Concerning Hobbits. And also sung-through musicals.
Saturday, 19 January 2013 04:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yatiSo, within the last week I went to see both The Hobbit and Les Misérables with my sister. The verdict is The Hobbit could've been shorter, and Les Mis could've used a bit less of Russell Crowe. Er.
I liked both a lot, actually; The Hobbit a bit more than Les Misérables.
--
I think what hit home upon seeing The Hobbit was how much I missed Middle-Earth.
I really have no idea where they're going to get the material for another two movies. I stopped paying attention to the news about the production of the film to a point that I didn't even know that it had been extended to three films. Yeah. ("What do you mean, July 2014?!")
The dwarves should have worn nametags the entire movie, seriously. Their introduction was too long and it wasn't like most people would be identify which one was which in the long run. I read the book half a lifetime ago, so, I think, did my sister, and we ended up having whispered asides of this sort:
"I know there's an Óin and a Glóin."
"Seriously, Óin?"
"Wait, isn't Gimli's father called Glóin?"
"Was it my imagination or did 'son of' got translated as 'a/l' there?" (I couldn't confirm, but this did induce more fits of laughter.)
That first bit of the movie I kept seeing John Watson as Bilbo, though once the journey started Martin Freeman was perfect. I think it was around the second hour that I got restless and asked my sister if she knew where this movie ended (she didn't). Gollum hadn't even appeared yet at that point.
Other asides:
"Don't you think Galadriel is terrifying?"
"Heck, yeah."
My sister: "Well, at least they didn't drag Cumberbatch into this."
". . . He's Smaug," said I, "So I suppose he was not really actually in this one."
"WHAT."
(There is a sort of a running joke where someone would say 'Tiba-tiba ada Sherlock', because my sister actually texted that to me once in surprise (in all caps) when she saw him in War Horse. Or was it Atonement? That phrase has come up more times than either of us would have expected.)
There's this one track, I'm not sure what the track is called, but it's featured prominently in The Lord of the Rings, and each time it comes on we'd sort of snort in laughter because our brother used to go around singing it (ne neeeee ne ne ne ne neeeeee ne ne) at inopportune moments.
We have a weird sense of humour. I find it easier watching movies with my sister than with my friends; I think they find my reactions odd.
So. Yes. I'm looking forward to the next one.
--
Upon collecting the tickets she booked online at the counter, my sister whispered, "They know how to pronounce 'Les Misérables'!"
The thing is, Les Misérables started all beautiful-looking and grand and wonderful . . . and then Russell Crowe started singing. My sister and me, we just looked at each other with something that was not quite horror and abruptly turned back to the screen and tried to smother our giggling. We don't have any attachments to the original musical: neither of us had seen it, I knew a few songs and my sister knew more of the plot than I did, so we went in not really expecting much.
Evidently we had higher expectations of Russell Crowe's singing.
A conversation during lunch with my friends, when they asked how the film was and all I kept saying was "omg, Russell Crowe":
Friends: Maybe you didn't expect all that singing?
Me: I don't understand why people are disconcerted about the singing, the thing is a bloody musical.
Friends: Then?
Me: I was disconcerted that Russell Crowe started singing.
Friends: . . .
The only other person who had seen the movie thought that Crowe was a better singer than Jackman. I gave up on the conversation then. I suppose he can sing, depending on the number (I actually rather liked his rendition of "Stars" -- I know, I know. Please don't judge me), it's when he's singing in counterpoint with the others it's just . . . odd? He sounds too mellow, maybe.
Did I cry? Not really, though there might have been something in my eye by the time Marius was singing "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables", which was kind of surprising, because I didn't really care all that much for Enjolras and co. And the whole tear-jerker ending. When the ending credits were rolling, my sister asked, "Why is it playing over such a triumphant song? Everybody dies!"
"Maybe because somewhere beyond the barricade there is a world they long to see?"
"How can you know these songs and not the story?"
I'm not really sure, actually. I probably can blame fandom. Or perhaps the school marching band.
