Mid-Book Impressions: The Three Musketeers and Eugene Onegin

If you look at the sidebar on my blog, you'll notice that I'm reading The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. If you read Cyrillic, you'll also have figured out that I'm reading Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin. Sorry I didn't get an actual book cover for it, but I liked the drawing. Pushkin was good at drawing too, who knew?
Ahem. I've noticed several similarities between these books, and I'm less than halfway through Musketeers and nearly done with Eugene Onegin.

First off, they both feature dueling. Musketeers treats dueling as casually as you treat brushing your teeth, and Onegin treats dueling as something tragic that ruins lives. Huh. I wonder if those people you just skewered had families and lovers, d'Artagnan.
Pushkin goes out of his way to show how horrible the early death of the man killed in the duel was, whereas in Musketeers, the bodies pile up with hardly a batted eye. But again, I'm less then halfway through it. I'm either in for three hundred more pages of this, or an epic Dantes-esque redemption arc. Why do I doubt the latter.

Second, the leading men are both deeply flawed. Eugene is jaded and ends up making many mistakes that ruin his happiness. d'Artagnan is impulsive and a little too quick on the draw, also he is actively trying to get a married woman to be his mistress. Eugene's flaws are what drives the story to tragedy, d'Artagnan's are portrayed in kind of a 'boys will be boys' way. Needless to say, I don't like it.

Third, the author's names are both Alexander. Nothing deep to say here, I just thought it was really funny how I just so happened to pick these two at the same time. Coincidence, won't you?

The thing that surprised me about Onegin is that it's written in verse, and I usually hate books in verse. I couldn't even finish The Ballad of White Horse by Chesterton, because I was so lost and irritated with the style. However, I'm plowing through Onegin, and enjoying it very much. I'm also considering learning Russian so I can read this and my other favorite Russian novels in their original language. I already speak French, so I should probably brush up on that so I can reach fluency. But still, reading this in the original language would be a treat, because due to the format- poetry, it's really hard to convey the author's feelings. So Someday. Someday I'd like to read Pushkin's actual words.

As for Musketeers.... eurgh. I'll finish it, and give a final consensus, but it's not looking good.
Tell me, am I going way too hard on what is essentially supposed to be a fun adventure story? Maybe I shouldn't take it so seriously. I dunno. I think my expectations were unfairly high due to the sheer epicness that was The Count of Monte Cristo. Maybe I should reread that in the original French, that'd be fun.

Three Film Reviews in Tandem

Hellooooo! Today we're going to review three films from 2015 that I haven't already ranted about in some way. My favorite movie of 2015 was Inside Out, but these three are my other favorites of 2015. Allons!!

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

I don't care if the plot kinda made not a lot of sense, or was pretty much the same plot of every Mission Impossible movie, I liked it! Almost as much as MI Ghost Protocol, haha! The action scenes were really cool, and so fun to watch! I was constantly yelling, balancing on the edge of my seat- it was so awesome! And the Alto Flute gun made my day. I thought I saw a flute in the opening, but it went by so fast that I thought it was jut a gun and I was so orchestra obsessed that I saw it as a flute. But no, it was a flute. Huzzah. Oh, and can we talk about those credits? Because they are so delightfully cheesy. Love 'em.
Verdict: A for Mucho Fun

The Martian

God on Hiiiiiiiigh....
Heeeeeear my prayer!!!

I WILL SURVIIIIIIVE!!! Ahem.
So for a movie about a man trapped alone on Mars with next to no chance of success, this is a flippin' fun movie. Seriously. I love the optimism and can-do attitude of this movie. This movie does more to help my pessimistic attitude then a whole truckload of positivity memes (those do no good at all because they're stupid and they don't star Matt Damon). The actors were good, the dialogue was brilliant, and the special effects looked AWESOME!! The end.
Verdict: A+ for all the Above Reasons

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Wow, I'm suddenly into Star Wars! How'd that happen? Oh yeah, this movie was the best Star Wars to come out since the 80's. Even though it's basically a remake of A New Hope. But that's cool, because it had enough fresh characters and plot to make it really interesting and suspenseful! It's probably still a federal crime to mention spoilers, so I won't go into too much depth, but I thought that Kylo Ren was a really interesting bad guy, and I'm really looking forward to where his storyline is going. And Rey's. And Finn's. And Poe needs to be in the next movie more! Despite his dumb name! Oh, and BB-8! Yaaaayyy!! Han and Chewie were awesome.

Verdict: A because WOW, so good!

More Ranting about Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet

Because YES!!! Ahem. Today I'm sick. Not as bad as yesterday, when I slept through most of the afternoon and staggered zombie like through the evening... but still, not great. My throat is too sore to play flute and piccolo (ever try taking breaths on a sand-paper throat?), and I'm too tired to do anything but bum around and listen to music. And check my facebook status frequently. FREQUENTLY.
So I've been listening to a lot of 20th Century righteousness, especially Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet! Yeah. Sergei, welcome to my list of favorite composers! As you could guess from my glowing review posted a while back, I really liked this adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy. I almost liked watching this ballet more than I liked watching the actual play, but in all fairness, the DVD we got from the library was a REALLY dry production.

So anyway, I'm going to rant about some of my favorite songs from the ballet. Haha!

The Young Juliet (Act I, Scene 10)
In this number, Juliet and Nurse are preparing for the ball. The way we start out is energetic and youthfully dreamy. You can feel the excitement of Juliet as she prepares for the ball. But there is a second theme in this piece, one that is solemn and hints forward to the tragedy that this night of joy will ultimately bring.

Masks (Act I, Scene 12)
Things take a cooky turn as we swap to Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio sneaking into the Capulet's party! Wearing the titular masks, the three buddies dance to a characteristically 'Prokofiev' theme. The tone in this scene is sardonic and quirky as a fractured faerie tale, but is still essentially lighthearted and about some friends having fun. But that doesn't last long, because the next song is...

Dance of the Knights (Act I, Scene 13)
The high energy satire that dominated the last few numbers gives way to the violence of the feud. Though we're at a friggin' party, the music is heavy and agressive. This is probably to bring home the harsh reality that even when they're dressing up in party clothes and arranging marriages for their daughters, the families of Verona are living in an atmosphere of hatred that dominates even their festivities. And Holy Shnikes! The brass players get to flaunt their parts for all it's worth in this one! It's you're time to... wait for it... shine. Cuz brass is shiny, gettit? Sorry.
Ahem. A later part of this song is extremely delicate in contrast to the peasante main theme. This is when Juliet dances a graceful- but passionless- Pas de Deux with Paris, her fiancee chosen by her parents. This section features ghostly flutes, haunting clarinet trills, glissandi from the violas, and a steady rhythm reminiscent of lute strumming.

Mercutio (Act I, Scene 15)
The jokester of the trio gets his own energetic dance. I like the Col Lengo in this movement, and the darkly cheerful, blythe melody that is brimming with spirit and attitude. There is some goofy action from the woodwinds (especially the bassoon!) in the middle part, before we return to the fast main theme.

