Les Mis, Les Mis, Les Mis.
Let me be oneeeee moorrreeee person to say, “HELLS YES. IT WAS SO GOOD.”
Cause it was.
ALL THE OSCARS!
Anne Hathaway’s scene–if you’ve seen the movie, you know what I’m talking about–was out-of-this-world. I actually leaned over to Steve and said, “If I were her parents I’d be sooooo proud. Like, THAT IS OUR DAUGHTER.” Seriously, can you even imagine? And did you really appreciate that there was one take for her hair-cutting scene to get the music right? I mean, her hair was really being cut off and she was singing at the same time so girlfriend had to bring it. Woah.
All of it–the set, the music, the camera work. It was just really well done. So, since everyone’s Facebook status this week is OMG Les Mis was SO GOOD, I thought I’d throw a blog post into the pot cause why not?
Here’s a little round-up of sorts? Dedicated to Les Mis? Mmmkay?
+ A little parenting dos-and-don’ts as illustrated by Les Mis. Take Fantine for example. Kids require sacrifice. Would you sell your hair and teeth for your kid? No? What kind of parent are you? Obviously a bad one. Try again.
I hereby close my round-up of all things Les Mis. Anything to add?! Did you see it? Love it? Hate it? DON’T EVEN.
P.S. I came back to say that I thought Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter were sooooo good too. Master of the House scene was awesome. So quirky, so fun, so strange. But, really, I could have a million P.S.’s because everyone was good, so I should just stop.
Are you even kidding with Steve singing?! My jaw literally fell open!
Also, you summed up everything I felt about Anne Hathaway's performance. I was actually trying to listen to the soundtrack while in the shower yesterday (and of course hit all the same notes with shower acoustics) but had to turn it off because I started crying. In the shower. What a cliche.
Eh. Worth it.
Oh my God, Steve come sing in my living room.
"To love another person is to see the face of God." <–favorite part
Those parents, ha! We've been to funerals and haven't cried this hard!
AH! Seeing it this weekend and I can't wait. It's my favorite musical of all time. We were planning to see it Christmas night or the day after, but the snow storm got in the way. I was worried b/c I read some bad reviews, but everyone I actually know (or know through internet-land) loved it. My sister said she loved every scene and that's the only review I need. I can't wait! (oh wait, I think I said that already). π
Wow Steve! Haven't seen it. Really want to soon.
@lauren jean allece, we love you for the singing compliment!!
@e, the funeral line. HILARIOUS.
@betsy, ignore the reviews. SO GOOD.
I am eager, dare I say anxious to see the movie. We grabbed some last minute tickets to a version of the play here in DC right before Christmas and it was incredible. So now Mark (typically anti-movie) is even on board with over paying to see it in theaters.
I can't wait to debrief with you once I do see the movie.
Steve singing, always a win.
Holy crapola. Look at Steve knocking that out of the park! Good for him!
Love love love the movie! as a theatre kid, I went in ready to be disappointed – and have seen it four more times since because I loved it that much! Esp. anne. Ugh. Anne. SO GOOD.
So glad someone else loves it as much as I do!!
Funny I was thinking the same thing in the Anne H. scene. Thinking her parents must be so proud. LOVED IT and I have seen it on Broadway also. Its my husband's favorite of all times. I loved everything about it. You were keeping a secret from us – I didn't know your husband could sing like that. WOW!!!!
wait, WHAT?!?!?!?!?!
Steve, for serious. I am totally blown away. TOTALLY. I sing and am hardly ever impressed (hah).
Just, whoa.
And Bridget, totally agree with you on all that is Les Mis. My brother & I got to see the pre-screening at the Boston Common theatre & I was bawling my eyes out. We both spent the night singing "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Red, the blood of angry men!" all through Boston.
Steve. good stuff man.
SWOON.
I haven't seen it! I wanted to see it with my mother and sister on Christmas, but neither of them know the story so they weren't interested. (I read it in high school and fell in love.) One of my 2012 goals was to see a movie alone and I never did it. Maybe I'll finally get around to doing that!
A friend told me (before she saw it) that she heard it wasnt stellar. I almost hit her – its like she said my mom was a slut or something. Blasphemy!
Needless to say – that movie might be the best thing I have seen in YEARS! So good.
Taking a mom's day out on Saturday to see it while hubs watches our son. I asked if he was interested and he chuckled :p Ah well. I am more than happy to see it by myself!
