Die Hard (1988) - 5/5

What can I say about this quintessential action movie? The action takes a back seat to the plot, only presenting itself when relevant. The characters are vibrant and engaging but not overbearing enough to bog down the narrative flow. It’s fun and funny without undercutting the tension, it’s believable enough to pass muster without relying on needlessly boring realism as a countermeasure. It’s a classic for a reason.

Closest comparison: It’s somewhere between Commando and John Wick.

Setting: Action
Plot: Action
Tone: Action

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - 4/5

This movie is too gruesome and (at times) sordid to be a general crowd pleaser, but for its target audience it’s a perennial favorite. The music is carefully crafted ear-worm ditties that are a delight to have stuck in your head for weeks. The sets and costuming are beautifully filthy, and the story is conveyed with heartbreakingly gorgeous aplomb. If you can stomach the bloody nature of the premise you’re in for a moving and inexplicably funny time.

Content warning: blood, sexual assault

Closest comparison: It’s like From Hell (2001) by way of Phantom of the Opera (2004).

Setting: Gothic Horror
Plot: Revenge
Tone: Tragedy Thriller