Balcony Scene/Romeo's Variation/Love Dance (Act I, Finale)
We start out very sweet and tender, but also kind of sneaky and quiet! Romeo has snuck back onto the Capulet's grounds in an attempt to see Juliet again. Kind of weird, but we'll give him a pass because she would probably do the same thing if she was able to get out and about. There is some 'awkward' sounding bits in the Balcony Scene, as Romeo meets Juliet again and makes an adorkable doofus of himself. This is all very sweet, but my favorite part is the Love Dance, when the whole orchestra is pulsing with the passion of the moment! There is even some (gasp!) subtle piccolo action! Yeah!! On a sadder note, we hear the first hints of a gorgeous theme that will show up later in a very different context. But for now, we can end the act blissfully.

Folk Dance (Act II, Scene 22)
Not much happens plot-wise in this scene, but the music is fun and energetic! Contrast between woodwinds and strings is played nicely.

Juliet at Friar Laurence's (Act II, Scene 29)
Juliet has arrived at the Monastery for her and Romeo's secret wedding. A radiant flute solo accompanied by soft strings opens this song, and later as the wedding takes place, a dignified and lovely brass theme dominates.

Tybalt and Mercutio Fight/Death of Mercutio/Romeo Decides to Avenge Mercutio's Death/Finale to Act II (Act II, Scenes 33-Finale)
So you're not a fan of all the lovey dovey stuff. That's okay because boy have we got some stuff for you here! First off, the melody that plays when Tybalt and Mercutio fight is a more heated reprise of the the number 'Mercutio' from Act I. Mercutio's death music is heartbreaking. A reprise of his motif from 'Masks' plays as he staggers across the stage, cracking jokes and making it difficult to tell if he's really hurt or not. But then he finally expires, and Romeo is blinded by rage and fights Tybalt to the death. The music for this fight is the same as the music from the fight in the first few minutes of the ballet- only it's heartpoundingly frantic. The running strings deliver so much tension, ending in a wicked dissonant chord and 15 (yes, 15!!) relentless orchestra hits as Tybalt meets his end.

Introduction/Romeo and Juliet/The Last Farewell (Act III, Scenes 37, 38, 39)
After the dissonant harshness of the Introduction, the soft delicacy of 'Romeo and Juliet' is almost jarring. The flute motif from 'Juliet at Friar Laurence's' is back, unchanged except for key signature, but in this context it's taken on a new tragic air. I love the effect of the rainy sounding strings. It's like you're in your house listening to the storm outside. The Last Farewell is a gorgeous Pas de Deux featuring a sweet viola solo that gets passed along to other instruments and builds in intensity. Each time it gets passed along it changes in character. When the viola has it, it's lithe and graceful. When the tenor sax and clarinets take it, it becomes glowing and romantic.

Juliet Alone/Interlude (Act III, Scenes 42 and 43)
Juliet Alone directly leads into the Interlude, and let me tell you, the transition is amazing and is one of those musical moments that sends shivers down my spine. The Interlude is a reprise of one of the themes in The Last Farewell, transfigured. The first time we hear the theme, it's melancholy. But now it's strong and absolutely soaring with determination, as Juliet decides she can't live without Romeo and decides to do something about the situation.

Dance of the Young Girls with Lilies (Act III, Scene 49)
After Juliet poisons herself to fake her own death, she lies unconscious on her bed and some of her girlfriends sneak in to decorate her room with flowers. I guess it's a wedding thing. This dance is light of step, like you'd move when you're trying to sneak around. The mood is eerie and kind of sad. I really like high-pitched violin solo in this part, and the percussion.

Juliet's Funeral/Death of Juliet (Epilogue, Scenes 51/52)
Urgh, so sad! Juliet's funeral begins with hauntingly quiet and high pitched strings setting the mood. The music is predominantly dark and almost horrifying as Romeo succumbs to despair and a now demented reprise of The Last Farewell plays. It's almost like the music itself is begging Juliet to open her eyes. In the version me and my sister watched, at that part, Romeo actually danced a brief Pas de Deux with Juliet's limp form. It was a really impressive piece of choreography, and very chilling.
Death of Juliet features a mature and somber rendition of Juliet's little motif that was introduced way back in Act I and has finally reached its most developed point.
In stark contrast to other ballet endings, like the overwhelmingly emotional and fortissimo climax of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet ends almost silently.

A Tale of Two Cities: International Studio Cast Recording [2008]

I can't recall a night so clear. The Heavens seem an inch away and not unfriendly after all.
If life was ever quite this sweet, I can't recall.

-Sydney, Act I: I Can't Recall

You wouldn't believe the little internal happy-dance I did in my brain when I heard of this. I had rather high expectations for this, and for the most part it was quite satisfactory! The music was good, with several highlights that are great. The characters were portrayed more or less accurate to the book, and they didn't butcher the ending! The only thing that kind of disappointed me was that Madame Defarge and Miss Pross didn't get a Confrontation style song during their little clash at the end. Oh well. Would have been weird anyway. ;D
Speaking of the Confrontation, this musical sometimes seems to be trying to be Les Miserables. I mean, I really like this musical, but you've got to admit that they were sometimes copying. The most glaring is the Act I finale 'Until Tomorrow', and there's a little bit of influence here and there. The only instance that bugs me is the number No Honest Way, which takes place in a bar and seems to be aspiring towards that Master of the House feel. Then again, Gaston is a musical number that took place in a bar (a villain song too, no less) and that doesn't bug me.
I was a little annoyed at first, because Charles isn't actually in this that much. He's in about four songs and that's it. But I got to thinking; A Tale of Two Cities is about both Charles and Sydney, but Sydney is the character who changes and grows more through the story. Charles is good, but he doesn't really grow as a character, he doesn't need too. He's already a pretty good person, and he has a whole life with his wife and family ahead of him. It makes sense for the musical to focus on Sydney more. He's a dynamic character, and in musicals, character changes are expressed through song, which makes it easier for the musical to focus on him.
Anyways, I hope you're in the mood for a long post, because I'm in a ranting mood today!

1. Prologue: The Shadows of the Night

Wow, the orchestra is beating us up! So far as opening overtures go, this isn't the best I've heard. It's pretty much the orchestra hitting you over the head with some loud notes. Then the rest of the song is a quick little verse sung by Alexandre Manette about how he's going to write down his tale before he loses his mind in the Bastille. Does make for an intriguing start of the show, though!

2. The Way It Ought To Be (Paris)

Now this, this is a much better opening. The orchestra hits at the beginning of this song actually carry a good tune, and it sounds very cool. I think that it does a good job of establishing the time, and the lyrics really carry the mentality of the time. At least, I think so. I obviously wasn't there during the French Revolution, so maybe don't take my word for it. ;)

3. Who Are You? / You'll Never Be Alone

A duet between Lucie and her rather traumatized father, Alexandre Manette. It's a sweet song, but it feels a little over-long. I really like the tune, though.

