MEOW!
Puss in Boots will now sing us the tale of Eva Peron...
Nostalgic Insights: I don't really have a nostalgic background with Evita, except that I remember discussing about the history behind Eva Peron in my ninth grade Spanish class. I also knew that it was a musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and that Madonna(?) and Antonio Banderas starred in a movie musical adaptation back in 1996. So when I decided to choose this as one of the films to watch during MMMMM's, I didn't know what to expect, even though my suite-mate Josh said that it was his favorite movie musical of all-time. A bold statement, if you ask me.
So, what do I think of it today? Do I cry for Argentina instead?
Critical Insights: I keep on getting writer's block with how to start off this review, so I'll just get straight to the heart of love: Evita is absolutely brilliant--a masterful mixture of the movie and the musical. With an AWESOME score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, superb performances by Madonna (WOW) and Antonio Banderas, and an atmospheric, epic and intelligent direction by Alan Parker, prepare to be blown away by an exhilarating triumph of a movie musical! I would go as far as to say that this film is as good, and even rivals, something like Chicago and Hairspray (more on that film later this month).
How it didn't nab a Best Picture nomination in its year remains a mystery for the history. It's even more of a head-scratcher because this is an incredibly political picture. I would figure "Hey, if the Academy celebrates politics in unique film-making, why not celebrate a film that not only depicts a famous historical icon, but is also an absolutely fantastic entertainment?" From what I've read and learned about her from a couple of my suite-mates, this film pays great respect to Eva Peron as not only as a political figure, but as a genuine human being as well.
Part of that comes from Madonna's astonishing turn as the title character. W.O.W. I've only known Madonna as this widely successful phenomenon, but she gives such a beautifully accurate performance here. Her hand gestures, her facial expressions, her proper physique, her voice as she pleads for Argentina not to cry for her--cliched as this might sound, she was honestly born to play this part. The same goes for Antonio Banderas as Che; Puss in Boots jokes aside, this role is perfect for him. He portrays a charismatic and enigmatic character; questions start to form in our head, such as "Is he a spirit that is meant to break the fourth wall every ten minutes?" or "Is he a regular person who is there to possibly change our opinions about Eva Peron as a political figure AND a human being?"
Also, "Where's Waldo in ALL OF THOSE EXTRAS??"
That's one of the more ingenious aspects about this musical in general: there is no clear-cut side as to who's right and who's wrong. We get to see the point-of-views from both of these characters, and after the film is complete, it's up to us to decide which side is more justified. Hey guys, guess what that's called? An opinion! And what can cause detailed opinions? Politics! And what can cause five or more paragraphs based around an opinion being written in a blog post? Movie reviews about movie musicals! Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, comes from either an idea or an opinion. Or even then, that's just my opinion. It presents just how much depth these stories can contain, whether it is factual or not.
The atmospheric, epic, and intelligent direction by Alan Parker also enhances a fascinating story with potent ideas. I watched this film as a small, letterbox widescreen edition on my laptop, and even then, I found it to be an enticing and sweeping work of art. Every time there's a shot of a crowd gathering to hear what Eva Peron has to announce, it fills up the entire frame from top to bottom. My lord, what it must've looked like in the comfort of a movie theater. One thing I was also in awe of was the use of sound in this film. The characters sound as if they have the voice of angels, which would honestly make sense considering how this story takes place in the past, and that these people are technically not alive anymore. But the best decision in Parker's direction is to have the film sung all the way through, with the exception of its chilling opening credits sequence. In my eyes, it helps quicken the pace, and continues to soar until the credits start to roll in the end.
The music, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics written by Tim Rice, is AWESOME; the songs are some of the best they've ever written. "Oh, What A Circus" is a great opening number for Che to introduce us to a political and prejudicial world, "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is a number that dives deep into Eva's heartfelt humanity, and "A New Argentina" is an epic number that makes you feel like you're part of a rebellious era. The only nitpick I have regarding the music is that "You Must Love Me," a song written for the film, literally feels like a song written for the film, and not a song that integrates with the music adapted from stage to screen. But even then, it's a beautiful song, and it goes well with Eva's character and Madonna's voice. The instrumental moments are epic in every sense of the word, enhancing the film's already powerful storytelling and thematic elements. Overall, the music is AWESOME.
Had Evita been a straight-forward political picture with dialogue instead of musical numbers, it still would've been an extremely well-crafted, superbly acted, and honest biographical study. But that would not compare to the power this film has as a sung-through musical. I am glad to add Evita among the best movie musicals that I've ever seen, and one that flabbergasted me from start to finish. If you have not seen this film yet, and you come across this film at any point in your life, sit down, turn off the lights, and prepare to be blown away into the lands of Argentina! Out of ten adorable cat eyes, I give Evita...
