Django Unchained, Les Miserables: Weekend Movie Discussion

"I fell ill. I died. I buried myself. Would that others who write sea stories would do as much." ~Stephen Leacock

I don't know... What do you think, does the "W" stand for 'world', or 'weekend' or 'wet?' Possibly Wookie. Well, whatever wildly, weird, wonderful word we'd want, it represents transition... Worm.

Yes, after long consideration, I've decided to do discontinue the 7 word weekends. They've begun to get a little tedious at times. I will still run a regular weekend column here on movies, but not bound by certain constraints. I'm sure there will be some growing pains, or shrinking pains, depending on how things go ( I hear minimalists review movies in 1 word each). Whatever the case I hope you'll stick around.

Onto films out this weekend...

Christmas came and went, and with it came the new releases all struggling to find a perch on the steep weekend slopes. 

For the kids out there came the family fair, Django Unchained. It's got everything a family of four could want. Blood, violence, slavery. All with that special Tarantino aesthetic. Your 8 year olds will scream, they'll cry, and they'll cheer at every exploding squib. 

If on the other hand, you're a lover of musicals and artistic flair, might I suggest Parental Guidance? Bette Midler and Billy Crystal have a long and storied musical career, and here they showcase their best. You'll delight in the scene where Crystal improves new lyrics to the Fresh Prince classic 'Parents Just Don't Understand'. The art lover in you will appreciate the nod to Charles Dickens as their 3 grandchildren are put to use as pickpockets to earn their keep, while their parents engage in an intellectual three way with a cheese maker from Napa. 

Last, but certainly not least, come the film horror fanatics will go wild for. Les Misérables which I believe is French for "The Miserables", offers both thrills and chills. Behold the ravages of starvation as Anne Hathaway attempts to sing for her supper. If you ogled her in TDKR, you'll get even more impact from her waif like charm. Double the scares if you've ever enjoyed another version of Les Mis, where the life wasn't sucked out of it till it was a blanket of odd direction, with a collection of great songs.

Oh yes, there's something for everyone this weekend. 

That's it for this year. If you have any suggestions of what you'd like to see this column evolve into, feel free to voice your suggestions below. Merry late Christmas to you all, and an early happy New Year!