Silver Linings Playbook Review

Justin, Dad, and I saw Silver Linings Playbook on December 18, 2012. This was a great movie with phenomenal acting, and a decent story. The movie follows former teacher Pat Solitano played brilliantly by Bradley Cooper (probably his best performance to date). He is in a mental institution over an incident involving a co-teacher and his ex-wife, Nikki. He returns home to live with his parents on a plea bargain. His father is played by Robert DeNiro, and its definitely one of his best roles in the 2000s. You see how both father and son have afflictions affecting them, but it really adds some great emotion to the movie. In his quest to reconcile with his ex-wife, he meets a girl named Tiffany, who could very well be even more messed up then he is. In my opinion, Jennifer Lawrence's performance in this is what stole the show, and I wouldn't be surprised if she actually wins Best Actess at the Golden Globe. She certainly deserves it, and is fast becoming the new It Girl of Hollywood. It's great to see as I've actually enjoyed everything she has been in thus far: Winter's Bone, X-Men: First Class, The Hunger Games, but this is by far her best role. The chemistry with Lawrence and Cooper comes across as natural and you become invested in the characters because their acting is well done. Tiffany is dealing with the death of her husband and being fired from her job. Both realize they can help each other to realize their own goals. The combination of the characters brings out the best and worst of both. The movies takes us through Philadelphia whether its at an Eagles game (Pat's dad is obsessed with them and bets on the side to make profit off the games), a dance competition (incredible scene showcasing comedy and drama) It combines the interests of Pat's dad with Tiffany's goals and Pat's assistance in achieving those, while also realizing his pursuit of Nikki is not what his focus should have been as Tiffany has been there the entire time since he got out. This is a great movie that many of us can relate to even if we don't share the same afflictions. Great cast, great acting, and a pretty good story about how we may all have problems, but there are ways to solve them. Definitely a 5/5 and worthy of the nominations its getting.

Les Miserables (pre-review and review)

Hi My name is Jacqui. You may know me from other entries on this blog, though I admit they don’t happen as often as I would like.

I am here to discuss Les Miserables. This is a movie I have been waiting for since I was a little bitty child. When I was younger and my parents were mean, I would imagine I was Cossette waiting for someone to rescue me from the Thenardiers. As I got older, I thought of most of my relationships as the one-sided love of Eponine and Marius. Additionally, I was bullied mightily as a child. When I was down or saddened, I would retreat to my room or the corner of a field and listen to the soundtrack. Truth be told, there was a time when I knew the whole thing in 3 languages (Original French, Hebrew and English). To this day, I can tell you the differences between the original London Cast and Broadway. As well as the subtle ways, they changed the show for the symphonic recording, 10th and 25^th anniversary concerts (10^th was by far the most amazing). 

I only give that introduction so you as the reader can understand my bona fidas to totally destroy this movie. I haven’t seen the film yet; I have only heard the recording. To me, that is enough to explain my dislike for what I will see tomorrow.

Tom Hooper chose an unorthodox approach to film this movie. The nature of Les Miserables is a very emotional piece of music. As a result, he chose to have the actors sing live on set and using long takes to accommodate this manner of filming.   I understand why he made the decision and I appreciate what he tried to do.

However, what seems like a great idea in theory is not always good in practice. I feel like Hooper who is not a musical guy didn’t quite grasp what he asked his cast to do. Hugh Jackman, a Tony nominee and true Broadway veteran sounds tired. He is capable of this Hugh Jackman Oklahoma Opening. The same goes for Samantha Bark  (A West End “Eponine”) and Amanda Seyfried. Anne Hatheway has done some Sondheim and other sort of soundtracks (Ella Enchanted).

Hearing Hugh Jackman sing “Bring Him Home” is painful. This man has a range and power. While I didn’t expect him to sound like Colm Wilkinson or Anthony Warlow; I did expect him to sound like he was able to pull off the high notes. Again he sounds tired when he sings it.  Another example from earlier in the movie,  “Who am I?” I will provide an example to illustrate what you will be walking into:

Jackman

Alfie Boes from the 25^th Anniversary concert (whom I dislike)

The notes of the song where in the show it transitions to the courtroom, (lyrics: “Who am I? I’m Jean Valjean”) are some of the most badass sung notes in the musical. By talking through it, he fails to convey the full emotion of the moment. I also grant that he doesn’t have to make the transition that the stage Valjean has to make during this song as the magic of film takes care of that for movie Valjean. I feel this reflects how truly tired Jackman was during the filming and the lack of understanding Hooper has for the show. 

