Now, I'll be the first to admit that musicals are a little bit silly, but who better to bring Broadway's bloodiest musical to the screen than Tim Burton? His adaptation of composer Stephen Sondheim's award-winning "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is a frightening, gory, and utterly delightful tale of revenge and madness. Oh, and pies.

Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) was, in another life, Benjamin Barker, the best barber in London. He had a beautiful wife and daughter, whom he loved. Jealous of Barker's family, Judge Turpin (the perfectly cast Alan Rickman) puts Barker in jail in Australia for a crime he did not commit. Returning to Fleet Street after fifteen years in prison, he finds Mrs. Lovett (Burton's wife Helena Bonham Carter) running a meat pie shop below his old shop. Her pies, she admits, are disgusting. But, they come up with a plan to get both businesses up and running: Todd slits his customers' throats, and Lovett bakes the men into pies which are hailed as the best meat pies in the city. An economically symbiotic relationship to be admired, if it wasn't for all the blood. Todd kills many, but the throat he ultimately wants under his knife is that of Turpin, the man who ruined the life of his beloved and now holds his daughter as a prisoner and future bride.

Production designer Dante Ferretti makes this London resemble the underworld, just as Todd does in his first song "No Place Like London": the streets are filled with rats, the skies are always gray, and everyone looks somber and morose (some may say that this is London even on a good day). In fact, the only real color in the whole production is of the gallons and gallons of blood. Not just any blood, Burton's trademark bright red blood, which he loves to splatter on windows, floors, the camera lens, and his actors.  The sets look like decrepit dollhouses, another Burton touch. Burned and peeling wallpaper adorns the walls and broken mirrors and frosted glass decorate Todd's shop. The creepiest but most Burton-esque (think of the torture instruments from "Sleepy Hollow") feature is Todd's barber's chair. Previously an ordinary armchair, Todd has made a few minor adjustments in order to keep business running smoothly and efficiently. This certainly isn't Holly Golightly's London. 

But what about the music? "Sweeney Todd" is indeed a musical film, but not the kind you would expect. There are no big flashy sequences or stage acts featuring tons of extras. Nay, this is a more intimate affair. Most scenes feature only one or two characters, making it eerie and confined. There is very little dialogue; most of the story and character psychology is communicated through songs, which are, for the most part, delicate and personal. One exception is the scene in which Mrs. Lovett sings about her dream of living on the shore. While these brightly colored locations (the park, a chapel, a boardwalk) appear incongruous at first, the film's style pervades in Todd's and Lovett's clothing and makeup and the undeniable sense that these are just big sets. For example, Todd's bathing suit seems to have been designed by Beetlejuice's personal stylist.

Depp, a Tim Burton favorite, is perfectly cast as Sweeney Todd. With ghostly make up and a shot of white hair amongst his wiry black locks, there is no denying that he is barking mad. His descent into insanity is contemplative and methodical. All of the actors did all their own singing, and Depp's voice is not only impressive but also expressive. Todd's anguish and pain come through most clearly in the songs. Though he is somewhat soft spoken, Todd is not to be cast aside lightly, he is volatile, given to delusions, and bloodthirsty. 

Todd's dark and brooding nature is perfectly contrasted by Carter's Mrs. Lovett, a strange bird who thinks nothing of cooking up people to boost her business. She handles Todd well, calming him when necessary but more often fueling his fire. She brings a welcome sense of humor to the film, even though it is a macabre one. But poor delusional girl; she never lets go of the fantasy that she and the barber will live by the shore. 

Alan Rickman's Judge Turpin is despicable; selfish and cruel, he ruined a young man's life so that he could have what he wanted. And now, audiences will agree, he must pay. And pay he does. Sacha Baron Cohan also makes an appearance here, his first film role since "Borat," as a rival barber and familiar face from Todd's past. With multiple accents and bright costumes, he makes the most of his role before becoming Todd's first victim.

Ultimately, justice is served, though perhaps not in the way you would expect. The ending is not happy, but it is nonetheless right. Everything happens just as it must in order to close the book on this demonic murderer. But really, what kind of happy ending could this story possibly have? By the end, Todd is so far from human and his past self that there is no way of going back. He has fallen, and while he takes as many people as he can with him, he can not survive this way. 

"Sweeney Todd" is not a pleasant story, but director Burton has stayed true to the source material. Be prepared for buckets of blood, raw gore, and a touch of cannibalism. It's also probably a good idea to be a fan of Tim Burton's work. If I haven't yet convinced you that "Sweeney Todd" is a triumph, I will leave you with one last tidbit: Stephen Sondheim, very protective of his work, has prevented this musical from being adapted into a film since its opening. Only when presented with Burton's vision did the composer allow the project to move forward. The result is a fluid and faithful adaptation of the original work, and a bloody good film.

I've known it for years: no good comes from having a younger sibling. Joe Wright's new film "Atonement", based on the best-seling British romance by Ian McEwan, shows just how much a young girl's misunderstanding can affect the future.

The film opens just as any period piece based in the 1930s does: a beautiful mansion in the English countryside equipped with a grand front yard, swimming pond, and a strapping young servant boy. Looking through her bedroom window one day, fledgling writer Briany (age 13 at the beginning of the story) sees an erotically-charged encounter between her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and the servant's well-educated son Robbie (James McAvoy). After intercepting a secret letter and finding them together, Briany misconstrues their relationship, tells a lie of epic proportions, and sends young Robbie to jail for a crime he did not commit, irrevocably changing the lives of all three forever. 