Until next time,
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
and MEOW, of course!
So, what do I think of it today? Do I cry for Argentina instead?
Critical Insights: I keep on getting writer's block with how to start off this review, so I'll just get straight to the heart of love: Evita is absolutely brilliant--a masterful mixture of the movie and the musical. With an AWESOME score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, superb performances by Madonna (WOW) and Antonio Banderas, and an atmospheric, epic and intelligent direction by Alan Parker, prepare to be blown away by an exhilarating triumph of a movie musical! I would go as far as to say that this film is as good, and even rivals, something like Chicago and Hairspray (more on that film later this month).
How it didn't nab a Best Picture nomination in its year remains a mystery for the history. It's even more of a head-scratcher because this is an incredibly political picture. I would figure "Hey, if the Academy celebrates politics in unique film-making, why not celebrate a film that not only depicts a famous historical icon, but is also an absolutely fantastic entertainment?" From what I've read and learned about her from a couple of my suite-mates, this film pays great respect to Eva Peron as not only as a political figure, but as a genuine human being as well.
Part of that comes from Madonna's astonishing turn as the title character. W.O.W. I've only known Madonna as this widely successful phenomenon, but she gives such a beautifully accurate performance here. Her hand gestures, her facial expressions, her proper physique, her voice as she pleads for Argentina not to cry for her--cliched as this might sound, she was honestly born to play this part. The same goes for Antonio Banderas as Che; Puss in Boots jokes aside, this role is perfect for him. He portrays a charismatic and enigmatic character; questions start to form in our head, such as "Is he a spirit that is meant to break the fourth wall every ten minutes?" or "Is he a regular person who is there to possibly change our opinions about Eva Peron as a political figure AND a human being?"
Also, "Where's Waldo in ALL OF THOSE EXTRAS??"
That's one of the more ingenious aspects about this musical in general: there is no clear-cut side as to who's right and who's wrong. We get to see the point-of-views from both of these characters, and after the film is complete, it's up to us to decide which side is more justified. Hey guys, guess what that's called? An opinion! And what can cause detailed opinions? Politics! And what can cause five or more paragraphs based around an opinion being written in a blog post? Movie reviews about movie musicals! Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, comes from either an idea or an opinion. Or even then, that's just my opinion. It presents just how much depth these stories can contain, whether it is factual or not.
The atmospheric, epic, and intelligent direction by Alan Parker also enhances a fascinating story with potent ideas. I watched this film as a small, letterbox widescreen edition on my laptop, and even then, I found it to be an enticing and sweeping work of art. Every time there's a shot of a crowd gathering to hear what Eva Peron has to announce, it fills up the entire frame from top to bottom. My lord, what it must've looked like in the comfort of a movie theater. One thing I was also in awe of was the use of sound in this film. The characters sound as if they have the voice of angels, which would honestly make sense considering how this story takes place in the past, and that these people are technically not alive anymore. But the best decision in Parker's direction is to have the film sung all the way through, with the exception of its chilling opening credits sequence. In my eyes, it helps quicken the pace, and continues to soar until the credits start to roll in the end.
The music, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics written by Tim Rice, is AWESOME; the songs are some of the best they've ever written. "Oh, What A Circus" is a great opening number for Che to introduce us to a political and prejudicial world, "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is a number that dives deep into Eva's heartfelt humanity, and "A New Argentina" is an epic number that makes you feel like you're part of a rebellious era. The only nitpick I have regarding the music is that "You Must Love Me," a song written for the film, literally feels like a song written for the film, and not a song that integrates with the music adapted from stage to screen. But even then, it's a beautiful song, and it goes well with Eva's character and Madonna's voice. The instrumental moments are epic in every sense of the word, enhancing the film's already powerful storytelling and thematic elements. Overall, the music is AWESOME.
Had Evita been a straight-forward political picture with dialogue instead of musical numbers, it still would've been an extremely well-crafted, superbly acted, and honest biographical study. But that would not compare to the power this film has as a sung-through musical. I am glad to add Evita among the best movie musicals that I've ever seen, and one that flabbergasted me from start to finish. If you have not seen this film yet, and you come across this film at any point in your life, sit down, turn off the lights, and prepare to be blown away into the lands of Argentina! Out of ten adorable cat eyes, I give Evita...
Until next time,
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
and MEOW, of course!
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