Les Misérables

Tags

2010's, Aaron Tveit, Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway, Colm Wilkinson, Daniel Huttlestone, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Jackman, Isabelle Allen, Les Misérables, Musical, Russell Crowe, Sacha Baron Cohen, Samantha Barks, Tom Hooper

Film Title

Les Misérables

Director

Tom Hooper

Starring

• Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean
• Russell Crowe as Javert
• Anne Hathaway as Fantine
• Amanda Seyfried as Cosette
• Eddie Redmayne as Marius
• Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thénardier
• Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier
• Samantha Barks as Éponine
• Aaron Tveit as Enjolras
• Isabelle Allen as Young Cosette
• Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche
• Colm Wilkinson as Bishop Myriel

Based on the well-known musical, which in turn was inspired by Victor Hugo’s epic novel, Les Misérables is a sprawling tale of love, sadness and revolution. Directed by Tom Hooper and boasting a stellar cast, it is a film that won’t disappoint lovers of the musical. It isn’t a film for everyone, but has many positives to talk about, mainly the songs and the strong performances of the cast in this epic story.

The film starts in 1815.  Jean Valjean is a convict who has been serving a 19 year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread for his starving relatives. Jean is granted parole by Javert, a captain who tells him to honor what the parole agreement says or he will be found out sooner or later. Unable to find employment, he takes refuge in a church ran by the kindly Bishop Myriel. In the night, Jean steals his silver but is late reprimanded. Instead of turning him in, the bishop saves Jean and urges him to do something good in his life. Jean Valjean taking this into consideration, decides to break his parole and begin his life again. Eight years later, under a new identity, he is the respected mayor of a French town who also owns a factory. Although seemingly happy with his new existence, he is still haunted by the memory of the obsessive Javert. His fear comes true when Javert arrives in town as the new chief of police. Another thread in Valjean’s story is the tale of a young grisette named Fantine. She is fired from her job in one of his factories after it emerges that she has an illegitimate child named Cosette, who she regularly sends money to as the girl is living with the swindling Thénardiers . Penniless and desperate, the tragic Fantine sells her hair, teeth and eventually her body in order to provide for her daughter. Valjean finds Fantine in the gutter, slowly succumbing to illness. On her deathbed, he promises her he will take care of Cosette. After paying the innkeepers in charge of Cosette, Jean is discovered by the determined Javert. Taking Cosette he narrowly flees from Javert. Nine years later, poverty is rising and rebellion is in the air in Paris.  A now grown up Cosette catches the eye of a young firebrand named Marius, who immediately falls for her. His close friend Éponine, secretly pines for Marius but it is all in vain as he falls for Cosette and revolution starts to grow around them. Heartbreak, emotion-filled songs and an epic sweep all abound as Les Misérables makes the transition from stage to screen with positive results.

The first thing to notice about Les Misérables is the fact that the actors sing live, rather than mime along to a pre-recorded track. In many cases this technique works as it captures the raw emotion of the character’s feelings. The use of close-ups in these songs will put off many, but for me it showed the passion of the actor singing the songs. Sweeping camera angles and an excellent colour scheme add to the visual impact, especially in the opening scene when Jean along with multiple prisoners is pulling a large boat and the violent waves add to their struggle. The visuals of the drab streets and dark corners helps back up the almost mournful landscape that the characters populate. The many splashes of colour in the later half of the film add to the rebellion as violence and anger erupts.