Four years later, we find Robbie fighting in the war in France, having been given the choice of staying in jail or signing up. Cecilia, disgusted by her family's reaction to the events leading to Robbie's arrest, has left home to become a nurse. Briany, now older but not much more mature, has just begun to realize the full weight and effect of her lie. She is also working as a nurse, eschewing higher education perhaps because of guilt and the desire to repent for what she did years before. 

Whereas most tragic romances are the result of the unworthiness of one of the two lovers, "Atonement" is the tale of two individuals that not only loved each other, but deserved each other, and whose love was torn apart by a third party before it could even take root. The story is heart-wrenching, depressing, and painful to watch. It is, however, also one of the best stories not only to be told on paper but also on the screen. The ending, though truly sad, is a bit of a twist (unless of course you've read the novel); a final plea for forgiveness.

Director Joe Wright lends to "Atonement" the same attention to detail and delicate handling of a past time that he gave to his last feature, the award-winning "Pride and Prejudice" (also starring Keira Knightley). The film is beautifully shot and is filled with haunting images such as Robbie, the lonely soldier, wandering through a field of bright red poppies and Cecilia standing alone in the fog as her lover is taken away just shortly after they make love for the first time. 

"Atonement" unfurls in a non-linear fashion; the timeline jumps around a bit, but not enough to annoy or confuse. Events are also replayed in reverse and from other perspectives in order to show the audience both what Briany sees - or thinks she sees - and what actually transpired. This feature is actually quite brilliant, as the viewer is first put in Briany's shoes and is unsure of what he or she is watching. Seeing what actually transpired then not only clarifies the story but further reveals how much pain is actually caused by Briany's mistake. 

The soundtrack also helps to create an unsettling feeling throughout the entire film. Heartbreaking and delicate pianos are blended with the ominous and threatening sound of typewriter keys being struck, recalling the machine that both led to the initial misunderstanding and will hopefully eventually make up for this young girl's seemingly unforgivable mistake. 

Keira Knightley, laying down her pirate sword and hat to go back in time to the high-class life and beautiful dresses of the pre-war years, plays Cecilia boldly and maturely. Though she doesn't understand her feelings for Robbie at the start of the film, she confidently stands up to her family for Robbie by leaving them behind to wait for him to return. Her role is surprisingly small here; more focus is given to her younger sibling, played first as Saorise Ronan and later as Romola Garai. Both actresses portray Briany as weak, timid, and immature. By the end of the film, she is downright loathsome for what she has done. James McAvoy, seen previously as the fawn in "The Chronicles of Narnia", comes into his own as a leading man. His kind eyes and nervous nature perfectly portray the head-over-heels Robbie, who, like Inman in "Cold Mountain," wants only to make it through the war so that he can return to the arms of his lover. 

Overall, "Atonement" is a whirlwind film that grabs your heart in the first few moments but then runs with it, pulling it in every direction. More than a romance, more than a sweeping war picture, this is a story clashes between immaturity and maturity, love and war, and guilt and the unwillingness to forgive. "Atonement" has been nominated for six Golden Globe awards and will certainly be one of the films to beat come Oscar season. 

I have always admired individuals that have what it takes to pack their lives into a backpack and set off down the road. When forced in high school to take a class called "discovery," my aversion to camping was made clear. Thus, any adventuring I am destined to do will be in the comforts of modern civilization. But for others, there are no boundaries.

Sean Penn's Into the Wild, based on Jon Krackauer's nonfiction account by the same name, is a powerful and touching tale of one man's quest to leave everything behind and make his own way. 

In 1990, brilliant student Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch) graduated from Emory University. However, what Christopher wanted out of his life was the exact opposite of what his family wanted for him. He donated the entirety of his $24,000 savings account to charity, and took off towards the wilderness of Alaska. 

His path to Alaska isn't straight, and along the way he meets several individuals that shape his life and in turn take lessons from him. No one seems to understand why this young man would abandon his family and future for the life of a "leather foot," but Chris is clearly searching for something beyond the middle-class existence that he finds to be hypocritical and masked by lies. 

In the twenty months of life on the road that it takes McCandless, who called himself Alexander Supertramp, to reach Alaska, he submerges himself in self-discovery and examine the world from a fresh perspective. McCandless/Supertramp reflects on his parents' abusive relationship and his troubled childhood (revealed to us through narration by his sister), freeing himself from them and giving himself to the wild. Unfortunately, he discovers upon finally reaching Alaska that he is not physically prepared for the hardships that lay ahead. 

Since Into the Wild is based on a very popular book and real events, I'm not spoiling the ending by saying that Christopher does not return from Alaska. But, as with many tales of free spirits and risk-takers, the point is not the destination but the journey. He forms important relationships along the way, first with aging hippie-vagabonds Jan and Rainey (played by Catherine Keener and Brian H. Dierker) and then with the elderly Mr. Franz (Hal Holbrook). While Jan and Rainey obviously encourage the on-the-road lifestyle, Jan seems to want to keep Christopher close to protect him as if he were the son she doesn't know. Likewise, though Mr. Franz understands Christopher's desire, he doesn't share it and tries to keep the boy with him, even offering to adopt him. 

In the end, it becomes clear that man is not meant to be solitary. We are creatures that, for better or worse, need to be with others like us. Unfortunately for Christopher, this lesson is the hardest to learn and ultimately leads to his demise. The film concludes with his tragic realization that "Happiness is only real when shared." 

