Random movie talky stuff.

[Copper]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Finally checking in.

Saw Les Mis on Christmas day. Phenomenal. I was singing along in the theater, I was crying, and when it ended, the entire theater was clapping.

I had my misgivings about Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe and while I still reserve them for Crowe, Hathaway did a fan-freaking-tastic job as Fantine. Russell Crowe, being not particularly known for his singing ability, still did a great job, though I'm used to a different 'style' of Javert, I guess you could say, so I had some issue with him, but for tackling the role, I think he did a great job.

The cuddlebuddy had some issues with (adult) Cosette, picking out some points where she cracked on the higher notes, but I was slightly oblivious to it. Although both of us did make one observation:

CB (leaning over to me in the theater): They're all French, right?
Me: Well, it's in France.
CB: So, where are all the accents coming from?!

Gavroche ("Little People") has sort of a British slant to it and Jackman and Crowe are Australian (though it doesn't really come out in the singing) but still, they're present.

Also, Sascha Baron Cohen and Helene Bonham Carter (I like how they both have the three names) did bang up jobs as the Thenardiers and "Master of the House" was just freaking fabulous. It's one of my favorite pieces, so I paid particular attention to it. The scene is frentic, but it works. CB called it a good "character defining" song.

Found out later that the girl that plays Eponine played her on Broadway, so she stood out as one of the great ones to listen to and holy crap was I in tears at one point watching her.

If you're a fan, go see it. If you're on the fence, go see it. It's just phenomenal. I will point out that I'm fairly certain they removed one of Thenardier's songs (I remember him singing about picking through the corpses and they didn't have that.) and they added one between Valjean and (young) Cosette, but all in all, I have no complaints about it. I think, as the CB said, even if you know what's going to happen, it still gets you.

 

[Nunu]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

I found it distinctly below my expectations. While the singing was competent and at times brilliant, the style of recording on set to give the actors the ability to act during their singing gives its ups and downs. It brings extra emotions to some scenes but hugh jackman in particular overuses this, turning to face the camera to say a line, giving one line of mid chorus song, when no singing is happening, and then turning back.

This all begins to show the main problem with this movie, it uses the theater production as its script. This means that the movie is 3 hours long, all song and very little time for transitions.

The sets are great but 70% of the movie is closeups of people singing so i'm left trying to remember what the wide shot looked like as the characters sing out their hearts about the things i cannot see. If this where the theater the props would be so minimal that my imagination blossoms to fill the gaps instead of trying to put the pieces back together.

Javer's gratuitous back crack... unnecessary. I thought russell crow did great as javer, much better than i was expecting. He flopped stars a bit and that is kind of javer's keynote song but i never liked that one anyway.

Marius' voice would have been fine in the theater but here it stood out as very staged. everyone else you hear their singing voices and you can suspend disbelief that people don't tend to break into song. however his pitch or stuff is not something that naturally occurs in everyday life and that spoiled it for me a bit.

Everything I haven't mentioned is great.

 

[Momiji]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

I dug the hell out of the majority of the songs in Les Mis, though I really wish Russell Crowe was a better vocalist. (He still impressed me on Javert's Suicide, though)

It being my first exposure to any version of Les Mis, I was very impressed with the way it presented the time period and the culture and other such things.

I loved it, basically. 9.5/10 to me. Anne Hathaway is winning an Oscar for this, no doubt. Go watch it if you like things that are great and also wonderful.

 

[Minerve]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

What about Beasts of the Southern Wild? For once that there's a great American movie winning all the prizes in real festivals (Cannes, Sundance, Deauville).

 

[Serifyn]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

I saw Wreck-It Ralph in theaters and i can't get

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out of my head.

 

[Nunu]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Why would we think you're a pedo, stop looking for attention. Replies to this post will be deleted.

 

[super_slicer]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Actually, I rather enjoyed wreck-it-Ralph, it seems that maybe some of the people who do kids movies have decided that children aren't completely retarded and have stopped pandering to that sense of humor for an entire movie.