4. The Way It Ought To Be (London)
Even the instrumentals sound London-y! I apologize for being a book-purist, but Sydney is way too chipper in this song. In the book, he wasn't so extremely proud of being a drunken loser. I mean yeah, he's drunk, but Sydney's more of a depressive drunk than a cheerful drunk. That having been said, this song is pretty funny. :D
5. No Honest Way
I don't know why they felt like a big chorus number right here. The Way It Ought To Be (London) establishes the setting, and the next song is a big, slightly humorous, chorus number. Well, this song is kind of funny, and the tune is fun! I have to give it some credit there. I'm still a little bugged by Sydney's strange chipperness. This musical is trying to imply that Lucie alerted him to his sluggish, drunken ways. Uh, no. Maybe I need to read the book again (Don't mind if I do!) but I don't think that's how it worked.
6. The Trial
Hee hee, I like this song. It's delightfully morbid (in a black humor kind of way), and the refrain is catchy!
7. Reflection
On My Own from Les Miserables and Lonely Room from Oklahoma! Together at last. Well, not quite as creepy and obsessive as Lonely Room. But along the same lines. Still a little creepy though.  In this song, Sydney talks to himself and wonders in song form why he rescued Charles back at the trial. Then he goes on to wonder what it would be like if Lucie loved him, it's very depressing, but the tune and orchestrations are belissima. (did I spell that right?)
8. Letter From Uncle
“Mwhahaha, I'm evil! I run over lil' kids with my carriage of doom and despair! Mwha. Ha. Ha.”
9. The Promise
This song is where Charles makes two rather important revelations to Monsieur Manette. First off, Charles is in love with Manette's daughter. Secondly (as if that weren't bad enough!), he starts to reveal something important to the plot, but Monsieur Manette gets distressed and cuts him off. I like how Charles asks Lucie's father's permission before he starts to court her, it's very gallant of him. :)
10. I Can't Recall
Of Sydney's many, many, many solos (he gets three!), this is my favorite. It's also the most depressing in hindsight, but c'est la vie. The instrumentals are gorgeous (that's how you get Monica hooked on a song. Have a pretty intro.), the tune is gorgeous, and the actor's voice- well, I wouldn't call it gorgeous, but it's a good sounding voice for Sydney. This is actually one of the more cheerful songs of the musical (lyrics wise), but it always makes me a little sad. Here Sydney sings about how tomorrow's at his feet, and how he's going to improve his life- all because Lucie showed him some kindness. Of course, things don't go like that. Saaaad...
11. Resurrection Man
Gah, a comedy number. That came out of nowhere. I don't know if this musical keeps in the whole Barsad/Cly-Death-Faking business, but if it doesn't, then this song is totally pointless. I mean, I have nothing against comedy numbers (High Adventure, anyone?), but they should at least serve the plot a little bit.
12. Now At Last
Charles and Lucie's mandatory love duet. But aside from being very sweet and heartwarming, this song is also kind of funny! And I really like it when love duets have the couple singing one line after the other, not sure how to explain it, but it's always fun to listen to. :)
13. The Wedding / If Dreams Came True
Aww, this is so sweet. And I mean that in the best possible way. I mean, I'm so caught up with all the cute marriage stuff that it kind of lets the air out of my tank when Sydney comes in to sing about how depressing he is. But the lyrics are so cool, they almost completely match up with this part from the book, so... yay! Still. I love you Sydney, but this is one of the few happy songs so... stay out. XD
14. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Let it be known that this song has one of the coolest opening instrumentals ever! Ahem. Basically what's going on is that a little boy was killed by some careless aristocrat's carriage, and Madame Defarge is trying to convince the little boy's father to go and kill the aristocrat. Who's Charles' uncle. It's a little- okay, REALLY- dark, especially when you take into consideration that the last song was all chipper and wedding-y. The vocals in this song are a-m-a-z-i-n-g, and the acting is really good.
15. Little One
I saw the title of this one, and thought it was going to be really saccharine. Heh heh... no. Actually really sad. The first part of this song is Little Lucie saying her bedtime prayers, and then Sydney starts singing (wikipedia says that Charles and Lucie convinced him to go and tuck their kid in. Lazy parents! :D). Then it transitions to France where they're having a funeral for that little boy who died. It's really, really sad. And the chorus sounds so cool.
16. Until Tomorrow
Ooof. The title of this song makes it sound like the Walmart brand version of One Day More. But in all seriousness, this song is pretty cool. I mean, the Revolution in Two Cities is way darker and more violent than the Revolution in Les Miserables, so it's very interesting to hear the ways that it's similar and different at the same time. Ernest Defarge's actor has such a nice sounding voice, and his accent is so American it makes me smile. :D
17. Everything Stays The Same
This song... wow, this song. Best Act II opener I've ever heard. Let's see, what do I like about this number... (1) The eerie waltz-tempo (2) The chorus chanting “Libery! Equality! Fraternity! Or Death!” (3) The way they incorporated the novel's opening lines into the song and it didn't feel too shoehorned in (4) The 'What happened to tomorrow?' verse (5) The guillotine sound at the end... this song does an amazing job of establishing the Reign of Terror.
18. The Tale
Okay, this song has a little bit of inappropriate content (not the musical's fault, it was in the book too), but it's handled well. This is the drama bomb of A Tale of Two Cities (every story has a drama bomb. Like the siege of Gondor in LOTR, and The Final Battle in Les Miserables.), and sometimes the music is a little overdramatic. It's not that bad- it certainly sounds cool-, but Madame Defarge sounds like she could totally be on American Idol. And the dying guy in the flashback sequence sounds like he is totally not dying.
19. If Dreams Came True (Reprise)
This one's pretty sad. The bit with Sydney at the beginning seems a little pointless, seeing as there's another moment almost exactly like it a few tracks from now. But the Charles verse is very nice. Well, nice as in, we like the lyrics. The actual subject matter is pretty sad.
20. Without A Word
So in this song, Lucie is (understandably) a little cheesed off with Charles for skipping off to France and getting himself sentenced to death by height-adjustment. My sister prefers the alternate song for this scene (Never Say Goodbye), but I actually think that this song (while it's maybe a little harsh) adds an interesting dimension to the whole Charles/Lucie romance, and acting in this song is pretty good too!
21. The Bluff
Heh heh, this one's actually kind of funny, all things considered. This is where Sydney goes to Barsad and blackmails him into letting him visit Charles in prison. So of course, Sydney can drug Charles and swap places with him. Oh. Um, spoilers? XD
22. Let Her Be A Child
Bring Him Home, anyone? :D In all seriousness, this song kind of maybe sort of made me teary eyed. I mean, there's Lucie jr. singing her bedtime prayers, and then Sydney starts singing along, and yeah... I'm kind of pathetic.
23. The Letter
So, Sydney swaps places with Charles, and he writes a quick note to Lucie. And um, he sings it. Cuz' it's a musical, and we even sing letters!
24. Defarge Goodbye
Monseiur Defarge mourning his wife. They could have used this time to make that Lady-Confrontation, but... yeah. This is good too, I guess.
25. Finale
All together now. One! Two! Three! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Ahem. So far as finales go, this is pretty good! The seamstress, the guillotine noises, the instruments, the I Can't Recall reprise, the mandatory saying of certain final words... [content sigh]. It's great.
26. Never Say Goodbye (Bonus Track)
Haha! Not letting you go yet! This is the solo Lucie sang in a concert version, and they stuck it on as a bonus track, which is nice. The lyrics are a little on the 'okay' side. I mean, I'm sure there's nothing wrong with them, but they don't carry the emotional punch that Without A Word does. The tune on the other hand is so lovely! I can't decided which solo I like better! :)

The Verdict: A
Granted, this musical isn't without it's flaws. There are a few songs that aren't that great (No Honest Way and Resurrection Man), and sometimes it feels like the makers were ripping off Les Miserables. Also, Charles doesn't get his own song, which is lame, seeing as he's one of the main characters! But aside from that, this musical is terrific. It's got great atmosphere, and manages to keep the spirit of the book. And this CD has a lot of really good performances on it.

