The review and update

POTO - Phantom of the Opera review by ME :D

Here's a bit of the story for those that don't know.
A disfigured man lives in the sewers beneath the Opera house. While there he trains and falls in love with one of the chorus girls whom lives in the dorms of the Opera house. He tutors and encourages her voice. He terrorizes those at the Opera house until he gets Carlotta to quit so that Christine can be the soloist.
The ghost damns that Christine have lead roles at the Opera house. Christine then falls in love with Vicomte de Chagny (Raoul) whom she knew as a child. Phantom is enraged by this betrayal

of misplaced love. He kidnaps her for his eternal bride of night. When she shows him what love can feel like, he lets her go. To be with the one person that she truly loves. Anything more here will give the ending away.

So for the movie they stay true to the story. It's pretty much the musical on film. I would have liked more dialog between some of the characters instead of the singing - like Moulin Rouge. The music has been updated a bit but the classic songs, like the Phantom theme, was not touched. Good thing since I don't like some classics messed with.

As for the girls in the movie, men will like the uplifted breasts. Very much like Renaissance Faire. There are also pretty great thigh shoots too for those that like legs. I could not believe Minnie Driver was in the movie. The promos and whatnot said the cast was a bunch of unknowns. There are a couple of other actors that have been in other movies.

Madame Giry played my Miranda Richardson has been in other movies as a supporting character. Raoul played by Patrick Wilson was in Angels in America. Recognized him right away. The actors playing the Phantom and Christine are new to all.

Gerard Butler, Phantom, isn't the most good-looking guy but he has this upper lip thing that just rocks. Michelle Pfeiffer has the same thing. Costumes were true to the period and rich in color. I also loved how the movie went between the "current" time (1919) to the past (1870). It's not a drastic move from one time to another, it's very gradual.

BTW, I wasn't the only one sniffling at the end. It ended very well. The circle was completed.

As for an update.... I recently purchased the Lord of the Rings gift set. I wanted to have the Minas Tirth item. It is quite the heavy little city. The other goal was to have the extended movie. The extra stuff that Peter Jackson puts into the movie helps one understand a character or action the character or characters are doing at a particular moment. It helps those that have not read the book(s), like myself, understand the story better.

The movie was awesome. Also viewed it with the cast commentary which made it a bit more fun cause there is that interaction. I have read about the relationships that were built in the 3 or 4 years while filming in New Zealand. Also there is the little tidbits that come out. Like how they would do this shot in the studio or that shot by themselves. I like hearing about those tidbits from an actor themselves and not flushed out from the hounds of media.

Sleep well and have a great Christmas Eve day.