2. Les Miserables
As a cinephile, but not much of a theatre buff, I was as excited as everyone else for Les Mis to hit the big screen. They were finally bringing the story to us through a more accessible medium for the common man, and the film is stunning and meticulously executed. While dedicated fans of the stage version may be disappointed by the vocals provided by mainstream actors, in many cases the actors bring raw emotion and pain to the songs where classically trained singers sometimes emphasise power and style over simple emotional truth. At the same time, between the extravagant costumes, mind-boggling sets, and song upon song of despair, it is just over the threshold of what one can absorb, reaching almost a state of frenzy and disorganization. When there isnt singing to capture ones attention, it seems like a showcase of how big the costume and set budget was. The main actors stand in stark contrast to the tooth decay and diseased make-up of those supposed to be their peers. As such, they occasionally stand too far above the filth and despair they are meant to be drowning in with their doomed companions to sympathize with as strongly. Although brilliant actors with amusing performances, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter jarringly seem as if they have accidentally stepped from Sweeney Todd onto a different set. As an audience member, I was left centimetres away from the magical experience I so craved. Like a doomed romantic couple, I was left grazing the fingertips of the emotional connection I was so eager to seize and enjoy.