Reel Critics

Wild, creepy ride

Lisa Potts of Glendale is an executive secretary.

New York -- 1799 -- the dawning of a new century. In the not-so-quaint

town of Sleepy Hollow, human heads are being mysteriously lopped off by a

headless horseman. Constable Icabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is commissioned

to visit the town to get to the bottom of these horrific decapitations,

and so begins the dark and haunting story of “Sleepy Hollow.”

Directed by gadget and gore meister, Tim Burton, “Sleepy Hollow” is

richly atmospheric and wildly sinister, with the sets and scenery in

lovely muted colors, which is the best part of this film. The film is

adapted from the story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” by Washington

Irving. More heads roll than I care to mention, with large amounts of

blood spurting constantly and continually on almost every character. The

Headless Horseman is harder to down than Godzilla or the Terminator ever

were. All in all, it is a wild, creepy ride, classic Burton story

telling, with wit and clever diaglogue, but probably not for the

squeamish or faint of heart.

Strong on all levels

Dean Briggs of Glendale is an actor.

Director Tim Burton gives us a wonderfully rich visual style in

“Sleepy Hollow.” His dark humor is very welcome and his choice of actors

also benefits the movie. Just check out who plays the Headless Horseman.

Johnny Depp leads a good cast in a film that is strong on all levels.

The film isn’t without a few problems. The flashbacks of Johnny Depp, as

a young Ichabod Crane, and his mother need embellishment and clarity and

Christina Ricci is underused.

That nitpicking aside, however, this is a very good movie. The “R”

rating is for graphic violence and gore.

Bond movie has all the right moves

A winner in Bond tradition

Florence Ricchiazzi of Glendale and is a administrative assistant at

Glendale Community College.

Another James Bond adventure and the stories are still going strong. A

wealthy friend of M’s is killed; Bond is asked to keep the man’s daughter

safe; except Bond smells something funny and realizes that the daughter

is responsible for her father’s death and is calling all the shots with

the bad guys.

Bond, the man with the best toys in the world, and still the best

stunts ever screened, ends all the bloodshed as only Bond can -- shooting

out of a submarine missile silo. This one moves very quickly and is very

engaging. A definite winner in the tradition of 007.

Brosnan has gift to play 007

Mike Arvizu of La Crescenta is a student at Glendale Community College

and sound designer for the Glendale Theater Guild.

Pierce Brosnan took the big screen by storm this weekend with his

excellent portrayal of 007. Brosnan is among the few fine actors who have

the gift to portray 007 in a film that grossed more than $37 million for

its opening weekend. Three things make a classic James Bond film: clever

gadgets and... women. This film saw no absence of these. Between chases,

machine-gun fire, buildings blowing up, and well... women, there is a

plot that is sometimes difficult to follow. Though we sometimes know what

is going on, we get the feeling that there is more to the story than

meets the eye.

A sort of never-ending cleverness is apparent throughout, which makes

this a plus for Bond fans. An edge-of-the-seat thriller that never ends

to amaze you with its spectacular camera shots and special effects, this

Bond film will make your heart pound.