Trailer: Les Miserables

One of the most successful plays in Broadway history is coming to the silver screen, again.

Directed by Tom Hooper, (The Kings Speech) Les Miserables just from the look of the trailer seems like it’ll have a strong presence at the award show, from the costumes to the cinematography to the music.

Les Misérables stars Anne Hathaway as Fantine, Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean), Russell Crowe (Javert), Amanda Seyfried(Cosette), Eddie Redmayne (Marius), Sacha Baron Cohen(Thénardier), and Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thénardier).

Synopsis:

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

Review: Dark Shadows

How many more films with Johnny Depp use an accent, wear absurd jewelry, and don enough makeup to make a clown jealous?

In the last 10 years, Depp has done nine films where his character was dressed, and made up. His next two films require the same, this is just a pet peeve of mine, simply because I want to see him act as a “normal” character.

But, it’s hard to argue with some of his performances, and he’s obviously got a knack for turning into these characters.

Dark Shadows is Depp’s latest work, his eighth film with director Tim Burton. Based off the television series of the same name that ran from 1966-1971, Depp stars as Barnabas Collins, a man who’s cursed to be a vampire to suffer for all eternity.

Barnabas is woken 200 years after being condemned to a coffin, once he realizes it’s 1972, he goes to Collinwood, to find his family struggling to keep their fish business afloat.

This new family of his is rather strange, the matriarch; Elizabeth Collins Stoddard played by Michelle Pfeiffer, the groovy, rebellious teen daughter; Carolyn Stoddard played by Chloe Grace Moretz, the strange young son; David Collins played by Gulliver McGrath, and the out of touch brother; Roger Collins played by Jonny Lee Miller.

The extended family gets even more bizarre, family psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman played by Helena Bonham Carter, the house servant; Willie Loomis played by Jackie Earle Haley, and the Governess of the family who is the apple of Barnabas’ eye; Victoria Winters; played by Bella Heathcote.

And then there is the witch behind all the trouble, Angelique Bouchard, played by Eva Green.

Now that all the introductions are out of the way, let’s get on with it.

Right off the bat you know this is a Burton production, no one else could make the visuals you see. Dark Shadows is equal parts comedy and love story.

Depp’s Shakespeare-like vernacular actually provides a ton of laughs, without confusing the audience, like so many of Shakespeare’s writings. Moretz has been growing before our eyes, her performance, as Carolyn was so snide and snarky, I loved it, I just wish we had more of her. I’m so convinced she’s going to be a major star one day.

The story unfolds at a decent pace, telling the back-story to Barnabas and Angelique, but doesn’t do a great job of character development, leaving the audience a bit disconnected.

Highlights of the film for me were just watching Barnabas acclimate himself to 1970’s culture, it really felt like a baby being introduced to a wild new world. Funny moments surrounding potheads, Alice Cooper, and the exploration of modern sexual activities add to the priceless amount of “Depp facial expressions.”

Barnabas’ craving for blood, helping his family and female flesh are all that we really get out of him. The character isn’t as complex as he probably should be given the fact that he’s been locked away for so long.

While Burton provides us with enough offbeat humor to satisfy, the constant filtering in-and-out of supporting characters often times left me wanting more. That’s not to say you forget about the characters, but there are long periods of time where we go without seeing them.

My other major gripe was with the third act, more specifically the last 20-or-so minutes; the ending didn’t sit well with me. It felt forced, and rushed, and didn’t bring things to a satisfying conclusion. The tone became dramatically more serious and simply did not flow with the first hour and change of the film.

Burton mistakenly put 85% of the his effort in making the film about Barnabas, and the ridiculous situations he gets into, that he leaves about seven important characters fighting for the remaining 15% of the film. Characters become one dimensional and stale, not living up the potential they posses. Pfeiffer does a decent job as Elziabeth, but her hard-nosed exterior gets boring quick. Haley is tremendous as Willie, while Heathcote is pretty on the eyes, but a bit flimsy with the acting.

Dark Shadows is a fun movie, with some period piece humor, and very pleasing to the eye, but suffers from a lack of character development, and uneven storytelling that ends up not making a ton of sense.

