What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

Gilbert Grape, (Johnny Depp) lives in Andora with his mum, his brother Arnie, (a young Leonardo DiCaprio) and two sisters.  Momma Grape is morbidly obese and she cannot leave her house.  Arnie is mentally challenged and the whole family have to look after Momma and make sure that her meals are ready and they collectively look after Arnie who is hopefully going to make his 18th birthday soon.  The story brings us into the bosom of the Grape family and lets us know how Gilbert is feeling in particular.  The interesting thing about this film is that you bond with the characters, Arnie becomes lovable, you feel sorry for Momma and you care about them all.  There is no over-acting and the pace is slow but careful and I just sat back and enjoyed every minute like a fly on the wall docu-soap.  Pure joy.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape IMDB

Trailer

Rating 7.8/10

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Sweeney Todd

A musical based on the story of Sweeney Todd who lives at No. 186 Fleet Street next door to Mrs Lovett’s Meat Pie Shop in Old London Town.  Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd) lands up in London after being sent abroad on Her Majesty’s pleasure to find himself back in his old haunts where (Helena Bonham Carter) Mrs Lovett is busy making the “worst pies in London”.  So Sweeney Todd has a score to settle and his wife and daughter to locate.  Unfortunately he is little too quick to seek his revenge and kills a couple of people along the way but cunningly Mrs Lovett has a very good idea about how to get rid of the bodies.

The songs were not memorable as in the likes of Gilbert and Sullivan, but the verses told the story and became part of the script really.  Very gory and gruesome with dark scenes and I mean dark – you will reach for the remote and wonder why it is so dark but remember itis a Tim Burton film and this is to be expected!  Alan Rickman star and Timothy Spall.

IMDB Sweeney Todd

Trailer

Rating: 7.3/10

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The Tourist

Johnny Depp is the tourist, an American mathematics teacher who travels.  Angelina Jolie is a spy who has instructions to find a person who can impersonate her partner.  She finds Johnny Depp on a train, there is a romantic link and he ends up in a hotel by himself and more than desperate to find her again.   Depp manages to get himself embroiled in her business as the lookalike and saves the day.   Jolie  burns her instructions and the burnt fragments are found and stuck back together again – brought back from the ashes with ointment (honestly) just trying to be too be clever, especially at the ending which did not complement rest of film.  Was silly and funny at times, but lacked engagement.

IMDB The Tourist

Trailer

Rating 5.3/10

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