'Les Miserables': The 25th Anniversary Concert Part 2

les solonga plays fantine. i have to admit she fared better giving voice to eponine in the 10th anniversary concert. but i quibble. she is fine as fantine but just not as good as the rest of a truly amazing and mostly unknown cast. and who the hell can follow patti lupone and ruthie henshall anyway? audra mcdonald that's who! however, ms. solonga does fare much better in act 2 (finale) to be fair.

in order to be fair to ms. solonga i am posting her eponine from the 10th anniversary dream cast concert singing 'on my own'

(to be continued)

'Les Miserables': The 25th Anniversary Concert

it's time for you to buy a blu ray. the 25th anniversary concert of 'les miserables' is your excuse as if you needed one. if you love or even just like les miz you owe it to yourself to see it on blu ray. it is truly an amazing video. the cast, the staging, the cinematography,the orchestrations and the lighting are amazing. i love this musical. i loved it in 1985 and i continue to love it with each new version recorded and filmed. this version even surpasses the wonderful 10th anniversary (the dream cast) dvd with it's scope and breath. over the next few days i will share 'highlights' from the concert here. they are good but in no way compare to the sight and sound of the blu ray. i am sure the dvd version is wonderful also but i have not seen it. don't think i will owning the blu ray disc.

the opening

(please note the subtitles are not on the disc unless you wish them to be)

the remarkable alfie boe as jean valjean delivers, really delivers, 'bring him home'

(to be continued)

Hail the King

one last time i salute the most worthy colin firth on his oscar for best actor of 2010. so deserved.

and at last i was able to find the full best actor category awarded by the best actress of 2010 and one of filmdoms most delightful and sincere actresses the lovely and charming sandra bullock.

Happy Birthdat Rachel

rachel won the oscar for the 2005 film 'the constant gardener' in the supporting category. it was one of those misplaced nominations. she deserved to be in the best actress category but studio manipulations placed the nom in supporting. they figured she had a better chance to win there. she won there. perhaps they were correct. 

rachel's 2010 release 'agora' did not get much theatrical play. i recommended it before and recommend it still. it's intelligent. it's about history repeating itself. it's relevance is this: the crazy right wing christians today are repeating the same things today as the original jesus cults did in ancient times. try it.it's important.

'The Adjustment Bureau' : Opening Friday

for me this is the first major release of 2011. the continuously growing talents of matt damon and emily blunt star in this thriller. the trailer is inviting and a must see for me. i'll let you know.

 trailer

Remembering Jennifer on Her Birthdate

 'portrait of jenny' remains my favorite jennifer jones film

 jennifer won her best actress oscar for 'the song of bernadette'

Oscarbation: It's a Wrap

the royals win...the zietgeist goes down down for the count. the critics and pundits are in a bitter snit. they say the academy embarrassed itself. they say 20 years from now the history of oscar will see the taint of their selection. i say 20 years from now the film will be remembered well and the current critics and pundits will not be remembered. i say the right choice was made with 'the king's speech' coming out on top. i think now it was not a true race. i believe the pundits tried to create a race. 'the social network' is a 2010-2011 film...a zietgeist. the king will reign for years to come.

colin was a lock. sandra had the key and opened the lock and charmingly awarded mr. firth his oscar after using her charm and personality to give each nominee his due as only she could. her 3-4 minutes on the stage were the best minutes of the night. she showed all the charm ms. hathaway could not throughout the proceedings. ms. hathaway has all the charm of a meat clever. what was all her bowing and kowtowing about? why was she kissing ms. bullocks buttocks? she will never be a sandra bullock. she is crass with a smile.

james franco got lousy reviews as host. he's james franco what did they expect? he is an independent spirit. he was himself. i say good for him. he kowtowed to no one. he doesn't have too. he's an amazing talent.

i hope melissa leo is aware that her phony and crass acceptance speech will show forever on you tube? i did not think it possible but her oscar acceptance was more over the top than her 'the fighter' performance. she won i get it. now just make her go away. helena and/or amy you were robbed. 

otherwise all was good. 'inception' was rewarded in the tech categories it deserved.  'social network' won editing which was deserved and score which it did not. 

the natalie portman and christian bale wins were expected and worthy. between them and colin the acting awards were 3/4 right on. 

it's now in the history books and before we know it it all begins again.

here's to the films of 2011. may you be as good as 2010 which in fact was a remarkable film year.