Favorite Song: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Runners Up: I Can't Recall, Everything Stays The Same, and Little One.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens [1859]

Sadly, sadly, the sun rose; it rose upon no sadder a sight than the man of good abilities and good emotions, incapable of their directed exercise, incapable of his own help and his own happiness, sensible of the blight upon him, and signing himself to let it eat him away.
- Book Two: The Golden Thread, Chapter 5: The Jackal

Sometimes I get nervous before I review one of my favorite books. Partly because I'm not smart enough to really understand the book in a deeper way, and partly because I'm afraid people will think I'm overselling my point.
But I've made the decision (yes, sometimes you have to decide these things) that I don't mind if people on the internet think I'm stupid or silly, so I'm going to charge ahead on with it. Oh, and there WILL be spoilers in this review. But seriously, if you don't know how it ends, I'll be really surprised.
A Tale of Two Cities is a relatively short book, but it packs quite a punch, at least for me it did. Before I get to why it packed such a big punch, let me get the flaws out of the way first. Because even awesome books have flaws.
For starters, the first chunk of the book drags a bit. Don't get me wrong, it's not exactly boring or turgid, but you start to wonder when this famous Sydney you've heard so much about is going to show up... I also got slightly annoyed with Lucie. I mean, she's practically perfect in every way, and has the required golden hair to boot. As the book went on, some of her deeper qualities showed through (fortitude and patience, for starters.), so it's not like she's a total china doll of a character. But still. Dickens could have made her a little less typical. So yes, there were a few little issues, but when this book is good, it is good. I didn't even mind the heavy-handed foreshadowing.
Something I love about this book is that the action and plot are relatively tight. There's always something of interest going on, and pretty much all the characters serve a purpose to the plot. The characters are pretty good. Not the most developed or whatever but sue me, I like them. Especially Sydney Carton, Mr. Lorry, Charles Darnay, Miss Pross- aw the heck with it, I pretty much liked everyone! Except for the Marquis, of course. I kind of feel a little sorry for the Marquis though. He strikes me as what you get when a spoiled child grows up. With nothing to hinder him or show him the error of his ways, he just got worse and worse. In terms of antagonists though, Madame Defarge is both more sympathetic and terrifying. At the same time.
 And then there's Sydney. I could ramble about Sydney for ages. Don't get me wrong, Charles is awesome. If given the choice between the two, I would probably rather hang out with Charles than Sydney (cuz' you know, sobriety), but Sydney's a more interesting character. His heart is very sensitive, but his mind is cynical and pessimistic, and that stifles any optimistic thoughts that he might dare to think. At least at first, anyway. His development is really good, and Sydney is one of my favorite fictional heroes. And while we're still on the topic of characters... Mr. Lorry is such a sweet man. He goes on and on about how he's nothing more than a 'man of business', but it's quite clear that he's much more than that.
Now, unfortunately for me, I knew of the ending before I was even halfway through it. Long story short, I was sitting in a library, waiting around to die, and I had forgotten to bring the kindle with me. I saw a copy of Tale of Two Cities on the shelf, and I decided I could find my spot in the book and make some progress. Out of habit, I looked at the back cover, and saw the following... "A Tale of Two Cities is the sweeping drama of Sydney Carton- who dies in the place of  Charles Darnay, the husband of the woman he loves."
Yeah. It was awful. I was like this:

CURSE YOU SPOILERIFFIC BOOK!!

 

And this at the same time:

Now that's a man...

Then I thought about it for a while and...

NOOOOOO!!

So children, this is a cautionary tale. Don't ever read the backs of books you haven't finished. Ever. EVER.
But knowing how the book ended offered a new perspective on Sydney's character as I read. I knew what was going to happen, but even so it was interesting to see all the pieces falling into place.

The Verdict: A+
I think it's quite clear that I liked this book in a big way, so at this point the verdict is just a formality. ;) It's been a while since I've read a book that made me simultaneously teary-eyed and uplifted. I feel a little silly maybe, since this 100+ year old book is to me what The Hunger Games and The Fault in Our Stars is to other teenagers. Aw well! Tis the curse of the isolated homeschooler. ;)
Just kidding, we're not isolated, I've actually been outside once or twice this  year! >:D
Oh, and in autumn... heh, heh. That is when the awesomeness begins. Mwhahahahaha. AUTUMN IS COMING!!
And no, I don't watch Game of Thrones. I just like referencing the 'Winter is Coming' thing. Ha.
I'll uh, go now, this tiny text is getting really awkward. D:

Fantasy vs. Reality in Pan's Labyrinth

"When I was little I believed in faeries. I believed in a lot of things I don't anymore."
-Mercedes [Pan's Labyrinth]
Pan's Labyrinth is currently sitting comfortably near the top of my list of favorite movies. It's a beautiful film with awesome cinematography, music, costumes and makeup- okay, pretty much everything is awesome.
Pan's Labyrinth is one of those movies that just sits with you, and you can't let it go because there's too much to think about, and I love the kind of movie that doesn't leave you.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Pan's Labyrinth (though this post is going to be spoiler filled, just so you know), it's the story of a 12 year old girl during the Spanish Civil war who must complete three tasks to prove she's the long-lost princess of the underworld. Now, when they say 'underworld' in this, it is meant in the traditional Greek sense, just a place where all the dead go (I'm not even sure if it's that, or just a name for a non-specific magical realm). They do not mean underworld in the Christian sense, otherwise known as Hell. (and the Faun is supposed to be like the mythical creature, not Satan. Goat horns do not equal Prince of Lies.).

However, whether or not the magic elements are real or not is actually ambigous. I'm going to talk about both points of view of the movie and 'analyze' them. Inasmuch as I can analyze anything.

The Non-Magical Point of View
Towards the end of the film, Ofelia is talking to the Faun at the entrance of the underworld. Her cruel step-father comes up from behind her, and the camera is showing us what he sees. That is- Ofelia holding her baby brother and talking to... Nobody.

This seems to indicate that the whole movie is either a fantasy created by a stressed out little girl, or the crazed delusions of an insane little girl. It does seem plausible. Let's take a look at the tasks.

The first task is to retrive a key from a giant frog that lives inside the roots of a giant tree. The faun tells Ofelia that the frog is siphoning away the life of the tree. This sounds vaugely similar to how Ofelia's Mother's pregnancy is slowly killing her. Ofelia loves her mother very much, and is suffering conflicted feelings about her brother (at least for the moment...).

The second task is to brave the Pale Man and retrive a dagger from his room. The Pale man's room has a table just brimming with all sorts of delicious looking food. This is after Ofelia is sent to bed with no dinner- so she's probably really hungy.

You can kind of see how the magical elements mirror what's going on in Ofelia's life at the moment. It almost makes sense, except for a few things.

