LES MISERABLES

Les Miserables - The miserable ones.  When I was little, my mom was always talking about a guy named Jean Valjean.  She said that he stole silver candlesticks, but she never said anything else about the guy.  Shortly after I moved to Chicago, she came to visit and we went to see the new musical stage play.  It started out with Jean stealing a loaf of bread, and I conked out.  Next thing I knew, I woke up and he was running with silver candlesticks.  I would periodically wake up and catch a few minutes of music, but just could not follow the story.  A peak to my left  found my mom nodding off too!  So much for the classic novel by Victor Hugo and Jean Valjean!Understandably, I wasn't wild about the notion of seeing the movie.  Except I saw the previews!  and Hugh Jackman on Jeff Probst! and my friend Wendy liked it!  It was with some amount of trepidation that I started watching, but I needn't have worried.  This movie is fantastic.  The story, the scenery, the acting, the cinematography, and most especially the music combine to make this one of the best movies of the year.  Some of the tunes are recognizable, and it's an engrossing movie. Just fast forward through the songs if they slow you down too much.  Especially Anne Hathaway.  But go for it.