Taking several liberties from the true account of this young man's adventure, Into the Wild blurs the line between reality and Hollywood in several spots, but is more or less an accurate representation of actual events. I have not read the book, but from what I understand, McCandless was young and optimistic, but was so excited about experiencing the world through nature that he did not take the time to prepare himself. A series of unfortunate events led to his death, which occurred in Alaska in the summer of 1992 (the film has him dying in the winter). 

With Into the Wild, director Sean Penn has created a very personal and touching story. He here employs a mixture of voice-overs, jump cuts, sweeping views of the landscape, and extreme close-ups. Pay attention for a sequence of jump cuts that shows Christopher eating an apple. Him talking to the apple is one of the few funny moments in the film, but Penn performs an interesting trick at the end: the last cut shows Hirsch smiling for the camera. This breaks both the rising tension in the film and the film's stride, as if to say, "Remember? It's just a movie." 

Penn's handling of how McCandless's family handled the realization that their son had left them is delicate. He balances reality with how McCandless felt toward them well; we see things from both their side and their son's, which aids not only in the understanding of McCandless's motivation but also in the tragedy of his lonely death.

Emile Hirsch, probably best known for his role as the infamous Johnny Truelove in 2006's Alpha Dog, has certainly proven himself with Into the Wild. He has the charisma and believability to carry a film, even one that, like Cast Away for Tom Hanks or this year's I Am Legend for Will Smith, so often finds him alone. 

The film features original songs by Eddie Vedder, none of which were nominated for an Oscar. It is both shocking and unfortunate that the Academy would recognize three -- three! -- songs from a mediocre Disney musical and completely overlook this moving piece. Vedder's voice, though not my cup of tea, fits the film perfectly. One man on the road to nowhere.

Into the Wild is a respectful but honest look at a true account of one man's mission to find himself. The film is at times funny, at times sad, but always moving. The final shot, a still frame of a self-portrait of McCandless shows the real man behind the journey, an optimistic man doomed by his failure to take reality into account. 

Jesse James is a legend. He holds an impressive record of murders, bank heists, and train robberies. He is thirty-four years old, smart, and confident. Robert Ford is the youngest of five Ford children and is hoping to become a member of James's gang. He is awkward, inexperienced, but obsessed with James and desperately wanting to prove his worth as a "sidekick,'. While planning his next robbery, James is sidetracked by tracking down his enemies that are after the fame and fortune that accompany James's capture and arrest. As it turns out, the people he trusts the most are the ones that will betray him in the end.

Jesse James opens with storybook-like narration, performed by Hugh Ross, that rattles off a list of facts about the legendary figure. This narration continues throughout the film, almost as if Ross is reading the first page of each chapter of a book (this film is based on Ron Hansen's 1997 book of the same title, so perhaps someone just got lazy in the screenwriting department). Narration works in some cases (as in Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, meant to read as a story), but here unfortunately detracts from the film, disengaging the audience by bringing them back out of the action. The audience should feel like a part of Jesse's gang, but is instead simply looking in.

James doesn't pick sides, presenting the viewer with detailed views of both the larger-than-life James and the insecure Ford. When it becomes clear that James is ridding himself of his old gang, Ford and his friend Dick LIddil (Paul Schneider) make a deal with the police to execute James. James has taken Ford's brother Charlie (Sam Rockwell) to his home as his right-hand man and, upon Charlie's urging, takes young Robert in as well. Growing increasingly paranoid, James flutters in and out of madness. He hides his depression with bouts of congeniality and good humor, keeping Robert and Charlie on their toes. He seems to know the end is near, and probably looks to death as a release from the fear that has consumed him.

Brad Pitt at first simply plays Brad Pitt. His Jesse looks and acts like any of the actor's other characters. Always eating to show off his jaw line (you laugh, but look at any of his other films and you'll see him scarfing down a hoagie or something), having a good time with his buddies, and walking with the confidence of one of the so-called sexiest men alive. However, as the film progresses and James descends into madness, Pitt surprises with fast turns from the man's man to a wanted killer. From anger to depression, and joviality to fear, Pitt presents a wide spectrum of emotion. Likewise, Affleck shines as the young Ford. Those who have seen Gone Baby Gone are aware of his ability to hold his own as the leading man. His confidence from Baby is here replaced with nervousness and the desire to please. He too changes from the nubile Robert we are introduced to in the first scene to a man determined to shape his own destiny by eliminating his idol. Affleck plays his Ford like Damon's Mr. Ripley; obsessed with his friend to a degree that raises concern. Does he want to be with James, or does he want to be James? 

Sam Rockwell plays a nervous Charlie, looking constantly disheveled. Mary-Louise Parker takes a break from dealing drugs in Showtime's hit series Weeds to portray James's wife Zee. Zoey Deschamel also makes an appearance towards the end of the film. 

The film is beautiful, but far too long. It lumbers along, dragging its feet through narration and scenes of questionable relevance. Shot on location in Alberta, Canada, James features some absolutely stunning shots. The scene of the first (and, much to my disappointment, only) train robbery is worth study. Taking place at night, the scene makes use of the play of the train's lights through the trees. James, feeling the vibration on the tracks, steps into the light and is silhouetted on the screen. During the patches of narration, it looks as though the cinematographer was armed with a pinhole camera. The edges blur, creating a stunning effect but ultimately giving the feel of looking through some old-timey bubbly glass, again forcing the audience outside the story. 