The Magical Point of View
First of all, there's the Mandrake. When Ofelia tells The Faun about her mother's illness, he gives her a Mandrake Root to put under her bed. When Ofelia does that, her Mother's condition improves significantly. When her step-father finds it and throws it into the fire, her Mother's condition grows worse and worse until she dies during premature delievery.

Then there's also the Chalk Door. At one point, Ofelia is locked in her room with a guard at the door. However- she is shown drawing an outline of a door on the wall with the magic chalk the Faun gave her. Later, Mercedes and some others burst into the room to see if she's still there. What do they find? No Ofelia, and the chalk outline of a door on the wall, that's what. And this is in a room where the windows are too small for even a kid to slide out of!

That... doesn't add up. Looking at this movie through a non-magical point of view is very interesting and almost works, but in the end doesn't.


"But Monica!" cry ye skeptics, "What about her stepfather! He didn't see the Faun! That proves that the whole thing is a fantasy!"

Yes. The fact that Ofelia's stepfather didn't see the Faun opens the door for alternate interpretation of the film. But! Let's think about Ofelia's stepfather for a moment. He's basically a monster. He's no better than the Pale Man who (it's implied by a pile of little shoes in his chamber) eats children. Ofelia's stepfather is ruthless, brutal, in otherwords a total psycho.

Do you think that somebody with a heart that twisted and gnarled would be allowed to see the magic? A slogan commonly used for the film was L'innocence est plus forte que mal or in English, Innoncence is stronger than evil. If your heart is clouded with evil, it makes it harder to see light, at least in fairy tale logic.

Conclusion...?
So at the end of the day, I think the fantastical elements really were real in Pan's Labyrinth, due to the evidence above, and because the director himself said that he 'thought' that they were real. ;) But you can still take the route of the gritty and depressing, since it mostly works. Like I said though, I prefer to think that the magic is real, because otherwise, this movie is a lot darker and lightless than it already is. And even a cynic like me loves the light (Grantaire, anyone?).

While we're here, I'd like to talk about the ending a little bit. Whether or not the magic was real or not, the Faun's statement that 'She returned to her Father' is true. If the magic was real, she returned to her father, the king of the underworld. If it wasn't real- she returned to her Father in Heaven.

The director, Guillermo del Toro, defines the ending like this. The tyrant's reign ends with his death, but the martyr's reign begins with his death.

That's a quote from the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who I am by not really a fan of. But I thought that was a gorgeous quote, and worth mentioning, and a good way to end the post.

Happy Existential Musings!

-Monica

And yes, that oxymoron was quite intentional.

I've become the very evil I longed to wipe out...

You know how it's fun to ridicule all the Beliebers and One Direction fangirls? Well, alas, for without realizing it, I'm guilty of fangirling over some guy's voice too. Am I confessing to being a Belieber? No, it's this.

Admittedly, it's not stupid like One Direction and Beebs, but the reaction is pretty much the same. Interesting.
[chuckles nervously]
[runs away]
[far away]

Les Miserables 2012 References to the Book

Upon viewing the Les Miserables film after reading the book(which took a whole month!), I noticed a whole lot of details and plot points that were influenced by the book. Which I thought was really cool. Here's a list of the ones I noticed. Why? Because I'm a geek and I totally get exited about this kind of thing. XD
Huzzah!

• In the scenes that take place at the Bishop's house, they kept in his sister and housekeeper, Madamoiselle Baptistine and Madame Magloire. Huzzah for keeping in totally minor characters!
• Jean Valjean's factory makes black glass. More specifically, black glass beads that are strung onto Rosaries.
• After Javert thinks he made a mistake in suspecting Valjean of being a convict, he requests to be fired from his position. I'm glad they kept in this detail from the book, because it shows how devoted to the law Javert was, and how he wouldn't ever make exceptions- even for himself.
• Okay, this is a super minor one, but it's Christmas Eve when Valjean arrives at the Thenardier's Inn to rescue Cosette. I don't know if that's how it's staged in the musical or not. Oh, and he gets Cosette her doll, too! Oh for cute.
• Jean Valjean and Cosette actually get pursued through Paris by Javert, and escape by hiding in a Convent. They actually show him using a rope from a streetlamp to haul Cosette over the wall. And then Fauchelevent is working in the garden, and they ask him to let them stay there. The only way this could have been more awesome is if they had a song where the Cemetery incident happened. :D
• Gavroche lives in the old Elephant statue! I know there is no way you can do that on stage, but I liked how they kept that in here.
• After A Heart Full of Love, Valjean comes outside and looks around the fence, with Marius hiding just out of sight. After Valjean goes inside, Marius picks up a handkerchief, and is later seen cuddling it during Drink With Me. I am of the mindset that Valjean left the handkerchief there, to see if anyone was serenading Cosette by the gate. Because if they were adding in that bit from the book on purpose, I'm one happy fangirl! :)
• Probably the most important and obvious change was that Eponine stole Cosette's letter and kept it until she was shot, then gave it to Marius. I really loved this change back to the book, because it gives Eponine more depth and inner-conflict than in the musical. This of course, leads to a myriad of other changes, like Marius joining the revolution because he wants to die (since he thinks he won't be able to see Cosette again), and Gavroche delivering the letter Marius wrote at the barricade.
• The Army Captain yells "Who's there?!?"
  and Enjolras replies... "FRENCH REVOLUTION!"
  When I was done laughing, I remembered that that was in the book. XD
• Marius threatens to blow up the barricade with a powder-keg of gunpowder, in order to make the Army retreat. This gets mixed reactions from the various students. XD
  "What were you thinking Marius, you could have gotten us all killed!!"
  "Marius, you saved us all!"
• Eponine dies taking a bullet for Marius.
• Enjolras and Grantaire are killed by a firing squad while cornered on the top floor of the Wine Shop.
• While going through the sewers with Marius, there's a brief moment when Valjean almost sinks into a cesspool. I remember that part really freaked me out when I read the book!
• Marius' Grandpa is in this! And they sort of worked him into Every Day. XD

All the book goodies almost make up for the way they made Master of the House even more crude and disgusting.
If they had kept in Grantaire's verse in Drink With Me, that would have made the whole "I'll die with you, Enjorlas!" thing a tad more significant, and that would have made up for Master of the House. XD Oh picky, picky, picky.

-Xochitl (Who is too tired to put up any Walk for Life pictures at the moment, so enjoy this random post which was written in advance.)

Lost (Season One) Original Television Soundtrack [2004]

It's not secret that I really like Lost. It's not a flawless show, and there are quite a few things I would change about it, but one of the things I would keep exactly the same is the music. Michael Giacchino's score for the show is one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard (in my relatively short time on yon earth), better than some movie scores I've heard. The music really is the soul of the show.
Because the soundtracks are quite long, I thought I'd just pick my favorites to ramble drunkely about.
Just kidding. Don't drink, kids. ;)

Track 4: Credit Where Credit is Due
This is the music that plays over the opening credits in the pilot episode, while Jack is walking through the wreckage. It's a very mellow, sort of wistful melody that pops in lots of different tracks, kind of serving as the main theme.That's something I love about Mr. Giacchino- his use of leitmotif. It feels like the music develops with the characters. I know a few people who say that repeating a theme is just lazy musicianship, but I think it's beautiful.

