Les Miserables

Ok, to start, I do not normally do this, ever. I don't want to be a film snob or anything, I love blockbusters, I don't watch a lot of indie films or anything so that I can show people how much I know about movies... but for Les Miserables my film major-ness really kicked in when I was watching it and then when I started seeing people's commentary I have so many things I want to say in response to them so I'm writing this, which no one will even read, but it'll make me feel better. I'm going to to address the things that people say about this film and give my own response.

I love the musical Les Mis. I have never read the book, I haven't seen the other movie. The first experience I had with Les Mis is going to see it in London this past summer and then listening to the songs a lot since I saw it. So that's where I'm coming from. Not a die hard fan, not emotionally attached, I just like it.

Complaint #1: The disclaimer
"I liked the movie, there were parts I didn't care for but in all it was good." and "It's so good except for the graphic rape scene" and "I have decided not to see this movie because I heard there's a graphic prostitute scene, I won't judge any of you who see it, but I will not. I'm so sad about this"
Did I miss something? Did we go see the same movie? For one, there was no rape scene, Fantine consents, it wasn't rape. And if you know the story at all you know that is what happens, why are you surprised? Two, what was graphic? I don't think I am past feeling on this by any means, I feel uncomfortable with sex scenes, always. I went to the movie with my mom and she didn't notice anything that made her feel uncomfortable... my mom, who feels so uncomfortable talking about such things that she was afraid to give us "the talk." We have been trying to figure out why people are so upset by this scene. It is hard to watch, but I think that the filmmakers did an amazing job with Fantine. I thought that entire part was completely necessary and it was handled in a very tasteful, reverent way. There was no skin, it wasn't glorifying, it didn't prolong anything longer than necessary. It took the time to show he descent and the decisions she made and why she made them. That's the most important thing, the why. You can see her pain and it's not easy to watch but I think that you take that journey with her and you feel the way she feels. At the end of scene with the captain you feel her despair because you went through it with her, making the song "I Dreamed A Dream" incredibly powerful. Can I just say how amazing that was? Anne Hathaway's performance there was mind blowing. Seriously, that song was all done in one shot. She sang that whole thing right in front of the camera with that much emotion. The emotion she put into the song, especially with the line "he took my childhood in his stride" mixed with the emotion you were already feeling was so powerful. One more thought, why are people dwelling on that part? There is so much more to the film, I didn't even remember that until everyone started these disclaimers like they are afraid of being judged if someone sees this part and remembers that they said they liked the movie and approved of it.

Complaint #2: The bored one
"The movie was so slow"
Slow does not mean bad. If you were expecting The Avengers, then yes, this film was slow but if you are expecting to see the musical Les Mis, this film moved just as fast as I remember the musical on stage going. The thing that makes this story so powerful is it takes the time to develop the characters so that you know exactly who they are, where they came from, and why they do the things they do. Every Javier, the "bad guy" of the film, you understand that he is just trying to do what he believes is right and his job so he can in no way be disliked for his actions. The theme of redemption cannot be shown quickly, it has to come with time and effort. I have a hard time with this complaint mostly because anyone who says this has no idea about slow films, try watching Fires on the Plain or Diary of a Country Priest and then we can talk.

Complaint #3: The singer
"The singing was not very good." and "Why was Russell Crowe in this movie?!"
I don't know much about the mechanics of singing or anything like that, I just like the songs from the musical a lot, but I thought the singing was great. I thought Russell Crowe sang really well for not really singing very much from what I know and I thought his song "Stars" was awesome. Except for the awkward position he was standing in during the last shot of that song, why were his arms sticking out like that? Was I the only one that noticed that? No, the actors were not broadway singers but if you want to see those kinds of singers than you should probably go see the actual play. Film acting is so much smaller than stage acting, I think those big voices would have been slightly overwhelming. It's hard for actors to go from one to another, Eponine (Samantha Barks) is a great exception, but I have seen stage people trying to tone it down for the camera and most of the time it doesn't work.

Those are the biggest three complaints that I've seen and I disagree with. I have one thing to say to the girls who keep posting statuses saying "I am Eponine." Please just stop. haha I understand relating to character, what girl hasn't liked someone who didn't like her back? But most of these 16 year old girls who are saying this are not seeing the complexity of the character who gives her life for love even though she knows he doesn't love her back and they are just saying that to try to get the attention of the guy that they feel like they've been friend-zoned by.

