-
Twice Bitten by La La Land, Love & Regret
Forget the singing, the dancing, the sets, the terrific, catchy music, and the fantasy of La La Land. What remains at the core of this award-winning film is character development and a love story that viewers are intentionally swept into from the opening scene of this boy-meets-girl movie romp that harkens back to old-time musical storytelling. If you haven’t seen the film yet, first of all, shame on you, and second of all, stop reading here, because I’m going to dissect the guts of the plot and meaning as opposed to an overall review. I honestly don’t want to spoil it for you, so if you haven’t watched it, close…
-
Disagreeing with the Critics—And Adam Lambert—About “Les Miserables”
He had me at “The King’s Speech.” Tom Hooper, director of the aforementioned film, has now tried his hand at directing a musical: the film adaptation of the Broadway sensation “Les Miserables.” To clarify, the gentleman did not just try his hand at directing this emotional musical based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, but he succeeded with high marks. It is a moving tribute to the book, and Hooper’s camera glides effortlessly from scene to scene, leaving you amazed in parts because you are so riveted by the actors’ performances. The film opens with prisoners pulling in a large ship in the pouring rain singing “Look Down.” Jean Valjean, played…
