Movie Review: "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly"

This French language film, with English subtitles, is the story of “Elle” editor Jean-Dominque Bauby. At 43 years of age, he suffers a massive stroke that paralyzes all but his left eye. He uses his left eye to blink out his story of living in a paralyzed body in a seaside French rehabilitation hospital. He intricately- and sometimes humorously- details his daily routine, thoughts and regrets. Remarkably, he leaves his life for the most part unexamined- despite his sordid past mistakes. The ability to tell this tale is fascinating. Despite acknowledging his past wrongs, he never expresses any desire to live differently.

Movie Review: "Sweeny Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton team up once again to present a movie based on a Broadway play of the same name. Johnny Depp stars as barber Sweeny Todd. After a long exile for a crime he did not commit, Todd returns to 19th century London to set up a barber shop on Fleet Street. He finds his wife dead and his teenage daughter held captive by an evil magistrate. Todd uses his barber shop to exact vengeance on English aristocracy for his wrongful exile and loss of family.

The cinematography and sets are dark, but not flamboyant. The musical score and performance are worthy of the original Broadway hit. The story line and character development are sophisticated, but somewhat predictable. This movie would have earned a PG rating and been much more enjoyable but for the unnecessarily graphic and repeated throat slashings.

Movie Review: "Enchanted"

This newest Disney release features a fairy tale princess, Giselle, who is betrothed to handsome Prince Edward. Giselle is banished to current real world Manhattan by Edward’s evil step mother Narissa (played by Susan Sarandon). Innocent, idealistic Giselle is befriended by Robert Phillips, a handsome, but cynical divorced divorce attorney. Giselle searches throughout Manhattan in search of true love. The story incorporates elements of Cinderella, Mary Popkins, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty & The Beast, The Littlest Mermaid and King Kong. The excellent choreography, musical score and story line will probably lead to a run on Broadway. Patrick Dempsey and Timothy Spall gave exemplary performances as Robert Phillips and Nathaniel, Queen Narissa’s assassin.