Les Misérables - Review

There isn't a genre of film more difficult to sell than the musical. Always turning into a complete farce or becoming an assault on the senses. This critic doesn't hold a particular distaste to the genre, however musicals have never sat with him easily. Musicals often have a horrific tendency to sing direct to camera, breaking that all important fourth wall like it's some kind of stage show. Include into that songs sung in a studio, and quite obviously not on set, and you've often got a recipe for a badly lip synced barf fest. Tom Hoopers take on Les Misérables seeks to breath new life into a well known musical and give movie goers an all together different experience of musicals on the big screen.

Les Misérables follows Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackson) in 19th Century France. Long on the run from the policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) Valjean creates a new life for himself and helps raise a child belonging to a factory worker. His decision to father the child alters both their futures forever as he fights to keep them both safe in the tumultuous world of revolutionary France.

The stage show is loved around the globe and well known to millions, but to many others you will probably have heard of it, but just never seen it. To musical lovers this is sacred stuff, a stupendous show that has run for a solid 27 years, so it arrives with much bridled anticipation. This viewer hadn't ever seen the show and knew little about the story, and nothing about the format, which may be a deciding factor as to whether you see it or not. Most musicals that you may have seen, like the more recent Sweeney Todd, have a range of dialogue and musical scenes. Les Misérables does the whole 2 hours and 30 minutes on song, with dialogue one liners for effect and transition. A brave but obvious decision, for this is how the show is done, and with many anticipated fans, why fix what isn't broken?

Film brings with it one huge advantage over the theater, the chance to expand and visualise the larger scenes and to be more intimate with the characters. The opening sets you up for the roller coaster that's about to transpire. A huge, impressive set piece, involving a ship being pulled into dock by hundreds of prisoners, bombastically throws you into the film, sparing no time in getting right to the singing. Jackman pulls with all his weary and wirey might, as he is drenched and battered, and here the effect of singing live is instantly appreciated. Having recorded all of the vocals live on set, you hear every gripe and grimace in his toil. Further scenes benefit massively from this way of recording, with Anne Hathaway proving the stand out as she trembles and impresses through I Dreamed A Dream. What it captures is the emotion, real acting through song and it has an enduring and devastating effect, with guarantees that even if you yourself are not moved by certain scenes, others in the cinema will.

Jackman is clearly the stand out, having cut his teeth in theater, and long before his turn as Wolverine shot him to fame, he starred in the filmed for TV Oklahoma. Other actors obviously don't have the experience, yet still their presence is felt. Poor Russell Crowe seems to come under the microscope every time he utters words in films these days (Robin Hood is Irish? Wait a Yorkshireman? Oh I don't know), but even though he clearly has the weaker voice, his casting as Javert is poignant and cleverly chosen. With such a stellar cast it's hard to pick out who stands tallest in this gargantuan production. Sacha Baron Cohen makes off with a number of scenes as the comedy relief Thénardier, and Helena Bonham Carter as his partner, looking and sounding much like her last musical character in Sweeney Todd. Isabelle Allen as the Young Cosette is also enchanting as she dreams of a Castle On A Cloud, it seems you're constantly reveling at the talent on show. However given the excited talk that followed the exiting of this packed screening, a great amount of praise falls on Eddie Redmayne, who dominates the final act of the film with his stirring performance of Empty Chairs At Empty Tables.

In bringing Les Misérables to the screen the Kings Speech director Tom Hooper has masterfully used his often intensely close and offset shooting style, that brings the performances to the fore. The sets and locations are fittingly excellent and gives the story a greater sense of scale than a theater ever could. The world created is rich and realistic, some times almost too realistic, with scenes that involve a sewer provoking quite the reaction among the audience, as Jean Valjean drags Marius through a river of shit. The shining jewel of the set production is greatly realised in the scenes as the Revolutionaries rise up in the final act. The length of the film gives rise to the potential for a bit of leg crossing, as if missing but a minute of the film would be a shame. There are some odd choices made, that are minor picks. In light of it being set in France, you can't help but let your brain wince when a child runs on with a wise cracking, cockney (cor blimey gavnar) accent. The singing will have its critics among the picky, it's not perfect, but then again theater never is, that's what is so brave about the film. In fact the keen eyed among you may notice that due to such intense scrutiny of the actors, the focus puller, whilst doing a brilliant job, is having a tough time with some performances as they move through the more intense scenes.