Oh gosh it was so good, wasn't it? One of my most favorite reads and the movie was beautiful! I'm obsessed π
oh my gosh, this movie was FANTASTIC! I had just seen the play for the first time in August and didn't really get it (opera is slightly hard to understand from the back row..) so when I saw the movie I fell in love with the story all over again!! Sasha and Helen were AMAZING and I thought Russell Crowe blew it out of the water! Not to mention Hugh Jackman…and Anne Hathaway! OH my.. I've been listening to her version of I Dreamed a Dream on repeat ever since!!
@sarah, if it weren't for date nights being such a precious commodity around here, i'd totally see it again in the theatre!!!
@sarah, hahaha — your comment made me LOL.
@hayley, your comment will make steve happy, i'm sure π
@shannon, we shall debrief!
I agree with everything you said. That movie was awesome–I was crying afterwards.
@anna elizabeth, i saw it on broadway years ago. i think grade school. probably too young to totally appreciate it, but nevertheless, the movie might be my favorite version (is that blasphemy to say?). i also loved phantom on broadway but LOVE the movie.
Seriously, Steve?!! So great! And, yeah, Les Mis was out-of-this-world.
Steve. Is. The. Bomb. I love a man that can sing. I feel okay saying that with out you thinking that I'm hitting o him (or him thinking that I am:) because Wyatt also can, and man it's just hot, isn't it? Good for him. Good for you for snagging him.
@chelsea, can i say i think wyatt's handsome without you thinking i'm hitting on him?? and now that i know he sings too?? well.
@amanda, thank you!
Steve is fantastic. FANTASTIC! Lucky girl, you, getting to listen to that around the house. No wonder you married him. π
I am dying to see the movie. It's my favorite musical of all time. We've all been sick – but soon!
What a stud you married. I mean seriously. Oh and randomly (but in keeping with this comment) I had a dream last night that Steve was all dressed up to go somewhere and I told him what a handsome guy he was. HA! π I just got all caught up on your blog yesterday after our trip and so I guess I had Steve on the brain?!? xoxo
Gah! I am still trying to finish the book before seeing it! Might be a difficult task as I am still somewhere in the 25% finished range, even after reading for a couple weeks. π I am glad everyone is loving it though, makes me even more excited!
YES. soo we've seen it three times..i think our level of uncontrollable weeping has grown with each time!! the salvation scene!?!??!!?! the tearing up of past offenses!?!?!?! jean valjean singing over marius + cossette!?!?!?!?!?! not to mention..the last scene!! everything fantine!! everything eponine!! whew.
ps..soundtrack on in background, too! π pps..do the rest of you all sing!? because i see family les mis performance in your near future.
So loved it EXCEPT Russell Crowe was kind of bad. I wasn't happy with that casting. Otherwise, though, Ah-mazing!
Loved it. When I heard they were making the movie, I immediately started learning all the songs on the piano so I could sing them better. And then I watched the trailers every day. I love that musical.
i got full body chills and cried multiple times during les mis. its my fav ever.
shane and stephen wanted to kill themselves. S is clearly not as evolved as Steve.
@rita, hahaha – steve'll be flattered he's in your dream life. (and for the record, i had the weirdest dreams while pregnant so maybe that's a part of it too!)
@casey ann, yes! when marius and cosette are singing to each other at the bottom of the stairs and jean valjean is in the background singing? that scene made me cry. such a father's love, that jean valjean. he was great.
@maggie, ok, if i HAAAAAD to pick someone who wasn't as stellar as the rest, it'd be him. probably because of his singing. his acting was still great, i thought.
@megan, stephen! the nearly perfect man has an imperfection!
I haven't seen it in the theaters yet for fear I will sob audibly and possibly even be asked to leave.
Also, way to go Steve!
Oh, no. You're funny…now I have to visit again to laugh some more.
WOOOO. Les Mis. omg. omg. omg. GGGGGGGGG.
Cheers.
Umm holy moly, Steve has got some pipes! He is fantastic! Also, your post on Les Mis sealed the deal for me…I must go see it!
(By the way, soo excited to be a sponsor on your blog!!)
Wow!!! What an amazing voice your husband has, thank you for sharing.
Ah that youtube video is so hilarious. And Steve did such a great job! Loved seeing that they did a goodbye party like that for you know who. What a sweet gesture. I'm sure everyone will miss him.
ALL THE OSCARS! ALL THE OSCARS!!!
Is it weird that I teared up a little just reading your post because it made me think about scenes in the movie? But seriously…the Anne Hathaway scene. My God.
@mo, you won't be the only crier! (cryer?)
@camille, glad to have ya!!
@kristin, love having you there!
@anne, the whole thing was AMAZING.
@alex, ALL THE OSCARS. tearing up – you and me both.
love love love!
even my husband who has never seen a musical in his life (and couldnt believe i'd tricked him into going) admitted he had a tear in his eye at the end. also during fantines whole downfall montage he turns to me and says 'this is brutal'
musicals arent all just glitter and cancans!
i also liked how they took the time to pay a little bit more homage to the book.
