As the Christmas premiere of Les Misérables approaches, backlash swells like students building a barricade. Instead of letting the negative drag us down, let's remember why we were excited in the first place.
Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean.
Finally, a sexy Jean Valjean. A VILF, if you will. Unlike other Hollywood A-listers who get shoved into movie musicals, Jackman actually has the musical theater background necessary to pull this role off.
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Anne Hathaway as Fantine.
She's been desperate for a leading role in a musical ever since she sang her way through a Saturday Night Live hosting gig. And whatever doubts we may have had about her, she crushed "I Dreamed a Dream" in the trailer.
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Things don't end well for Fantine.
So if you hate Anne Hathaway, this is the movie for you. Enjoy your schadenfreude, jerks.
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Taylor Swift is not Eponine.
Remember when we almost let Taylor Swift ruin this movie? But we didn't. We got Samantha Barks instead, and she is great, even if she isn't a top-earning pop star. She's got personality and fire, and she can actually act. Which is kind of important.
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