A big draw is the talented cast that Hooper has assembled to flesh out this tale. Hugh Jackman gives a towering performance as Jean Valjean, capturing the way he rises from destitution to honorable man, navigating his way through a cruel world. His vocals are very impressive to, adding to the overall powerful portrayal that anchors the movie. Russell Crowe, although not quite as vocally adept, manages to be quite convincing as the obsessed Javert, whilst showing an occasional soft side.  It isn’t one of Crowe’s best performances, but it isn’t one of his worst either. Anne Hathaway turns in an Oscar-winning performance as the tragic Fantine, and although she’s only on the screen for around 20 minutes, manages to make an indelible mark. Her triumph is her rendition of “I Dreamed a dream”, which is one of the most emotional and heartbreaking moments I’ve seen in a film for a long time. Captured in one continuous shot, Fantine, her hair cropped, her clothes torn and her spirit broken, sings of a longing for a better day whilst breaking the audience’s hearts along the way. Hathaway’s performance is one that lingers long in the memory because of its emotional impact. Amanda Seyfried is suitably wistful as Cosette, although I would have liked for her character’s arc to have been expanded a little. Eddie Redmayne certainly delivers as the passionate Marius who falls for her. Redmayne infuses “Empty chairs at empty tables”, a hymn for the fallen, with a sincerity and sadness that is quite remarkable. Providing comic relief are Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as unscrupulous swindlers. Another person who certainly impresses is Samantha Barks as the lovelorn third wheel of Marius and Cosette’s love, Éponine. She imbues her with a sweetness and deep sadness that is luminous to witness. Her bruised performance of “On my own”, which she sings whilst in the rain, is a stunningly heartfelt moment. Other supporting members include Aaron Tveit as revolutionary Enjolras, a sweet Isabelle Allen as the young Cosette, Daniel Huttlestone as the funny and endearing Gavroche and Colm Wilkinson as the Bishop who helps Jean in his journey.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Les Misérables  will not be a film for everyone as the live singing and use of close-up’s may cause a few to roll their eyes. But if you want a musical with a sweeping score, some excellent acting and historical setting, it may just be for you.

The Liebster Award

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Liebster Award

I would like to thank Abbi over at Where the Wild Things Are for nominating me for the Liebster Award. If you haven’t checked out her amazing blog, I advise you to as it is fantastic.

There are a few rules that come with this award, here they are:

1. Post the Liebester Award graphic on your site.
2. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
3. The nominee has to write 11 facts about themselves.
4. Answer the 11 questions from the post of the person who nominated you.
5. The nominee will nominate 9 other blogs for the award.
6. The nominees will then create 11 questions of their own for their nominated bloggers to answer in their Liebster post.

Facts about me:

1. I used to always be nicknamed the White T-shirt guy because it was the main colour I wore.
2. I love movies with a strong female character, this probably stems from growing up around the strong and amazing women in my family.
3. I am very good at recalling parts of movies that people often forget.
4. My first celebrity crush was Sarah Michelle Gellar.
5. A lot of my movie watching of my early and teenage years was influenced by my late granddad.
6. I used to do a very good impression of Mr Burns from The Simpsons, not sure how good it is now though.
7. I find Porcelain by Moby to be one of the most relaxing and haunting songs ever.
8. Although I can speak a bit of it, I would like to be able to speak fluent Spanish.
9. One of my favourite TV shows ever has to be Charmed.
10. I like knowing the connotations of colours.
11. I am often the person who people want on a team for general knowledge quizzes.

Questions from the person who nominated me:

1. What’s the first film you remember seeing and loving?

That would have to be The Lion King, a classic from my childhood.

2. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

That’s got be pizza, I love the stuff.

3. What is your favourite fictional love story( film, literature, whatever)?

The romance between Dracula and Mina in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

4. What song do you play if you need to pump yourself up to face something daunting?

Ray of Light by Madonna, that chorus is so uplifting and just makes you want to move.

5. Tea or coffee?

Definitely tea.

6. Which Game of Thrones family do you belong to?

I would have to go with the Stark family.

7. Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever woken up?

I don’t know, there are too many to name.

8. If you could invent a machine to do one household task, what would it be?

A device that opened my bedroom curtains at the same time every morning.

9. If your personality was a hat, what kind of hat would you be?

It’s got be to a fedora, cool and collected yet enigmatic at the same time.

