KANSAS CITY, MO — SCREENING ROOM 12-21-2012
1. LES MISERABLE (PG-13)
SHAWN
“Les Miserables” is a grand spectacle. It’s a big story, with big set pieces and big stars, singing big musical numbers. In fact all they do is sing and cry. There is virtually no dialogue. Yes, this is a real musical. And will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Glass of soda. Or bottled water.
RUSS
Hollywood adaptations of Broadway musicals used to be commonplace, but contemporary movie audiences aren’t accustomed to people singing through a story on the big screen. However, those willing to suspend their disbelief and go with the flow may well find “Les Miserables” to be an extremely moving cinematic experience.
SHAWN
The production value is stupendous. The star power is major. Not the best movie ever but sure one of the best musical adaptations ever.
RUSS
Victor Hugo’s classic tale of self-sacrifice, law and grace in 19th century France gets a top-notch production under the guidance of director Tom Hooper. Anne Hathaway can dust off a spot on her mantle for her inevitable Oscar. The only weak link is Russell Crowe who, in a number of ways, doesn’t always hit the right notes.
SHAWN
There isn’t much not to like. But you really better like musicals.
RUSS
The music, the spectacle and the melodrama swell to a satisfying climax in this first-rate movie tuner. Don’t forget the Kleenex.
RUSS: 5 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
2. DJANGO UNCHAINED (R)
SHAWN
Director Quentin Tarantino’s latest is a complete hybrid. It’s part spaghetti western-slave epic-revenge fantasy-love story and one of the most violent, seductively edgy, in your face master strokes of cinema ever created. And I loved every second.
There are more than a few trademark QT nuances. But never has the director pushed this far nor as hard. “Django Unchained” brilliantly pokes fun and re-examines America’s ugliest and most brutal chapter in history with a razor sharp cast and dialogue that rolls out of their mouths as if they were performing some strange antebellum opera.
Now there is a bit of controversy. Some have express concern because the film which is about slavery was directed by a white director and that director — Quentin Tarantino choose to use the N-word more than 150 times. However, the movie was nominated for Best Picture at the NAACP Mage Awards.
“Django Unchained” is three hours of Tarantino perfection. The best movie of the year. And finally I have an answer for “what’s your all time favorite movie?”
RUSS: Did not screen.
SHAWN: 5 Popcorn Bags
3. PARENTAL GUIDANCE (PG)
SHAWN
Harmless, predictable and boring. May be the most bland non-descript movie in history. Sad to see Billy Crystal and Bette Mildler forced into Hollywood’s retirement home.
RUSS
This sporadically funny comedy stars Crystal and Bette Midler as a pair of square grandparents who travel to Atlanta to babysit the grandchildren they barely know. Naturally, their presence complicates matters as they gamely try to adapt to their daughter’s new-fangled ways of parenting. The corn grows as high as an elephant’s eye in this labored family farce. While its heart is squarely in the right place, “Parental Guidance” is an anemic comedy that falls to easily into rubber stamp filmmaking.
RUSS: 2 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 2 Popcorn Bags