Running at 160 minutes, it lives up to the lengthy title. I admire director Andrew Dominik's desire to keep the film from becoming a Hollywood action film, but the "artsy-ness" of the resulting picture at times pushes the limits of the audience's ability to sit still. Maybe some more robberies would have pumped it up a bit. James exhibits the most fade-to-blacks I've ever seen before reaching a conclusion. The film would have been much stronger had it ended with James's death (since that is what is suggested by the title), but it instead wanders for another half hour or so, detailing the after effects of the assassination which could have been wrapped up in a summary paragraph of text (or yet another patch of narration!). 

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a beautiful film with images recalling old American westerns, but is in desperate need of an editor with a sturdy pair of scissors. The film takes the long way 'round in every possible way.

It's final. Ben Affleck's acting career is over. Well, this may have been final a long time ago (Gigli anyone? Daredevil perhaps?), but at least now we can genuinely encourage him to do something else. With his directorial debut Gone Baby Gone Ben Affleck appears to have far more talent behind the camera than he does in front of it. 

Based on the bestselling novel by Denis LeHane, the author of Mystic River,  Gone Baby Gone is the story the search for a missing little girl named Amanda McCreadey. If you've ever read a detective novel or seen a movie of the genre, you know that the case is far more complicated than it first appears. 

It's been three days since four-year-old Amanda went missing. Amanda's aunt, worried that the police are not doing enough, hires Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and his girlfriend Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) to "augment" the police investigation. Captain Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) is a police officer whose daughter was killed years before. Determined not to let this happen again, he has created the Crimes Against Children unit, dedicated to cases of missing children. Amanda's case falls under his jurisdiction, and he assigns Detective Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) to the case. Doyle informs Patrick that he and Angie will be allowed to observe but that the police aren't too keen on the idea of outside help. 

Having grown up on the same block, Patrick gathers information faster than the cops are able to. Patrick soon discovers that Amanda's coke-dealing mother Helene (Amy Ryan) did her boss wrong on their last deal just before Amanda went missing. The case appears to be solved, but another child goes missing. During the investigation of the small boy's disappearance, one of the cops Patrick has been working with lets slip a small detail that Patrick is unable to let go of. What appeared at first to be a simple misunderstanding and a drug deal gone awry transforms into an elaborate plot involving more people than Patrick would have ever suspected. 

The first half of the film is the typical crime thriller (but a very well-done one). The second half is far more interesting as it brings into focus the moral challenges presented to Patrick. Knowing the truth about Amanda, he realizes that choosing the right course of action isn't always the easiest decision to make. Amanda's case endangers Patrick's life, strains his relationship with Angie, and causes him to question authority, but he remains determined to do what he believes is right. Hard as it is to find evidence, it's even harder to decide what to do with it.

Affleck (Ben, that is) not only directed Baby, but also wrote the screenplay (along with Aaron Stockard). Looking at Good Will Hunting, Affleck has already proven himself as a talented writer, especially when it comes to drafting dialogue for natives of his hometown of Boston. I was, however, very skeptical of his directing capabilities. I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised. 

Shot on location in Boston, Baby shows the drastic differences between life in the slums and the world of the cops. Featuring neighborhoods in which I'm sure even the dogs can talk a blue streak, Affleck illustrates the animosity between the blue-collar cops and the impoverished project-dwellers. The film's realism is heightened, or "augmented" if you will, by shots of real locations and cutaways to denizens along with performances given by local actors. 

Casey Affleck proves to possess the acting chops required to be a leading man. His baby-face may throw some viewers off, but he soon commands attention and respect with a low-key but powerful style. His Patrick is polished enough to have avoided the seemingly popular criminal life but still able to instill fear in even the most powerful local drug lords. Ed Harris also stands out as the seasoned cop Bressant. His quick turns from understated but serious to active and menacing provide frequent shocks and keep the audience guessing where his loyalties lie. Morgan Freeman has a relatively small part, but it is a clear departure from his recent grandfatherly roles. 

Gone Baby Gone keeps those of us who haven't read the book guessing. Perhaps it's just impossible to screw up a Denis LeHane story, or perhaps we can actually thank Ben Affleck for this. Either way, Baby is one of the most thrilling, most intriguing, and most enjoyable films I have seen in a long time. 

Oh, what wonders winning an Oscar can do for your career. Joel and Ethan Coen, who just brought home a little gold statuette for their film No Country For Old Men will be stepping out of art-house territory with their next film, the comedic Burn After Reading, which feature an all-star cast and a wide release.

It was announced Sunday that the film will most likely not be included in the line-up at this year's Cannes Film Festival, but only because it will not be finished in time. The film, a Working Title and Focus Features production, will go wide on September 12. 

Burn After Reading is a darkly comedic (what the Coens do best) CIA pic starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, who have already proven to have great on-screen chemistry (see the Ocean's 11 series). The film also stars Frances McDormand and will reunite Clooney with his Michael Clayton co-star Tilda Swinton. Lucky Swinton; now she gets to admire Clooney's dedication to his work on another film. 

The film has been written, directed, and produced by the Coen brothers and will tell the story of a former CIA official whose memoir accidentally falls into the hands of two goofball gym employees in Washington, D.C. 

September is pretty far off, but I'm already looking forward to Burn Before Reading. With a string of dark comedies under their belts (Fargo, Barton Fink, Raising Arizona), the Coen brothers have proven that two heads are better than one!

Way to start a recording career with a bang. 

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who just won an Academy Award for their original song "Falling Slowly" from their gem of a film Once, have signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. 

The recording label, a division of Warner Music Group, will not only release songs by the duo, currently booked as the Swell Season, but will administer Hansard's songs with his band the Frames and those from the Once soundtrack. 

Hansard and Irglova's debut album is called "The Swell Season," and they will be touring the United states from late April through mid-June. 

