Sacha Baron Cohen, Will Ferrell Reunite for Sherlock Holmes

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros, Adaptation, Mystery, Comedy, Books, Casting, Upcoming Releases

For his next production, Judd Apatow has once again reached into his bag of funny men to decide on casting. This time around, Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen - rivals in 2006’s Talledega Nights - will be working as a team on a comedy about Sherlock Holmes.

In the currently-untitled project, the Borat star will play the famous literary detective. Meanwhile, Ferrell will take on the role of Watson, his crime-solving assistant. The movie will be penned by Etan Cohen (Tropic Thunder) for Columbia Pictures. No director has so far been assigned.

Although a target date hasn’t yet been determined, Apatow’s film could face comparisons to another upcoming project. Warner Bros. has plans for its own adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books; that version will be helmed by RocknRolla‘s Guy Ritchie.

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Review: ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’

Posted by David Onda Categories: DreamWorks, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Classics, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Period, Thrillers, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews

I just got back from the midnight showing of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Previously, I had seen the original Broadway cast perform this show via video cassette tape in my “History of Theater” class. I also saw a very stripped down version of the show performed by a national touring cast without sets or costumes. This film was every bit as good visually, musically and narratively as either one of those shows. For those of you who are unaware of the plot, let me catch you up.

Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) is a happily married man with a beautiful yellow-haired wife and a bouncing bay girl living in ye olde London. A man by the name of Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) takes a liking to Barker’s wife and frames him for a crime which he is convicted and exiled for. Upon Barker’s return to London years later, he finds that his wife is dead and his little girl is being held hostage by the evil Turpin. Hell bent on revenge, and now going by the name Sweeney Todd, Barker takes up residence above Mrs. Lovett’s (Helena Bonham Carter) Meat Pie shop. There, the trained barber kills his customers in hopes that one day it will be the Judge’s turn for a shave.

Oh yeah, and the bodies get baked into the pies.

Click to continue reading Review: ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’

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In Theaters This Weekend (12/21)

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases

Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:

• Charlie Wilson’s War (R):  starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman (directed by Mike Nichols)
• National Treasure: Book of Secrets (PG):  starring Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren (directed by Jon Turteltaub)
• P.S. I Love You (PG-13):  starring Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow (directed by Richard LaGravanese)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (R):  starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen (directed by Tim Burton)
• Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (R):  starring John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig (directed by Jake Kasdan)
• Steep* (PG):  starring Ingrid Backstrom, Doug Coombs, Shane McConkey (directed by Mark Obenhaus)

*limited and/or gradual release

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