Home entertainment for couch potatoes

Sweeney Todd: The demon Barber of fleet street
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman
Any movie starring Johnny Depp is a treat, and Sweeney Todd is no exception. Depp gets so immersed in his roles that we forget that we are watching a performance. If you've seen this movie in the theatres, this 2-disc set gives you a chance to linger over the dark close-ups of 19th century London and savour the acting.

The special features disc makes the experience more enjoyable. In Burton + Bonham + Depp, we see how director Tim Burton went about adapting Stephen Sondheim's stage musical for the big screen. All the actors were committed to singing their parts and the score was recorded before shooting began.

In Sweeney is Alive: The Real History of the Demon Barber, several experts examine the myth and legend behind the barber who is supposed to have opened shop at 186 Fleet Street in 1785. Legend has it that the he killed 160 unsuspecting customers. We also get a history of throat-slitting barbers and other serial killers. For those who haven't seen the movie, barber Benjamin Barker (Depp) is sent to prison in Australia after Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) covets his wife. Years later when he returns to London, he hears that his wife is dead and his daughter, now a teenager, is the ward of the evil judge.

Assisted by Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) who makes delicious savoury pies, Barker takes on a new identity as Todd and hatches a plan to do away with the judge.

Rating: 18

Shaun the sheep
This a selection from several BBC animation episodes featuring Shaun, a rebellious sheep who leads his flock into all sorts of scrapes and scraps. As they create mayhem in the meadow, sheepdog Bitzer has the tough task of stopping the farmer from finding what the sheep have been up to.

The disc has eight adventures which unfold every morning. In Bathtime, the sheep manage to get a hotwater bath. In Shape Up With Shaun, the flock helps a fat sheep Shirley get into shape. In Takeaway, we see the sheep satisfy their desire for pizza. In Still Life the farmer takes up oil painting, but the sheep end up doing a better job. In Little Sheep Of Horrors, intrigued by a horror film on TV, Timmy wanders into the farmer's house, and Shaun's rescue mission goes awry. In The Kite, a kite blows into the field, but gets stuck in a tree and it's up to Shaun to get it down.

Even though the plots of the episodes are very simple, you may find yourself laughing with the kids. By the way, Shaun is a regular show on e-junior.

Rating: 3