Track 9: Crocodile Locke
Rather ominous and dark sounding, this track uses some interesting percussion(sounds kind of like water droplets) and sounds like the persona that John Locke is trying to project- the Mr. Confident Super Survivor type. Hence the title. XD

Track 10: Win One For the Reaper
This is sort of a lighter, more upbeat sounding version of the Life and Death theme, heard later on the soundtrack. I love this one because there's some very nice guitar work in the background. Mr. Giacchino mostly uses piano, strings, harp, and percussion in his music for Lost, so it feels kind of special when there's a track with guitar or ukulele.

Track 12: Charlie Hangs Around
This track has some classic 'Lost' sounding action music. That is, pounding drums, shrieking violins(I mean that in the best possible way), and booming brass. Later in the track is another version of Life and Death, with a harp playing part of the melody.

Track 16: We're Friends
Otherwise known as 'The Claire Theme'. This song is very gentle and bright sounding, and the melody is carried mostly in the strings.

Track 18: Thinking Clairely
I think this plays after Claire escapes from the others, but has lost a lot of her memory. Then Charlie and her take a walk and my sister goes "Awww, they're together!!". It's got the same kind of feel as We're Friends, but with a slightly more up-tempo melody.

Track 19: Locke'd Out Again.
Remember Crocodile Locke? Well this song sort of represents what a sad, hurt man there is underneath Mr. Confident Tough Guy. Even though he becomes more ruthless and even kind of evil as the series goes on, Locke just strikes me as a very sad character. he desperately need something to trust in, something to hold onto and grasp, and at this point he's just lost. In every sense of the word. I think that his later lapse into evil is largely influenced by that. This song really gives us a look into the sad, confused mind of the character. Aside from being intense and powerful, this is a very gorgeous song.

Track 20: Life and Death
This song plays over the first major character death, but also right after Claire gave birth to her baby. Hence the title. Ahem. The Life and Death leitmotif plays over nearly every character death in the series, and appears in every season. It's beautiful and bittersweet, and perhaps best of all- easy to play on the piano! :D

Track 22: Shannonigans
This one is basically a reprise of Locke'd Out Again, but softer and less intense sounding.

Track 23: Kate's Motel
After listening to various tracks and seeing where they play, I have deduced that this is the Kate theme. The title might also have something to do with it. ;) [Hooray for Psycho puns!]
This track is kind of suspenseful, and I thought it sounded kind of like the Latin funeral hymn Dies Irae. Not the version by Mozart, but the plainchant version.

Track 24: I've Got a Plane to Catch!
Whoa, this one is a really abrupt change from the past few tracks. I've Got a Plane to Catch plays in a flashback sequence that shows Hurley rushing through the airport to- you guess it. Catch his plane. There's guitar in this one, and it's just a very playful sounding song.

Track 27: Oceanic 815
Here's the song that finishes out the season, so it's a combination of suspense and emotion. There's a very beautiful reprise of the Life and Death theme (how many times am I going to be saying that in these reviews? XD), and a little bit of Credit Where Credit is Due.

The Verdict: A+
Top Three Favorite Tracks: Locke'd Out Again, Life and Death, and Kate's Motel.







...It's fun to embed videos.
Adios Amigos!
-Xochitl

Les Miserables [2012]

Okay, this is the Japanese poster, but I liked it. Despite the fact that Jean Valjean is totally giving us the death glare. "Grrr!"
And Javert looks like he smelled something really rank. But to be fair, he almost always looks like that.
And I did my best to translate the white caption on the side, and if my Kanji dictionary is to be believed, this reads- "The Power to be able to Love and Live"

When I watched this movie, it had been a while since I listened to our CD recording, so it was kind of like a re-introduction to the story, in fact it was partially the reason why I read the book (the other part was that it was sitting there on the shelf calling my name.).

So... For the most part, I really liked it.

I really liked all the things they kept in from the book. It makes the movie feel like a fusion of both the musical and the book together, which is really neat. It helped to flesh out the parts of the stage play that wouldn't have worked on film. The execution of the story was really good, and I loved the way they moved Stars to before Look Down/Paris. It made for a really cool transition.
The sets and costumes were really well done, too. I loved the Rue Plumet garden and the Barricade.
Look at that, it's just lovely, isn't it?

 

Hm. Coffins. Subtle. Very, very, subtle. I wonder which
student thought it would be a good idea to put those
on.

 

Okay, I'm very interested in filmmaking, specifically: Cinematography. When I watch a new movie, Cinematography is outranked only by the Soundtrack in terms of what I'm anticipating. In this movie, I thought the Cinematography was sort of a mixed bag. I thought the crane shots were really powerful, and there were a few scenes where I was just blown away. Like in Stars for example, in the second verse, there's a shot where the camera goes in a half-circle around Javert. It's shot from below, and you can the sky around him, and it looks really neat.
Then there was the jitter-cam and the extreme close ups. I thought the jitter-cam was effective in the battle scenes, adding to the chaotic feel, but sometimes it got a little hard to tell what was going on. And as for the extreme close ups... Well, they were fine when they weren't too close. But there were  a few shots where I was like "AH! PULL BACK, PULL BACK!!"

Now. The Music.
I thought that they did a stellar job with the orchestrations. Seriously, they were beautiful! The one complaint I have is that usually there's a flute solo at the end of A Little Fall of Rain, but in this they give it to a violin. Hey! No fair! That was the only flute solo in the whole thing! But that was compensated for during In My Life and A Heart Full of Love. The flute in those songs sounded like butterflies, and I think that flute actually does fit Cosette better. XD And excellent use of Cello, Piano, and... heck, every instrument.
Oh, I feel like I'm forgetting something... something important... oh right! The performances... give me a minute to find out all the actor names. :P

Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman)

 His singing was a little patchy sometimes. I thought he got a bit off-key sometimes, and when singing Bring Him Home, he looked and sounded like he was in a bit of pain. That having been said, his acting was great, and so was the rest of his singing. I loved the way he acted the scenes with Cosette. They have a really good Father/Daughter dynamic, and I think that Suddenly really amplified that. (Sniffle... that was such a sweet little song.) I think he does my favorite versions of Valjean's Soliloquy and Who Am I. You know how in the latter song, the actor usually belts out the line- "I'm Jean Valjean!"? Here he sort of just says it, but I thought it was really cool. He sounded like he totally meant business.

Javert (Russell Crowe)

Okay, it took me a while to get used to his voice. It's very different from what I was used to hearing, but after a while it started to grow on me. I feel like Russell Crowe brought out a side of Javert that isn't usually there. He seemed a lot more thoughtful and calm than usual. There were scenes where he just was Javert, and others where... well, I don't want to be uncharitable. But let's just say that the scene where Valjean let him escape from the barricade was interesting. But overall, I thought he was pretty good!

