Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: December 21, 2007

DVD Release Date: April 1, 2008

Plot 411: A man unjustly accused returns home to seek revenge on his persecutors.

Review: Corrupt Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) sentences Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) to life in prison in order to seduce Barker's wife Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly). Many years later, Barker returns under a new name - Sweeney Todd - and is anxious to reunite with his wife and daughter. However, when he learns that Turpin assaulted Lucy, Todd desperately seeks revenge. He reestablishes his barbershop above the shop of pie maker Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter). She becomes a willing participant as Todd indiscriminately kills his customers by helping him dispose of the bodies through her meat pies. This movie definitely wasn't what I was expecting, but I enjoyed the darkness of it. I loved the set design and dramatic costume and make up that all the characters had. Depp's singing could have been better (but he's not as bad as Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia!). Of course, since this is a Tim Burton film, there are similar visual styles between this and something like Corpse Bride and Beetlejuice. It was darkly humorous and contained some violent scenes that took me aback. It wasn't that they were totally appalling. They were just unexpected as I had thought this was just a regular musical.

Watch It: If the idea of blood and singing flicks your Bic.

Skip It: If you're relationship with musicals are more of a light-hearted affair.

Terminator Salvation

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: May 21, 2009

DVD Release Date: September 9, 2009

Plot 411: John Connor msut find his teenaged father in order to fulfill the prophecy that he will be the world's savior.

Review: Christian Bale stars as 30-something John Connor, a soldier in the Resistance fighting against the machines of Skynet. According to his mother's tape-recorded messages, he must make sure his father Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) is safe and can carry out his destiny. At this point in time, Reese is a mere teenager and John is older than he is. However, he is to grow up and travel to the past where he will meet John's mother, Sarah Conner. Yes, it's kind of confusing. You just might want to watch the original Terminator films to get a grasp on things. I didn't bother doing that so I can't really expound on the whole time travel plotline. However, in this film we're introduced to Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a prisoner on death row who donated his body to science. He reawakens many years later during John Connors era only to discover that things are suspiciously wrong. For some reason, he didn't look like the same Sam Worthington from Avatar. Physically, he seemed bigger than he was in Avatar. Also, his face looked different to me. Maybe I wasn't really paying attention to him during Avatar? I also noticed that he'd slip in and out of an accent, which was a bit annoying (He's originally from the UK and schooled in Oz, so I guess it might be hard to shake an accent.). There's a storyline with him and Moon Bloodgood that could've been scrapped entirely. While the effects were pretty great during the set pieces and battles, the plot kind of dragged for me. I found myself wondering when this thing was really going to begin. Helena Bonham Carter and Common are also featured in this film.

Watch It: For a CGI-packed action flick and a cameo of young Arnold.

Skip It: If Bale's guttural Batman voice annoys the hell out of you. He too slips in and out of this throughout the film.

Alice In Wonderland 3D

Rating: PG

Movie Release Date: March 5, 2010

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: Alice returns to the land she visited as a child and thinks she's living a dream.

Review: Tim Burton's version of Alice In Wonderland is just so Tim Burton. The movie aesthetics and visuals do not seem like they could be done by anyone but Burton. The colors and bleakness of the settings and the dark nature of the so-called children's film are obviously Burton's signature. Watching it in 3D was probably not necessary though. It didn't have the same all-encompassing feel that Avatar did. In fact, I think it could've pulled the audience in a lot more than it did, which is a damn shame. Some of the CGI work was pretty bad. It looked like I was watching video game graphics. Despite this, I still enjoyed it a great deal. I'll probably rent it when it comes out on DVD. Somehow, I didn't find Anne Hathaway all that appealing in this movie. She really got on my nerves with all her twirling and fluttering about. I did, however, love, love, love Helena Bonham Carter. She did a perfect job as the Queen of Hearts. What does it say when I relate more with the bad queen than the good one? Of course, Johnny Depp played the Mad Hatter. Really, he was just re-doing his Jack Sparrow routine but with a snazzier-looking outfit and caked on makeup. Also providing voice acting are Stephen Fry as the cheshire cat and Alan Rickman as the caterpillar.

Watch It: For a Burton re-envisioning of all your favorite Wonderland characters.

Skip It: And watch the regular version. No need to pay extra for IMAX 3D or Disney Digital 3D.