Silly, stupid me. You'd think I would have come to expect only the best from Quentin Tarantino, and that's what he gives us here.....one of his best.
In Django Unchained, Django (Jaime Foxx) is a slave who is freed by bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Django is the only man who can identify Dr. king's next bounty, so Dr. King teams up with Django and trains him to be a top bounty hunter. Django intends to use his new skills to rescue his wife (Kerry Washington, who mainly screams here and not much else), who has been sold to a maniacal plantation owner named Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).
Let's get something straight right off the bat here: Tarantino doesn't make movies, he makes glorious, slow passionate love to the big screen. The sweeping vistas and the way the camera is used is stunningly gorgeous. The costume designs and sets are elaborate and beautifully realized, if Django Unchained doesn't walk away with an Oscar for set design and costumes, it's a damn shame.
Also on display here is Quentin's usual fantastic script. Now, he does use the "N" word a lot during the film (mainly during the 2nd act when we are at "Candie-land", the name of Candie's plantation), but I never felt that it was too intrusive or noticeable except for a few moments here or there. Now, Quentin, as usual, can get a bit too cocky at times (like a final "horse dance" at the end) and this does detract from the film a bit and there are times where it feels like we are laughing along with the characters at the negroe's misfortunes which is bound to leave somewhat of a bad taste in audience's mouths. That said, the film overall, while a good deal darker than other Tarantino films, is still entirely enjoyable for the most part.
Jaime Foxx is downright superb as the titular character, Django. He is completely believable as a slave turned bounty hunter imbued with a righteous anger. Nice little touches help add to the believability like Django learning to read and being told certain words meanings that he never knew before. Over all, Foxx is a complete joy to watch and it helps that he plays his role pretty seriously for the most part.
Christoph Waltz is back as bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (his name seems to be an obvious reference to another famous Dr. King). Him and Tarantino seem to be a match made in heaven. Tarantino knows how to direct the great actor, and Waltz seems to genuinely enjoy every second he has in this film. Needless to say, his performance here is not quite as great as his breakthrough in Inglourious Basterds, but this is easily 2nd best no doubt in my mind.
Leonardo DiCaprio once again proves what we all should know by now, that he is a force to be reckoned with. He plays his role of Calvin Candie with all the force of a hurricane. He plays his part with a warm smile that hides an all too sinister glee. For the most part he is a friendly face, but his scary depths can emerge at the most unexpected of times, giving this character an unpredictable and even terrifying edge.
Samuel L. Jackson appears late in the film, but his performance here is one of the hidden treats of the film. He plays the house "N" word that may not be quite as dumb as he is making himself out to be. Easily him and DiCaprio have the best dynamic in the film as one is the figurehead and the other is the real brains. I've never seen Jackson tackle a role with such glee in years. He is having fun with the part he has been given to play and this is easily one of his all time best performances and the power dynamic/struggle him and DiCaprio share makes the film all the more richer and fun to watch.
Expect to see Django Unchained to have a definite presence at the Oscars this year. The film does run around 20 minutes too long, but that doesn't detract from any of the fun to be had here. Yes, Tarantino's usual final act bloodfest is on full display here, and boy is it glorious (though the gushing geysers of blood can be a bit too much at times). Django Unchained is easily one of the best films of the year for me, easily surpassing Argo and Les Mis. If you are in the mood for a bloody, somewhat controversial good time then saddle up your horse for Django and hold on for one helluva wild ride.
4.5/ 5 Stars
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
IS LES MISERABLES MASTER OF THE HOUSE?
Les Miserables and I go back a ways. Our story started waaaay back in 2006, when my high school put on a production of the Broadway smash. Back then I would tech for shows, but Les Mis was one I decided to sit out on, boy do I regret that decision. I only attended one showing of my high school's production, but I was completely enamored by the show, and the memory of that one production has stuck with me all these years later. Now, our story continues with the highly anticipated movie adaptation.
Les Miserables is about how one simple act of kindness can forever change a man's life. When a recently paroled convict, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is caught stealing a local bishop's money, instead of condemning him, the bishop frees Valjean. This simple act forces Valjean to change his ways and sets his life on a collision course with many unfortunate, miserable people whose lives Valjean will change.
The first question that we must ask is this: Does Les Mis the stage musical work as a movie musical? The answer is a surprising: not completely. For the most part it works really well, there are many epic, spectacular moments that adapt themselves well to the big screen. I must give director Tom Hooper credit, he set out to make as faithful an adaptation to the stage musical as possible, and he just about succeeds in his endeavor. He cuts very little out in the movie adaptation (though he does rearrange a few parts and adds a few things here and there, nothing too noticeable though and it doesn't change all that much when you get down to it), which runs at a lengthy 157 minutes, however this means that the film does drag...a lot, especially in the 2nd half at the barricade. I could see how newcomers to Les Mis may get bored or frustrated and Tom Hooper seems to sense this issue and tries to fix it by attempting to up the tempo. Even though the 2nd half is where most of the film takes place, and it is where the most crucial events occur, it feels very rushed....to the point where it didn't feel natural. By giving this whole part a rushed feel, Hooper doesn't allow the gut-wrenching events that occur during the 2nd half to hold the emotional impact that they should. Yes it may drag, but it's supposed to and by rushing these parts he robs the film of it's natural flow and emotional weight. There were moments where I should have been tearing up, but I wasn't.
