"Les Misérables (2012)" Movie Review

"Les Misérables" movie poster.

"Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, 'Les Misérables' travels with prisoner-on-parole, 24601, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), as he runs from the ruthless Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) on a journey beyond the barricades, at the center of the June Rebellion. Meanwhile, the life of a working class girl (Anne Hathaway) with a child is at a turning point when she turns to prostitution to pay money to the evil innkeeper and his wife (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter) who look after her child, Cosette (Isabelle Allen). Valjean promise to take care of the child, eventually leads to a love triangle between Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), Marius (Eddie Redmayne) who is a student of the rebellion, and Eponine (Samantha Barks), a girl of the streets. The people sing of their anger and Enjolras (Aaron Tveit) leads the students to fight upon the barricades." Written by JBW (Source below.)

Anne Hathaway (being carried) and Hugh Jackman.

Directed by Tom Hooper ("The King's Speech", "John Adams" TV Mini-Series, "Elizabeth I" TV Mini-Series) and based on the original stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boubil, Jean-Marc Natel, and Herbert Kretzmer. The screenplay was written by William Nicholson ("Elizabeth: The Golden Age", "Gladiator", "First Knight") with additional text written by James Fenton.

Russell Crowe.

In the starring role is Hugh Jackman ("The Prestige", "X-Men"). He does an excellent job and I don't think he's getting enough accolades for it. Opposite him is Russell Crowe ("Gladiator", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"), who, though not a singer, holds his own. He wasn't terrible and I think he acted the part rather well. For the record, Javert is my favorite character out of the whole musical. Anne Hathaway ("The Devil Wears Prada", "The Dark Knight Rises") isn't in it for very long, but she is brilliant and will probably win supporting actress come Oscar time.  Though her vibrato bothered me a bit, Amanda Seyfried ("Mean Girls", "Mamma Mia") was also very good. Her character doesn't have too much depth to her so in consideration of that she did well. 

Amanda Seyfried (L)
and Eddie Redmayne.

Sacha Baron Cohen ("Hugo", "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street") and Helena Bonham Carter ("Alice in Wonderful", "The King's Speech"), even though they tried really hard to be funny, it just didn't work for me. Cohen was the only one with a French accent and it was a bad French accent. They were okay, Carter could've sung her parts louder, but her acting was good. Eddie Redmayne ("Black Death", "My Week With Marilyn") was good, but his face shook every time he sung a long note out and that was a bit distracting. Aaron Tveit ("Ghost Town", "Howl", "Premium Rush") was cute and had a great voice, but in comparison to the Enjolras I saw on Broadway (in about 2009) really got me gung-ho about the revolution. Tveit was adorable, but I didn't fall in love with him like I did the one onstage. 

Samantha Barks.

Samantha Barks ("Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary") is basically known for being an amazing Eponine onstage so I think she suffers from the same thing that Jackman is going through right now: because everyone knows that she's a great stage actress, she's not getting the praise that is due her way. Daniel Huttlestone was wonderful as Gavroche. He has an excellent voice and was oftentimes singing rings around the other actors in the scene. And Colm Wilkinson ("The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall") was the Bishop that shows Jean Valjean some kindness and helps him to become a better man. He wasn't in it very long but he does an excellent job with his part as well.

"Les Misérables"
movie poster.

The makeup, or rather lack thereof, was brilliant. Everything was done very realistically. You saw how dirty, disgusting and sick everyone was. Also, everything seemed historically accurate which is something that can't always be shown in a musical stage production. The clothes were very good. I still don't think it's going to win "Best Picture" though. Because of the way they filmed everything, they had to keep very close to the actors. The actors were really singing while they were being filmed. This is what people actually sound like when they sing. 

Russell Crowe.

I had to watch this musical two times before I could write a review (damn people!). If you know the musical, you will notice that they cut some parts out and put some parts in. Most of it doesn't matter to the overall movie. I really liked how they humanized Javert. This wasn't something that could be done onstage. He was obviously changed by the end of the movie.

Also, Lisa Schwarzbaum: who the hell watches a movie musical when they don't even like musicals?!

I would like to read the book one day. I read an abridged version in high school some years ago, but the only part I remember is when Eponine is helping some old guy water his flowers while spouting off revolutionary, political jargon. 

