As Far As You Know

After my usual fall drought on the movie-watching front--things are just too busy at school between Labor Day and Thanksgiving for me to get to the cinema more than once or twice, it seems--I actually saw two flicks today.

First up was Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd. This was the sort of movie I found easier to admire than like. It was clearly an accomplishment in film-making, but I've never really taken to Stephen Sondheim's work (fellow Williams alum that he is) and this was a pretty grisly, downbeat movie for the holiday season. I'm surprised it's being marketed almost as a horror film when it is really a musical with a strong streak of black comedy.

Then in the evening, I saw National Treasure: Book Of Secrets. This features the sort of subject matter that is right up my alley: historical artifacts, a globe-trotting race to solve a puzzle, etc. Benjamin Franklin Gates is sort of a low-budget Indiana Jones. But when I look forward to a movie too much, I am bound to be disappointed. I actually watched the first National Treasure DVD last night and this morning in preparation, and this sequel was disappointing in contrast (though I enjoy seeing Helen Mirren in just about anything). If you go in expecting this movie to be mediocre, you'll probably enjoy it more.