--
Upon seeing the trailer, we have also decided to watch Jurassic Park. In 3D. Whenever it is it's coming out. Reaction upon seeing the trailer: WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S BEEN TWENTY YEARS.
I liked both a lot, actually; The Hobbit a bit more than Les Misérables.
--
I think what hit home upon seeing The Hobbit was how much I missed Middle-Earth.
I really have no idea where they're going to get the material for another two movies. I stopped paying attention to the news about the production of the film to a point that I didn't even know that it had been extended to three films. Yeah. ("What do you mean, July 2014?!")
The dwarves should have worn nametags the entire movie, seriously. Their introduction was too long and it wasn't like most people would be identify which one was which in the long run. I read the book half a lifetime ago, so, I think, did my sister, and we ended up having whispered asides of this sort:
"I know there's an Óin and a Glóin."
"Seriously, Óin?"
"Wait, isn't Gimli's father called Glóin?"
"Was it my imagination or did 'son of' got translated as 'a/l' there?" (I couldn't confirm, but this did induce more fits of laughter.)
That first bit of the movie I kept seeing John Watson as Bilbo, though once the journey started Martin Freeman was perfect. I think it was around the second hour that I got restless and asked my sister if she knew where this movie ended (she didn't). Gollum hadn't even appeared yet at that point.
Other asides:
"Don't you think Galadriel is terrifying?"
"Heck, yeah."
My sister: "Well, at least they didn't drag Cumberbatch into this."
". . . He's Smaug," said I, "So I suppose he was not really actually in this one."
"WHAT."
(There is a sort of a running joke where someone would say 'Tiba-tiba ada Sherlock', because my sister actually texted that to me once in surprise (in all caps) when she saw him in War Horse. Or was it Atonement? That phrase has come up more times than either of us would have expected.)
There's this one track, I'm not sure what the track is called, but it's featured prominently in The Lord of the Rings, and each time it comes on we'd sort of snort in laughter because our brother used to go around singing it (ne neeeee ne ne ne ne neeeeee ne ne) at inopportune moments.
We have a weird sense of humour. I find it easier watching movies with my sister than with my friends; I think they find my reactions odd.
So. Yes. I'm looking forward to the next one.
--
Upon collecting the tickets she booked online at the counter, my sister whispered, "They know how to pronounce 'Les Misérables'!"
The thing is, Les Misérables started all beautiful-looking and grand and wonderful . . . and then Russell Crowe started singing. My sister and me, we just looked at each other with something that was not quite horror and abruptly turned back to the screen and tried to smother our giggling. We don't have any attachments to the original musical: neither of us had seen it, I knew a few songs and my sister knew more of the plot than I did, so we went in not really expecting much.
Evidently we had higher expectations of Russell Crowe's singing.
A conversation during lunch with my friends, when they asked how the film was and all I kept saying was "omg, Russell Crowe":
Friends: Maybe you didn't expect all that singing?
Me: I don't understand why people are disconcerted about the singing, the thing is a bloody musical.
Friends: Then?
Me: I was disconcerted that Russell Crowe started singing.
Friends: . . .
The only other person who had seen the movie thought that Crowe was a better singer than Jackman. I gave up on the conversation then. I suppose he can sing, depending on the number (I actually rather liked his rendition of "Stars" -- I know, I know. Please don't judge me), it's when he's singing in counterpoint with the others it's just . . . odd? He sounds too mellow, maybe.
Did I cry? Not really, though there might have been something in my eye by the time Marius was singing "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables", which was kind of surprising, because I didn't really care all that much for Enjolras and co. And the whole tear-jerker ending. When the ending credits were rolling, my sister asked, "Why is it playing over such a triumphant song? Everybody dies!"
"Maybe because somewhere beyond the barricade there is a world they long to see?"
"How can you know these songs and not the story?"
I'm not really sure, actually. I probably can blame fandom. Or perhaps the school marching band.
--
Upon seeing the trailer, we have also decided to watch Jurassic Park. In 3D. Whenever it is it's coming out. Reaction upon seeing the trailer: WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S BEEN TWENTY YEARS.
