Les Miserables

Or, The Miserables, as I heard someone recently say.  Yes, with the advent of the newest version of this classic, every conceivable pronunciation is out there.  It does not matter.  As Shakespeare said, "The play's the thing."

If and when you see this, blog readers, weigh in.  In the meantime I will strive for my usual brevity...but I may fail.

This current incarnation is masterful.  Set design, costumes, and most of all performances.  With every moment being in song, it requires tremendous skill to act through singing.  These players do just that.  Director, Tom Hooper's commitment to shun dubbed singing and have LIVE production was major gutsy, and it works, at least for me.  Seeing Hugh Jackman's neck veins pop out as he grunts Valjean's lines in parts, or Anne Hathaway's voice crack in emotion as Fontine lets go of her dream is raw and real and moving. (who knew, Anne?)  And despite some criticisms of Russell Crowe's un-operatic voice, I loved its authenticity.  It is as gritty as he and his character of Javert are.

Yes, it's long.  Tedious in parts.  So what?  You get your money's worth.

It is extremely rare for me to cry in a movie.  Les Miserables moved me to weep THREE times and is doing so again as I write this.  My daughter and I saw it together; she, too is not given to emotion, yet held on to me at the end in a tearful embrace.  Wow.  What movies can do.

Our meager audience (hey, it was a Thursday at noon) applauded at its conclusion.  For me it has not concluded, as I hear strains in my head of some favorite music pieces a week later.  AND, I was inspired enough to finally buy Victor Hugo's 1200 pg. novel and plan to learn much more about each of these compelling characters and Hugo's greater themes of justice, redemption, and always love.

Tomorrow's a rainy day.  A good day, I think, to delve into great literature inspired by great film inspired by great literature.

I hope you will enrich your soul by seeing this movie.

Taken 2

Check out the poster that spoofs Taken 2!  Hahaha!  Don't you love it?

First off, did any of my dear readers see Taken (that is, the original)?  It is a good piece of thriller movie-making.

In that film, a CIA operative's daughter, played by pretty Maggie Grace, is kidnapped in Paris by some very bad dudes who specialize in sex-trafficking.   Dad, who "does what he does best" (assassinations!), comes to the rescue.  The film sort of grabs you, if you like the go-get-the-terrorists-and-save-your-daughter theme.

So naturally, thinking I'd get more of the same, I watched installment two.  What a mistake!  The poster pretty much sums up of the folly of "taking" Taken to the next level.  But lest you think I will totally pan the sequel, I will point out a nice silver lining:  great action scenes!

Never the spoiler, I can't say much more than what the advertising clips provide:  last time they took his daughter, this time they are after him!  Well, sort of.   His wife just happens to be with him, so they're going after her too.  You see, the bad guys seek revenge, because Liam (our CIA hero) knocked off many of the terrorists' kin when he got his daughter back in the original film.

The silver lining:  As I suggested, the film offers really well-done chase, shooting, and running scenes, all in the streets and on the rooftops of Istanbul!  In fact, if I ever go to Isbanbul, I will think of the scenes in this film.

Here's a tip:  Maybe fast-forward through the stupid, insipid family scenes that open the flick, and go straight to the Istanbul part, where things really heat up!

Grade?  Hmmmm.....  I always assigned a D instead of an F because I was a soft touch in the classroom.  Here, I might generously say B-....  or is that C+?

If you see this flick, I hope you don't feel "taken!"

The Flat

The Flat is an outstanding piece of documentary filmmaking.  It provides a history lesson that no one can forget.

Arnon Goldfinger is a relatively well known Israeli filmmaker who got into family history in an accidental sort of way:  He lost his 98 year old grandmother and went with his mother to clear out the flat.  In doing so, he came across documents that shocked him.

What documents?  No spoiler, so I won't say much.  The filmmaker discovers that his grandparents may well have been best friends with a Nazi.  So?  Well, there's more to this.  The Nazi in question happened to be high in the inner circle of culpable Germans, up there with Adolph Eichmann and other renowned monsters.

The filmmaker basically goes on a quest for truth, which takes him back to Germany.  There, he questions folks who know the SS soldier in question.  He also gets his mother to talk reluctantly about what she knew.

The secrets of the past unfold like petals of a flower.  With each new truth, the filmmaker asks more questions.  It seems that many folks just want to forget the past.  But can we?  Aren't we all products of our past?  And if we flee from our pasts, how can we define our futures?

Arnon the narrator digs and probes.  He seeks answers.

Before long, so do we.  And the answers we discover are unsettling, to say the least.

A top-notch film that every person of every nationality and faith should see.

Grade of A.

First Position

Hollywood has provided us with so many wonderful films on the art of ballet.

My previous favorite was Center Stage.  In that 2000 production, we follow twelve students who strive to perfect the demanding dance.  With Amanda Schull in the lead, the film has a sweet boy/girl motif and offers great views of the dance world.

Now I have a new favorite:  First Position.

The film is a documentary.  It tells the true story of a handful of young people who want to be professionals.  Some of the kids are from disadvantaged families.  Others are from wealthy backgrounds.  Some are teens, others pre-teens.  All are driven to succeed.