Most of this year's Oscar nominees were either independent or had limited releases. This fact may have contributed to the smallest Oscar audience in recorded history, but rejoice! The remaining four Best Picture nominees will soon join Michael Clayton on DVD.

No Country for Old Men: March 11 (winner - Best Picture)

Atonement: March 18 (winner - Best Original Score)

There Will Be Blood: April 8 (winner - Best Actor in a Leading Role)

Juno: April 15 (winner - Best Original Screenplay)

On February 24th, the 80th Academy Awards, or the Oscars that almost weren't, went down as the least-watched ceremony since they've been on the air. Not all of the records broken Sunday night were bad, though.

For the first time since 1964, all four of the acting awards went to foreign actors. London-born Daniel Day-Lewis took home the award for Best Actor in There Will Be Blood, and French Marion Cotillard was awarded a little gold statuette for her leading role in Ma Vie En Rose. The supporting awards went to Spanish Javier Bardem for No Country For Old Men and British Tilda Swinton for Michael Clayton.

Similarly, for the first time since 1961, the Academy Award for achievement in Directing went to not one but two directors. In 1961, Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins were awarded for their direction of West Side Story. This year saw the award go to siblings: Joel and Ethan Coen. For the Coen brothers, this award is not only a record-breaker, but a verification of their long career by Hollywood. The two have been constant outsiders, preferring to stay out of Hollywood and do things on their own terms. The Coens received their first taste of Oscar in 1996 for their screenplay for their breakout film Fargo. No Country For Old Men is not only their first film to be adapted from a novel, but the film also marks their biggest commercial success, having already brought in close to $100 million. No Country was nominated for eight Academy Awards and brought home four, making it the biggest sweep of the evening.

And now for the bad news. All these records broken and hardly anyone was watching. Ratings for Sunday's ceremony reveal that viewers numbered 14% less than the least-watched ceremony (2003 with 33 million viewers). Data also shows that very few women tuned in, whereas last year's ceremony, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, was a ratings frenzy for the female demographic. Perhaps the low estrogen count was a result of most of the evening's top nominees being, as Jon Stewart put it, "psychopathic killer movies." Poor Jon Stewart, he has now hosted two out of the three lowest-rated Oscar ceremonies. Steve Martin hosted the third, 2003's ceremony, but he was competing with the start of the Iraq war. The biggest complaint against the post-strike ceremony was the prevalence of pre-recorded clips and montages. 

Better luck next year, Oscar. 

The 80th annual Academy Awards have come and gone, leaving us movie fans to pour over the event with a critical eye. As far as the actual show goes, Jon Stewart performed his hosting duties with the typical sarcastic flare and dry humor that is a staple of The Daily Show and which illuminated his previous round as host. His opening monologue was particularly amusing, as he took jabs at 2007’s various films (his bit on why films portraying the War in Iraq failed at the box-office was amusing) and the Hollywood community in general, where he got in a great joke about which Democratic candidate the audience would vote for. The montages of “bad dreams of the movies” and “binoculars and telescopes on film” were also very funny.

Some other stand-out moments included Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill’s hilarious quibble over which one of them should present as Judi Dench and Halle Berry. Steve Carrell was also funny presenting alongside Get Smart co-star Anne Hathaway. Just as a side note, it might not be a bad idea to let Carrel host one of these things. He’s funny enough, has great charisma, and it would be really cool to see Michael Scott host the Oscars. The montage of the 79 previous Best Picture winners was also interesting, specifically because it enlightened us as to the many times Oscar really got it wrong. The night belonged to the Coen brothers, as No Country For Old Men took home four awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem, and Best Director. The Coens appeared calm and unmoved by winning in their three categories. Ethan Coen was especially graceful in his brevity, keeping his acceptance speeches down to basically a mere “Thank you”.

As expected, Daniel Day-Lewis won for his dominating role in There Will Be Blood. Javier Bardem’s win was not much of a surprise either. The surprises came with the actresses. First of all, Tilda Swinton was a shock. She really came out of nowhere and won Best Supporting Actress for Michael Clayton. Referencing her co-star George Clooney and his nipple-endowed Batman suit from Batman and Robin, Swinton ended up giving the best acceptance speech of the night.

The other surprise was Marion Cotillard's win for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. I was expecting Julie Christie to win, maybe even Ellen Page. Cotillard’s win should, in retrospect, not be a surprise, as Oscar voters love to award biographical performances (Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line, Helen Mirren in The Queen, Charlize Theron in Monster). Without these unexpected wins, this night would have been very predictable indeed. I guess the only predictable thing about the Oscars is that they inevitably will be unpredictable.

All in all, the 2008 Academy Awards show was a pretty satisfying experience. It was relatively shorter than its predecessors (clocking in at three hours and twenty minutes, but that’s still way too long) and left this movie fan satisfied with the winners. I would have liked to have seen Tony Gilroy win Best Original Screenplay for Michael Clayton, but Diablo Cody’s win for Juno was expected. I would have liked to have seen the Coens' alter-ego Roderick Jaynes win for Best Editing. Other than these minor disagreements, I’m content with how this all went down. Personally, this is one of the few times in recent years that I think the Academy got it right with what was chosen for Best Picture. Bravo, Coens.

Considering the Academy only had 11 days to pull off the biggest ceremony of the year, this evening's celebration of film didn't look too shabby. Music cues were a little bit off, the floor behind the podium seemed to be pretty slippery, but Jon Stewart kept the audience laughing. The ceremony ended just before midnight Sunday.