Nowhere is this more evident than the way he directed some scenes in the movie. Example: Traditionally, actors who share certain singing attributes play the roles of Javert and Valjean. The main reason for this is because the actors are asked by the score to act as a counterbalance. Again, I understand the choice of a Russell Crowe. He does have some singing experience mostly in rock and not in a musical setting (though I did find this little gem: http://youtu.be/somEd35Xz2Q).  Jackman while "forcing it" still has more power than Crowe. With Crowe unable to sing it, the least Hooper could have done is “fix” scenes like the various Confrontations scenes to adjust the levels so the proper counterpoints occur at their proper times (http://youtu.be/rlYVHOUa3Vo though the same thing occurs on the movie soundtrack as well).

Sorry I have to say it. Hooper was given a collection of some of the best voices Hollywood has to offer and he failed to allow them to meet their potential. He also was unable to fully grasp the material he was working with. Again, I understand the idea of “let the actors be actors” but it fails in this medium with this score. My hope is that when they release the DVD/Blue ray, Cameron Macintosh sends the cast to the studio to record a proper recording and re-engineer the movie.

Pre-movie Rating: 1/5

Updated on 12/25

Following the usual Jewish Tradition of Movies and Chinese; I went to Les Miserables with the family. My above critique of the vocals still stands. I will stay that the movie is well done in almost every other respect. I even cried at some points.

Anne Hathaway will get an oscar nod for this performance. Hugh Jackman I believe will get the globe but Hooper sabotaged him. Valjean is hard to sing in normal circumstances, Hooper really hurt Jackman's ability to sing it properly. His edits of the confrontation scenes to remove the counterpoints between Jackman and Crowe really bothered me and also hurt the ability to tell the story in a proper way.

Hooper's use of the super-closeup was also something that I found beyond troubling at times. He often used the technique to "show" you who was singing; something that would not have needed to happen if the film was properly mastered in a studio and not on set. For what Hooper attempted to work, you needed voices who could pull it off and he lacked them/ tired out the ones that could. I go back to "Bring Him Home" which sounds like Jackman made a choice between proper technique and drama. Never cause vocal damage was something teachers always taught me.

While I have spent the majority of this entry completely panning this movie, I will spend some time complimenting a few of the changes made to the script. A big complaint of the show is the lack of background given on the characters, Hooper appears to remedy this in a couple places (actually introducing Marius by showing his grandfather. They  also explain where Cossette and Valjean ended up after she is rescued from the Thenardiers).

Another touching change occurs at the end. The show finale has Eponine and Fantine escorting Valjean to heaven. In the movie, Fantine and the Bishop (played by the Original "Valjean" Colm Wilkinson) escorting him gates.  A very touching finale to an otherwise lackluster movie. 
    

Post Movie Rating: 3/5

Rumor has it they are going to make a 3D version.. ABORT ABORT 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

Justin and I saw The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on December 15, 2012. This was a fantasy driven movie with incredible effects, amazing characters, and great scenes that take you back to memories of reading the book. This was honestly one of the first big books I read back in 6th grade for Mrs. Christie's Reading Response Journal entries. I loved the book, and I loved the movie. Bilbo Baggins is one of my favorite characters: He is a character that starts out as somebody that is a recluse and wants to keep to himself, but through interactions with Gandalf and the dwarves, who want to reclaim their mountain kingdom from a dragon known as Smaug, he becomes a brave, intelligent companion keen on helping the cause and showing what a hobbit of Bagend is made of. I've always liked Bilbo, and disliked Frodo because I feel Frodo is weak, whiny, and crying for Gandalf to help him all the time. I liked the intro showing what happened to the Dwarf Kingdom, and the issues with the Elvish kingdom. It is a great way to show why Legolas and Gimli disliked each other at the start of the LOTR trilogy. The dinner/meeting scene to organize the fellowship to gain control of the kingdom was hilarious. Justin and I were laughing at the line: "That's a bit excessive isn't it?" when the heavyset dwarf comes out holding a wheel of cheese to eat. The audience follows this troupe on their adventure and feels the intensity in each scene whether its the encounter with the trolls, or the obstacle of survival with the Stone Giants and the encounter with the Goblins in the caves of Moria. My favorite scene is the Game of Riddles with Gollum and Bilbo, and I absolutely loved watching it unfold. I felt it was well done and I always have liked Andy Serkis's portrayal of Gollum. I like the schizophrenic nature of the character, and how obsessed with the ring he is. Bilbo is intelligent and is able to get away from Gollum, but the riddles exchange was perfectly executed. The battle scene at the end with the orcs and the Fellowship of the Dwarves displayed why I love the fantasy drama: characters that your creativity imagines battling each other through walls of fire, sword fighting, and brave risks. Thorin was basically obliterated and Bilbo rushing to save Thorin elicited a big applause from the audience. I knew the eagles scene had to be where the movie was going to cut, and the way they ended the movie for the second installment was perfect. Great action, scenes, effects, characters, and tremendous performances by Martin Freeman (Bilbo), Ian McKellan (Gandalf), Richard Armitage (Thorin), and some nice cameos by Elijah Wood, Ian Holm, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, and Christopher Lee, to which somebody turned and asked me: "Is he still living?" I said: "Yes, surprisingly enough." This is a definite 5/5. It was so well executed and personally I've always liked the actual story of the Hobbit better than the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Lincoln Review