My nominees:

http://cindybruchman.wordpress.com/

http://ccpopculture.wordpress.com/

http://fastfilmreviews.wordpress.com/

http://theimpossiblegirlblog.wordpress.com/

http://simonsayswatchthis.wordpress.com/

http://headinavice.com/

http://moviesofthesoul.wordpress.com/

http://whimsicaleclecticist.wordpress.com/

http://livius1.wordpress.com/

Questions for my nominees:

1. What film can you watch and never ever get bored with?
2. Which movie character reminds you of yourself?
3. If you could travel back in time, which era would you visit?
4. If you could be reincarnated as an animal after your death, what animal would you want to be?
5. What was the first movie that really scared you?
6. If you could work on a film with just one actor or actress, who would you work with?
7. Madonna or Lady Ga Ga?
8. Dog or cat lover?
9. James Bond or Jason Bourne?
10. What song best describes you?
11. What is your idea of a great weekend?

If you can take part in doing an awards post, go for it and have some fun.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tags

2010's, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Firth, David Dencik, Gary Oldman, John Hurt, John Le Carre, Kathy Burke, Mark Strong, Simon McBurney, Spy, Stephen Graham, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Thriller, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Toby Jones, Tom Hardy, Tomas Alfredson

Film Title

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Director

Tomas Alfredson

Starring

• Gary Oldman as George Smiley
• Colin Firth as Bill Haydon
• Tom Hardy as Ricki Tarr
• John Hurt as Control
• Toby Jones as Percy Alleline
• Mark Strong as Jim Prideaux
• Benedict Cumberbatch as Peter Guillam
• Ciarán Hinds as Roy Bland
• David Dencik as Toby Esterhase
• Simon McBurney as Oliver Lacon
• Kathy Burke as Connie Sachs
• Stephen Graham as Jerry Westerby
• Svetlana Khodchenkova as Irina

Based on the classic by John Le Carre, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a labyrinthine spy thriller with a perfect eye for detail and intelligent plot full of puzzles and mysteries. Boasting an all-star cast, precise and articulate direction by Tomas Alfredson and hauntingly scored by Alberto Iglesias, the film proves that the intelligent spy film that favours covert affairs and deception over shoot em up action are not dead.

The time is the 1970’s and London is a dour place of muddy yellows and muted mauve. Control, the elderly head of British Intelligence( commonly nicknamed “The Circus”) sends agent Jim Prideaux on a mission in Hungary to uncover information. The mission goes wrong when Jim is shot, captured and later presumed dead. In the ensuring crisis, Control and his right hand man, George Smiley are pushed into retirement. A year later, Control has died and Smiley is contacted by Oliver Lacon, a civil servant with a particularly interesting case. It appears that Ricki Tarr, an agent who was believed to have defected, has unearthed knowledge of a Soviet mole at the top of British Intelligence. It is either one of a few men including; the new aggressive chief Percy, the suave deputy Bill Haydon, the slimy Toby Esterhase or the silently menacing Roy Bland. Before his death, Control had the same suspicions about one of these men and as a result George accepts the difficult task of finding who the mole is in a web of lies, covert information, shifting identities and Cold War intrigue. Prepare for a spy thriller with a precise plot and genuine sense of suspense as Smiley uncovers many things as he nears the mole he is so desperately searching for.

One word of advice before watching the film is to not expect an action-packed narrative, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy relies more on secret meeting, cryptic code names and shifting loyalties to keep the meticulous plot going. It is the kind of film that demands your attention, if you blink you could miss an important plot point or something of significance. There are those that will say it is boring, but if you like intrigue with intelligence then watch this. Tomas Alfredson directs with an inventive eye for detail and framing, capturing the weary existence that these characters occupy in this distrustful world. The complicated plot is carefully handled and you are really left wondering who the mole could be. The evocative score by Alberto Iglesias compliments the melancholy time and the many revelations uncovered in the course of Smiley’s investigation.