The results are as follows:

Costume Design: Alexandra Byrne for Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Animated Feature: Brad Bird for Ratatouille

Makeup: Didier Lavergne, Jan Archibald for La Vie En Rose

Visual Effects: Michael L. Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris, Trevor Wood for The Golden Compass

Art Direction: Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem for No Country For Old Men

Live Action Short Film: Philippe Pollet-Villard for Le Mozart Des Pickpockets

Animated Short Film: Suzie Templeton, Hugh Welchman for Peter & The Wolf

Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton for Michael Clayton

Screenplay (Adapted): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen for No Country For Old Men

Sound Editing: Karen M. Baker, Per Hallberg for The Bourne Ultimatum

Sound: Scott Millan, David Parker, Kirk Francis for The Bourne Ultimatum

Actress: Marion Cotillard for La Vie En Rose

Editing: Christopher Rouse for The Bourne Ultimatum

Foreign Language Film: Die Falscher (Austria)

Original Song: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová for "Falling Slowly" from Once

Cinematography: Robert Elswit for There Will Be Blood

Original Score: Dario Marianelli for Atonement

Short Documentary: Cynthia Wade, Vanessa Roth for Freeheld

Documentary: Alex Givney, Eva Orner for Taxi to the Dark Side

Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody for Juno

Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood

Director(s): Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men

and, drumroll please....

Best Picture: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Scott Rudin for No Country for Old Men

Surprises: Like I said in my predictions, I've never been particularly good at guessing which films the Academy will honor, and they certainly never fail to surprise me. Tonight, the biggest surprises were Tilda Swinton's winning of the supporting actress award, though she was clearly as shocked as the audience was, and Diablo Cody's taking the statuette for best original screenplay. I already stated my hopes for the supporting actress award (I was pulling for Amy Ryan), and as for original screenplay, I was hoping to see Lars and the Real Girl's scribe.

Highlights: 

Jon Stewart counting the number of pregnant stars and announcing a recount at the end of the ceremony since Jack Nicholson was in attendance,

Jon Stewart announcing that it was indeed Cate Blanchett who played the pit bull in No Country,

Tilda Swinton calling George Clooney out on the nippled batsuit,

Helen Mirren saying "cahones" while describing the characteristics of the roles nominated in the best actor category,

Daniel Day-Lewis kneeling to be knighted with his Oscar,

The Coen brothers speechless while accepting an award for adapted screenplay (couldn't they have adapted someone else's thank you speech?)

Markéta Irglová from Once getting a second chance to say thanks, 

Jon Stewart introducing Tom Hanks by saying he had no right to be at the Oscars since he wasn't nominated for anything this year,

Javier Bardem becoming the first Spanish actor to win an Oscar, dedicating it to Spain, and thanking the Coen brothers for the worst haircut in movie history

and

The ceremony ending before midnight (even with all of the little clip shows that were to be used for Plan B)!

This past year was clearly one of cinema's strongest in recent past, making each category a true fight. Stay tuned for more updates and opinions about last night's ceremony!

At first glance, Julian Schnabel's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly seems doomed to be a depressing tale of loss, regret and heartache. The film triumphs in presenting audiences with a respectful and honest portrait, and though sad, succeeds in becoming 2007's most powerful and uplifting work of cinematic art.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the devastating true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, who in 1995 at age 43 suffered a cerebro-vascular accident (a massive stroke) that rendered him almost completely paralyzed. Except for his left eyelid, Bauby was incapable of any movement or verbal communication struck with what the medical community calls "locked-in syndrome." Bauby equates the feeling with being trapped in an old-fashioned diving bell. With nothing but memories and his imagination, Bauby was trapped in his own body, motionless in his bed at the Marine Hospital of Berck-sur-Mer in northern France. Through a code developed by his beautiful young therapist, Bauby was able to silently dictate, letter by letter, a memoir of his struggle to a publisher's assistant over a fourteen-month period. Bauby died in 1997, only two days after the book was published. 

The film begins with a hazy and disorienting sequence as Jean-Dominique (Mathieu Amalric) is told that he has just awoken from a three-week-long coma. He desperately tries to communicate with his doctors, ultimately realizing that he cannot speak. It is only then that we realize what we have been hearing was merely his internal voice. With Jean-Do as our filter, we meet his family and friends. A parade of beautiful women, his butterflies, enter his life; first the speech therapist Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze), then his ex-partner and mother of his three children Celine (Emmanuelle Seigner), and finally the publisher's assistant Claude (Anne Consigny). Though he initially wants to die, Jean-Dominique is inspired by his friend Roussin (Niels Arestrup), who had been held hostage in Beirut for four years. Roussin instructs Jean-Do to "hang on to the human who is inside of you." Overwhelmed with guilt, Bauby realizes that it is selfish for him to want to die when everyone is praying for him. 

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly continues through Jean-Do's point of view as he finally learns how the stroke has altered his appearance. After a particularly disturbing scene in which we see, from Jean-Do's perspective, his right eye being sewn shut to avoid infection, he sees his reflection in a glass pane. He thinks, "God, who's that? I look like I came out of a vat of formaldehyde." After about thirty minutes, the film transitions from Bauby's interior monologue to the outside world. 

As he composes his memoir, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly plays as though we have been given access to old home movies. These episodes from Jean-Do's mind are a compilation of memories, fantasies, and dreams. Though some sequences are abstract or fractured, others are incredibly vivid. The most important of these memories is a scene in which he visits his ailing father, Papinou (Max von Sydow), and gives him a shave, is heartbreaking and hauntingly prophetic. Later in the film, his father confesses that they are both locked-in, and breaks down in tears when he realizes his son cannot answer. 