I saw it on Monday with my husband. We had seen the musical last year (that seems so funny to say so early in the year in Boston so when we heard they were making the movie? So there!
I never leave comments, but I just had to this time! Steve singing? Are you kidding me?! He is amazing! I never in a million years would have guessed that he could sing like that. Awesome.
And if I'm randomly leaving comments I should probably mention that I love your blog and hearing about your awesome family. I read every morning with my coffee, before my family is awake. Love it.
Loved it! Except for the lack of dialogue. I was expecting something a little more like the Sound of Music, and without the dialogue it took me a bit to get warmed up to it. I started really loving it about halfway through though (right around Hathaway's big scene) so maybe when I watch it a second time I will be completely glowing.
And I adored Russell Crowe. I think he made the movie, in a lot of ways. I'm a Javert snob, and he fulfilled all my expectations.
I really tried to hold it together as much as I could, but by the time Javert placed his medal on Gavroche, I was annihilated. The whole day after I saw it I felt so fragile and ravished and dramatic because LES MIS IS SO DRAMATIC.
A lot of people complain about the actors' voices not being strong enough, but I'd not have liked it as much if it weren't as raw and broken. It made me appreciate the redemption that much more. PLUS, it's a film and they were able to entertain so many nuances that we don't get to see on stage.
My favorite reviews:
http://www.grantland.com/blog/hollywood-prospectus/post/_/id/64381/the-great-les-miserables-geek-out (really long, but hilarious banter)
And, DID YOU SEE THIS?(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoqc32eYUwI) It made me adore Anne Hathaway even more. Not only does she school Matt Lauer (who is a douchecopter), but she is radiant and articulate. How far she has come since Genovia.
YOU'RE WELCOME, FOR THIS NOVEL.
AND DAYUM, STEVE HUNT.
@fran, i agree about the voices. i didn't need PERFECT BROADWAY VOICES. in fact i think it would've taken something away? and im gonna go watch that youtube nowwww.
@john & robyn, so glad you came out of hiding! and yeah–he's really good. i should have put a video on sooner!
i love this and i love you for this.
Steve can sing! I am totally impressed right now! I am dying to see this movie and desperately trying to convince my "manly man" to take me!
Now I have to see it. Also, seriously – what is with you hiding Steve's vocal talents from us? Please post monthly – or weekly – videos from now on.
wait a sec, how incredible is steve… was he part of the angel choir?
my husband and yours would get on so well.
AMI loves the les mis. for one of his birthday i surprised him to the theatre in london.
he also sings some of the songs to comfort AOI to sleep – maybe our daughter falls asleep because his voice is not as soothing as Steve's, and she wants to spare herself, lol.
anyways, can't wait to have a date out of the les mis and maybe buy him the dvd once is out, hopefully before his birthday next month
Daaang Steve! You go boy.
I literally could have cried the whole movie if I wasn't so embarrassed. Holy crow, I just can't even. It's amazing. And so so worth it to see on the big screen.
I feel like I am on a boat watching Steve sing…bouncing Parker! LOL! Steve is amazing. You snagged a good one, but so did he.
That video of the lady crying and them laughing is hilarious. "Why are you laughing?"
I haven't seen it yet, but it is on my list. Anne Hathaway has been one of my favorites since Princess Diaries. Ha!
@riotous living, he could sing lullabies? you could all play it before bed? weekly lullaby by steve?
@toi, she wants to spare herself- ha!
@alice, i know!! had to keep him quiet! sorry for the seasickness!
what to say? it was fantastic. and i saw it on christmas, so that was even more fantastic. anne. man. my expectations were low. she brought the house down. she should win best supporting actress. hugh, fantastic. russel? not my fave. his voice just didn't do it for me. like he didn't have enough confidence or something. amanda, eddie, sacha, helena, all incredible. although i usually picture master of the house as a really fat man.
oh steve. that voice. i remember when he sang some cowboy song (save a horse ride a cowboy? haha. jk) at nogrod…it was when i really fell for him. i'm sure mark appreciated the tribute. i would like you (bridge) to throw me an event so steve can serenade me…or i guess he could just do it in my bedroom like usual.
@ahn, dirty dog. diiiiiiirty dog.
would she be supporting actress?? would cosette be main? i almost thought anne was a bigger part than cosette and cosette might be supporting.
I really appreciate how kind and respectful you speak of your husband. I really respect that, and am encouraged how often you encourage him and speak of him so sweetly. He is a blessed man!
