BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

beresfordjd I caught this one Christmas, many years ago, on BBC TV buried away at about 10 a.m. in the schedule. It entranced me right away and I made a point of searching out the eventual release of the DVD. Everyone in the production was marvellous and brought their characters to life. There is a great deal of marvellous humour and pathos throughout the show which the songs portray wonderfully. Sondheim's musical/lyrical genius runs throughout and I don't think could be bettered. I only hope that the new movie can live up to it. Bernadette Peters' witch is a hard act to follow and naturally I guess the film must be shorter than the stage production, which will affect it adversely. I remain open to be amazed - Rob Marshall's Chicago was a treat so I am hoping for a good experience when I see the movie. I update this review to mention the film - the film is a very different prospect- still hugely enjoyable but lots of great songs are missing from Rob Marshall's realisation of the play. I prefer the Broadway production and while the cast in the film are excellent they have a lot to live up to.

OllieSuave-007 This is a movie episode of a TV series called American Playhouse, where the famous play "Into the Woods" is showcased. It is a fun, dark twist to various fairy tales combined where a childless baker and his wife cannot have a child until they follow the orders of their next-door neighbor, the Witch, to obtain a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a slipper as pure as gold. This brings together famous fairytale characters like Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Cinderella into the mix to help.This TV episode version I saw was a recorded stage play, but it was well acted out with neat special visual and sound effects, especially in the Giant's footsteps and the Witch's magic spells. It is captivating to see famous scenes from each fairytale blend in together throughout the main course of events of the baker and his wife searching for the Witch's items, such as the Baker's wife running into Cinderella into the woods, who happened to trip down some steps and looses her slipper, and the Witch (who is actually Rapunzel's mother) casting a spell on Rapunzel's prince. And, this all leads to a thrilling sequence when the character must deal with the Giant from the Jack and the Beanstalk tale.This play also take a more dramatic and in depth look at each character, including the agony of the Princes finding love to the aftermath after Cinderella marries her prince. It's brilliantly played out and the plot gives a reality check that not all stories end in happily ever after - or at least not without some sacrifices and courage.It's a great play for the audience, but not 100 percent innocent for children; therefore, it's best to have some parental guidance for the kids if or when they watch it.Grade A

James N. O'Sullivan I watched this play on Netflix the other night, having never seen or heard it before. I was stunned. Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS is a piece of musical theatre that the world needed. It's a fun, kid-friendly (for the most part), musically rich fairy tale. Bernadette Peters absolutely shines as the Witch, and Chip Zien is perfect for the Baker. The music is the star of the show, though. The music by Sondheim is genius (as is the Sondheim norm). I highly recommend this movie. It's a fun, flighty musical the whold family can enjoy. Only some slight sexual elements mar this otherwise- friendly film.

bradjanet After the almost triumph of the recent "Sweeney Todd" movie, I sat down to have another look at "Into The Woods', which I saw on Broadway the night it was recorded for video, and the bad news is, it's not wearing well, (hisses from the Sondheim fanatics, of which I am usually one).It is now my opinion that there are several problems with the work as presented on DVD.The first is that I find Bernadette Peters handling of the role of the witch grossly overplayed and mannered. Having seen both this and Australian cabaret performer Judi Connelli's playing of the role, I found the latter's more subtle playing of the role infinitely preferable, (and indeed the Sydney production with its more inventive and imaginative sets and costumes, as well as the performances, was much better).The production and performances are not, however, the main problem however ... I think it is the piece itself. There is a boffo start to the first act and the moments leading up to the finale are very moving, first-rate Sondheim, but boy does this show get bogged-down in the middle, and especially in the last act. Dark, dreary and depressing with quite a few moments when the cleverness of the lyrics draws attention to itself, and not in a good way like in "Sweeney" but in a way that reminds me of what some great writer or other once said ..."whenever you write a passage that you tell yourself is especially fine, strike it out!" ... this would avoid lines like "When the end is right, it justifies the beans!" and other infelicities.Now I have voiced such misgivings about the second act previously, only to be shouted down by the Sondheimites that I don't understand, that I miss the point, that the second act is meant to be dark and gloomy because it is the other side of the fairy-tale ...but I DO understand ... what I object to is that it the central section is musically monotonous, the production is dreary to look at, the book is simplistic and sentimental, (a Sondheim anathema) and ultimately, boring. Great moments like the Princes' "Agony" duet don't quite make up for the gloom.I admit that I have enjoyed much in this show in the past, (partly the anticipated excitement of seeing a Sondheim musical), especially the innovative Sydney production rather than the rather dull vision presented on the DVD ... but for me, it doesn't stand up to repeated viewings, whereas I could watch any version of "Sweeney Todd" or "Follies in Concert" many times with out any diminishing enjoyment. I still love Sondheim, but not unconditionally.