Even though these memories are the only scenes in which Bauby is ambulatory, the film is kept lively by his sometimes funny and cynical, sometimes lascivious (a massive stroke won't kill his libido), and sometimes saddening inner monologue. These two sides of Bauby's character reinforce his heroism. Here is a man who was struck down in the prime of his life, but rather than give up on himself, he triumphs and ultimately creates a powerful and personal work of art. Actor Mathieu Amalric delivers a tender performance, recalling those given by Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot and Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient. 

With a story so moving but possessing the potential to result in a film that is locked-in itself, Julian Schnabel invigorates The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by placing the viewer in Bauby's mind. Schnabel even went to the trouble to learn French in order to make the film in its original language. Janusz Kaminsky's wonderfully mobile camera allows us to see the world as Bauby does. Images go in and out of focus as he wakes from his coma, they blur as his eyes well up with tears, and they go black as he blinks each letter of his message. The beautiful cinematography frees the film from becoming as depressing as the story sounds. 

Since we are told the story through Bauby's eyes, it comes to an end as he does. The final product is a deeply moving film that treats its subject with delicate sensitivity and still manages to find the humor amidst the pain. Though The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is not necessarily inspirational, it will make a lasting impression on the viewer. Anyone who has ever been placed in the role of watching a loved one slowly expire will find comfort in Bauby's thoughts and will find the film to be an uplifting tribute to those relatives and friends that have found ways to say goodbye even when nature or medicine says they can't. 

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was awarded Best Direction and the Technical Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and Best Direction and Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes, along with over 20 other awards. It has been nominated for four Academy Awards. 

First, rain is predicted for the ceremony, so all that red carpet glitz and glamor will take place under a giant tent. Second, plans for the ceremony have been rushed since the writer's strike ended less than two weeks ago. Third, most of the nominated films and performances were not widely released until just recently, meaning most audiences have yet to see them. And finally, the ceremony will be hosted by Jon Stewart, who bombed back in 2006. 

Until February 12th, the ceremony was up in the air. Celebrity presenters had been booked, but their attendance was contingent upon the end of the strike. Plan A was the usual gala event, but Plan B was a mix of pre-taped sequences (such as a montage of past opening speeches), live dance numbers, and anything else that could keep the ceremony from turning into a Globes-style press conference. 

Now, with the strike settled, Plan A can go on, but will it be worth watching when everyone has had only 11 days to prepare? Jon Stewart brought 10 of his writers out to California to help him prepare, and the Academy hired 4 more to write that off-the-cuff chatter between the presenters.

Many of the pre- and post-ceremony parties have been cancelled (how sad). This may be one of the most expensive ceremonies in recent history as not only did the Academy spend money on the creation of a Plan B, but the plane tickets for all of the presenters were purchased only days ago. Most of the bigger names needed more than two weeks' notice, so the ceremony won't necessarily be the star-fest it usually is. 

When Stewart hosted in 2006, only 38.9 million people tuned in, and those that did thought he crashed and burned. The next year, the ceremony was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres but still didn't break the 40 million viewer mark. 

For those of you that do tune in, three of the five songs nominated are from Enchanted, so you'll have to sit through more than just the usual one Disney song. The performance by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of "Falling Slowly" from Once should make up for that though. 

In recent years, the ceremony has drawn fewer viewers most likely because the Academy's choices are becoming more political and more predictable. 

Maybe the scramble will work in favor of the viewers. It might be fun to see how many stars show up in the same dress because of frantic stylists!

The Academy Awards will air Sunday night at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Actress Cate Blanchett and director Shekhar Kapur return to the 16th century to resurrect the Virgin Queen in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. As with most sequels, The Golden Age fails to live up to its predecessor, drowning the role that shot Cate Blanchett to stardom in melodrama and flashy naval sequences.

It is 1585 and King Philip of Spain, a Catholic, has involved all of Europe in holy wars. The only country that stands against him is England, ruled by the Protestant Queen Elizabeth. Philip hopes to restore Catholicism in England, and Mary Queen of Scots, under castle arrest in Scotland, is plotting to usurp Elizabeth's throne. 

In the midst of all of the politics, the Virgin Queen, being criticized for her lack of a husband and an heir, finds herself attracted to a man she cannot have: Sir Walter Raleigh, who brings news of the New World. The Queen instructs her favorite lady-in-waiting, Bess, to befriend Raleigh in order to keep him near. Unfortunately for the Queen, this set-up allows her to watch the two share a love she herself cannot have. 

Back on the political side, Elizabeth's advisor Sir Francis Walsingham works to solidify Elizabeth's absolute power. When he uncovers what he thinks is evidence of Mary's treason, he recommends that Elizabeth have her executed, giving Philip his reason to go to war.

Even if she hadn't already portrayed Queen Elizabeth, Cate Blanchett has no problem convincing audiences of her royalty. She is regal, ethereal, and one of very few actresses capable of wearing ruffled collars and feathered hair pieces without looking laughable. Even in her dressing gown and without her wig, Blanchett's Elizabeth is as alluring as any of her ladies-in-waiting. She is truly believable when handing down orders or riding into battle, but the role becomes overly melodramatic when she is placed opposite Clive Owen's Raleigh. 

First of all, in 1585, our beloved Elizabeth would be 52 years old. Not only does this make her attraction to Raleigh, who would have been 32 at the time, creepy and doubly inappropriate, but it leads one to believe that at age 52, her virginity and whether or not she had an heir would have been long settled. Nonetheless, the story presses on with this sappy and almost pathetic romance. At one point, she exhibits the jealousy of a high school girl as she punishes Bess for her relationship with Raleigh. At another, she practically begs Raleigh to kiss her. 