Rating: 6.5/10

Trailer: Dark Shadows

After recently seeing Johnny Depp in The Rum Diary it was nice to see man get out of the silly make up and really act.

That didn’t last long, though.

Depp is back, paired with the great Tim Burton in a film version of the TV series Dark Shadows.

The plot centers on a vampire (Depp) who awakens after having been buried for 200 years and tries to reconnect with his descendants.

The trailer is actually pretty great, and sells the film as being less Twilight Vampire story and more comedy centric. Set in the 1970’s you can tell that Burton and Depp used that to their advantage, especially in the comedy department.

The film also stars Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloe Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley, Helena Bonham Carter, and Jonny Lee Miller.

Dark Shadows hits theaters on May 11th, 2012.

Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

The tag line for eighth, and final film in J.K Rowling and Warner Bros. franchise was “It All Ends.”

So you know you were in for quite a ride.

There were massive premieres in London, and New York, epic red carpets fit for kings and queens, yet they were mostly for three characters that the world has watched grow right before their very own eyes.

Harry Potter has engulfed a generation, from the lightning bolt to the brooms, this young wizard has set a personal footnote in the world of modern literature and film.

When we last saw Harry Potter, in the first Deathly Hallows film, Voldemort possessed the elder wand and his final mission was to kill Potter.

It all set up for a grand finale.

Two hours of dark, gloomy, occasionally funny, suspense that would culminate in a showdown of good versus evil.

The first half hour or so felt a bit slow, it dragged and struggled to pick up the pace. But once the second hour started, it was all things go!

As someone who put off the Harry Potter franchise till recently, I have been able to digest the entire seven films fairly quickly. The transition from kiddy movies to a more serious and melancholy tone in the last three films has been refreshing.

While I had a few more complaints about Part 2, which I will get to, the positives did far out weight the negatives.

We see more of a touching, and love story between the three main characters. Daniel Radcliffe feels more mature and does show off some acting chops, in the serious, all or nothing decision scenes.

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley show more onscreen chemistry than ever before, while being the right and left handed help Potter always needs.

While the trio will always get prominant mention, and forever will bear the titles of Harry, Hermione and Ron, there were three MAJOR standouts in this film.

First being Alan Rickman who plays the dreary Professor Severus Snape. Since the first Harry Potter film, Professor Snape has always straddled the line between good and bad. His disdain towards Potter and his friends has always been well aware, yet he has shown compassion and in some way pity on Potter.

Rickman did a tremendous job in part 1 of the Deathly Hallows as well, but here he was off the charts. We learn many new things about Severus, as allegiances are tested, and secrets are revealed.

Second would have to be Ralph Fiennes as the menacing Lord Voldemort. Voldemort tormented Potter, getting in his head, seeking every which way to end him.

Fiennes managed to juggle being funny, demonic and filled with hate all at the same time.

Third, and most surprisingly, would be Neville Longbottom played by Matthew Lewis. Longbottom has some major shining moments in this film, even a monologue scene where he really captivates. Lewis has come a long way since being the fat, dorky, buck tooth kid we saw a long time ago.

Now on to what I thought was the biggest problem with the film and was the one issue I can’t get over.

The end.

There was essentially two endings to this film and they both happened within five minutes of each other.

Now I understand the actual ending was written in the book, but the way it was translated was absolutely horrible. It did not look good on film, it seemed forced and came off as extremely cheesy.

Look I get it, the franchise is based on the books, but there is a way to transcribe what was written onto the silver screen and not make it look the way it did.

The whole “hey look they are older, and have kids” does nothing because it’s not like there will be a 9th film that picks up talking about Harry, Ron and Hermione kids becoming young wizards.

In this instance, they should have ended on the scene before this, end on that high note, and then hear the applause from the audience.

Aside from that major gripe, the film delivered.

The score was tremendous, probably the best of all the films, amazing tempo music gave a great feel for the battle scenes and the anxious moments.

There aren’t too many films where we see sets of characters grow with us, age the same way we do, that alone will have the Harry Potter franchise stand alone.

Eight successful films is unheard of, it’s a feat we may never see again.

The final page in the Harry Potter story is now turned, there is nothing left, and while it’s a sad day, there is no doubt it’s going out on top.

