I Am Legend and Sweeney Todd

It's been a few weeks now since I have seen these movies, but they deserve reviews. My opinion of a movie changes over the course of a couple weeks, perhaps it is that I've had time to process all the information, maybe it's that the initial emotional response fades. Or the other things (life, discussions, tv, movies) have taken up space in my mind and imagination, therefore nudging any positvie response to the films out of memory. First I'll start with the most recent of the two films, "Sweeney Todd". As time has passed I think I remember the trailer for this film better than the film itself. Unfortunately the trailer contained all the best moments of the film, almost making the film unnecassary. I believe that this happens way too often. I think there should be an Academy Award for best trailer editing. Maybe it's my fault that I buy into a great trailer, hoping the film will match. Almost always the best films have trailers that are so vague, only hinting at the film itself, whereas a trailer that itself is great is a sign that someone compiled all the best stuff into one minute hoping it will be enough to get you to buy a ticket. Don't get me wrong, "Sweeney Todd" was what the trailer advertised it to be, but nothing more.

"I Am Legend" was better than the trailer let on. The reason it was better, and the reason it will stick in my memory is because of Bob Marley. Will Smith's character loves Bob Marley and his music. This may seem like a strange reason to like a movie, but for me it made Smith's character real. In the midst of life alone, fighting for survival, dealing with loss and searching for hope, Smith held on to his humanity with his passion for music. Some special effects were alright. The acting was good. The story was what it was. There was an effectively scary scene in a wherehouse. But what will lead me to have good memories of this film was Marley.

Batman Trailer

I just recently saw "I Am Legend", but before the movie started, they showed a preview that I just had to talk about. Soon I'll get to the "Legend" review, but this is what's on my mind now: The new Batman trailer is more than worth the price of admission. I hesitate to say too much, but let's just say that any aprehension I had about Heath Ledger has been washed away. Jack Nicholson's portrayal of the Joker speaks for itself, and I believe it will stand the test of time. At the same time his performance and that movie only scratched the surface of the Batman and Joker rivalry. Burton explained the situation in relatively simple terms, Batman as tromented orphan searching for revenge, Joker as a twisted killer, hungry for fame and power. What made the film great was Nicholson's Joker, its dark comic storyline, it's tounge-in-cheek humor and of course the beautiful visual style. Christopher Nolan is digging deeper into the mind of Bruce Wayne, and hopefully his approach to Joker will be on par. If the feel of the newest trailer along with Nolan's track record can give us a glimpse into what is coming, then I truly believe that "The Dark Knight" is going to be the film to see this coming Summer.