In the background, anonymous Catholic soldiers, apparently in cahoots with Mary, plot against Elizabeth. Only when Philip finally declares war do the politics come back into the spotlight. They aren't given any real depth, though, which is where the film falls short. Instead of sharp dialogue and convincing performances, Elizabeth offers banal lines about the generic Catholic vs. Protestant battle that could have been stolen from any film about the period and a battlefield speech partially stolen from Aragorn in The Return of the King. 

The special effects here dazzle, but do not set the film apart. In addition, the soundtrack drowns out the action, nearly deafening the viewer. The film as a result does not feel finished. The script is lacking and the action not compelling enough to engage the audience. The art direction is top notch, however, but doesn't compare to that of the first film, which drew its rich color scheme from director Kapur's native India. The costumes and makeup, though beautiful, more resemble a faded Renaissance painting. Cinematographer Remi Adefarasin makes use of the grand sets by sending his camera down long corridors, over balconies, or up from the floor. There are several dramatic sequences in which the camera spins around Blanchett, moving through rooms like another character and finally coming full circle on the Queen. 

As pretty as Elizabeth: The Golden Age is, it is merely a shadow of the first film. By underestimating the attention and interest of viewers, Kapur delivers a mediocre film that focuses too much on trying to make Elizabeth appear human and too little time showing what made her such a great and important Queen. 

Elizabeth: The Golden Age has been nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actress in a Leading Role and for Costumes.

I've never been that good at predicting the Oscars, but that may be because I judge films on quality and choose to ignore politics. With that, the ceremony surprises me year after year. Films thought of as a shoe-in for the Academy Awards end up trumped by some dark horse never expected to take home a little gold statuette. In recent years, Gwyneth Paltrow has won Best Actress for Shakespeare in Love over Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth, the same surprise occurring in the Best Picture category as Shakespeare overtook Saving Private Ryan, Scorcese lose again and again, and Crash win over Brokeback Mountain. 

That being said, here's what I think might happen on Sunday night:

Best Actor in a Leading Role: 

As much as I love Johnny Depp and would love to see him awarded for years and years of great roles, his Sweeney Todd's got nothing on Daniel Day-Lewis's Daniel Plainview. Day-Lewis's Plainview is director Paul Thomas Anderson's Charles Foster Kane. Frighteningly selfish and delightfully evil, the smooth-talking Plainview was this year's best role, and Daniel Day-Lewis gave a flawless performance and has already won 17 awards (including those from the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes). Plus, in the dramatic final scene of the film, Day-Lewis delivers a line that has now become a Hollywood catch-phrase. "I drink your milkshake" may become "I take your Oscar.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: 

This is another category in which equally-deserving performances may be lost in the shadow of one of the year's most talked-about films, No Country for Old Men. Though Casey Affleck's role in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was impressive and combined with his lead in Gone Baby Gone has cemented him as a true talent, the award will almost certainly go to No Country's Javier Bardem, who has already been awarded the Golden Globes. Whether or not he is the best actor out of the nominees, his bowl-cut-sporting, pressure-tank-toting, dead-eyed Anton Chigurh is the creepiest villain recent film history. 

Actress in a Leading Role: 

Cate Blanchett's much-deserved Oscar for Elizabeth went to Gwyneth Paltrow in 1999, but I don't think enough buzz was generated about her reprisal of the role in this year's Elizabeth: The Golden Age to win the award. As for Ellen Page, though Juno is the critics' darling this year, I highly doubt the indie star will win this prestigious award for the role. Page has proven that she has what it takes to ensure a long career, so the Academy probably won't award her so early. The award will mostly likely go to Julie Christie for her role in Away From Her. Christie has already won 15 awards, including the SAG award, for her performance in the film.

Actress in a Supporting Role: 

From what I've heard, Cate Blanchett's performance in I'm Not There is astounding, For the only woman to portray Dylan in the film to generate the most buzz is certainly noteworthy. Blanchett was awarded the Golden Globe. Ruby Dee has already won awards for her role in American Gangster, but I fear the role was too small to guarantee her the Oscar. Likewise, Tilda Swinton's role in Michael Clayton has quickly been forgotten. Though I would love to see Blanchett receive the award if, for nothing else, playing two so drastically different roles in one year, the Oscar will probably go to Amy Ryan. Ryan, who plays the drug-addict mother of the missing girl in Gone Baby Gone, has received 13 awards for the role thus far.

Best Director: 

As of today, I have seen all but one (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) of the nominated films. Immediately throw out Jason Reitman for Juno. Likewise, though Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton was a masterful entry into the crime thriller genre, this is not his year. Julian Schnabel took home the Golden Globe for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, but the real competition is going to be between the Coens for No Country for Old Men and Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will Be Blood. The award will most likely go to the Coen brothers. The directing team was awarded for their achievement by Director's Guild of America and will therefore most likely take home the Oscar. The DGA awards has proven to be a historically accurate predictor for the Academy Awards, having only been wrong six times since their inception in 1949. 

Best Picture: 

Again, in one corner is There Will Be Blood and in the other, No Country for Old Men. Atonement managed to pick up the Golden Globe, but the Academy Award will most likely go to one of one of the more heavily-nominated films. Though Blood is picking up steam among audiences across the country, No Country has been in wide release longer. No Country has to date taken home 75 international awards, but