Rating: 8/10

Trailer: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

It all ends.

The wild imagination that made it’s way onto paper and into the record books from J.K Rowling comes to a close.

It took a long time, literally last week, for me to watch every Harry Potter film. I was convinced to do so after years of refusing to, and well now I want to see how it ends.

I’m not going crazy over the series, but it’s been done well especially the last three films. Hopefully and it does seem so, Part 2 will follow the path that Part 1 set. Being dark, mature and more risky in it’s attempt to entertain.

The eighth film in the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” ties a bow on Potter’s feud with Voldemort and the doors to Hogwarts close forever.

The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s final horcruxes, but when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

The faces that started the series will end it, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint all star again.

Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon and Ralph Fiennes are all back as well.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” hits theaters in 3D on July 15th, 2011.

Review: The Kings Speech

Lionel: Why should I waste my time listening to you?

King George VI: Because I have a Voice!

The potential odds on favorite for the Best Picture Oscar at the 83rd Academy Awards, The Kings Speech is a masterpiece.

The story is simple and delightful, on the surface it looks like another boring period piece but once the film begins it becomes something much more.

Based on the remarkable true story, King George VI is set to take the throne after his brother King Edward VIII steps down, but has a major issue with his terrible stuttering problem. Knowing the people he would have to represent would not take him seriously with this embarrassing problem, his wife, Queen Elizabeth takes the initiative and seeks out the help of a speech therapist. In comes the therapist and what unfolds is the trying relationship between two men, as the king must push aside his ego in order to better himself.

Colin Firth who plays King George VI, is nothing short of perfection. Already winning the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Firth is likely to walk away with the Oscar as well. It really is remarkable to see how authentic Firth made the stammering. His demeanor, anger, and passion directed at Lionel Louge, the speech therapist, played excellently by Geoffrey Rush, is effortless. I went to see this with my family and it was unanimous that Firth’s performance was jaw dropping, clap at the end of the movie good.

Geoffrey Rush was hilarious. His supporting effort will rival only that of Christian Bale in “The Fighter” and whoever will win, I can’t be angry. But Rush carried this film right along side Firth. The interesting thing to note about Rush was that he almost didn’t make this film. The script was secretly delivered to him at his home, which is not allowed by the movie association, and Rush’s initial reaction was no one is going to see this. He thought why would people want to to the movies to see two old men try to develop a friendship? But the film was made and I think he made the right choice because he was stellar as the antagonist always testing the king.

As great as the acting was in this film, and as smoothly as the story was told without boring the audience, there was more to it. I mentioned how funny I found Rush but the movie is filled with knee slapping one liners that can leave you laughing for a good amount of time. Rush as Lionel has sarcasm down to a T and King George VI anger problem makes things even more amusing.

One scene that stands out in particular was when King George VI is in a therapy session and Lionel asks him if he uses profanity. What ensues is a couple minutes laced with a hilarious repetitive string of curses as King George VI paces around the room yelling. We later see, as a coping mechanism when King George VI is delivering his speech, Lionel blurts silent expletives in between pauses in order to calm down the king.

The other performance to note in the film was Queen Elizabeth’s, played by Helena Bonham Carter. While Carter plays the strong arming wife of the most powerful man, I felt like we didn’t seen enough of her in the film. She was good but the talks of awards for her are rather misplaced.

The Film is very aesthetically pleasing, amazing visuals of the churches, buildings, houses…everything was dripping with elegance and prestige.

“The Kings Speech” is a top five movie of 2010 for me with brilliant performances from Firth and Rush. The worst thing you could probably say about the film is that from the early trailers it gave off the vibe of a costume period piece that wouldn’t attract an audience. It took a long time for the film to catch on and the buzz for it certainly hasn’t garnered enough steam it deserves. There are too many people out there still unaware of this film, and that is a darn shame.

Director Tom Hooper did a wonderful job in a film that may get overlooked by some and mainly the Academy. The buzz after the Golden Globes for “The Social Network” has people thinking it will beat out “The Kings Speech” for best picture. If I had a vote this wins best picture for sure, it has all the elements needed, just a brilliant film.

Rating: 9/10