The biggest draw of the piece has to be the exceptionally talented cast assembled. Leading the cast is Gary Oldman in a restrained performance as George Smiley. Oldman excels at showing the rather unassuming looking and seemingly cold man but quietly revealing the immense intelligence that lies within him. His voice rarely rises above a whisper, but you can sense the emotions within him because of Oldman’s excellent portrayal. Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Ciarán Hinds and David Dencik all rivet the attention as the men suspected of being the Soviet mole within the high-ranking part of the service. Mark Strong is very effective as Jim Prideaux, the rather unlucky agent whose shooting opens the film. Strong imbues Jim with both a desolation and a determination that compliments his character’s journey in the complex narrative. Tom Hardy is another person who makes his part his own, as Ricki Tarr who wrestles with his duty whilst falling in love with a beautiful Russian woman in Istanbul. Benedict Cumberbatch is utilized to great effect as Peter, who becomes George’s right hand man in the search for the mole. The ever reliable John Hurt, commonly seen in flashback, is a great choice for the part of the elderly Control. In smaller parts, Kathy Burke and Stephen Graham appear as two staff members who were removed from the service. Simon McBurney has his moments as the pompous civil servant drawing Smiley into the ring of deception. Svetlana Khodchenkova is luminous and mysterious as Irina, the woman who steals Ricki Tarr’s heart whilst holding some valuable information.

As scrupulous as the mechanics of a prized watch and as twisting as a serpent, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a classy, stylish and complex spy film. There are those that will become lost in the many turns and become confused by the many facts thrown at them, but the film succeeds none the less at capturing a specific time and creating interesting characters who populate a labyrinth of uncertainty and intrigue.

DOA: Dead or Alive

Tags

2000's, Action, Corey Yuen, Devon Aoki, DOA: Dead or Alive, Eric Roberts, Holly Valance, Jaime Pressly, Kane Kosugi, Matthew Marsden, Natassia Malthe, Sarah Carter

Film Title

DOA: Dead or Alive

Director

Corey Yuen

Starring

• Devon Aoki as Kasumi
• Holly Valance as Christie Allen
• Jaime Pressly as Tina Armstrong
• Sarah Carter as Helena Douglas
• Kane Kosugi as Hayabusa
• Matthew Marsden as Max
• Eric Roberts as Donovan
• Natassia Malthe as Ayane

Based on the popular video games, DOA: Dead or Alive is far from perfect, but delivers with its promise of fighting babes, techno score and some great CGI. The plot may be gossamer thin and the characters are never really developed, but Corey Yuen more than makes up for it in terms of the excitement generated from his stylish choreography and breakneck action.

DOA is a fighting competition, situated on an exotic island in which the winner earns $10 million. The people who partake are chosen for their abilities in martial arts or other combat techniques. Among those invited are Kasumi, a renegade ninja princess who is looking for the brother she has been told died whilst taking part a year earlier; Christie Allen, a sultry cat burglar with her eyes on cash who is locked in a love-hate relationship with the slimy fellow competitor Max; Tina Armstrong, a fierce wrestler out to prove her critics wrong;Helena Douglas, the daughter of the late founder of DOA and Hayabusa; a ninja charged with making sure Kasumi is safe. The various fights in the competition are overseen by the mysterious Donovan, who has his own nefarious agenda for assembling the fighters to the competition. Initially rivals, the girls band together to get to the heart of Donovan’s plan. Cue for some fierce and kinetic fighting and kick ass ladies battling their way through DOA.

As I mentioned earlier the film is nowhere near a masterpiece. One reason for a flaw is the script which never delves into character’s motives and give us an idea of the reason for them taking part. The dialogue is also rather weak in places and could have been made much better in my view. Also, the frenetic editing, whilst particularly effective in early scenes, eventually becomes a little boring as the film progresses.

On the other hand, Corey Yuen directs some excellently constructed fight sequences, including one in the pouring rain and another in a large forest. The main trio of women; Devon Aoki, Holly Valance and Jaime Pressly, all contribute athletic sex appeal to the proceedings and seriously kick ass in the numerous fights. Sara Carter is given little to do but manages to inject some excitement into her character. Eric Roberts chews the scenery as the villainous Donovan, but does have his fun moments. Kane Kosugi and Natassia Malthe, although not given much to do provide enjoyment as the protective Hayabusa and Ayane; a ninja whose job is to kill Kasumi for bringing dishonor to her clan. Matthew Marsden thankfully adds a dash of humour as the treacherous mercenary with the eye for money.

