Best Movie of 2007. That's what Roger Friedman of foxnews.com is calling the Tim Burton–directed Sweeney Todd "... without a doubt." He's a longtime fan of the musical and has been a fan of the film from his first look at a critics screening. After last night's premiere, he can confirm that "Everything about it is just perfect ... There were a thousand wrong turns Burton and crew could have taken, but somehow they avoided them. They condensed a complicated three-hour show into a highly entertaining two hours without missing a beat."

And with Oscar buzz still whirling about, Friedman contends that Sweeney is "the only 'big' picture that is also a work of art. Academy voters should eat it up, pun intended." Already having given props to Johnny Depp for his all-out performance in the title role, he takes this opportunity to give credit to Depp's co-stars Helena Bonham Carter—"a delight as Mrs. Lovett ... acerbic, sarcastic, sexy, and she can sing."—and Sacha Baron Cohen, "who sheds his Borat/Ali G persona and literally steals the movie."

Friedman's not the only one to have fallen for the film version of Sweeney. Stephen Sondheim is so pleased with the adaptation of his 1979 musical, reports Friedman, that he's screened it for the stars of its original Broadway cast, Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury, and, from the 2005 revival recorded by Nonesuch, Patti LuPone. All were pleased. LuPone's co-star, Michael Cerveris, was at last night's premiere and had kind words as well.

For more from Friedman's report on last night's premiere, click here. There are links to early reviews from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Screen International at the Variety blog Thompson on Hollywood at weblogs.variety.com.