Thank God Will Smith was busy.

Django.

Copyright 2012 Weinstein Company.

Feet? Check.
Camera shot down the barrel of the gun? Check.
Tarantino cameo? Check.
Gore? Check.
Thoroughly entertaining? Absolutely.

Tarantino seldom disappoints. Like most, I thoroughly enjoy a good Tarantino fix. The only thing I would talk about when I was 13 was his guest directing of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. My (then) favourite show and a director unlike any other? I was obsessed.

Watching Django in a small independent cinema in Berlin made my experience of Django Unchained even better. Dr. King Schultz was loved by the audience from the moment he entered on his tooth wiggling carriage, to his abrupt end. Every time he said anything in German or did anything remotely badass, a titter filled the room, occasionally accompanied by applause. However, it was Leonardo who look the cake for me. I loved seeing him in his very first antagonistic role. His performance never faltered, even when he actually cut open his hand mid monologue. Jamie Foxx was also fabulous. Like the rest of the world, I am unbelievably glad that Will Smith was unable to play the role Django like Tarantino wanted, and not only because it gave the male loving population an excuse to stare at Foxx's beautiful body. Smith's acting style could never have brought the same amount of much needed subtlety  and passion to such a bombastic film.

Tarantino's love of the Aussie Ocker film period is openly celebrated during his cameo. Even without the ever so creepy Wolf Creek laugh, Australians may recognise the cameo of John Jarratt. However, this scene could have had so much more to it. It felt stale and useless in a film that was otherwise so jam packed with content. Entire storylines and characters were cut (we missed you Joseph Gordon Levitt), yet this scene stayed as long as it was? Tarantino's horrendous accent was also distracting.

As he furthers his status as becoming a cult film legend, I feel like Tarantino may be forced to include typically Tarantino characteristics, even if they don't further the narrative of the film. However, if it's a matter of pleasing Tarantino fans, I for one was hooked.

This is the last photo on my phone. It's my valentines day gift.


Love, Ellie

Les Miserables

The first time I heard of the acclaimed musical I was probably about 10. My sisters friend had gone to see it, and came out pronouncing it as if it was an old man's name. I assumed that it was about an old man named Les who had a miserable life. French was obviously not her forte.

I moved to Berlin when I was 14, and my drama teacher made me fall in love with theatre. I became very familiar with the songs from Les Mis, but wasn't entirely sure about the storyline. I remained ignorant until I heard news about the film. Even though I hadn't previously been a huge fan, the trailer made me cry. I became so passionate about the film before I knew anything about it. I became absolutely certain that Anne Hathaway deserved all the Oscars and Golden Globes EVER, and that the film would be the best of the year. Although the film came out on Australia on the 26th December, I left Australia for a European adventure three days beforehand. I became adement that I NEEDED to be in London on the 11th January to see the film when it came out.

I ended up seeing it on the 16th. As it had been out in Australia for some time, my facebook page had already been overloaded with opinions and mini reviews. I tried to keep an open mind to make up my own opinion. And this is what I think.

The adaptation from stage musical to film is not an easy thing to do. Many previous adaptations of stage musicals to screen musicals are comedies. Bursting into song makes the ability to get lost in a film very difficult. Also, having well known hollywood actors in the roles means that our previous knowledge of their work and their celebrity lives will always be in the back of our minds. Despite comedic moments, Les Miserables is obviously not a comedy. Director Tom Hooper also cast the biggest hollywood stars instead of those who had previously played the roles on West End or Broadway (with some exceptions). Famously, the actors sang live instead of miming to a previously recorded soundtrack. It shouldn't have worked, but it did.

Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway were obviously also fantastic, but that was expected. I was blown away many times by Jackman, most notably during his 'What have I done?' soliloque. Anne Hathaway made me cry during 'I Dreamed a Dream'. Amanda Seyfried played a very boring wide eyed Casette to the best of her ability and sang like a bird. Despite the fact that the ENTIRE musical is based around her existence, Cosette has always been a very boring character in my eyes. The highlight for me was Eddie Redmayne. The line that keeps running through my mind is when he is at the gate with Cosette, and Eddie's character says 'I don't know what to say'. I honestly think that his face expresses more in that small sentence than Russell Crowe has in his whole career. Other highlights for me were Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bohnham Carter (who proved that you can play a role well even if you can't sing).

One of the most attractive men in the world looking 

thoroughly unattractive.

The cuts and changes made were very much for the best. I did miss that little boy's song that is at the start of act two, but I understand why it wasn't necessary. The end scene played out very well, even though it is typically very 'theatrical'. The one thing that really annoyed me was the bad CGI. Quite often I was distracted because the background was just so fake and 2D. Granted, this was mainly when Russel Crowe was on screen, and I could have just been bored.

Despite my very high expectations, I can't help but love it.

This was the last photo I look with my phone. I seldom take photographs with my phone nowadays as I have a lovely new camera, but surprisingly this was only taken yesterday. This is the house that I am currently in, being nice and cosy despite the -6° weather outside...

Ellie x