All together this makes for viewing that will stick with you, musicals have the added power to instill themselves into your memory through song. The girls will come out singing I Dreamed A Dream and the boys, well they'll have to put up with it. Many eye's will not be dry and new recruits to the story of Les Misérables may be booking tickets for the theater, or going to see the film again. It's an intense journey, and it might not strike a chord with everyone. Oscars nominations are deserved, however in terms of cinematic achievement there are others who I think deserve the wins more. Needless to say the excitement and praise for this film is repeated by myself, it's not the kind of thing I usually love at the cinema, but this time around, this film goer has been won over.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Life Of Pi - Review

In the world of adapted novels there are those that are deemed impossible to bring to cinema, but in the past decade we've seen films that many never thought would make it to the big screen. The triumphs in these cases have been a result of dedication, not only to the development of special effects and filming technology, but to good storytelling. Life Of Pi has always been regarded as one of these unfilmable stories, so inevitably someone bravely took up the gauntlet, and who better than Ang Lee. Say what you like, but Ang Lee has always been a thought provoking film maker, even if you thought that Hulk was Marvels biggest misfire, you can't help but admire that Lee tried to buck the trend of boom and blast for the more psychological and intense look at the green meanie. With Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain in his portfolio, Ang Lee is one big hitter that doesn't stick to genres, but there are films that define careers and Life Of Pi I believe is that film.

Life Of Pi follows Pi Patel on an adventure, when a disastrous storm takes his family and life from him, and he is left on a life boat, with a lethal bengal tiger (named Richard Parker) for company. In a story that tests his will as well as his soul, he must try to survive alongside Richard Parker.

At the beginning of the film we are introduced to Pi as a middle aged man, through a visitor played by Rafe Spall (you'll remember him getting too friendly with a snake in Prometheus), an aspiring writer looking for his next story. Rafe Spall is our inquisition into the story, he's the person that we all can relate to. When asked by Pi what someone had told him he replies 'He said you had a story that would make me believe in God'. This scene is revisited as the story is told and highlights the main underlying metaphor once the plot reaches its conclusion, a tactfully used device that works well.

The following story has us follow Pi as he grows up, so by the time we are aboard the ship taking his fathers Zoo across the ocean, we already know Pi very well. The cinematography capturing the fantastic looking French India is breathtaking. Backed by a captivating soundtrack, the first act see's Pi tell his story of growing up and becoming fascinated with religion, and being giving lessons in the nature of animals. Ang Lee manages to do justice to the way children behave and think, a difficult move that has you engaged with the story so quickly.

The master stroke of the film is touched upon when Pi meets Richard Parker (the tiger) and how it deals with the nature of animals. The idea of the tiger as being ferocious and deadly is deftly incorporated into story, so you're under no illusion that this is some kind of Disney style fairy tale. However once the story aboard the life boat kicks off the elements of this being a rather unbelievable tale are uniquely twinned with this realistic approach to the behaviour of animals. This behaviour and the realism of this is realised so magnificently in the special effects used.

I was constantly agog at how incredible the CGI was in Life Of Pi, and more astonishingly at how the 3D was used to great effect. 3D and I have never been the best of friends, but for once the inclusion of it didn't bother me, it was great to see moments that not only didn't seem so pop up card style, but that jumped out at you or enhanced the depth of field with significance and style. It's hard to do that in a film and for it not to feel like a 'look at me I'm in 3D' moment. In the way that The Hobbit left me with a headache, Life Of Pi didn't seem to have that effect.

Saraj Sharma (Pi) is a revelation and as the heart and soul of this film he shines as he deals with his situation, sometimes with success and other times not so much. His interaction with what was probably nothing, on set, is believable and endearing. The journey Pi goes on speaks volumes at every chapter, and whenever he begins to feel control in this impossible situation, life throws him a curve ball, but the presence of Richard Parker gives him strength and purpose. 'Without Richard Parker, I'd be dead by now' he exclaims as he sits on his makeshift raft tied to the boat containing the killer tiger.

I became ensconced in the film and as the relationship between Richard Parker and Pi develops, you become drawn into the belief that out of such great adversity that a tiger could be tamed. The final act brings with it such a great resolution and a new understanding of the story, and whether you cottoned on or not it will leave you in the same position the Writer (Rafe Spall) ends up.

Doubtless, this is one of the finest films I've seen in a while, one that I would watch again, for it's vision and excellent story, that should resonate with all who watch it. As many have said, you just have to go and see it to believe it. It is only showing in 3D which it has been designed for, and with this great attention to a medium I have criticised, I can say it didn't hinder my enjoyment of this film, for once. A must see and a worthy contender for Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Review

It's 2013 and I've let the blog slide for too long, it's time to get reviewing again. 2012 was in many film goers eyes a year of expectancy, with one film after another coming from Directors who have immense cinematic clout. However given the anticipation greeted by many films last year non come close to the expectancy laid on The Hobbit. The Lord Of The Rings is cinemas greatest success story, a trilogy that is lauded as the finest ever created. 11 years since the release of The Fellowship Of The Ring and we're returning to Middle Earth in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

In a hole under the ground there lived a Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins is his name and we all know him as a rather wrinkled Ian Holm in Lord Of The Rings, who makes an appearance here. But this story concerns a much younger Bilbo played by Martin Freeman, who, along with Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and 13 dwarves, begins an adventure to help the dwarves reclaim their former homeland from the terrible dragon known as Smaug.