Fantine(Anne Hathaway)

I am not allowed to say anything bad about Anne Hathaway's performance unless I want the secret service to kick down my door and drag me off to Room 104. But in all seriousness, I think she did a pretty good job with the character. I love how her Fantine didn't just sit around and let herself get fired, she was literally dragged out! She had a certain toughness about her, and I liked that. Her singing was pretty good (when she wasn't sobbing), but I felt like she could have been a little more... I don't know, less sobby with I Dreamed a Dream. Okay, I'm gonna hold up in my room until the angry mob leaves. ;)

Cosette(Amanda Seyfried)

I hate to say it, but she was originally the reason I was reluctant to watch the movie. XD But now, ironically, she's one of the reasons I like it so much. Her Cosette is very well acted and sung, you can see how much she loves and respects Valjean, even if she gets impatient with his secretiveness. The lyric changes in In My Life helped too. And her acting during the Epilogue... oh my goodness, it was so heartbreaking.

The Thenardiers(Sacha Baren-Cohen and Helena Bohnam-Carter)

They were pretty much like the Book Thenardiers. Really disgusting and slimy. But they were still really funny at times, even if I think Monsieur Thenardier had an irritating fake accent. Seriously. They're all French! And nobody else talks like that. Just him. Why? [eye twitch]

Marius Pontmercy(Eddie Redmayne)

Well, let's just get this out of the way now. I thought his voice sounded like Kermit the Frog, and I wasn't exactly fond of it. Now that I've got that out of my system, allow me to say that I liked his acting. He was so adorkable in A Heart Full of Love, the way he was stumbling over his words, it was so cute! And his performance in Little Fall of Rain... wow. His version of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables was pretty good (aside from the aforementioned Kermie voice.), but I wish that he hadn't looked STRAIGHT into the camera. [shivers]

Eponine(Samantha Barks)

I loved Samantha Bark's take on Eponine. Her singing was really beautiful, and her acting was more than just being sad. I also noticed some rather strange eye twitches, and you get the sense that she really resents Cosette. Of course, she wasn't mentally unstable like in the book, but she was tough. I like how in Attack on Rue Plumet, after she screams, she totally hits Thenardier. Her version of On My Own was so pretty, and even though it was softer than other versions, it's still just as powerful. And I loved A Little Fall of Rain. I don't even care that they cut half the lyrics, I loved it.

Enjolras(Aaron Tveit)

As was the case with Javert, he was really different from the guy on our CD. Where CD guy was all hyper and loud, this guy was more calm and thoughtful. In that way, I think he was pretty close to Book Enjolras. I like how he had more emotions than just being loud and obnoxious (But I still love you, CD Man! Whatever your name is!), and his singing was fairly decent. My sister describes his voice as sounding 'Like a Muffin', and I think I'll just leave it at that. He has some really good Blink-And-You'll-Miss-It moments in The Final Battle, helping guys into the Wine Shop, etc. And he was comforting Marius at the end of A Little Fall of Rain. :D

Gavroche(Daniel Huttlestone)

I liked this kid, he was good! I had a minor problem with him, and that was that sometimes it's a little hard to tell just what he's saying behind his charming cockney accent. (Why do French orphans talk like Charles Dickens characters?) Something I really like about Gavroche is that he's just as brave as (maybe even more so than) the grown-ups he hangs around with, and I think this came across quite well in the movie.

The Verdict: A
I was forced to deduct points for Master of the House(it was funny, don't get me wrong, but YIKES! I do not remember it being that rude.). But that's pretty outweighed by all the stuff that I did like about this movie. The sets, the actors, the orchestrations, the actors, etc... I loved the way it took the stage play and adapted it so well for the cinema. It was neat how they stuck in little odd details from the book and melded them in, too. Huzzah!

-Xochitl (why do I even bother with the alias anymore if I accidentaly stuck my real name in a comic? XD)

Doctor Who Day!

...Was yesterday. XD But that doesn't mean I can't post a cutesy picture of some Doctor Who characters and post it on here, yeah? These are the main characters in Season 5.

 

Okay, from left to right.

River's having the time of her life being enigmatic and confusing... That lump under her arm is the helmet for her astronaut suit(if you can even tell it's an astronaut suit XD). I'm wondering how she'll get that tiny helmet over her gargantuan chibi head.

The Doctor is being annoyed with her flirtatious warnings of spoilers, and doesn't hear Amy calling for him. She's trying to get his attention, because Rory is about to get himself erased by the Crack in the Wall. Yes, that's supposed to be the crack in the wall. Not a silver, flying snake. :P

Well, in true Doctor Who fashion, I hope your day is confusing and full of hamming British/Scottish actors!

Allons-y!

-Xochitl





Spirited Away Soundtrack(2001) [Composed by Joe Hisaishi]

Okay, I'm kind of a Music Freak. One of the things I judge a movie by is it's music, and it's just one of those things that never fails to inspire- especially when I'm writing(which is all the time).
So today, I'm reviewing the Spirited Away soundtrack. Eventually I'll get to the actual movie, but I'm not as good at reviewing actual plots and such. On with the melodramatic ranting! :D And yes. I am going through this track by track. [headdesk]

Track 01: One Summer's Day
Obviously, this is the song that opens the movie. It starts out as a rather quiet song, but escalates to be larger at the end. It’s very beautiful, and you can hear it reprised several times throughout the movie. This song has that sort of bittersweet air, and kind of gives you the sense that something mysterious is about to happen.

Track 02: A Road to Somewhere
True to the mood that the last track set, this song is a little quiet, and builds to the feeling of mystery.

Track 03: The Empty Restaurant
I love the drums that start off this song. And there’s an interesting percussion effect that I can’t quite figure out what it is, but sounds kind of like a drop of water hitting a pond. There’s also more flute in this track. And of course, it’s very eerie. There’s a more dramatic reprise of One Summer’s Day in the second half, too.

Track 04: Nighttime Coming
This song has a lovely oboe and harp part. It starts rather quietly, but turns exciting really fast. In the film, I think this plays after Dragon Boy, but for some reason they put it before on the OST.

Track 05: Dragon Boy
This track is pure awesome. It’s an exciting song that plays twice in the movie, in scenes involving Haku. It begins with a harp repeating the same pattern, joined by a piano and rising in crescendo until BAM! You get hit over the head by a blast of brass. All through the song, the simple theme from the beginning is repeated in the background. One part of the song features tense violins, kind of Howard Shore style, and in another bit, some slightly off-beat Timpani gives the song a perilous feel. In case you haven’t noticed, I really love this song. Haha. Only two minutes, but a very exiting two minutes.

Track 06: Sootballs
Perky flutes start off this track. This song is kind of fun, it’s quirky and has an air of eccentricity. I have to say, great use of woodwinds in this song. I love the sootball sprites in the movie, they’re so adorable!

Track 07: The Procession of the Spirits
Not like it’s much of a surprise, but another amazing track. This song plays when the spirits get off their boat and come to the bathhouse (Yes, I realize what I just said.). It’s whimsical, awe-inspiring, eerie, and even has use of traditional Japanese instruments. Not to mention some haunting vocals. Like Dragon Boy, this song sends shivers up my spine.

Track 08: Yubaba
Where the last track was eerie in a wondrous way, this song is eerie in a downright creepy way. It uses the very highest keys on a piano, and the very lowest. There’s some absolutely freaky vocal work, and an incredibly creepy music box section. At some point, there’s this instrument, I don’t know what it’s called, but it sounds like a wail. Really interesting song, Haha!

