrow than the actor who won that year, (and before you jump on me for being racist, I am just comparing the performances nominated, not the various actor's bodies of work).

 

Thanks for your impressions Tyger. I look forward to seeing this film.

[Guest zipperzone]

RE: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

 

I'm torn. Not a big fan of grizzley - like usually CSI is more than I can stomach. Will S T be too gorey?

[Guest rohale]

RE: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

 

>I'm torn. Not a big fan of grizzley - like usually CSI is

>more than I can stomach. Will S T be too gorey?

 

There are some intense violent scenes, just not that gorey at all, it's definitely a lot more tamer than I thought it was originally to be. If you decide to watch the film, to be on the safe side, just make sure you view it on an empty stomach.

[Guest rohale]

I'll make a very brief comment. I remember watching the film " Once " in the movie theatres a few months back. I just absolutely adored this movie to a point of no end. For my taste, it's probably the best musical made in a good number of years now. This film absolutely outshines and outclasses " Dreamgirls " and " Hairspray " of the week. The creative minds behind the production put a lot more realism into the film as much as possible. It's a wonderful little Irish film that unfortunately didn't really catch on that well in North America at all. In many respects it's a shame because it's a beautifully made film and it deserved a lot more attention than it originally received.

 

As for Sweeney Todd, with all the attention on Johnny Depp and quite understandably so, I'm somewhat suprised thus far that nobody has mentioned Helen Bohnam Carter's performance which I thought was equally as impressive and offcourse failing to mention Alan Rickman would be an insult. I think Alan might have just edged out Johnny's performance in the film.

 

As for Tim Burton, he's so wonderful at making these dark quality films and Sweeney Todd is no different. Funnily enough he has come an awful long way in 20 years since making those MTV music videos and then having the golden opportunity of directing Michael Keaton in both respectively " Beetlejuice " and " Batman " and thus began his mark on the movie industry and he's never looked back ( minus " Mars Attacks" and " Planet Of The Apes )and I hope he carries on for another 20 years.

[uwsman2]

RE: Sweeney Todd

 

I agree that Sweeney Todd the film is an awesome accomplishment. In addition to all the actors already mentioned, I think the youngsters deserve a tip of hat as well. The young man who plays Anthony is superb, and the boy who plays Tobias is extraordinary. My only complaint is the inflation of the orchestra to film-symphonic dimensions. Sondheim's music benefits from the subtle instrumental arrangements of Jonathan Tunick in the theatrical version. One of the drawbacks of the NY City Opera's Sweeney Todd was the use of a full orchestra, and that is amplified in spades in the film, where the orchestra is oppressively loud at times.

 

As for the gore - it's obviously faked, but anybody who has trouble with copiously flowing blood should be forewarned. This is a show a about The Demon Barber of Fleet Street who gets his revenge on oppressive society by slitting people's throats, and the camera does NOT look away....

[+ Gar1eth]

>Sweeny Todd: Incredible Music! Voices that are not

>over-trained and still able to deliver the dramatic impression

>of the theater piece. (Context: I Freaking LOVE GOOD

>THEATER!!!!) Strong performances from J. Depp and the rest of

>the cast... The piece itself is complex and dramatic but still

>hits on some very real emotions and relationship complexities

>that occure in real life and make the film/play/theaetr piece

>very relavant!~

> The music is outstanding~ I'm picky... I enjoy Broadway but

>sometimes get the feel that plays/presentation/music are

>specifically tailored for Broadway... It becomes "Broadway by

>numbers" to me at times. (You can only see so many "Broadway

>Plays" that follow predicessor succession rules and just feel

>like you have not seen it all before somewhere in a

>neighboring theater~) I still follow it, (Broadway that is...

>and truly enjoy it BTW... I just want to see it GROW!!!! to

>reach it's fullest potential and I feel it's "stuck"

>sometimes~), looking for innovators to push the Broadway scene

>bounderies... to grow and do something profound. I feel

>Chicago did this, (film and theater... Color Purple too~)...

>and feel this film production does this as well. This film

>offers the expanded Theater-to-film experience, for views, you

>could never get on stage. You CAN'T... Film moves and gives

>you "viewer perspectives you can not get on stage...

>PERIOD!!!

> If you are looking for overtrained, operatic or "Broadway"

>stylized vocals you may be disappointed here... Expect good

>acting in the theatrical sense and vocals that support it in a

>"Theatrical sense"... Just listen to where the actors and

>actresses put inflection on their words! It's really amazing

>if you listen closely... When they sing... they talk!!!!!! The

>Piece itself is so well designed I had to stay for the second

>show to pull away and critique objectively...

> At one point I just had to say to myself: "Hmmmph... Johnny

>Depp. Edward Scissors Hands, Chocolate... even Pirates... He

>was never Johnny Depp to be the others but lead up to this to

>be... Sweeney Todd~ This is the point of his career!!!!!". You

>want to see the culmination of his past film talents, (if you

>are into them), you will be fascinated to watch this film

>feature. His and EACH character is importnat and vital and

>relevant in a rather timesless sense. It's a GREAT FILM

>feature... You won't be wasting your money to see it on the

>"Big Screen"!

>

> Tyger!

> tygerkink@yahoo.com

> 503.317.8055

> http://www.tygerscent.biz/Galleries.html

> http://www.tygerscent.biz

> http://www.daddysreviews.com/area.php?loc=63150&who=tyger_portland

> men4rentnow.com tygerscent in Portland, Oregon

>

 

 

Tyger--thanks for the review. I havan't seen the movie yet, but I heard a snippet of Johnny Depp singing on NPR--and I wasn't impressed. Perhaps I will be when I see the movie. Without seeing the movie, I will ask wasn't there anyone with the acting "chops" who is also a singer who could have done this. I also have to admit that Johnny is not my favorite actor--I am not saying he isn't good--just usually his films are too dark and not the kind I wish to see--and no, I am not including Pirates et al in the dark movies list.

 

Gman