So, Les Miserables was nominated for 8 Oscars at the February 24th Academy Awards and the DVD will be released for home viewing on March 22nd. Anne Hathaway won an Oscar for her performance in the film but does that mean it’s worth you checking out?

I had made a rather blind decision when I chose to see this movie in the theater. I knew nothing about the story, nor have I seen the plays. The only tie I had to go see this movie, was the music book I have at my house for piano and what I saw in the previews. Many of my friends saw it before I did, and they all said the same thing: I was going to cry.

The opening number was a great way to set the mood. I enjoyed the synchronized, low tone of the slaves pulling in the ship with rope while getting abused by the waves. The music had power, better than anything I had played while studying the music book. While working, the men sang about the hardships they were going through and how they were being treated. It was very informational, unlike what some of his think of when we hear the word musical and instantly envision some Disney princess movie in which an animated female sings about the man of their dreams.

You learned a lot about the time back then, and what would happen if you broke the law. Being a student and learning about the French Revolution gave me a new perspective while watching the movie. I felt I could relate to the story because I already had some understanding of what life was like during the revolution.

I do not agree with people that say this movie wasn’t good, but if you aren’t the musical type, maybe you’d want to skip it.

The story was very well developed and I liked the quarrel between the two man characters.

This movie wasn’t totally sad. I only fully cried in the end and the beginning, but the songs helped pull a few tears here and there. Overall it did feel like a long movie, which is to be expected because it was over two hours long. If you’re into the movie, you won’t notice the time as much.

The costumes and attire of the actors was very well planned and made. One part of the movie overall that sticks out to me is the music. Chords and lyrics were incorporated into different songs throughout the movie in order to refer to certain emotions or suggest a lesson. This gave me a feeling of attachment. It made me feel like I was an important part of the movie because if I didn’t pay attention the emotions wouldn’t be as strong. I love how they made that connection with the audience; it felt like a sort of reward for the people who actually listened to the lyrics. This effect would not be the same if you missed part of a song that gets referred to later in the movie. Each song had its own mood as well, so when referring back to certain numbers you experience those emotions again and can better understand where the actor is coming from. If you pay attention, you’ll appreciate it too.

Over all, I loved this movie and I like the way it was filmed. The singers, even though some male vocalists were a little weak, did a fabulous job. If you don’t mind a two hour movie, and you like history and music, this is a movie to see.