Other thoughts:
I wanted Enjolras' voice to be a little bit stronger. He was really really good in the movie but in the play he had a voice that was mesmerizing like the Phantom's that made you actually want to get up and fight with him. Wasn't it cool how he fell out the window and hung by one leg when he was killed in the same position that he dies in on the barricade in the play?
Eponine has the greatest dimples on her cheeks, I wish my dimples looked more like that haha
I don't like the Master of the House song. I didn't like it in London either. It's too much.
I'm amazed that those actors allowed themselves to look THAT bad on that big of screen. There were no glamour shots in this movie. None. They all looked horrible the whole time haha, and that made it so much more real and I loved that.
Russell Crowe still has a baby face to me.
The sewer part was so gross! But that helped it be more real.
Marius did a weird head shaking thing when he held long notes... thank goodness the editor noticed and cut to a different shot during all of his longer notes. (I don't normally notice editing, you're not supposed to, but when he was singing there were times when I wanted it to cut and then it did. I liked that.) His freckles were cute.

6 Months

I guess you would think that because it's technically Christmas right now I would be writing a post about Christmas and how it snowed today and I was able to get all of my shopping done in 3 hours this afternoon, we were able to skype with my sister in Thailand for a couple hours, and I am now sitting here writing this in my new zebra print footie pajamas... but that's not what is on my mind right now.

I have been thinking recently about the past 6 months. You know, some people have a hard time living in the present because they are so busy looking forward to and planning for the future, I'm not like that. I have a hard time living in the present because I like to remember the past... it's one of the curses of having a ridiculously good memory. It's how I am able to see someone I met once and place where I met them and what we talked about, and how I was able to keep myself completely head over heels for a guy that I hadn't seen or talked to in 2 years. Anyway, these past 6 months I think it's safe to say have been the most life changing for me out of any other 6 month period so far in my life. Let me explain a little bit.

6 months ago I was living in London. I was immersed in a world that was unfamiliar but I loved so much. I was surrounded by amazing, fun people all the time. I was using foreign money and spent my time going to museums via the tube. I spent a couple of hours a day on skype and the rest of my down time dreaming of the next couple of months to come.

You know on 500 Days of Summer when there is the split screen of expectation and reality? Looking back on this 6 months feels a little bit like that.

I came home from London and went to Colorado and had a perfect week. I cannot think of a single thing that went wrong during that amazing week of four wheeling. Then I came back to Provo and things changed. In the past 6 months I have felt hurt and pain unlike anything I have ever felt before. My heart was completely crushed and I found myself having to work my way back up from what seemed like nothing. The pain has dulled now, that's something that I have found happens over time.

Good things happened too, amazing things actually. I applied for graduation, making this past semester my last full semester of school ever! I was blessed with the greatest roommates in the whole world, one of which is my kindred spirit and has been a life saver for me. I secured a job for next semester that will give me a set schedule.

 I have completely re-evaluated my life and straightened out my priorities. I have become the kind of person that I want to be and that I am proud of, all on my own (with help from a loving Heavenly Father, of course) but without the influence or motivation of another person. I have made changes in my life that I did not even realize that I needed to make before.

My best friend got engaged 5 months ago and was married this past weekend, and I was able to go! I turned 22, which is an age that I have been really excited about for a long time. I had a party and just gave people an open invitation to show up if they felt like it. I had 30 people who I love so much from all of the 4 years that I have been at BYU show up at my apartment to wish me happy birthday! I still can't believe that I have met so many incredible people here! I love them!



This past half year did not go at all the way that I planned, but sometimes God has a better plan for your life. That's what I've learned.

Life Lately

I haven't posted in a few months, mostly because I have been interested in other things for the past couple of months. But today I feel like writing a little bit. Well, my last post was about going to Ireland from London. I am no longer living in London, unfortunately. I still have dreams of going to the Gloucester Road station and riding the tube to the BFI. I miss the perfect London skyline. We were lucky to get to be there during the Olympics, but at the same time, it got so busy  and packed with people that I started to feel like a native London-er who was getting frustrated by tourists. It was actually a good feeling :) It meant that I was completely adjusted to being there and I had made it my home for the short period of time that I was there. It seems weird that I was actually in London just this summer. It seems like another life. But I guess that's just how life is, isn't it?

I have learned a couple of things about life the past few months, these two lessons have been taught and re-taught to me in so many different situations and ways.
1. Things really do not turn out the way that you expect or plan.
2. Life is so good! No matter what happens, things are going to work out the way that they are supposed to and I am going to be happy.

These lessons have not been easy to learn but I am thankful that I have learned them, and that I have been able to get through some difficult situations through the learning of these lessons.

I had a hard day and came home to this from Mary. 