Track 09: Bathhouse Morning
Much quieter and more laid back than the haunting Track 8, this song evokes the mental image of a dawn. There’s a quick reprise of the Sootball theme, played by flutes and bassoon. And we get the first hint of the No-Face theme, which is some kind of percussion and triangle riff.

Track 10: Day of the River
Aside from slightly different orchestration, this song is a direct reprise of One Summer’s Day, and a beautiful one at that. I have to say, when Oboe is played right it is so lovely to listen to. The same goes for French Horn.

Track 11: It's Hard Work!
More Japanese instruments, perky flutes, and awesome percussion. And again, we hear the No-Face riff. While it’s not as action packed as some other tracks, this is still really memorable for me.

Track 12: The Stink Spirit
Wow, Hisaishi-San! You’re my hero! I could just die from awesome percussion overdose. I love the violins sliding around, and that Japanese instrument that comes about a minute is so perfect. The song crescendos to sound so awesome and heroic, I feel like getting up, pumping my fists, and cheering. Haha! There’s a little bit of It’s Hard Work! in this track, too. And if you listen closely, a bit of One Summer’s Day.

Track 13: Sen's Courage
Right off the bat, the No-Face riff attacks us. Once again, the music is tense and eventually get action-packed. And there’s a little flute riff that I think I’ve heard in Ponyo, another Studio Ghibli movie.

Track 14: The Bottomless Pit
This song starts off loudly, it made me jump! Then suddenly, it swaps back to that creepy music box theme from Yubaba, and things get a little quieter. This track is probably one of the most action-packed of the OST.

Track 15: Kaonashi(Faceless)
The No-Face theme, previously only heard through short riffs, takes precedence in this track. It’s so haunting and perfect for the character. This song starts relatively calm, but escalates to something stirring and heart-pounding! Sort of Like No-Face himself, now I think of it… Yeah, a really awesome track. I could have sworn that I heard a bit of It’s Hard Work! in this one, too.

Track 16: The Sixth Stop
This track is mostly piano and strings, and gives such a wistful, haunting feel. It plays when Chihiro is riding the train to Swamp Bottom to apologize for Haku. It’s a mesmerizing song, very beautiful. Quite different from the sudden, pulse-pounding songs that have frequented the soundtrack.

Track 17: Yubaba's Panic
Whoa, we’re excited again! Though very short, this song manages to be pretty awesome. There’s a bit of Yubaba(the song) in this one, including some of that weird high-low key piano action, those eerie vocals, and the creepy music box theme.

Track 18: The House at Swamp Bottom
Now we’re calm again. This song utilizes harp and flute, and it sounds mellow and somehow cozy. Very beautiful music, even if the track is short when compared to the others.

Track 19: Reprise
This song is so beautiful, I almost have no words on it. It sounds so joyful and full of wonder. I love the use of woodwinds in this track, and the sense of soaring that you get when the music crescendos!

Track 20: The Return
This song starts out with such triumph, it makes we want to get up and dance! I think this part of the song was a reprisal of Procession of the Gods. Then, it quiets into a final reprise of One Summer’s Day, though with a climatic ending, whereas the song at the beginning ends leaving you wondering what happens next. It’s a beautiful song that sums up everything that the ending was supposed to make you feel. Happiness, a strange melancholy, and perhaps most importantly, a sense of wonder.(I'm going to hit myself for being so fruity. XD)

Track 21: Itsumo Nando Demo(Always With Me)
And now for one of the sweetest songs ever composed. This song plays over the credits, and sounds kind of like a lullaby. The only instrument used is a harp, and singing the melody is a lady who sounds like she could be the sweet dance instructor from ‘Shall We Dance?’. It’s a beautiful song, and even if I didn’t quite understand all the lyrics meant, it was deeply touching. The perfect way to end a spectacular film.

The Verdict: A+
Top Three Favorite Tracks: Dragon Boy, The Sixth Stop, and The Stink Spirit. (Though seriously, I would just put the whole soundtrack as my favorite. XD)

Later, amigos!
-Xochitl

Guest Post by My Sister

Hi! Welcome to my monthly guest post! [This angry red font, by the way, is Xochitl. My sister wanted to do a guest post on here, so I figured I'd let her. XD So long as she doesn't do anything reputation-wrecking... She's just a kid, so be forgiving if her observations are less than professional.] I'm doing a Dream Cast for Les Miserables, because there aren't any recordings that are 'perfect'. It'll probably make at least one of you mad, but I sure hope it doesn't! :)
[Tactful, Sis... Very, very, tactful...]
Let's begin!

Jean Valjean

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean

I think he made a really good Jean Valjean. He was really sweet with Cosette, and his acting was good. Sometimes his voice got shrimpy, but besides that I thought he was really good.

[Can I just say how much this picture cracks me up? I mean, I bet Marius is off-camera all like "Ahhh! I didn't mean to fall in love with your daughter, don't shoot!"]

 

Javert

Philip Quast as Javert

His voice is really snarly, and in the confrontation he sounds really disgusted with Jean Valjean. His singing voice is really awesome, and Stars was really good! [That's all? I could rant about this guy for ages!]

 

The Bishop of Digne

Colm Wilkinson as Bishop Myriel

Aw, he was so awesome! And he made a really good Bishop. I like how they brought him back in the end, too!

 

Fantine

Ruthie Henshall as Fantine

 Ahhh, she sounded really awesome. He character was really good, and she was really pitiful in lots of parts. I really liked how she did Fantine's Death, too.

 

Cosette

Amanda Seyfried as Cosette [She's the one on the left :D]

Her voice was what Cosette's voice should sound like, her high notes were really pretty! A Heart Full of Love sounded the best, out of all the Cosette songs. She was sweet, and she was actually sad when Jean Valjean left at the end!

 

Marius

Michael Ball as Marius

Allright. He's the best Marius I could find. His voice is pretty good, and his acting is adorable! I really liked him in A Heart Full of Love, the way he was straightening out his clothes to impress Cosette!

 

Thenardier

[We could not find a picture of this slimy guy. But she picked the fellow from the Complete Symphonic Recording.]

Well, he's funny in Master of the House, and he's creepy in Dog Eat Dog, like it's supposed to be. And he sounds really... grunge-y.

 

Madame Thenardier

Jenny Galloway as Madame Thenardier

She's really funny. The Thenardiers are gross, so let's get off them quickly!

 

Eponine

Samantha Barks as Eponine [Hey, what is that down in the corner? A giant prune?!]

She really looked like Eponine, and her acting was pretty good! I liked her best in A Little Fall of Rain. The acting was really sad. She was actually acting like she was shot, but it wasn't disturbing or hammy.

 

Gavroche

Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche

He makes a really good Gavroche, even if I can't understand what he's saying sometimes. [Subtitles would come in handy, to translate his cockney accent.] It was funny how he kept singing Little People while they were beating up Javert.

 

Enjolras

Harpo Marx Aaron Tveit as Enjolras

He sounded best in The Final Battle. His acting was really good, it gave Enjolras a personality besides "RAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!". And his voice sounds like a muffin! :D [I... don't know how to explain it, she thinks that if his singing voice were a food, it would be a muffin. I cannot explain why. -_-"]

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed my Dream Cast! See you next month!

[And I'll see you... Sometime this week. XD]