My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8…I think…see my review below. Genre: Life Primary actors: Russell
Crowe (the reason I watched it) and who else matters?! Length: Just over
two hours Based on: I think
there’s a book? At any rate, the main character was a real guy. Way back when. Time period: 1950s,
I believe Rating: PG-13 Year it came out: 2001 My overall opinion: I
didn’t really like this one and was gonna go for a lower rating, but then I
remembered – I didn’t dislike it. And despite these slight misgivings, it kept
me watching for the whole movie. Time flew. The plot is intricate, but not hard
to understand. You will empathize with this guy! It’s an amazing story. I can’t
say much, because you’ll be more interested if you don’t know what’s going on
(same as me), but this movie – watch it. It’s worth a view. Seeing Russell
Crowe here was a delight! Recommended for fans of his. Anyone looking for a
unique drama – try this!
Primary actors: Russell
Crowe (who was about 49% of the reason I wanted to watch this), Cate Blanchett
(who was the other 49%...and the remaining 2% was because it was Robin Hood),
Matthew Macfadyen, William Hurt
Length: Almost 2
½ hours
Based on: The
classic story of Robin Hood
Time period: 1200s
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2010
My overall opinion: This
was a good movie, y’all, and I was excited to watch it – and once I started,
excited to finish it (as in, it was something I anticipated watching). Be
advised, first of all, that there are some reasons for the PG-13 rating, so
look that up before watching this. However, if you do decide to watch it, I
think you’ll really enjoy it! I really liked Russell Crowe as Robin Hood and
he’s definitely one of my favorite actors just now. Seriously. Then there was
Cate Blanchett, who has a really striking way about her – I liked her as
Galadriel, and she was good here too. But yeah. If you can get past the things
it’s rated PG-13 for, this is a really great movie.
Series or set: Are
there gonna be more superhero Superman movies, y’all?
Primary actors: Amy
Adams, Russell Crowe, Henry Cavill
Length: Two hours
and a bit
Based on: The old
comics and movies, I suppose!
Time period: Fantasy,
present
Year it came out: 2013
My overall opinion: So
I got to see this movie in IMAX back in July, and while IMAX didn’t become my
new favorite thing…okay, I didn’t really notice anything different. I don’t go
to movies often enough to notice. But. This movie was pretty awesome. The
scenes filmed in the other world were amazing, and so were the ones from here
on Earth. The action scenes were pretty amazing and basically really awesome. The
CG was stunning. This movie is a cinematographic work of art – ummm, does that
sentence make any sense? You get the idea. :) It was good and I look forward to
seeing it on DVD at some point!
Genre: Classic,
musical, life, adventure Primary actors: Hugh
Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Russell Crowe
Length: Just over
two and a half hours
Based on: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Time period: 1800s
(early, possibly with a touch of 1700s)
Year it came out: 2012
My overall opinion: I
didn’t know what I would think of it going in. I was 75% sure it wouldn’t be my
new favorite movie – I like happy movies, and I knew (even without knowing the
story line) that LesMis wasn’t. But it was a chance to hang out with two of my best
friends for an evening, while seeing a movie that a lot of people were saying
was really good…so I went. What did I think? I’m still not sure, as you can see by my
rating. Some of it was amazing…some I didn’t like nearly so much. But overall,
I am not opposed to seeing it again someday.
Warning: if you haven’t seen it yet, please don’t read this review.
I’m awful about spoilers. Watch it first, then read this. Please skip to the bottom and look for the blue font to see my warnings and overall impression -- should you see it?
Now that we have that done with…and you’d better not be
reading anymore now if you haven’t seen it!
On to my opinions. They are an utterly random assortment of
the thoughts I remembered after the movie. So if you have something in mind I
didn’t mention…ask me. Oh, also? I haven’t (this is embarrassing) read the
book. Really. And right now? I do not have time for a book that size. But
someday, when my life slows down a bit (does it ever do that again?) I will
read it. Promise.
Other warning: this is turning out to be super long, probably the
longest review I’ve ever written…skim as needed. And comment. As you read. :) I
will reply!
NOW. As stated, no order. Opening scene! Fascinating.
Amazing. Unbelievable. That big boat being towed with pure man-power into a
gigantic dock? I didn’t think they built docks that size in the 1800s. Or
boats. Ummm, ships. Either way. That scene…I really liked it. A lot. Incidentally,
the song there was also amazing…Look Down.
Before I continue, let me take a quick side-track about the
music. Point 1: I know it’s supposed to be a musical. Point 2: I loved some of
the songs, and they’re still running through my head – impressive. Point 3 (aka
the Clincher): I thought there was too much singing. Every time I turned
around…there was another song. Not that I was literally turning around…but,
well, you know what I mean. For me, the songs got old after a bit. That being
said, as stated, I really liked some of them! I’ll come to more on that
presently.
There were six (count ‘em, six) dramatic deaths. Like I
mentioned, I’m a happy movie person. Bright, cheerful, everybody happy, and not
too much stupid romantic drama. So deaths really aren’t my thing! And these!
I’ll say more about the rating presently, but I’d say the film definitely
earned its PG-13 rating. It did end up feeling like person after person was
keeling over dead…or falling to their death…or being shot…but I understand that
that’s the way the book goes and the movie must, of course, follow the book – I
wouldn’t wish it otherwise.
My favorite female? Nope, not Anne Hathaway. In fact,
Fantine really wasn’t a favorite character for me. Stop!