For example: This semester I didn't know who I was going to live with. I needed a new environment but the people I would consider living with were getting married, doing beauty pageants, going on missions, etc. things that were keeping them from being ready to sign a contract for fall semester. So a random girl posted on facebook that she was selling her contract I messaged her and bought it. It was just down the street from where I lived last year and it was cheaper than my previous apartment. I was nervous about moving in with three random girls, but I felt like it was a good decision. I had a really great experience moving in with random people freshman year but what are the odds that I would be that lucky twice? I wasn't planning on spending much time in my apartment because of school, work, and dating so I didn't think it mattered. But this semester has been far from what I expected it to be with all three of those things so I found myself spending more time with my roommates than I ever have. I don't know how but I ended up with the best roommates ever! My roommate Mary has quickly become one of my favorite people ever. I love getting to spend time with her and when she's not around I am actually disappointed. My life is not what I expected it to be, but I am happy. I am so thankful that I was "randomly" put with the girls that have gone out of their way to help a girl that they hardly knew feel better during a really hard day (or couple of weeks). Life is good.

Fires, Skype, and Such

I have some pictures and stuff that I want to show. I don't have much to say, this past weekend the exhaustion hit and I haven't done much. I relaxed a lot but it was a good kind of relaxing where I'm getting ready to enjoy everything I can. Today I went to class where my teachers once again taught a lesson that really impacted me, it was great! then we went and bought The Amazing Spider-man Tickets that we went to tonight. From there I went to H&M looking for a rain jacket, I didn't find one, but I did find a cute shirt that I'm excited to wear :) When I got home I finished Life of Pi, something that I am proud of. I spent the remainder of the afternoon on Skype with Cameron :) it was awesome.  

They put up the Olympic rings on the Tower Bridge a month before the Opening Ceremonies. I wanted to see them so bad, so I talked my friends into walking over there with me.  

This is one of my favorite pictures. I took it while sitting on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral. It was a little bit cold and rainy but I didn't mind because the view was worth it. 

This past week was a bad week for fires in Utah. Last friday I got on facebook to see my cousins posting on my mom's wall asking about the fire in Herriman, which is where my parents live. The next day there were posts about them being evacuated. I had a little bit of a rough time waiting for news (the internet being my only form of communication) about if my family was safe and if I still had a house. Finally I got the response that they were safe, they had to be evacuated but on sunday morning they were allowed back home. This picture was posted a little while later. The circled house is the one my parents live in. The fire came up to our backyard and then stopped. We are so blessed. 

Observations

While wandering around London this past week I have made a couple of observations that I would like to share.

1. London is incredibly diverse, I have never been to a place with so many people from so many different countries speaking other languages! It's been refreshing to get out of Utah
2. At almost every intersection, there is paint on the road telling you which direction to look for cars before you cross. This is so helpful for those of us who are not used to cars driving on the left side of the road.
3. When words ending in S are possessive they still put an apostrophe S. (ex: James's)
4. Europeans are quiet
5. Asians take a lot of pictures (even during musicals when it is "forbidden" haha)
6. People own really nice cars
7. When parking on the street, you can park any direction you want
8. Police sirens are REALLY loud, and the cars are neon yellow and green
9. Almost everyone smokes. The smoke isn't as stinky as in the US but it still gets hard to breathe sometimes
10. The toilets do not always flush
11. On the street people will walk straight at you until you move out of their way. It's like a game of chicken.
12. When people run into you they say, "so sorry!" I'm starting to pick up on it (I tend to run into people quite a bit)
13. They sell crispy m&m's!
14. There are a lot of dogs! Everywhere. Very pretty, groomed, well behaved dogs.


I'm sure I'll come up with more and post them later, but right now I actually need to do some homework. We gotta study some time on this "study" abroad. :)

Week 1 in London

Well I've officially been in London, well, almost a full week. Tomorrow morning it'll be a week. It has been an amazing week, I am so excited to be able to get another 5 weeks of this beautiful city and great people. I'll just give a brief overview of what I have been up to.

One night after a movie, we found Big Ben. We were very excited :) It was announced today that the clock is going to be renamed after the Queen. And it's real name isn't even Big Ben in the first place, what?!

 We ride the Tube a lot. We're becoming little experts at navigating the city, which always makes me feel cool.

Yesterday we went to the Tower of London. It was really cool to be at an old castle in the middle of modern London. It was also quite warm for the first time so I was happy.

This is Albert. He is a huge statue in Hyde Park right across the street from our flat. We see him basically every day. I have a lot of pictures of Albert.

I went and saw Wicked tonight and it was the best thing I have ever seen! I was so happy! It was worth every pound :) I want to see it again!

My roommates (Cassie and Laura on the ends), Emily, and I after our tour of the British Film Institute. I don't think this skyline will ever get old to me :)