As we follow the ambitious youth, we come to realize that at the core of their success is a unique work ethic. The talented dancers push themselves to the limit:  they are willing to put up with tortured toes, feet, ankles, and psyches to make their dreams come true.

I particularly enjoyed watching the teaching styles of the mentors.  Some shout, others hug.  Some are positive, others brutally negative.  But all want their students to reach the top.  We come to appreciate the dedication of the teachers who push their proteges to develop the fine craft of ballet.

We watched this movie with our grandkids.  It is perfect for every person of every age.  If you can appreciate what it means to struggle for success, and if you enjoy ballet as a beautiful art form, you'll love this flick.

Grade of A+.....  Don't miss this one!

Pitch Perfect

I used to be a real Glee fan.  I loved the music, particularly the wonderful harmonies when the group sang.  I stopped watching Glee when the silly story finally outweighed the beautiful songs.

Pretty much the same for Pitch Perfect....delightful music, cloying plot.

Simple story, really:  The Bellas, a group of all-women college singers, had a funny yet strange mishap on their way to the finals last year.  This year, they need new talent.  Who will fill the bill?  Along comes Anna Kendrick who fits voice-wise.  But is she too much of a rebel to get along?

We got to know the actress in Up in the Air, when she played the soul-searching assistant to George Clooney.  What a talent!  She has a charming smile, and she truly lights up the screen as the wannabe singer who seeks a cohort that will accept her novel song ideas.

Let's focus on the real strength of the film:  Fantastic songs!

If you enjoy wonderful harmonies and perfectly choreographed dance, you'll revel in the beautiful numbers.  As the groups compete for first place in the competition, they truly compete for first place in our hearts and minds.

Is this film perfect?  Hardly.  But it is close to "pitch" perfect!

A truly rewarding film experience.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Just as Maggie Smith and Judi Dench are today's senior British actors "par excellence," Emily Blunt and Ewen MacGregor are the next generation of British acting afficionados.

They are brilliant in a very offbeat film.

What's the film with the crazy title about?  It's a light-weight romantic comedy about two young people saddled with the daunting dask of pleasing an Arab sheik's whimsy by stocking salmon in an artificial river in the Yemen.  Huh?  Yes indeed, that's the story!

No details, so as not to be a spoiler, but the fun of this film is in the spirit:  it's all about being an optimist.  Remember Field of Dreams?   The doubting farmer hears a voice:  "Build it and they will come."  Similarly, a sheik, with western leanings, thinks:  Build the river, and the salmon will survive!

Back to the actors:  Ewen charms as the nerdy scientist who becomes obsessed with the salmon project.  He eventually discovers a lot about life in the process.  To me,  his best role to date is in A Life Less Ordinary, where, opposite Carmen Diaz, he shines as an imbalanced but harmless kidnapper.  In Salmon, he plays the asocial, committed scientist to perfection.

Emily Blunt's most memorable film role for me is still in the film The Devil Wears Prada, where she plays the bitchy assistant to the even more bitchy boss.  In Salmon, she captivates audiences with her wit and charm as the government worker who must make the project a success.  She lights up the screen when she smiles.

Worth seeing?  By all means.  The film is basically a romance, with some profound themes intermingled.

So go view this film, and go fly fishing with those young stars in the Yemen!  You'll enjoy the sport of thinking outside of the box.

Silver Linings Playbook

Check out the dazzling actors in the picture above!  That's Jennifer Lawrence making an Eskimo kiss with Brad Cooper.  Aren't they the epitome of youthful love?

OK, there's a lot of charm to this film.

What's it about?  No spoiler ever from this reviewer, but here are the basics:  Two very imbalanced, out-of-the-box types have bombed out in life:  they're now living with their parents trying to hold on to what is left of their sanity.  The two meet.  Love happens.  But as the proverbial expression goes, s*** happens too!  (pardon my French, dear reviewers)

The plot can be described as a two-part structure:  In the first half of the movie, we get the impression that we are watching another Benny and Joon, a fine story of mental illness where two lost souls try to heal each other.  This part feels serious.  It is serious.  It's well done.  We're on our way to a masterpiece....

Then about halfway into the film, Hollywood kicks in.  There's a subplot about dancing, another about gambling, and before you know it, our two lost souls are creating comedy in a very light-hearted, frothy story.  What happened to their mental illness?  Why are they suddenly being comedians when we felt like they would make us cry earlier in the film?

Yeah, a bit of confusion.

Acting:  Absolutely superb.  Mostly it's about Jennifer Lawrence.  She impressed audiences in The Winter's Bone, for which she was nominated for Best Actress as a teen.  Later, she played Katniss spot-on in the gruesome, satirical Hunger Games.  Here, she is perfect as the volatile young widow who is trying to get back on track.

De Niro is just okay as the obsessive dad to Brad Cooper.  He's a sports crazy, but his character often goes beyond believability.  And Cooper?  He's sort of stereotyped in his career in these light love fests.

All in all?  A very entertaining film.  Worth seeing.  But try not to view the flick with too critical an eye!