Les Miserables: A Review

Multiple : United Kingdom : Rated - PG13 : Running Time - 158 mins

Les Miserables is in the pantheon of most beloved musicals of all time. Adapted from Victor Hugo's epic 1862 novel of the same name, Les Miserables is as grand in scale on film as it is in volume of literature. The story is set in post-revolutionary France and centers around ex-prisoner Jean Valjean who, after serving his time and breaking parole, decides to reinvent himself and begin a new life while being obsessively pursued by Javert, a policeman determined to put him away for life. Valjean agrees to become caretaker to Cosette, the daughter of Fantine, a seamstress once under the employ of Valjean and subsequently forced onto the streets. Cosette grows up and falls in love with Marius, a young man deeply involved in the anti-monarchist movement currently gaining strength in the Parisian underground. Valjean must decide between protecting Cosette as he has sworn to do and allowing her to live her own life.

Tom Hooper, known previously for earning his Oscar for directing with 2010's "The King's Speech," should be commended for engineering a very bold attempt at capturing everything Les Miserables has to offer. Hooper's vision for revamping Les Mis was to have the actors sing live while acting, as opposed to traditional practices of having actors lip sync to music previously recorded in the studio. A change that would try and break down the wall between film and live stage performance. A change that also has a lot to do with the flaws of the film. In solo instances the performances can be very moving but in ensemble numbers the mix between live singing and recorded background becomes very muddled causing many of the lyrics to be missed. Secondly, the point of allowing the actors freedom to sing live provides them the advantage of having their acting influence the music not the other way around. This should make for a more captivating experience, however it is very rarely capitalized on and most scenes are so sweeping in scale, that the personal, stage-performance feel is lost.

The cast of Les Miserables truly define ensemble as the film is so evenly balanced with incredible talent. Hugh Jackman was born to play Jean Valjean and doesn't disappoint. Russell Crowe (Javert), despite harsh criticisms of his performance is not all that bad. It seems the role is more out of his vocal range and suffers more for that than his acting performance. Award show darling Anne Hathaway (Fantine), does an amazing job in this film, albeit for five minutes. If you are expecting a gripping, two hour, career defining performance, you will be disappointed. Amanda Seyfried (Cosette) and Eddie Redmayne (Marius) are quietly impressive and provide hope for the future of the acting landscape. While young Daniel Huttlestone is very entertaining as Gavroche, a rebellious little boy.

This brings me to my favorite parts of the film. Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter and Samantha Barks. Cohen and Carter, dressed as though they just stepped out from a Tim Burton movie (God knows they probably were) and as if they were performing these roles in their spare time, absolutely steal this film. As Monsieur and Madame Thenardier, their "Master of the House" number is the highlight of the entire film. Samantha Barks making her motion picture debut, was astounding as Eponine, a role she played for the Les Miserable 25th Anniversary Concert. Her role provides incredible heart to a film that can be so overwhelming at times it glosses over its emotional core. In my opinion she gives the best singular performance of the film.

Les Miserables is an experience that can be captivating at times and very convoluted at others. In my opinion it will always be best enjoyed live on stage where the emotion can be felt more effectively and performances appreciated more accurately.

Snobby Art House Rating - B

Amour: A Review

Multiple : France/Germany/Austria : Rated - PG13 : Running Time - 127 mins

In 2009 director Michael Haneke won the Palme d'Or, the top prize given at the Cannes International Film Festival, for his film "The White Ribbon." He enjoyed the experience so much he won it again in 2012 becoming the first director in the history of the competition to claim two top prizes. His 2012 masterpiece is "Amour," a bare bones, examination of marital vows that is both beautiful and excruciating. The story surrounds Georges and his wife Anne, a retired couple living in France. After Anne suffers a physical malady, Georges is forced to care for her and the bond of husband and wife is truly tested.

This film sits like a weight on your chest from beginning to end. Haneke proves once again, to be a master of the foreboding atmosphere. You feel the confinement in every scene and all the aches and groans of physical agony seem to be personified in the creaks and moans of the apartment. In the film as in life, the release is a hurricane of emotions and only silence remains as the credits roll and we are free from Haneke's grip. 

Jean-Louis Trintignant plays Georges, the ever watchful and dutiful husband, who must tread a fine line between the wishes of his family, the concerns of the physicians and the dignity of his wife. He delivers a truly heartbreaking performance. Emmanuelle Riva's turn as Anne, is a masterwork of acting ability. Her journey from able-bodied partner to disabled patient is incredible.

Amour triumphs in its abilty to reach out to everyone who views it and touch them in some way. It inspires any number of reactions and stirs many more emotions. The pain it inflicts is not to be ignored, it is only the recognition of the overwhelming and universal power of love.

Snobby Art House Rating - A+

Django Unchained: A Review

The Weinstein Company : USA : Rated - R : Running Time - 165 mins

Django Unchained is the latest blood-soaked vengeance tale from writer/director Quentin Tarantino. It follows Django, a slave who sets out on a mission to free his wife Broomhilda after being liberated by the aptly named bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz. Schultz needs Django to identify a band of outlaw brothers that he has been unable to track down. In exchange for his help, Schultz promises to aid Django in his quest to find his wife. Django earns his freedom, receives training in the art of death, a new set of clothes and the two set off to free Broomhilda from the evil plantation owner Calvin Candie, dispatching their own brand of justice along the way.

