I highly recommend catching Robert Rodriguez’ adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel series Sin City. The trailer looked kind of iffy and annoying to me – lots of Jessica Alba and body dysmporphic Brittany Murphy writhing around coyote-ugly stripper style (I don’t care for either actress) - and I was expecting the film to be over-stylized and vacuous.

Based on stellar advance reviews and knowing that it would be faithful to Frank Miller’s vision, I braved the pimpley geek boy crowd and saw an afternoon showing at The Uptown. 

I haven’t had this much fun since The Incredibles  and this is due for the most part by the amazing, thoughtful art direction and excellent storytelling.  Actually, Sin City and The Incredibles have a great deal in common.

The audience, filled mostly with teenagers on Spring break, many barely 13 years old, was in silent rapture for the entirety of the screening.  Much to my relief.

Sin City is well-cast too – I could stomach Brittany and Jessica for the most part.  Benihana heiress Devon Aoki, snaggletooth James King, ultra-fine Rosario Dawson, even that weird little Gilmore Girl – the chicks all kick ass magnificantly! Bruce Willis, Benecio del Toro, Clive Owen are all great, but its Mickey Rourke who steals the show with his nuanced and compassionate performance as Marv – this could well turn his career around. 

Sure, the film is violent and maybe not for your mother but it is beautiful, clever and often poetic and has a real heart at its core. Sin City is a fully-realized, highly engaging, and exquisite production and it is the first must-see films of the warmer season.

Oh, and I appreciate that Sin City has an original score, although it is not particularily memorable or haunting (director Rodriguez composed much of it), but it kept the action running along and set the appropriate moods.  It was such a relief not to hear arbritary tie-in tracks from, say, Incubus or Marilyn Manson or, fear, Evanesance, just to sell some records while the game is going.  In many ways, Sin City is decided non-commercial.  But I'm sure its going to make a killing.