First Bits of Cinema 2013

I've seen two films so far on this sixteenth day of twenty thirteen, and luckily for me they were two really good films.

- Also, let me just say right away, these are technically 2012 films, but not where I live, so there! -

First of all! On the ninth of January I watched Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee. I had rather high hopes for this one, it was a high contender for the Academy Awards's Best Picture at the time (and was nominated for it later) and it got high praise for many of my film related idols. I even watched it in 3-D (which I am not a fan of what so ever) because some had said it was the best 3-D to date, I can say right now that I didn't even really notice the 3-D, so it was alright. 

The film itself I found to be nothing too new, I had seen similar things before, things that I liked more. The visuals of the film were stunning at times, but seeing how most of the film is the exact same scenario, it actually got old quick. 

The acting by Suraj Sharma (Pi) I found remarkable, and I was rather surprised that he didn't earn an Oscar nod, he carried the entire film by himself. Even when there was a giant tiger right next to him, he owned every scene he was in. 

Overall, I left the cinema pleased, but not really having my expectations met. It was a good film, but it was not a great one.

I watched the second film on the fourteenth, the film by the famous name Les Misérables. I had never seen any iteration of the story beforehand, and therefore knew little of what to expect. The little of promotions I had seen intrigued me, and when it was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards I knew I had to go watch it.

I was very wary, I had never seen a musical I had liked to any significant degree, and this was a close to three-hour musical about people living between two French revolutions. If you know me at all, you'll know that this is not exactly the formula for a Markus-film. 

I got into the theatre by myself, sat alone on a row in front of a group of elderly women with tissues on the ready. The film begun, and when the first song started roaring over a magnificent scene filled to the brink of singing slaves I was hooked. This was like nothing I had ever seen before, and I am still thinking about it two days later. 

There was not a single character I didn't immediately love, just one look at any of the characters and you know who they are. The costume designs perfectly compliments their wearers in the right ways. 

I won't go and say that the story is remarkable, but then again, which stories are these days? The point is, Les Misérables did its story fantastically. I am not ashamed to admit, that a few tears actually rolled down my cheek throughout (that's a first for me). 

And not to mention the songs, when I got home I bought the highlights album off of iTunes, and have been listening to it more or less non-stop as I've been working the past few days. 

If I could've seen Les Misérables before New Year's Eve it would've made fourth place on my Top 10 of 2012 list easily, hopefully it hasn't set my hopes for Cinema 2013 too high.