Certainly one of the most anticipated films for myself this year end movie season has been the long time coming film version of the popular musical stage production LES MISERABLES. There have been over half a dozen filmed versions of the Victor Hugo novel in the past 50 years, including 3 that I recently viewed on DVD--1935, 1952 and the latest non musical with Liam Neeson in 1998. Obviously the length of the novel has to be truncated to keep the plot with in a 2-3 hour time slot, and the versions I saw seemed to all keep the basic essentials in tact. I will say right now that the new musical film was a frustrating disappointment for me, mostly because of what I found to be some major directorial/technical missteps.
The first problem is immediately apparent. The director has decided that the hand held shaky camera work that is becoming so prevalent in low budget films is the answer, but I detest hand held camera work---it is nausea inducing and distracting and I think cheapens the look of the film. The second big problem is his insistence in using extreme CLOSE-UPS in nearly every scene--I guess to emphasise the emotional impact of the songs. Unfortunately, the entire film is sung with nearly 80% of scenes in extreme close up giving the film a claustrophobic, non-epic feel, and if ever a film should look like an epic, LES MISERABLES is one. There are many scenes where the camera is so close in and giggly that I wanted to move to the rear of the theatre. The third problem I had was not necessarily the fault of the film maker, but the theatre in which I saw it. I saw this film the day after Christmas with my parents in the local Stanwood WA theatre. When I walked in early, I noticed the screen was very wide--nearly wall to wall, but very short---maybe 50 feet by 15 feet high. This resulted in many many heads being lopped off in numerous scenes, especially in the occasional medium shot---sort of a headless singing torso effect, and very annoying. Even my parents who are in no way cinematic connoisseurs, made comment to that after the showing. However, they both found the film to be impressive and engrossing. I intend to see the film again in a better equipped theatre in Seattle to see if these issues are easier to watch in better conditions.
However, the good news is that the music continues to soar. The much hyped process of having the actors actually sing live during the scene and adding the scoring later, seems to bring out the emotional best in each song. The film is well cast, with some impressive emotional singing and acting work by each cast member--Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe (effectively subtle), Anne Hathaway (who is not so subtle in her big torch song, but nails it dramatically nonetheless), Amanda Seyfried (with her lilting soprano ballads), and nearly stealing the show are two lesser characters played by relative newcomers Samantha Barks and Eddie Redmayne. Sasha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter provide some needed broadly comic relief, since basically this film has most of it's cast dying by consumption, murder, suicide or disease by the end.
So, do I recommend this film? Absolutely, since for many it will be the only way to see it--when the still very popular stage versions come to town, it is hard to get seats, and very very expensive. This film is clearly sung, with only some of the choruses difficult to understand at times, but you will still get the gist. The story remains compelling and dramatic, and the message that LES MISERABLES delivers is that hope and love can endure even in the worst of times. GRADE-----------B
PROMISED LAND is a modest drama about big business (in this case a natural gas company) VS an environmental movement in a small town that wants to stop the exploitation of their farmland. The film is watchable, and the cast is engaging (Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, John Krasinski) but it is such a gentle film that aside from the liberal sentiment, there is not much to remember when it is finished. GRADE--------B-
Judd Aptow has had enormous success with his comedies that he has produced, including SUPERBAD, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHAL, BRIDESMAIDS, THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT, and he has directed some smash hits like 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP, and FUNNY PEOPLE (one of my least favorite), but all these film share one disappointing flaw. THEY ARE TOO DAMN LONG, and need to be edited and/or shaped with more coherent plots. His latest film THIS IS 40 has the same problem. This film goes on and on, and just when you think it should be wrapping up, he introduces at least 2 new characters that haven't had much screen time in the first 2 hours. This is not to say that there are no interesting characters. Indeed, he gives all his characters lots of screen time, and the film has many sparkling examples of witty banter that float by providing a smile or smirk by the viewer. I just wish sometimes he'd get to the point a little faster.
GRADE--------B-
A situation comedy if there ever was one, THE GUILT TRIP is set up as a vehicle for Seth Rogan (a young, brash, struggling would be salesman), and Barbara Striesand (his older, brash, controlling mother.) It is certainly an easy movie to watch, and there are a few chuckles, but mostly it evaporates by the time each scene in finished. The plot has Rogan taking his mother Striesand on a road trip across country to try to sell his newly developed all natural cleaner to various large companies. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine what will happen by the end. However, the film is so tame that I can't even recommend it as a guilty pleasure. GRADE-------C
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The 1971 comedy THE NEW LEAF has recently appeared on Blu Ray DVD, and it is one of my wife's favorite comedies. Elaine May wrote, directed and stars in the film along with Walter Matthau, as a rich goofy matron who is seduced by the scheming Matthau who is now broke and needs to marry a rich woman in order to continue living in he manner to which he is accustomed. The film is very quirky and awkwardly paced at the beginning, and it always takes me a while to get into the (pleasurable) leisurely comedic style, but the characters become endearing and the charming film has a way of getting under your skin. GRADE----------B
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