Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Gangster Squad

Hello lovelies.  Well again, not much going on (well, actually there’s been quite a bit ,but not stuff I can share at the moment) so I’ll stick with the film reviews for now.  Sorry to be a bit cryptic, but needs must.

I’ve seen another 3 films since my last post, Django Unchanged, Gangster Squad, Les Miserables.  So let’s get going...

Les Miserables *** (3 Stars)

I would have given it more if not for the absolutely shockingly bad performance from Russell Crowe!  But I’ll back up a bit.  Firstly, I’ve never seen the stage show; in fact, I think the only song that I’ve really heard from it is that one that Susan Boyle sang on her X Factor audition!  I’m not going to go into the story here, because I believe that most people know it (not that I did before I saw the film, but hey ho).  The cinematography was amazing.  The sets were fabulous, it was beautifully and majestically (now there’s a word) shot and it was actually quite over awing. 

Hugh Jackman was brilliant and looked so authentic at the beginning of the film as a down trodden con who’d been imprisoned for 19 years – brilliant, he was brilliant.  Anne Hathaway was extraordinary as Fantine and I was actually shocked at how wonderful her singing was (wish I could say the same for all the actors).  The scenes where she’s thrown out of her job and turns to prostitution are staggering.  She was amazing.  If she doesn’t win an Oscar for that, I’d be shocked.

Where it fell down terribly for me was bloody Russell Crowe.  It was shocking.  Just shocking.  He cannot sing and he made me cringe every time he came on screen.  I can still hear his awful voice in my head now and I saw it over a week ago!  I also thought it was too long and got quite bored in parts.  Now I’m sure people will be booing me while they’re reading this, but it simply wasn’t as moving as I expected it to be.  Apart from the bits with Anne Hatherway in (which were pretty much all brilliant) it was a very mediocre film for me. 

Would I see it again?  No, probably not!  Would I recommend it?  Suppose so, just for the experience.  In case you’ve been living in a cave, here’s the trailer.

 

 

Gangster Squad ***** (4.5 stars)

I really enjoyed this film and I couldn’t believe it when it was panned by the critics.  I really liked it (then again, I’ve always been partial to a good gangster film).  The story is about a gang of cops that band together (in secret) to get rid of a Jewish Underworld Boss who was trying to take over LA.  They do it in secret because most of the force are being paid off by this boss and his henchmen, so they had to act in secret without the ‘authorities’ knowing about it and stopping them.

As I say, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would have given it 5 stars but for the awful performance from Sean Penn.  Who on earth thought he could carry that role must have been bonkers.  Also, he seemed to have some sort of prosthetics covering his face that were totally unrealistic and a real distraction for me (if they weren’t prosthetics, then he’s starting to look very scary as he ages!).

If you like gangster films and don’t mind a period drama with lots of violence, then it’s definitely worth a watch and would I watch it again?  Yeah, probably.  Here’s the trailer...

 

Django Unchained ***** (5 stars)

This is, without doubt, THE best film I’ve seen in ages.  I’d give it more than 5 out of 5 if I could!  It’s the latest offering from Quentin Tarantino and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I did think it was strange at one point, that it seemed to be lacking Tarantino’s usual violence, however, I did speak (or rather think) a bit too soon and it did get VERY bloody towards the end. 

Anyway, the story ... Django is a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face to face with a German born bounty hunter.  The two band together when Django agrees to point out 3 fugitives that the bounty hunter is searching for.  In return, the bounty hunter agrees to help Django rescue his wife from her slave owners.

It’s a long film (2 hrs 46 minutes) but is action packed every step of the way.  It had a wonderful story, with lots of twists and turns.  I loved it and highly recommend it (that’s if you don’t mind violence and lots of blood that is!).  Would I watch it again, definitely.  Here’s the trailer.... Go see it, you’ll love it!
 

Right lovelies, that’s me for another day.  Until next time, be fabulous!

Lots of love

Jx