Les Miserables (2012)

[baumer]

Discuss

[Gopher]

A triumph. Hooper really just lets the show be the show, as he should have; the performances are exquisite all around. Career bests for Jackman and Hathaway.

[riczhang]

I'll be seeing this tomorrow, really excited. :DEDIT: Or maybe tonight, seeing as IMDB seems to think that one of the theatres around my area is playing it already.

Edited December 23, 2012 by riczhang

[fishstick]

A triumph. Hooper really just lets the show be the show, as he should have; the performances are exquisite all around. Career bests for Jackman and Hathaway.

How`s the direction since that is getting the most criticism? Someone on ADF says Hooper has the same annoying hand-held camera and copter shots style like PJ. Ouch.

[Gopher]

We're going to hear wildly mixed opinions but IMO it made the performances all the more effective. Hathaway's big number is one long take and she's on the right hand of the screen. I found it to be very human and all the more heartbreaking.

[fishstick]

So Hathaway is really that good?Also, is DDL set to win his third or Jackman can upset? I don`t see who else would be able to pull one. DDL seems dead set to win.

[Gopher]

Barks, Redmayne, Crowe, SBC/HBC and Seyfried are all excellent, but despite Hathaway's limited screentime, her presence his felt the most in the film. Haunting and very effective performance. Jackman is VERY good in this but DDL is winning. Like you say, it's dead set.

[riczhang]

I saw it this morning, and just got back. Not sure what the critics are upset about. It's a masterpiece of a movie, cinematography was fine, it was emotional and well made. It does tower and buckle and tiny bit under the sheer size of what it is, but it's still brilliant. Anne and Redmayne were out of this world, and I will say I liked Redmayne better. Jackman was lovely, and everyone else was very good as well. Crowe was definitely the weak link, but it works better if you think of it as Crowe's singing sets him apart the same way Javert sets himself apart from the rest. Stickler to the Law vs. Non-Stickler to the law. The contrast between Crowe's singing and the rest of them kinda works that way. Didn't like the Thenadiers that much, felt they were kinda out of place, especially with Master of the House. 10/10 #3 of the year behind Amour and Holy Motors.

[fishstick]

Glad to hear you liked it. I`ll be objective. If it`s garbage I`ll call it out. If it isn`t, I`ll call out vendetta for TKS win over TSN.

[fishstick]

Question: Is Do You Hear The Poeple Sing? as arousing first time and in the finale like it should be? Like, that you want to jump on your feet and sing and cheer?

[riczhang]

Question: Is Do You Hear The Poeple Sing? as arousing first time and in the finale like it should be? Like, that you want to jump on your feet and sing and cheer?

Yes. We got claps after it both times. And another round of applause after the end. I liked it a lot more the first time around, but that was mainly because I was still recovering from Empty Chairs. Empty Chairs I think is the single most effective and emotional moment in the entire film, even more than IDAD. It's like getting punched in the gut, and it takes forever to recover from it.

[fishstick]

OMG, that sounds amazing! So Redmayne is happening?

[riczhang]

OMG, that sounds amazing! So Redmayne is happening?

I wish he'd happen. Doesn't look like it though.

[Gopher]

If I had to rank them in terms of impressive to least impressive1. Jackman2. Hathaway3. Redmayne4. Barks5. Crowe6. HBC/SBC7. Seyfried

Edited December 24, 2012 by Gopher

[riczhang]

If I had to rank them in terms of impressive to least impressive

1. Jackman

2. Hathaway

3. Redmayne

4. Barks

5. Crowe

6. HBC/SBC

7. Seyfried

I'd say

[*]Redmayne

[*]Hathaway

[*]Jackman

[*]Barks

[*]Crowe

[*]Seyfried

[*]HBC/SBC

[fishstick]

I wish he'd happen. Doesn't look like it though.

Oh, no, not in terms of the Oscars.In general.

[riczhang]

Oh, no, not in terms of the Oscars.In general.

I think so. He really shines here.

[DeeCee]

I've never seen a musical and before watching this I didn't really know much about the plot. I knew there was a love story, that Fantine died early and that Javert relentlessly pursues Valjean. I didn't really know how it would all come together and what would motivate the various characters. The opening on the docks is quiet grand and the singing was initially a little jarring but I was quickly into the movie. The performances were all generally quiet good. Jackman, Hathaway and Redmayne were definitely the standouts. Special mention should also be made of the two main child actors, Isabelle Allen and Daniel Huttlestone. Crowe was definitely the weakest voice in the cast although Riczhang does make an interesting point. The problem for me was the actual plot. I was fully engaged in the film up until "Do you here the people sing?". The movie seemed to build up to that point then just seemed to meander from there until the end. The love story just seemed rushed and shoehorned in. Javert's suicide just didn't work for me. Marius ended up being a terrible character. He's all for the revolution, laments the loss of all his friends and then just goes back to his grandfathers wealth to marry Cosette like nothing ever happened. The story of Valjean was the only character arc that really worked for me through the whole movie. A man who has made mistakes and is trying to be an honest, honourable man but who can't break free from the harsh and vindictive penal system of the time. Maybe these things are handled better in the book. It may be a minority opinion but on the whole this just didn't work for me as a film. Just one question. Did the movie give any suggestion that Garoche was the Thénardier's son?

[Bluebomb]

Very good movie. I went in with low expectations but for the most part I enjoyed the movie. I thought Anne Hathaway was the star of the film even though her screentime was limited to like 20 minutes. A solid musical. One thing I didn't like was when 2 characters were singing and they didn't have any subtitles. It's tough to make out what they're singing when one is louder than the other. It annoyed me a little. (8.5/10) B+

If I had to rank them:

1. Hathaway

2. Seyfried

3. Redmayne

4. Barks

5. Jackman

6. SBC/HBC

7. Crowe - He's a terrible singer. I was glad when he jumped off and killed himself so I wouldn't have to listen to his voice again.

[4815162342]

It was very, very good. Top honors go to Redmayne.I'd actually edge towards Barks outshining Hathaway by a bit.