While Hooper does undermine the emotional impact of some moments, there were areas where he made very wise decisions, like the cinematography and choice to record the songs live on set as the camera rolled. The sets are fantastic, from the opening number where convicts are forced to drag a ship into harbor during a violent storm, to the building of the barricade, every set is beautifully realized. The film does utilize quite a bit of CGI, but unlike other recent films the CGI works fairly well in Les Mis and blends pretty well into the sets. I also appreciate how almost every solo in the film is filmed using extreme close-up shots. these allow us to focus on the character singing (much like we would during a stage musical) and allows us to view the natural progression of their emotions during the song. This technique works best during "I Dreamed A Dream", "On My Own, and "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables". Of course, for reasons I'm sure I don't have to state here, the choice to record the songs live on set worked incredibly well for the film as well, giving the film a raw, real quality that you can otherwise only get on stage.
The whole cast here was well cast. Hugh Jackman was a natural choice for Valjean, the hero of our story. He acts the crap out of his role and sings his songs like it's nobodies business. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter were perfectly cast as the Thenardiers, the despicable and ugly owners of an inn who spend their free time doing various naughty deeds. Their singing was ok, but they fit the roles perfectly...I just wish they added some real menace to their characters that was present in the stage version but missing here. Amanda Seyfried was ok as Cosette, she has never been my favorite character and she is as boring here as she was in the stage version. You still care for her though. Seyfried's singing was very shaky, especially when she had to sing high, which was in just about every one of her songs. Anne Hathaway was amazing and heart-breaking as the unfortunate and tortured Fantine. She does an amazing acting job and her singing was top notch. Another fantastic performance came in from newcomer Samantha Barks, who plays the tragic role of Eponine (my favorite character from the stage version and my favorite character here too). She has raw emotion here, and her versions of "On My Own" and "A Little Fall of Rain" are fantastic. Barks had played Eponine on Broadway, so naturally she is extremely memorable here. Expect to see both Barks and Hathaway receive a best supporting actress nod, though I'd give the edge to Barks here...she was absolutely sympathetic and perfect in her performance. Daniel Huttleston (also fresh off broadway as Gavroche, apparently he acted next to Samantha Barks in the same production there) was perfect as Gavroche, another one of my favorite characters from the show. He fit the role like a glove and embodied the role extraordinarily well, shame they cut his solo out of the film. Aaron Tveit, a seasoned Broadway performer, was great as Enjolras, the leader of the small revolt that is the focus of much of the film. Eddie Redmayne was great as well in the role of Marius, Enjolras' best friend and love interest for Cosette. He did a pretty great acting job, although his face looked a little too exuberantly wacky at times. Every performer here did an adaquate job at singing their songs except for Russel Crowe as Javert, the police officer who is hell-bent on capturing Valjean. It boggles the mind how the casting directors could have fumbled the ball so spectacularly. Crowe is a Baritone, this means he sings in a deep voice. this would be fine, except that the role of Javert requires him to sing in an upper octave. He does try, but his voice just wasn't made to reach those high notes, unfortunately. That said, he does an ok acting job.
For fans of musicals, Les Mis is just about as perfect an adaptation as you can get. As I had already said, the film pretty accurately adapts the musical to the big screen. Problems you have with the film most likely would be problems you would have with the musical as well. If you do not like musicals, you would be wise to avoid this film at all costs. Just like the stage version, all the dialogue is sung minus a line here or there. For fans of musical theater though (like myself), you have found valhalla, the movie that the musical gods have so kindly bestowed among us.....this is nirvana. I was geeking out constantly during this film. Is it slow? You betcha! Will you cry? Most likely. Will you love every second of it despite a few possible small qualms? Well, I sure did! It's fitting that Les Miserables was released Christmas day, because it makes for a perfect gift. I know I would give no second thought to forking over the cash to see it a second and maybe even a third time. If you are a true fan of Les Miserables and musicals in general, then this film is indeed for you. If you haven't seen the stage version and you are a newcomer to Les Mis, I highly encourage you to see this film. Expect this film to get quite a few Oscar Nods. While I still need to see a few more films that are sure to make the Best Picture category, for now this is my personal favorite film of the year.
4/5 STARS
Les Miserables is about how one simple act of kindness can forever change a man's life. When a recently paroled convict, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is caught stealing a local bishop's money, instead of condemning him, the bishop frees Valjean. This simple act forces Valjean to change his ways and sets his life on a collision course with many unfortunate, miserable people whose lives Valjean will change.