Side-track. We’re going to talk about her and her character right here, right
now, before we get to my favorite girl. I’m afraid I wasn’t exceptionally fond
of Anne as Fantine. Admittedly, I don’t know what Fantine is supposed to be
like, having no prior experience of the story…hmmm. Anne has a lovely voice, to
be sure, but…I think her personality, her character, they’re meant for light
flitty films. Her as a heavy tragic character? For me, it didn’t really work.
As to her singing I Dreamed a Dream…well,
we’ll come to that. (I made a list and am mostly going by that. ;)
Anyway, favorite female. Was Eponine. Yup. For some reason,
I really liked her…which sounds weird. I guess I connected a lot better with
her than with Fontaine. Her song, On My
Own, was amazing. Possibly my favorite in the whole movie. And she was my
favorite character! I don’t know what it was about her… But anyway. She was
awesome, I thought. Her smile is so sweet! Even though she really is a tragic
character, I suppose.
Randomly, I wasn’t very fond of Cosette
either. As a child, yes, I liked her. Sweet voice,
sweet girl. But once she grew up…I think she mostly just bugged me, somehow. Equally
randomly, the whole scene under the city was amazing. And disgusting. Because
sewage is. But equally amazing. That huge complex…wow. This scene, like the
opening one, fascinated me. And also randomly, because this paragraph is the
random one…those guns? Wow. Scary. My first thought when I saw them shot was
“Ummm…dangerous! Those guns are dangerous!” Now, I’m not one of those most unfortunate
people who has a fear of guns – on the contrary, I own one and enjoy shooting.
No, that thought was because they fire and fire quite literally goes
everywhere! Very dangerous. And I’m glad I wasn’t shooting one. And that
thought…it made me smile. Because the second part was that “someone’s going to
get hurt!” Which was kinda the whole purpose of those guns in the first place…
This…is really long. I wasn’t expecting to be quite this
wordy. But I have days when I can rattle off an entire book without thinking
twice – today, for example. ;)
My other favorite characters? I take that back. They weren’t
favorites, not really. But I, again, was fascinated! They were most
interesting, intriguing too. Know who I mean yet? That’s right, Cosette’s evil
and scheming guardians, Messieur and Madame Thenardier. They were unbelievable.
And dreadful. And very interesting. I loved…that’s not the right word. I
thought it was really cool how they stole from everyone. I mean, it was awful,
to be sure…but also really cool.
I did really like the two young patriots, Marius and Enjorlas...pretty awesome guys! :) And I did include these few lines just so I could include a picture.
And now! A few paragraphs about the songs. Firstly, the one
song I knew going into this film…I
Dreamed a Dream. As y’all ought to know, Susan Boyle had great success with
this one a few years back. Remember? If you don’t, go look it up and listen. To
be quite frank, I definitely prefer Susan’s version over Anne’s. In all
fairness, I’ve loved Susan’s for years. But at the same time, I think her voice
was perfect it. Rich, strong, vibrant. Anne has a “sweet” voice, much higher
and lighter. I didn’t like it much, though Anne did a good job, I admit. I
enjoyed the way that the song theme was worked into the movie a few other
times…as stated, it was the only song I knew ahead, so my ears recognized it
each time. :) I also “enjoyed” the extra verse added…extra only because Susan
doesn’t sing that part.
The whole Lovely
Ladies song and scene…most memorable. Quite horrible, really, when you
think about it…not in film terms, but just the conditions that they’re in. And
what’s going on. But I don’t think you’ll find yourself forgetting it anytime
soon! Rather disturbing. I can’t imagine how much work the film-makers put into
that sequence. Incidentally? Some of that was way too disgusting for me. Just
saying. (I’m referencing the teeth-pulling…more about everything else
presently.)
Two more songs I want yet to mention. The first is One Day More. Wow. That scene was just
plain cool. Was it just me, or did pretty much the entire cast get to sing
parts of that? It was so neat to see everyone that way! At the same time, I did
find it a little disconcerting…all these people, all different places, all
singing this song? I know, I know, that’s what musicals do…still bugged me.
The
second song to mention is Do You Hear the
People Sing? And THAT is the song that has been stuck in my head ever
since. It’s catchy. And sad. And amazing. [[Addition: 24 hours after writing
this, as I quickly read over to proof it…just reading the title starts the song
in my head! THAT is the sign of a good song.]] [[Other addition: At the End of the Day...it's more enjoyable every time I listen to it.]]
Now, the touchy topics…the PG-13 content. Like I said
earlier, there was quite enough to earn it a PG-13 rating, I thought. Many of
the dresses had extremely low necklines (no doubt accurate for the period and
country and people) and there was some other stuff of that sort as well…I’d
really rather not talk about it, so just go HERE to read about it on IMDB.
And then there was also the gore aspect…the
producers didn’t skimp on the blood and gore and violence content. So be warned
– this time period was very violent, and this movie portrays it clearly. Be
careful.
I have completed my list! All this, by the way, was written
in just under 45 minutes. :) Not counting the editing, videos, or pictures. Which
I’ll add later. Oh, random note...I just barely made it without any crying -- BARELY. My eyes were wet for the last scene...but my makeup (which I had forgotten that I wasn't going to wear) was intact.
Finally, Les Mis fans, you'll want to check out the fancy photos taken for Vogue! There are only eight, but they're awesome. Go here.
My overall opinion for those of you who haven't seen it yet? Worth watching, but use caution. Not for young viewers, or the faint of heart. Overall, I liked it in most parts and if you've enjoyed the book, this movie/musical is worth a try. :)
Back to you. If you've seen it,
what did you think? Love it, hate it, not sure? What else do you want my
opinion on? What did you disagree with my thoughts on? Have you posted your
review yet? (I’d love to see it…leave me a link and I’ll come read it) Comment,
sil vous plait!