Also, this review, featuring Sourcefed's Meg and Trisha:

Sources: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/plotsummary and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/fullcredits#cast.

"The Dark Knight Rises" Movie Review

"The Dark Knight Rises" movie poster.

REVISED: Even after all of the blogs I've read that question every detail of the movie, I'm going to stick to my guns for my rating and my review. I know a lot of people were disappointed in the movie because it got some details from the comic book series wrong or were completely disregarded, but I'm rating it just as a movie. I know that there are some logical mistakes involved with that too, but I think the movie would be an hour longer if Mr. Nolan tried to fix all of them. I know some people want perfection, I just want to be entertained. If I want to learn something or get something that is close to the original, I won't be watching a Batman movie for it. All in all, this series is still one of the best around and beats all of the other Batman movies that have been made.

Read the script here: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/NerdyGeek/news/?a=65006.

"Despite his tarnished reputation after the events of The Dark Knight, in which he took the rap for Harvey Dent's crimes, Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) feels compelled to intervene to assist the city and its police force which is struggling to cope with Bane's (Tom Hardy) plans to destroy the city." Written by WellardRockard (Link below.)

Christian Bale (L) and
Anne Hathaway.

The last installment of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" trilogy is out! Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Gary Oldman, andChristian Bale return for the conclusive movie. There are also new faces for this film finale:Anne Hathaway as Catwoman/Selina Kyle, Tom Hardy as Bane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Officer John Blake, and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate (I had no idea she was in this movie!). Even Liam Neeson makes an appearance.

Tom Hardy as Bane.

Everyone did a fantastic job. The special effects were very good. The costumes were amazing. Contrary to some people's loud, I thought Ms. Hathaway was very sexy and alluring as Catwoman. Sometimes I couldn't understand what Bane was saying, but you get the general gist of what he is trying to say.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as
Officer John Blake.

Favorite Lines:

Ra's al Ghul: If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal... you become something else entirely. A legend, Mr. Wayne, a legend! 

Jim Gordon: [lying in a hospital bed] We were in this together, and then you were gone. Now this evil... rises. The Batman has to come back. 

Bruce Wayne: What if he doesn't exist any more? 

Jim Gordon: He must... he must... 

Christian Bale (L)
and Michael Caine.

CIA Agent: Who paid you to grab Dr. Pavel? 

[No answer, gun is shot away from the prisoner's head] 

CIA Agent: He didn't fly so good! 

[Pulls guy back in to plane] 

CIA Agent: Who wants to try next? 

[with another prisoner] 

CIA Agent: Tell me about Bane! Why does he wear the mask? A lot of loyalty for a hired gun! 

Bane: [still with black hood on] Or perhaps he's wondering why someone would shoot a man before throwing him out of a plane? 

CIA Agent: At least you can talk! Who are you? 

Bane: It doesn't matter who we are... what matters is our plan. No one cared who I was until I put on the mask. 

CIA Agent: [Pulls hood off to reveal Bane] If I pull that off, will you die? 

Bane: It would be extremely painful... 

CIA Agent: You're a big guy. 

Bane: ...for you. 

Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.

Bane: When Gotham is ashes, you have my permission to die. 

Doctor: I've seen worse cartilage in knees. 

Bruce Wayne: It's good. 

Doctor: No, that's because there is no cartilage in your knee. Scar tissue on your kidneys. Concussive damage to your brain tissue. I can not recommend that you go heliskiing. 

Batman: No guns, no killing. 

Catwoman: Where's the fun in that? 

Crowd: [chanting] Deh-Shay, Deh-Shay, Bah Sah Rah. Bah Sah Rah. 

Bruce Wayne: What does that mean? 

Prisoner: "Rise."

In light of the shooting in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater, Warner Brothers Studio has kept promotion on the film at a minimum and has not released the box office numbers for how well the film is or is not doing. I feel this shows tact and politeness on the part of the movie studio, because this horrible situation wasn't their fault. I am not sure what else to say about this situation because it is so far beyond my conception of what can happen at a movie theater that I am speechless. However, I would like to say that I wish all of the survivors well and that my heart goes out to the people who lost friends and family.

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1345836/plotsummary.