An Unexpected Journey plants you firmly back in to Middle Earth and into Jackson's method of story telling. It's like sitting in your favourite chair and enjoying a tipple of your favourite drink, only the label has changed and the flavour has a crisp newness about it. The characters, setting and motifs all ring with familiar tones that instantly has you by the eyes and ears. The story is laid out before us with a fantastic prologue that echoes the style of the former films. Hobbiton looks as good, in fact better than it did oh so many years ago and the crystal quality of the new RED cameras picks out the finest detail in the landscape and faces of our characters. However this viewer prefers not to have to wear such cumbersome glasses to enjoy the experience, more on that later.

Jackson has made the obvious and generous choice to reintroduce Middle Earth and the story of The Hobbit through our original Bilbo; Ian Holm. The first act plays out in what, to most, seems to be a rather slow affair. However having just read the book before viewing, I found that Jackson and Walsh have done their best to expand on a part of the story that focuses solely on Bilbo. With cinema, solid character building is key, and to spend a bit of time working out how Balin and Thorin have come to this juncture gives the story a better grounding. I felt the whole affair flit by, if anything I wanted to spend more time in Hobbiton. The film thunders on in any case.

Leaving Hobbiton gives The Hobbit it's true selling point, not only its glorious landscape, through which this band of 14 trek to the Lonely Mountain, but its central protagonist, Martin Freeman, who plays a much worried and flustered Bilbo. In LOTR it's easy to send Frodo on his adventure, he has no choice but to leave with the help of Gandalf. Here Bilbo is having to be coerced out the door as the outcome of this quest has little consequence to his lovely life in the Shire. The way this is handled is the genius of the film and the way in which it concludes gives a definite beginning and end to this first of three films. Much like Fellowship you feel a sense of connection to how hard this quest must be on a little halfling from Hobbiton.

The Hobbit deals with a much more playful and what seems a more trivial subject matter. The very idea of the plot sounds all together more fairy tale like than Lord of the Rings, so it comes loaded with a much more whimsical approach to the quest. LOTRs first chapter was a particular dark and brooding affair with a real sense of the unknown. So it's no wonder that some viewers have felt disconnected from this first installment. With room to expand and play with the story rather than squeeze a massive book into a 3 hour plot, Jackson and Co. give a grander sense of scale and seriousness to this quest. The prologue, the battle at the gates of Moria and the inclusion of Azog the Pale Orc give the plot a much greater sense of urgency and scope.

The inclusion of Radagast and the story surrounding the Necromancer has not yet inflicted on the quest, and with it not being part of The Hobbit novel, many have sneered at it's inclusion, however with two films still to go, these threads may still have an impact on the trilogy as a whole. However in dealing with the scenes that were in the book, one character nearly makes off with the whole show, as Bilbo meeting Gollum is possibly the greatest interaction with a cgi animated character in the history of cinema. Other expectant scenes such as the stone giants, the encounter with the 'three monstrous trolls' and goblin town, are handled as you would expect and add to that epic and magical quality synonymous with Jackson's Middle Earth.

Overall it's a superb adventure story in it's own right, with outstanding production techniques and effects backed by the strength of returning cast members, talented new ones and a soundtrack that further embellishes and builds on the previous score. However with Jackson attempting to give the film firm strings that lead to LOTR, that never appeared in the book, you can't help but feel that some scenes impeach on the main plot line. With a lot more still to come I for one feel that The Hobbit Trilogy has more up it's sleeve that could see the second chapter give relevance to moments in An Unexpected Journey.

The decision to shoot The Hobbit in 3D has caused this viewer one huge headache (quite literally). I've never been fond of 3D, especially its use in films that seemingly don't need it. With The Hobbit I was constantly pulled out of the experience because of a pair of glasses acting like a shitty filter over my eyes. I've watched 3D films and not noticed this as much but for some reason The Hobbit had me, on both sittings, getting frustrated with the 3D experience. LOTR was incredible without it, why bother? As for HFR I'll have to wait for the next one to bother with that. I fully intend on seeing this one more time in 2D just so I can sit through it without my eyes straining.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