Justin and I saw Lincoln on November 23, 2012!! This is a sure fire Oscar nominee for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Director, and Picture. It probably will have a couple of nominations for things such as make-up, costumes, etc, but this movie certainly deserves the nominations if it gets it. It basically follows Abraham Lincoln's presidency during the Civil War, and the battle to get the 13th Amendment passed. The 13th Amendment is what abolished slavery. As a fan of history, I was instantly hooked when I heard about this project and that Daniel Day Lewis was attached to it. Daniel Day Lewis is my favorite actor, and he looked hauntingly like him. He is a method actor, so it made sense to me that he would definitely work to resemble the look of the 16th President. He definitely did an excellent job throughout the movie delivering speeches, stories, and impassioned arguments that captured the essence of one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. One aspect that interested me was his ability to change gears from previous work. My favorite movie of all time is Gangs of New York, and in that movie DDL portrayed my favorite male movie character in Bill "The Butcher" Cutting. In that movie, he was against Abraham Lincoln's policies, and was also a supporter of Tammany Hall throughout the movie. It was interesting to see him come at it from the other perspective in the form of Honest Abe himself. In fact on the call sheets, he would be listed as Abraham Lincoln, and not Daniel Day Lewis. He is an awesome actor!! Sally Field did a phenomenal job capturing the personality of Mary Todd Lincoln particularly following the death of Willie, and her refusal to allow Robert to join the Union Army. She never fully recovered from the loss of her son, and Field captured that perfectly. It has been said that she suffered from schizophrenia, and various mental disorders. In fact, Robert actually committed her later in her life. Tommy Lee Jones balanced dramatic and comedic very well with his role as the voice of the Radical Republicans: Thaddeus Stevens. He gave the feeling of the old time Senator fighting for the 13th Amendment and waving the flag of the Republican party. In the sidelines, you have great appearances from actors like James Spader as W.N. Bilbo who was great as a man trying to steal votes to gain Democrat support, and providing some genuine comedy. I also really enjoyed the scenes where the House was debating on the amendment. It showed you the divide in the House, and how crucial a vote can be in Congress. The movie certainly demonstrated a nice American flavor adding to the intrigue of one of the United State's greatest men that ever lived in my opinion. I fully expect the movie to get the nominations I listed, and hopefully if that happens some wins. Brilliant performances, great dialogue, and a fantastic cast make this a 5/5!!

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 Review

Justin and I saw Breaking Dawn, Part 2 on November 17, 2012!! I felt this was a good ending to a series that I've actually enjoyed unlike the majority of people out there. I felt Kristen Stewart did an excellent job as Bella (my favorite performance of hers throughout the whole series). I am a big fan of her to begin with, but I was impressed with how she portrayed her new vampiric state and the remnants of her humanity, much like Elena is doing in The Vampire Diaries. She shows fire and passion as Bella, going to great lengths to protect her daughter Renesmee, and her husband Edward. She has gained strength and a keen ability to protect her family. The Cullens are an interesting family, as each character brings something unique to the table, whether it's Alice with her visions or the gentle nature of Carlisle. I liked the whole element of vampires having unique abilities. It's something I've never really seen when approaching the vampire subject. I think the Volturi is a unique group of old guard vampires, who want to protect the race by taking out threats such as immortal children. They are under the impression that Renesmee is immortal, and she will never be able to learn how to control her abilities as her life was taken from her and will be doomed to be a child for eternity. Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner did well in their respective roles of Edward and Jacob. I felt that the movie showed a maturity amongst the cast as its been a team effort since the first film, but you see how well the chemistry works on screen. I also liked how they maintained a level of campiness with Michael Sheen's portrayal of Aro at some points. The Volturi overall is a great blend of characters as many have differing ideologies regarding certain situations as you'll see throughout the movie. I think this movie did an absolutely incredible job of playing with the audience's emotions. The crowd was applauding and some were crying at certain points in the movie. I could understand why. The big twist was so well done. It was shot in such an intelligent matter that it created an extremely realistic environment. That whole sequence is one of the best scenes I've had the privilege of seeing. The evolution of characters, incredible scenes, beautiful scenery, intense emotion, music (especially the brilliant, well orchestrated score), costumes, and storylines made this a movie that I give a 5/5. I gave each one of the other movies: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, Part 1 a 4/5 and this one I liked just a little bit more than the others. My brother Jake was the one that initially got me into these movies, and I have to thank him for it. He knows I am usually into movies and books dealing with subjects like this. These movies have been presented over a 5 year period starting in 2007, and I have liked each movie. The ending with the credits and well constructed shots of the saga's history really did a great job of wrapping up this cinematic journey. In my opinion, this was very well done. I was applauding along with everybody else in the packed theater as we bid farewell to a series filled with passion, entertaining moments, emotional moments, and of course, blood.

