Am I Miserable?
Yesterday at day-job was another day of sometimes frustrating meetings, both inter- and intra-departmental. No meetings scheduled for today, but I have a sense that one is going to come up, as I'm hearing murmurs of further travel schedule changes for the first quarter/half of the year.
Last night, former boss, current supervisor and coworker and I went to dinner at Fuddruckers and then went to see Les Miserables. I tried the elk burger at dinner, and enjoyed it. I called it a "fun" dinner on FB to avoid giving insult, but it was kind of awkward and I didn't really contribute much to the work-related portions of the conversation (but did when the convo turned to books/movies/tv/etc, so I wasn't a total disconnect.
The movie: I have to be honest. I was bored out of my skull for most of it. The Big Soliloquy songs were almost all fantastic: Fantine's "I Dream A Dream," Valjean's "Bring Him Home," Eponine's "On My Own," and Marius's "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" all brought tears to my eyes. Likewise the death scenes: Fantine's, Eponine's, Gavroche's and Valjean's, all moved me. But everything in between those moments? I felt no emotional connection. "Master of the House" was the least funny comedy number I have ever seen in a musical film, hands-down. The two numbers that should have had me on my feet wanting to join the rebellion left me feeling "meh." And as much as I like Russell Crowe in other things -- neither of Javert's songs inspired any emotion in me at all, nor did his suicide. (In fact, when he finally let himself fall off the bridge, I thought "oh thank god that's over with." Although I did wince when he hit the cement break in the river.)
I also had a problem with the cinematography. We go from sweeping, obviously-CGI shots of the harbor and the damaged boat being hauled in (in the opening) and of Paris itself, to the insular and very obviously filmed on a sound-stage street where the barricade goes up -- the sweeping shots are panoramic and beautiful, but look fake, which then makes the house and tavern facades look fake as well.
That all being said -- Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne are terrific (and I had no idea Redmayne had such a great tenor); Jackman and Banks are almost as great. All four carry the movie. I'm glad I saw the movie simply for their four songs, but I won't be rushing out to see it again any time soon.
I will say this, though: I think I finally want to read the book.
Last night, former boss, current supervisor and coworker and I went to dinner at Fuddruckers and then went to see Les Miserables. I tried the elk burger at dinner, and enjoyed it. I called it a "fun" dinner on FB to avoid giving insult, but it was kind of awkward and I didn't really contribute much to the work-related portions of the conversation (but did when the convo turned to books/movies/tv/etc, so I wasn't a total disconnect.
The movie: I have to be honest. I was bored out of my skull for most of it. The Big Soliloquy songs were almost all fantastic: Fantine's "I Dream A Dream," Valjean's "Bring Him Home," Eponine's "On My Own," and Marius's "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" all brought tears to my eyes. Likewise the death scenes: Fantine's, Eponine's, Gavroche's and Valjean's, all moved me. But everything in between those moments? I felt no emotional connection. "Master of the House" was the least funny comedy number I have ever seen in a musical film, hands-down. The two numbers that should have had me on my feet wanting to join the rebellion left me feeling "meh." And as much as I like Russell Crowe in other things -- neither of Javert's songs inspired any emotion in me at all, nor did his suicide. (In fact, when he finally let himself fall off the bridge, I thought "oh thank god that's over with." Although I did wince when he hit the cement break in the river.)
I also had a problem with the cinematography. We go from sweeping, obviously-CGI shots of the harbor and the damaged boat being hauled in (in the opening) and of Paris itself, to the insular and very obviously filmed on a sound-stage street where the barricade goes up -- the sweeping shots are panoramic and beautiful, but look fake, which then makes the house and tavern facades look fake as well.
That all being said -- Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne are terrific (and I had no idea Redmayne had such a great tenor); Jackman and Banks are almost as great. All four carry the movie. I'm glad I saw the movie simply for their four songs, but I won't be rushing out to see it again any time soon.
I will say this, though: I think I finally want to read the book.