J-term is boring.

And FAR too long. So I'm doing what I do best; watching movies, CNN and reading things school doesn't allow me time for. So as far as films go, here's the breakdown of the most recent rash of reels I've encountered.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barbour of Fleet Street.
"SWEENEY TODD. Blood Bath. I mean, well, yeah, I would say blood bath but like my friend thought it was super fake. Well, I guess I wouldn't say blood bath, but there is A LOT of blood."
- Teenage D&D enthusiast/ticket-taker at the movie theater.

Tim Burton is a one trick pony. Scissorhands was brilliant, Ed Wood, genius. Everything succeeding those, passe. In Sweeney Todd, it's same old, same old as far as Burton's dark and dreary landscapes, sets and lens. That being said, it is what he does best and he does it well. Not a huge fan of most of Sondheim's work, Sweeney Todd's murderous cosmetologist has always had a soft spot in my heart and of course, Johnny Depp could not disappoint. Due, in large part, to the fact that most of Sondheim's "music" is a talk-sing style, his abilities as a vocalist don't come under the biggest demand. Depp clearly is not tone-def, but I highly doubt he would carry the performance off in a Broadway setting- but for screen, he is entirely adequate. Helena Bonham Carter on the other hand, falls pitifully short in the vocals department. Her feeble portrayal of Mrs. Lovett, is the low point of the performances. Visually perfect, we don't seem to feel the real malice and anger she harbors throughout the story even at the violent climax of the film.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this movie a lot. Straight razors across throats, sans edit. You got a fan right here, Mr. Burton. Plus, my nerdy musical theater fan had a bit of bias. There I said it.
Lame, I know, so sue me. Despite that, I still think it's incredibly entertaining, not in the least compelling, but worth seeing as long as you aren't even a tad squeamish.

Juno.
Excited when I first saw previews, I mean give me a little George Michael any day, but quickly fizzled when I heard more of the kitschy dialogue. I wouldn't even have bothered to see it, had a free viewing not been offered. Should you see it, you ask? No. Unless it's free, or you happen to be a huge fan of the Gilmore Girls.
For the few good moments when the film get's real, it's not worth wading through the sickly sweet mires of Diablo's cutesy back and forth between relatively flat characters. I found Ellen Page's portrayal of a knocked up teen, annoying bordering on inane, and Michael Cera's sincere baby daddy, sadly absent from the screen.

Atonement.
Let's me start by prefacing this review with the fact that I attempted to read McEwan's novel years ago, having to jump-ship due to excruciating boredom. However, I felt I had to see this film given all of the critical acclaim it was accumulating, and the sumptuous cinematography in the trailers.
Jaw open, eyes wide, I breathlessly exclaimed to the girlfriend who had pressured me into going, post-viewing, "That was INCREDIBLE." Because it was. Not only was I not bored once in the relatively lengthy story (130 minutes), I was completely enthralled. I hate love stories, and don't particularly care for period pieces. I loved this movie. Every single cast member delivers talented and cohesive performances. The pacing is fast, and the cinematography, perfection. It's an excellent marriage between a riveting story and an excellent use of film as artistic medium, as demonstrated most evidently by the interesting shifts in plot sequencing.
I'm going to say Oscar for Best Picture. I would personally prefer the newest Cohen brothers, No Country for Old Men, but I can see where the Academy might not go for the excessively violent thriller.

I also finally got around to seeing Dirty Pretty Things and Wonder Boy. Both very good and highly recommend. Dirty Pretty Things, for reference and reverie, Wonder Boy because you'll always wish you had a professor as cool as Michael Douglas.