Hey! I just added a new page to my blog--"About Me: Not-So Frequently Asked Questions," and I would LOVE it if you could ask a couple of questions! I added a few standard Q&As, but it would be great if you could ask me some of your own! Thanks!
~Hermione
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Les Miserables Movie Review
I have just returned from my second viewing of Les Miserables, my favorite musical of all time.
Wow.
It was amazing. The cast, songs, sets, costumes, camera shots, props--everything. I loved it. It went above and beyond my expectations. I was skeptical at first, but after watching all of the trailers I assumed my star rating would be around a 3.8.
I was wrong.
Not only did I cry for a significantly large portion of the 2 hours and thirty-seven minutes, I also felt so...uplifted at the end. Since it's really not enough just to review the overall movie, I'm going to give the individual cast members a review.
Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean): Spectacular. He had worked hard on the acting as anyone could tell. He was able to have that completely sunken look--achieved by going without water for 36 hours!!!--that fit Valjean as a prisoner. I understand this was supposed to be about acting, but I wish he had tried a little harder with the vocals--mainly on "Bring Him Home". I wasn't as moved by that song as I have been with other Valjeans.
Anne Hathaway (Fantine): Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Her acting was just...wow. And her singing brought so many emotions. I have no doubt in my mind that there wasn't a better choice for Fantine.
Eddie Redmayne (Marius): This was a job very well done. He did his role remarkably well--and even sort of looked the part! Of course, I'm always kind of mad at Marius...ignoring Eponine like that! How dare he!
Colm Wilkinson (Bishop): Yes, he was a small part, but I feel he deserved a mention. For those of you who don't know, Colm Wilkinson was the original Jean Valjean. And, although he was a small part, I felt very moved by his performance. And especially when they brought him in at the end...wow.
Amanda Seyfried (Cosette): She was good. Her acting was great, but when she sang, although she had a nice voice, she tended to trill a bit too much.
Samantha Barks (Eponine): Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous. Acting: brilliant. Left me bawling. Singing: Spectacular. She just...amazing. Truly amazing.
Russell Crowe (Javert): I left this one for last, because I have some very big thoughts on this. Okay, so in every review I have read, they hated Russell Crowe. No one had a kind word to spare. One particularly nasty review asked him why he was "trying to sing through a mouth full of Wonder Bread".
Now my thoughts:
This man, Russell Crowe, was................................................................................... PHENOMENAL. The best Javert I have ever seen, and I have seen many. When he sang "Stars", I was so moved...I don't know where to begin. I'll admit it; I didn't really think he could do it. Javert is a harder part to play than you'd think. But, boy, he DID IT. He expressed Javert's emotions perfectly, and left me in tears. But there's a particular scene...
...a scene that just so happens to be my favorite before the movie came out...
...that was...
Amazing.
Spectacular.
Brilliant.
Phenomenal.
Awe-inspiring.
Wonderul.
Terrific.
Tremendous.
Fantastic.
Marvelous.
Extraordinary.
Magnificent.
Outstanding.
And none of these are even close to describing just how good it was.
My favorite scene is (spoiler alert!) "Javert's Suicide." It was just...it was....I felt...I still can't think of the right word. I know Russell Crowe will never read this, but if he were to, I would tell him this: Don't listen to the critics. Ignore the hate. You, sir, moved me in such a way that was unbelievable. Your performance changed me. Thank you.
Was that corny? Well,if it was it doesn't matter, because I meant every word.
I'm sorry, but I must leave and go rethink my whole life.
See ya!
Hermione
Wow.
It was amazing. The cast, songs, sets, costumes, camera shots, props--everything. I loved it. It went above and beyond my expectations. I was skeptical at first, but after watching all of the trailers I assumed my star rating would be around a 3.8.
I was wrong.
Not only did I cry for a significantly large portion of the 2 hours and thirty-seven minutes, I also felt so...uplifted at the end. Since it's really not enough just to review the overall movie, I'm going to give the individual cast members a review.
Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean): Spectacular. He had worked hard on the acting as anyone could tell. He was able to have that completely sunken look--achieved by going without water for 36 hours!!!--that fit Valjean as a prisoner. I understand this was supposed to be about acting, but I wish he had tried a little harder with the vocals--mainly on "Bring Him Home". I wasn't as moved by that song as I have been with other Valjeans.
Anne Hathaway (Fantine): Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Her acting was just...wow. And her singing brought so many emotions. I have no doubt in my mind that there wasn't a better choice for Fantine.
Eddie Redmayne (Marius): This was a job very well done. He did his role remarkably well--and even sort of looked the part! Of course, I'm always kind of mad at Marius...ignoring Eponine like that! How dare he!
Colm Wilkinson (Bishop): Yes, he was a small part, but I feel he deserved a mention. For those of you who don't know, Colm Wilkinson was the original Jean Valjean. And, although he was a small part, I felt very moved by his performance. And especially when they brought him in at the end...wow.
Amanda Seyfried (Cosette): She was good. Her acting was great, but when she sang, although she had a nice voice, she tended to trill a bit too much.
Samantha Barks (Eponine): Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous. Acting: brilliant. Left me bawling. Singing: Spectacular. She just...amazing. Truly amazing.
Russell Crowe (Javert): I left this one for last, because I have some very big thoughts on this. Okay, so in every review I have read, they hated Russell Crowe. No one had a kind word to spare. One particularly nasty review asked him why he was "trying to sing through a mouth full of Wonder Bread".
Now my thoughts:
This man, Russell Crowe, was................................................................................... PHENOMENAL. The best Javert I have ever seen, and I have seen many. When he sang "Stars", I was so moved...I don't know where to begin. I'll admit it; I didn't really think he could do it. Javert is a harder part to play than you'd think. But, boy, he DID IT. He expressed Javert's emotions perfectly, and left me in tears. But there's a particular scene...
...a scene that just so happens to be my favorite before the movie came out...
...that was...
Amazing.
Spectacular.
Brilliant.
Phenomenal.
Awe-inspiring.
Wonderul.
Terrific.
Tremendous.
Fantastic.
Marvelous.
Extraordinary.
Magnificent.
Outstanding.
And none of these are even close to describing just how good it was.
My favorite scene is (spoiler alert!) "Javert's Suicide." It was just...it was....I felt...I still can't think of the right word. I know Russell Crowe will never read this, but if he were to, I would tell him this: Don't listen to the critics. Ignore the hate. You, sir, moved me in such a way that was unbelievable. Your performance changed me. Thank you.
Was that corny? Well,if it was it doesn't matter, because I meant every word.
I'm sorry, but I must leave and go rethink my whole life.
See ya!
Hermione
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