Er … I mean Sweeney Todd, of course, which I’m happy to report gets two thumbs up from this critic’s corner. I’ve been a fan of this unique work of musical theater since introduced to it by my drama teacher back in high school (so, for those of you keeping track, that’s in excess of twenty years), and I was utterly delighted with Tim Burton’s envisioning of Stephen Sondheim’s work. There are a few subtle changes — most notable is the elimination of all the chorus bits — but nothing that doesn’t make sense for the change in medium, and nothing that is too jarring to someone as familiar with the original score as I am. Johnny Depp’s performance is just mesmerizing, and I liked Helena Bonham Carter’s Mrs. Lovett (though I must confess I still favor Angela Lansbury’s rendition in the original). My favorite moment was the duet “Pretty Women” by Depp and Alan Rickman — it’s such a treat to see two favorite actors doing something in a movie that they don’t normally get to do, and doing it so well.

I like that there are more great musicals making it to the silver screen — it’s so much better than movies being made into musicals, don’t you think? I hope it’s a trend that continues.

It’s New Year’s Eve, and I’ve been thinking about the traditional “Year in Review” or “I Resolve…” type of post, but I’m not sure if I’ll get to it. It’s been a long, tiring month, with the usual holiday business complicated by weeks of illness and heavy deadlines at work, and I’m just finally starting to get my energy level up to where I feel I can accomplish stuff — and I’d rather do the stuff I’ve been putting off for weeks instead of blogging. I’ll just leave it to say that instead of the usual “resolutions” or “goals” I’m trying to focus on creating a list of priorities for the coming year, those areas in my life on which I most want to (or need to) focus my attention. I’ll spend time tonight and tomorrow deciding what those priorities are going to be, and how I’m going to keep on track.

At the moment, however, my priority is lunch!

It has been crazy busy the last few weeks, what with Christmas coming and production deadlines for two publications coming up fast (er, that would be today, actually, thank goodness). To top everything off, the better part of a week was lost by first Anna and then myself and my mother getting sick (the less said, the better). However, it is not too busy to come up for a moment’s air and show off the newest product of all my paid labor, which is due on newsstands January 1st.

I love this publication, I really do. I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t appreciate this collection of words and pictures, and I’m not just saying that to secure my job. There’s something really special about getting to shepherd this kind of beauty into the world.

It’s only a shame that you can’t read the words that go with these pictures; for that you’ll have to go find a copy for yourself. You can see more samples by clicking on the cover picture above. I’d say more, but I don’t want to sound like a commercial — I just want to show off my work.

Go on…go look!