The music of the film adds to the overall kinetic and action-packed quality of the 87 minute running time by blending ancient Asian rhythms with a modern techno sound. The various uses of CGI also compliment the speed of the film. It might not be great but it’s certainly an unadulterated( or guilty pleasure way) of spending an hour and a half. So kick back and enjoy a film that doesn’t require much thought but heaps on the action fast.

House of Wax

Tags

2000's, Brian Van Holt, Chad Michael Murray, Elisha Cuthbert, Horror, House of Wax, Jared Padalecki, Jaume Collet-Serra, Jon Abrahams, Paris Hilton, Robert Ri'chard

Film Title

House of Wax

Director

Jaume Collet-Serra

Starring

• Elisha Cuthbert as Carly
• Chad Michael Murray as Nick
• Brian Van Holt as Bo/Vincent Sinclair
• Jared Padalecki as Wade
• Paris Hilton as Paige
• Jon Abrahams as Dalton
• Robert Ri’chard as Blake

Formulaic and clichéd to say the least, House of Wax still emerges as a slight cut above the rest of the slasher movies in the last few years, with its tongue in cheek yet highly inventive death scenes and gory visuals. If you’re expecting it to be an updated version of the 50’s version, you will be sorely disappointed. But for those not as well acquainted with that version, sit back and watch this blood-spilling horror.

The plot follows six teenagers heading to an exciting football game in Louisiana. The group comprises of Carly; her twin brother and ex con Nick; Carly’s boyfriend Wade, her best friend Paige; Paige’s beau Blake and his good pal Dalton. Whilst on the journey, they set up camp in a deserted part of the woods. That night, a truck pulls up and shines its headlights on the group, the driver is not seen but refuses to move until Nick smashes a bottle against one of the lights. The morning after, Wade finds the fan belts on his car have been damaged. The group then comes upon a rural man, who tells them that Ambrose, the nearest town is not far from here. Wade and Carly hitch a lift off him, whilst the others attempt to get to the game. The group soon finds the road blocked and head back to the camping site. When Wade and Carly arrive at Ambrose, they discover it is practically a ghost town, with the eponymous museum the attraction. After receiving no service at the gas station, they run into the mysterious Bo Sinclair, who offers to give them a fan belt which is situated in his old house. It is here where events take a dark turn and the teens realize that Bo, as well as a shadowy figure are guarding a horrifying, murderous secret and that it is only a matter of time before they end up in the House of Wax as more than just visitors. Prepare for gruesome methods of dispatch, eerie music and creepy atmosphere that bring a whole meaning to the phrase pay and display( or should that be slay and display!).

House of Wax as a film has its fair share of flaws. The most prominent one being that the character’s are split up too much and the story takes a little too long before it turns into terror-inducing viewing. On the positive side, the gradually chilling and imaginative stalking of the members of the group and many of the deaths are well executed. Jaume Collet-Serra has an excellent eye for visuals, displaying the eponymous house in all it’s depraved and disgusting glory. Sonically, the ever-growing terror is accentuated by haunting music and effective albeit clichéd jump scares.

The cast work well with the script, sometimes rising above the limitations of their characters. Elisha Cuthbert plays the main girl plunged into a survival battle, she is actually pretty good when she tries to outwit the stalking killers. The relationship between her and her twin brother Nick is interestingly explored as they eventually overcome animosity in a time of bloodshed. Chad Michael Murray may force the bad boy aspect of his character Nick, but is more than adequate at playing him. Brian Van Holt takes the honours as the villainous Bo, who has sinister and well-preserved plans for the unwitting group. Jared Padalecki has a few good moments as the doomed Wade, his eventual fate becoming a gruesome highlight of the picture. While she’s not going to be considered a great actress, Paris Hilton isn’t that bad as Paige. As with Padalecki, her fate provides a good tongue in cheek moment that is still chilling and highly gory. Jon Abrahams and Robert Ri’chard are not given much to do, but work their way through the script’s flaws.

So House of Wax is not going to go down as a great films in the annals of the horror genre, but it does deliver some effective scariness and brutal slaying to keep you interested.