True to form, Tarantino delivers another gritty melange of genre defining standards, infused with his own brand of edgy banter and doused in plenty of claret to satisfy even the most jaded of fan boys. An abundance of racial slurs and a Monty Python-esque caveat involving members of the Kyu Klux Klan will undoubtedly cause some viewer's skin to crawl with apprehension but not nearly as much as the scene with the dancing horse. (that is not a joke)

Christoph Waltz plays Dr. King Schultz and his cold-blooded, matter of fact attitude carries the film until Leonardo DiCaprio shows up. Jaime Foxx is serviceable as the leading man but is much better when he doesn't speak. DiCaprio continues to grow stronger with each passing role and turns in a truly menacing performance. Samuel L. Jackson plays "Stephen" a house slave who proves to be much more cunning and devious than he appears. Kerry Washington doesn't get enough screen time to make an impact on the film and serves only as the prize at the end of the journey.

Overall, Django Unchained is another quality addition to the Tarantino cannon.

Snobby Art House Rating - A-

Beasts of the Southern Wild: A Review

Fox Searchlight : USA : Rated - PG13 : Running Time - 93 mins

Beasts of the Southern Wild is the fantasy story of a little girl known as 'Hushpuppy' who is raised by her father 'Wink' in the Gulf of Mexico basin area of the southern United States known as "the bathtub." All seems well in her tiny community until Wink becomes sick and her world literally comes crashing down around her in the form of glaciers melting, sea levels rising and a massive storm. The storm also releases massive prehistoric "beasts" that have been trapped in the ice and they begin a film-long trek towards Hushpuppy and the other storm survivors. With their homes underwater, Wink, Hushpuppy and the small band of characters who call "the bathtub" home, attempt to rebuild their lives while avoiding starvation, disease and attempts from government officials to relocate them. Hushpuppy goes in search of her mother for answers and in the end must draw strength from her friends, neighbors and the sometimes harsh lessons her father used to raise her, in order to face the beasts of an uncertain future.

 Quvenzhane Wallis is spectacular as Hushpuppy, the fearless and curious main character. Most of the film's charm can be traced to Hushpuppy's childish interactions with the world around her. More than just benefiting from being an adorable little girl, Wallis at times delivers a performance that draws emotions from a wisdom well beyond her years.

Dwight Henry plays Wink, Hushpuppy's father, who is a combination of protector and foil. Everything that rings true about Wallis' performance would not be possible without her opposite Henry. Dwight Henry is the hidden gem of this movie. His portrayal of a father determined to raise his daughter with a tough, no-nonsense attitude while at times displaying the demeanor of an overgrown child himself is gripping. The small group of actors cast in the background are an authentic and colorful group who more than capably tie the film together.

Overall this is a great little film. It should be applauded for its simple yet powerful story telling. With very minimal effects and great performances from everyone involved from top to bottom it is very poetic and gives hope to every film maker who champions simple elegance over hollow, grandiose, big-budgeted blockbusters.

Snobby Art House Rating - A

ARGO: A Review

Warner Brothers : USA : Rated - R : Running Time - 120 mins


Argo tells the story of an actual CIA mission to rescue the six members of the U.S. embassy hiding out in Iran, who escaped when the embassy was overrun by Iranian nationalists in 1979. After vetting several options the government decides to send in a lone agent to bring them home, getting them out of the country by posing as a Canadian film crew scouting a location for the fake Hollywood blockbuster film "Argo." The mission is successful, end of story.

Unfortunately that is the feel of this movie, straight forward, no nonsense and also no real drama. The film is based on actual events and I believe it is very difficult to make a movie suspenseful when your audience already knows how the events play out. The best films that are based on true stories and still find a way to be impactful find other aspects of the events or the people involved and bring those to the forefront to parallel the actual events in the film. Argo, unfortunately, stays focused on the mission the entire time and presents it as being pulled off without many hiccups. The two main road blocks in the mission provide no real drama because we ultimately know the mission is a success.

Ben Affleck directs his third feature film and once again proves he is much better behind the camera. The film is quick, it doesn't drag and none of the 2-hours are wasted. Affleck also stars as Tony Mendez, a specialist in extraction, who develops the idea of a fake movie, pitches the plan to his government bosses, puts the plan into action with the help of make-up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) and flies to Iran to execute the plan, all the while having the emotional range of old wall paper. It's just there, existing in the background, like it's supposed to. He gets no help from the actors playing the roles of the embassy employees, who we never get to really know on any level other than their characters constant complaining about being rescued. Alan Arkin and John Goodman steal this film. They provide the comedy relief with biting criticism of the current Hollywood environment.

Basically, Argo is an interesting story where the actual material might be just as entertaining if not more entertaining than a film based on that material. Alan Arkin deserves any and all recognition he gets, but overall the film underwhelms.

Snobby Art House Rating - B-