So, I was reading blogs on my iPhone in the bathtub (don't judge), and it really bugged me that I couldn't play Steve's song. So I marched right upstairs to my computer upon completion of my bath, watched the video, and would like to now add my two cents to this post. 1) I still have not seen Les Mis, but hoping to go in the next few days. I have high, high hopes! 2) Steve sounds exactly like Josh Groban. Pretty sure he missed his calling on that one. Fantastic voice!
So, I was reading blogs on my iPhone in the bathtub (don't judge), and it really bugged me that I couldn't play Steve's song. So I marched right upstairs to my computer upon completion of my bath, watched the video, and would like to now add my two cents to this post. 1) I still have not seen Les Mis, but hoping to go in the next few days. I have high, high hopes! 2) Steve sounds exactly like Josh Groban. Pretty sure he missed his calling on that one. Fantastic voice!
PS – DId you know it's super easy to switch over to threaded comments? Just a click of a button in your settings. But you can't do the pop up comment window anymore, which sucks, but it might make it more streamlined when you reply to people. Just an FYI in case you didn't know! π
no actress in les mis would get best actress because they were all supporting characters. cosette (although a beautiful voice) will definitely not get nominated. hugh will likely get nominated for best actor (since the story is about his character and he is the lead role) and anne for best supporting actress. can't imagine anyone else will be nominated for their acting in this. i do think the movie will be nominated for best picture, but i'd be surprised if it won (i think argo might be the winner…haven't seen it though).
i'm talking about oscars btw… golden globes noms are already out.
I sobbed my way through it – LOVED it.
The guy that played the bishop in the movie was the ORIGINAL Jean Valjean in the NYC and London musical productions! So neat!
Okay, I finally saw Les Mis tonight and came back specifically to your blog to leave my 2 cents. π I LOVED LOVED LOVED it. I could have done without Russell Crowe though. He was just straining on every song, and I'm to much of a musical theatre purist to deal with that. He did a great job acting out the role, but they needed someone with a better voice (um, steve? :)). But everyone else killed me. I was expecting so much less from Anne, and she blew me out of my seat. My husband almost lost it on her song, and that's a feat itself. Oscars, yes please. I loved Marius on Empty Chairs. Killed me dead. I think he was better than any of the Marius' I've seen in real life (3 times here including New York and London.) I thought the women in particular were fabulous. Incredible incredible casting with Sasha Baren Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. And can we talk about Gavroche? Yikes that kid was good. Okay I could go on and on and on. I think Hugh Jackman's voice was a bit weak but I didn't even care b/c of the ridiculous acting job he did. That man is a beast.
Also, I loved the award talk from Ahn. I love award season–who knows why. I've now seen Les Mis, Argo, and Silver Linings Playbook, and my vote goes to Les Mis first and Argo second. Bradley Cooper is awesome in Silver Linings Playbook and it's a good movie, but not as good as the other two. So there's my 2 (or 2,000) cents. π
Real people reviews are much better than the "experts".
STEVE!!! Voice of an angel!!
Ugh it's still not out here yet and I am dying to see it!
LOVED the movie! I threw a hissy fit on Xmas day (at age 27 3/4) about seeing it and then about 10 mins in I thought to myself "this is my new favorite movie"! And Steves voice is amazing! You have been keeping that from us π And just read his Xmas letter and he seems like an incredibly good man
Hahaha ok so I know you loved the movie (disclaimer, I didn't see it, but I am moderately interested in doing so…I have a short attention span so 3 hours seems brutal) but this is seriously hilarious either way http://themattwalshblog.com/2012/12/28/les-miserables-taught-me-how-to-hate-again/ I had to send to you.
@merry2181, so yes, i did love that movie, but steve showed that commentary to me and IT IS HILARIOUS.
Just wanted to let you know I'm brining my AP Euro class to see Les Mis Monday and in class today we watched the video of the parents' reaction. They loved it! π
It was pretty much amazing. Anne Hathaway deserves to win the Oscar! I cried from beginning to end and even afterward while talking about it!
Wow, Steve is GOOD!
dunno how i missed this post, but i am obsessed with that movie. saw it twice, haha. & the soundtrack is pretty much on repeat on spotify.
wow, steve is so good!
i know this is a million years later, but dang Steve. tell me he sings you to sleep.
and hells yes les mis indeed. finally saw it last saturday and it was the cheapest therapy of my life. literally sobbed for 2.5 hours. anne hathaway killed me dead and whoever wrote that music knew just what notes to hit to provide maximum number of goosebumps to the people listening. bone-chillingly good.
thanks for share..
wow, it's really weird to see that on here reaction video because those are my family friends, lol.
Nice blog! I love reading it π