Skyfall Review

Justin and I saw Skyfall on November 10, 2012. I am not a huge fan of James Bond overall, but I have to say this installment was excellent!!! Daniel Craig has been amazing as the iconic male agent giving it a darker realism to it, much like Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have done with Batman and The Dark Knight trilogy. The cast of this movie was excellent from Daniel Craig to Javier Bardem to Ralph Fiennes. The opening sequence in general is one of the most entertaining openings I've ever seen. It's action packed and certainly presents a pulse-pounding cinematic experience. From there, we go into Adele's Skyfall theme-probably one of my new favorite songs. The main theme of this Bond is to show how much loyalty Bond has to M. He has to help her erase the past and infiltrate who is behind the threat...at any cost to himself physically or emotionally. We definitely see Bond take a beating, and as I've said before I feel Craig has stated in his contract: I must have the crap beaten out of me. Bardem's portrayal of Silva was great-he was intimidating and at the same time had some silly qualities. Bond in general should have a mixture of both and it does. It really helps revitalize the British feel to the Bond franchise which is important. I thought the different shooting locations capture the emotions at each stage of the movie. The Shanghai sequence in particular was beautiful in terms of scenery and displaying the suave demeanor of Bond. I really liked the red and gold atmosphere amidst a kaleidoscope of greens, blues, pinks, and yellows on the skyline. You also have a deserted mansion/church which is demonstrative of Bond's early childhood as an orphan. Sam Mendes did an amazing job at the director's helm. The emotional ending really wraps up this trilogy of Craig's take on the character. Each character's arc comes to a crescendo at the Bond mansion-so nicely done filled with intense action and strong dialogue. I definitely give this movie a 5/5-the movie received a huge applause from the packed theater I saw this in as the signature gun barrel walk concluded. Also, it seems that Voldemort is now in charge of England's national defense which is awesome!!! I give this movie a well deserved 5/5 for brilliant action, characters, dialogue, and scenery.

Wreck-It Ralph Review

Justin and I saw Wreck-It Ralph on November 4, 2012!! I LOOOOOOOOOVED this movie!! As many know, I am extremely picky on animated movies and I was absolutely impressed with this. I thought the writing, characters, and voice talents worked perfectly to create something amazing. The visuals in each world were all different which was great to show how video games have changed over time. The movie takes place inside an arcade, and characters jump between games through the various plugs in the arcade. The movie centers around Ralph, who is the main villain of a video-game called Fix-It Felix. He wrecks buildings and Felix fixes them. He has been doing that for 30 years. The problem is, he wants to be seen in a different light. He wants to be the one that wins the medal and be viewed as the hero. He is tried of being the guy thrown off the building into a puddle of mud. After a party celebrating the game's 30th anniversary, he decides that he wants something different. He goes through different worlds like Hero's Duty-which is where he initially goes to gain recognition as a hero and get a medal. This leads to some consequences, and even leads to problems for Fix-It Felix which could result in the game being shut down. Ralph's reputation of wrecking things leads to him crashing into the world of Sugar Rush. Automatically, I loved the set-up of this game with the characters named after candy, and the design of each of the characters. I would play this game for hours if it was available for real. It's awesome!! Ralph is introduced to Venelopee, who appears to be a glitch which means she can't jump between games. Venelopee is my favorite character in this movie. She is so upbeat and optimistic. Ralph's quest actually leads to consequences for the whole arcade, and you see these developments over the course of the movie. I found the Sugar Rush storyline to be absolutely amazing. I loved the twists that resulted at certain points, and I like how each twist showed how much of a good guy Ralph really is. His committment to help Venelopee is what ultimately makes him a hero. The different video game worlds playing a role at the end was awesome to watch as it combined incredible visuals and awesome conclusions for each character. The movie's ability to combine incredible characters, phenomenal writing, tremendous visuals, great voice talents such as John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman, and positive messages of ultimately realizing that your glitch makes you special and can be a positive make this movie a 5/5!! I'M GONNA WRECK IT!!! The only thing is I hope nobody decides to start calling me Old Ham Hands now. Haha.