LES MISÉRABLES - a never ending aria

Tom Hooper's Les Misérables was a musical treat but a hard film to enjoy and therefore sit through. A handful of lines are spoken—nearly the entire movie is sung solo. I mentioned in an earlier review that I thought Anna Karenina would have fared better as a tragic musical, I felt just the opposite for this film adaptation. 

I think I would have loved this movie if it would have been either fully dramatic live action or just part musical but as a nonstop melodious stage play it could not capture me. I felt kept at a distance, like the characters lived in fantasy world that I could not connect to. Most will remember the superb rendition in the late 90's starring Liam Neeson as Jean Valjean or perhaps the other seven in existence—maybe we didn't need another version like those...

I imagine those that adore the Broadway play may like this film as pure escapist delight. I will give honorable mention to at least one scene. Anne Hathaway nearly made me burst into tears as I viewed in wowed silence, her powerful soliloquy, delivered in a one shot master stoke of raw, emotive, self realized suffering and utter destitution. It showcased, for me, the power of lyrical song and strong emotion which, heretofore, had yielded nothing but a pleasant apathy. 

Les Misérables, Victor Hugo's perennial classic, has continued to enrapture audiences since its publication in 1862. As well it should. At once, an awesome story of revenge, love, redemption and forgiveness. I just can't believe that this new version was the best way to share those motifs with us. It was very well made and designed but somehow the spirit was lost in the artifice. Bode thee better in thee times immemorial and thee times yet to come. 

Recommended Viewing: Les Misérables (1998) - Les Misérables (1934) - The Hunchback... (1939)

              Bob Scale: The Critic: 7.5   -   The Fan: 6.4

             MetaCritic: 64

 Rotten Tomatoes: 72

                    IMDB: 8.2

MADAGASCAR - anthropomorphic pandemonium

The Madagascar movies are fun, quality entertainment for children as well as adults. I have enjoyed the first two immensely and the third installment has been just as pleasurable.  

The films are about finding and trusting in yourself, not unlike most all movies but I like the team effort portrayed in these much like the Ice Age tetralogy. This new addition is just nonstop action packed with blunder after blunder. No spectacular story arcs but it keeps you entranced with stunning animation. The circus acts are truly incredible. 

I didn't care for the inculcated stereotypes, however. They are somewhat funny but these little seeds get planted in kids heads and they continue to propagate them as they get older. The filmmakers threw in some inappropriate jabs at decades old Communistic Russia as well, a bit much I thought. 

One particularly great aspect of the story occurred when the animals finally returned home to the Brooklyn zoo, which was always their great collective wish, and they all decided that the exciting, dangerous journey was more preferable to "home". This is, I think, a great message for kids. All parents would keep their kids home if they could indulge a secret wish but know that their young should get out and experience the world and have great adventures. So with respect to a few quibbles, you will get a number of laughs from stellar voice talent, fun contemporary music and stimulating eye candy. Catch the reference to Quadrophenia!

Recommended Viewing: Ice Age 3 - Land Before Time - Babe 2

              Bob Scale: Objective: 7.0   -   Subjective: 7.9

             MetaCritic: 59

 Rotten Tomatoes: 76

                      IMDB: 7.0

THE DICTATOR - to dict or not to dict

The Dictator has it's moments but most them you will have caught in the preview.  The idea, like other Cohen works, stems from grandiose satire played out through odious comedy and faux documentary stylization.

Ali G has come a long way since his HBO TV inception but maybe not in the right direction. I have not much cared for any of his film acting gigs in Hugo or Sweeny Todd and his four other starring vehicles are usually are found wanting. I did find Borat, however,  to be the best of the four and really it was quite well done. Larry Charles has directed three of Sacha's efforts and the comedy of result is, I would gesture, 65% effective or thereabouts. You have more hits than misses but still too few direct hits. That being said, I enjoy Cohen and I hope he continues, he is like a comedic version of Michael Moore and continually rubs peoples noses in their own stank - not for his purpose (hopefully) but for genuine exposure of the truth as he and many others see it. 

The only redeeming quality of The Dictator was during the few ending statements when Cohen monologues what a great country America would be if under a dictatorship, in which he ironically summarizes all the laws and atrocities that are contemporaneously occurring under our present 'democracy'. It's preachy, yes, but better than Bobcat Goldthwait's recent attempt with God Bless America and as good as something you might see on the Daily Show. Satire is and will be a great way for memes to stick and pass on important ideas for future generations. 

Recommended Viewing: Borat - General Idi Amin Dada - Waiting For Guffman

              Bob Scale: Objective: 6.0   -   Subjective: 6.5

             MetaCritic: 59

 Rotten Tomatoes: 61

                      IMDB: 7.2