In one of the comments here I read that the movie had few references to the novel--I completely disagree! This movie was, in every way, based around Victor Hugo's novel. I'm in the middle of reading the book (unabridged version) and saw the movie a little while ago. As I read I come across little things that make me think, "Wow, that movie was true to the book!" Perhaps not directly, but if one has the ability to read between the lines you will notice that this movie IS Les Miserables. Each character in this movie is symbolic of a character from the book and each occurrence in the movie has some relevance or mention in the novel. For example, there is a scene where the two men are trying to escape prison by swimming out and they try to see how long they can hold their breath. In the novel, Jean Valjean (the prisoner) jumps off a boat and swims to his freedom, but he must (obviously) hold his breath long enough to swim away without being noticed/having to go to the surface for air.This movie is excellent, dramatic, moving, and intriguing--never a boring moment. And don't let anyone tell you it has nothing to do with the book, because that's as far from the truth as you could possibly get.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Evita
(1996)
Amazing!
25 June 2004
"Evita" is possibly one of the best movies I've ever seen. I may be a bit biased, however, because I am a musical-lover. The music is amazing, all the way from the catchy can't-get-out-of-your-head, "Buenos Aires" all the way to the emotional, "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina." Madonna does a fantastic job portraying Eva Peron, showing that she not only has great vocal talent, but also exceptional acting skills. Antonio Banderas does an equally outstanding job, possibly proving the inverse, that he not only is a superb actor, but also is a wonderful singer. He's also one of the most good-looking actors on the face of the Earth, so...*Again, I'm a being a little biased.*
And we can't forget Jonathan Pryce, whom I had never heard of before seeing this movie, and just ended up falling in love with because of his believable acting. The relationship between Evita and Peron is slightly complex, but also simple at the same time. At first it appears they are only involved with each other for gaining and benefiting somehow themselves, but we also see glimpses of how much they love each other, which must have been a difficult relationship to convey, but Madonna and Pryce did a wonderful job! Jimmy Nail also does a good job at playing a character everyone just loves to hate. Magaldi annoys me, but there I go again, letting personal feelings getting in the way of things...
This is truly an amazing true story of the life of Eva Peron, captured in beautiful, well-written music of great quality, performed with amazing talent, the scenery and costumes are amazing. So, let's sum that all up; the best possible qualities a movie could have: Great music, a great story, great costumes, great actors, and (one of the best of those great actors) Antonio Banderas. That's all you need. I give it two thumbs up, maybe three if I can borrow one, and a 10/10. See it if you haven't already, asap!
And we can't forget Jonathan Pryce, whom I had never heard of before seeing this movie, and just ended up falling in love with because of his believable acting. The relationship between Evita and Peron is slightly complex, but also simple at the same time. At first it appears they are only involved with each other for gaining and benefiting somehow themselves, but we also see glimpses of how much they love each other, which must have been a difficult relationship to convey, but Madonna and Pryce did a wonderful job! Jimmy Nail also does a good job at playing a character everyone just loves to hate. Magaldi annoys me, but there I go again, letting personal feelings getting in the way of things...
This is truly an amazing true story of the life of Eva Peron, captured in beautiful, well-written music of great quality, performed with amazing talent, the scenery and costumes are amazing. So, let's sum that all up; the best possible qualities a movie could have: Great music, a great story, great costumes, great actors, and (one of the best of those great actors) Antonio Banderas. That's all you need. I give it two thumbs up, maybe three if I can borrow one, and a 10/10. See it if you haven't already, asap!
One-Trick Pony
(1980)
Music: good, Movie: not-so-good
22 June 2004
I am a HUGE Paul Simon fan, I suppose I'm a bit obsessive, and when I found out about "One Trick Pony" I had to check it out. The music was amazing, as all Paul Simon music is, but the movie lacked in a steady, relevant plot. It was basically, more or less, a clip from the story of Simon's life. Like I said, I'm a bit on the obsessive side when it comes to Paul, and I noticed numerous similarities between Jonah and Simon himself (however, not everything rang true for both.) It was a painful movie to watch, but when one closes their eyes, the music kicks *ehm* butt. Some of the greatest stuff is in it like his, "Late in the Evening" that opens up the show. If you're a Paul Simon fan like me, I suggest, if you're feeling brave and don't have to go through too much trouble, certainly take a look at it. If you can't stand Paul Simon, watching this movie would be putting you through your own personal Hell. I rate the music: 10/10, and the movie 3/10.
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