January 2013: Best Release

Our Best Release of 2013's opening month is revealed- Can You Hear The People Sing?
Choosing a respective month's Best Release in any month of 2013 is likely going to be tougher than ever, especially with big entertainment releases now arriving with such an alarming frequency throughout each month. You'll have noticed that we haven't had reviews of Zero Dark Thirty and Lincoln yet, but that's only because of our minor hiatuses, our dedication to reviews of Les Miserables, Django Unchained, Derek, Arrow, Game Of Thrones and other big hitters this month. All the same, those two flicks will have their reviews soon, and if relevant be included in the Best Of 2013 awards come the year's end.

Back onto topic, though, why is it Les Miserables that scooped up January's most prestigious award? Those of you who witnessed my overwhelmingly congratulatory review earlier this month will know that I reckon it's an incredible early contender for Film Of The Year. Every element of the motion picture production reeks of quality and scale, with Tom Hooper's direction in particular turning out to be the shining highlight of the entire flick. Truly, Hooper has come on leaps and bounds from his already impressive work in The King's Speech, and it begs the question just what kind of new cinematic masterpiece he'll move onto next.

On top of the direction, both the iconic narrative of Les Mis and an incredible cast boost its standing even more than we might have thought possible. From the main stars such as Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried to more minor performances such as those of Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham-Carter and Samantha Barks, there isn't a loose note in the entire production, and that's saying something. Better yet, we get spell-binding renditions of the musical's famous and lesser-known numbers, with Valjean's Soliloquy, Master Of The House, Suddenly, Stars, One Day More and Can You Hear The People Sing? all incredible highlights of this masterful instalment for this reader.

If you haven't checked out Les Miserables this month, then you'll need to right that error in the next few weeks so as not to miss out on one of the greatest films that's hit cinemas in a long, long time. I can't recommend this movie masterpiece highly enough, and any negligence to see it will prove one of the most infamous mistakes in your entertainment viewing career come the DVD & Blu-Ray releases and indeed the multitude of awards Les Mis is undoubtedly sure to deservedly garner this coming month.
JANUARY 2013- LES MISERABLES