 

[Serifyn]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Well, all of those types of movies now try to cater to both children and adults. I'm a pretty hardcore gamer so i had to see it just based on that, but it was incredibly enjoyable and heartwarming even.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Cosmopolis...

Well, if you don't like David Cronenberg's work, don't watch this. It was an alright movie, very dialogue heavy. Robert Pattinson did alright, but the character itself was seemingly so lifeless as his world just imploded around him that he didn't get to show off any real acting chops until the final moments with Paul Giamatti.

Still, I don't regret watching it. Worth a see I think.

And I actually like the way they ended it. Normally I don't like that kind of ending at all, but this time, it worked.

 

[Minerve]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Cosmopolis...

Well, if you don't like David Cronenberg's work, don't watch this. It was an alright movie, very dialogue heavy. Robert Pattinson did alright, but the character itself was seemingly so lifeless as his world just imploded around him that he didn't get to show off any real acting chops until the final moments with Paul Giamatti.

Still, I don't regret watching it. Worth a see I think.

^_^ ! I think even many Cronenberg's fans won't love it: some loved Eastern promises but won't be able to watch Cosmopolis. But yeah, not many people could have tried to adapt such a book - I didn't read it but the movie is fuckin' to stand. But for Pattinson, it's better to shoot with Cronenberg than in Twilight or such shit. For the character, yeah, it's the char, it's the story; it disturbed you?

And I actually like the way they ended it. Normally I don't like that kind of ending at all, but this time, it worked.

Come on...

 

[Ubberific]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Disturbing lack of Life of Pi talk 'roud here

Probably one of the most heartwarming and beautiful movie I've seen in years [not for the reasons you might think ]

ps. Le Mis is a musical?! Alright now you have my attention!

 

[Minerve]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Disturbing lack of Life of Pi talk 'roud here

Probably one of the most heartwarming and beautiful movie I've seen in years [not for the reasons you might think ]

ps. Le Mis is a musical?! Alright now you have my attention!

In my cinema, the movie wasn't in English, so I couldn't get to see it

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

ps. Le Mis is a musical?! Alright now you have my attention!

It's always been a musical... for a long long time.

it disturbed you?

No it did not

Come on...

What? I liked it.

 

[Alias]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

On the topic of Wreck-it-Ralph:

I loved it! Go see it if you haven't. I will admit to being pretty heavy into retro gaming, but I'll also tell you I usually hate children's movies (to this day I still hate Finding Nemo) but this one was very enjoyable. Vanellope as a heroine is likable and really easy to root for, and Ralph himself has this great feeling of being a fish-out-of-water for the entire movie, which only makes it that much more badass when you hear him say his catchphrase: "I'm gonna WRECK IT!!" When that happens, you know shit's about to get real, and it is awesome.

 

[Newbie]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Just saw Les Mis, dug it. Wolverine was weak, everyone else bordered from competent to phenomenal. Had never seen it before. Are there any particularly exceptional renditions I ought to check out?

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

I've heard Hugh Jackman was actually rather good in it. Can't say for Les Mis myself, but I know he's a rather good actor, loved him in The Fountain.

 

[Newbie]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

I've heard Hugh Jackman was actually rather good in it. Can't say for Les Mis myself, but I know he's a rather good actor, loved him in The Fountain.

He's a great actor, he's just not a good at singing as most of the rest of the cast, I felt.

 

[Sinfulwolf]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Weird. I thought he would have been... I was expecting Russel Crowe to be the not as good singer, being the one of the two male leads not from Broadway.

 

[Newbie]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Weird. I thought he would have been... I was expecting Russel Crowe to be the not as good singer, being the one of the two male leads not from Broadway.

They both have their off moments, but Jackman has more. Then again, Opinions.

 

[Nunu]

Re: Random movie talky stuff.

Its not that jackman is a bad singer, i think its that his style just meshes horribly with the style of the movie and that really hurts him.