The first question that we must ask is this: Does Les Mis the stage musical work as a movie musical? The answer is a surprising: not completely. For the most part it works really well, there are many epic, spectacular moments that adapt themselves well to the big screen. I must give director Tom Hooper credit, he set out to make as faithful an adaptation to the stage musical as possible, and he just about succeeds in his endeavor. He cuts very little out in the movie adaptation (though he does rearrange a few parts and adds a few things here and there, nothing too noticeable though and it doesn't change all that much when you get down to it), which runs at a lengthy 157 minutes, however this means that the film does drag...a lot, especially in the 2nd half at the barricade. I could see how newcomers to Les Mis may get bored or frustrated and Tom Hooper seems to sense this issue and tries to fix it by attempting to up the tempo. Even though the 2nd half is where most of the film takes place, and it is where the most crucial events occur, it feels very rushed....to the point where it didn't feel natural. By giving this whole part a rushed feel, Hooper doesn't allow the gut-wrenching events that occur during the 2nd half to hold the emotional impact that they should. Yes it may drag, but it's supposed to and by rushing these parts he robs the film of it's natural flow and emotional weight. There were moments where I should have been tearing up, but I wasn't.
While Hooper does undermine the emotional impact of some moments, there were areas where he made very wise decisions, like the cinematography and choice to record the songs live on set as the camera rolled. The sets are fantastic, from the opening number where convicts are forced to drag a ship into harbor during a violent storm, to the building of the barricade, every set is beautifully realized. The film does utilize quite a bit of CGI, but unlike other recent films the CGI works fairly well in Les Mis and blends pretty well into the sets. I also appreciate how almost every solo in the film is filmed using extreme close-up shots. these allow us to focus on the character singing (much like we would during a stage musical) and allows us to view the natural progression of their emotions during the song. This technique works best during "I Dreamed A Dream", "On My Own, and "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables". Of course, for reasons I'm sure I don't have to state here, the choice to record the songs live on set worked incredibly well for the film as well, giving the film a raw, real quality that you can otherwise only get on stage.
The whole cast here was well cast. Hugh Jackman was a natural choice for Valjean, the hero of our story. He acts the crap out of his role and sings his songs like it's nobodies business. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter were perfectly cast as the Thenardiers, the despicable and ugly owners of an inn who spend their free time doing various naughty deeds. Their singing was ok, but they fit the roles perfectly...I just wish they added some real menace to their characters that was present in the stage version but missing here. Amanda Seyfried was ok as Cosette, she has never been my favorite character and she is as boring here as she was in the stage version. You still care for her though. Seyfried's singing was very shaky, especially when she had to sing high, which was in just about every one of her songs. Anne Hathaway was amazing and heart-breaking as the unfortunate and tortured Fantine. She does an amazing acting job and her singing was top notch. Another fantastic performance came in from newcomer Samantha Barks, who plays the tragic role of Eponine (my favorite character from the stage version and my favorite character here too). She has raw emotion here, and her versions of "On My Own" and "A Little Fall of Rain" are fantastic. Barks had played Eponine on Broadway, so naturally she is extremely memorable here. Expect to see both Barks and Hathaway receive a best supporting actress nod, though I'd give the edge to Barks here...she was absolutely sympathetic and perfect in her performance. Daniel Huttleston (also fresh off broadway as Gavroche, apparently he acted next to Samantha Barks in the same production there) was perfect as Gavroche, another one of my favorite characters from the show. He fit the role like a glove and embodied the role extraordinarily well, shame they cut his solo out of the film. Aaron Tveit, a seasoned Broadway performer, was great as Enjolras, the leader of the small revolt that is the focus of much of the film. Eddie Redmayne was great as well in the role of Marius, Enjolras' best friend and love interest for Cosette. He did a pretty great acting job, although his face looked a little too exuberantly wacky at times. Every performer here did an adaquate job at singing their songs except for Russel Crowe as Javert, the police officer who is hell-bent on capturing Valjean. It boggles the mind how the casting directors could have fumbled the ball so spectacularly. Crowe is a Baritone, this means he sings in a deep voice. this would be fine, except that the role of Javert requires him to sing in an upper octave. He does try, but his voice just wasn't made to reach those high notes, unfortunately. That said, he does an ok acting job.
For fans of musicals, Les Mis is just about as perfect an adaptation as you can get. As I had already said, the film pretty accurately adapts the musical to the big screen. Problems you have with the film most likely would be problems you would have with the musical as well. If you do not like musicals, you would be wise to avoid this film at all costs. Just like the stage version, all the dialogue is sung minus a line here or there. For fans of musical theater though (like myself), you have found valhalla, the movie that the musical gods have so kindly bestowed among us.....this is nirvana. I was geeking out constantly during this film. Is it slow? You betcha! Will you cry? Most likely. Will you love every second of it despite a few possible small qualms? Well, I sure did! It's fitting that Les Miserables was released Christmas day, because it makes for a perfect gift. I know I would give no second thought to forking over the cash to see it a second and maybe even a third time. If you are a true fan of Les Miserables and musicals in general, then this film is indeed for you. If you haven't seen the stage version and you are a newcomer to Les Mis, I highly encourage you to see this film. Expect this film to get quite a few Oscar Nods. While I still need to see a few more films that are sure to make the Best Picture category, for now this is my personal favorite film of the year.
4/5 STARS
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