Stardust (2007)

Although I'm not a huge fan of the fantasy genre, this is a really well-made movie with a lot of originality behind it. It's not just the same old stuff, there are some interesting twists and visual moments in here. It actually makes me mildly interested in reading the original novel it's based on. 3.5 stars.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Whenever I watch this again, it might possibly get a 4 1/2, but for now I'll play it safe and give it a 4. This is a fairly marvelous adaptation of Sondheim's show. Tim Burton was the ideal person to direct this story. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter may not be amazing singers, but they're certainly competent, and their acting is so compelling it's easy to overlook any flaws in their singing. (After all, it's not Phantom, where the entire point is the voices.) I thoroughly enjoyed this, and will definitely watch this again when it comes out on video. See, Hollywood? You CAN make great musical adaptations! 4 stars.

Disturbia (2007)

"Inspired" by Rear Window, but not a remake, huh? It's closer to the original than some movies that *are* officially remakes. But the movie is quite good. Shia LeBeouf turns in a great lead performance. The plot builds at a good pace and gives us a satisfying ending. I wasn't on the edge of my seat... but I *was* nodding appreciatively. Heh. A very solid thriller, and definitely worth seeing. 3.5 stars.

Brief Encounter (1945)

This story unfolds nicely, but it all seems fairly aimless. I think that stems from telling the story as a flashback. It led me to expect more from the end of the story than I was given. The final shot of the movie is a nice one, but when the credits rolled I thought, "What? That's it?" However, I would have been content had the first 5-10 minutes of the movie been cut, as well as the narrating voiceover. Remove the flashback element, and it's a perfectly well-told tale of their love. 3 stars.

Superman II (1980)

Well... this is more of the first Superman. The cheesy dialogue has been toned down a bit, but other than that, there isn't a whole lot of difference between the two. The same problems are in this movie... but it's still fairly entertaining. So, yeah. See my review for Superman. 3 stars.

Fracture (2007)

A very solidly put-together thriller. Anthony Hopkins plays a very Hannibal Lecter-esque character, and, of course, does a wonderful job with it. This movie didn't blow me away, but for an evening of quiet entertainment, it certainly serves its purpose. 3.5 stars.

Jane Eyre (1997)

Jane Eyre is a nice story, but *must* she be made into either a radical feminist or helpless wimp? Surely there's a middle ground where she can be slightly vulnerable but quite sensible and capable of doing her own thing? She wasn't completely helpless in the books. This version of the movie felt completely disjointed and backwards... A definite disappointment. 2 stars.