Now to Les Miserables...  Ok-- I have never seen it live and the movie version I love the best is the over-acted- black & white - non musical version from 1952 ( I do know all the songs and yes, I was alone in the theater I did sing along or mouth the words right with them...) so here is my take on this movie:

1.   Loved it.  Now, I thought the fact it was 810 3 hr movie in the middle of a back episode after a shatty day at work -- might make me hate it.  No-- BUT it did drag in 3 small spots. 

2.  As much as I LOVE a good musical, the integrity of this would have remained intact had Russell C spoke 72% of the his parts.  His solo  perched above Notre Dame towards the beginning was better than expected and he is still my first pick for the role--  visually fits him to a T.  Maybe I am going easy on his singing b/c I could not carry a tune if it was strapped to my back, for it was not terrible but you could tell he was struggling. 

3.  Amanda.  She was not terrible either-- ( But the young girl who played her as a child was SO MUCH BETTER) a few squeeks and squalbbles, but not terrible.  There were moments I thought she was a good cast and others where that face of hers really irked me.  On the fence about Amanda.  But I loved me some Redmayne!!!

4.  I got teary eyed two places in this film---- and gasped and actually put my hand to mouth.  Anne's I Dream a Dream was just sublime.  Hugh's final farewell about did me in--- these two were just fantastic.  The gasp scene was Russell's final moments and the sound effect used.  Oy.

5.  Hellena-BC and Sasha BC (HA-- same last initials)- for me were a match made in heaven. 

After seeing it- all reviews rather make sense.  I found a good deal of the camera work to be giggle-y--and I despise that but other scenes were just so beautifully done-- these actors were true early 1800's France DIRTY and so colorful all at the same time-- I LOVED that attention to detail!  I get why some do not like it- with the close ups while singing but I happen to LOVE how it was shot.  So there.