Sunday, August 23, 2020

Hamilton 2020: a Review

Hamilton (2020)
*practices cool stance in front of mirror*

This film was way too epic to not review. ;)

I saw this film last month, so I'm going to be racking my brain on some of the finer details here, but I do remember certain things that stood out to me!

So, I will start by saying I knew the soundtrack, but didn't know it like the back of my hand (like, say for example, Les Miserables ;)). I also don't know my early American history in full detail, nor am I a huge fan of rap music. 

But I thoroughly enjoyed it! 

For days afterwards, my mind was still turning over all the great ideas, punchlines and creative genius that Hamilton was overflowing with. (I even wrote down ideas for my own plays. That's when I know it was a good musical - the overflow of inspiration. ;)) 
So instead of going the direction my brain would normally go, I'm going to categorize this to make the review a little less disjointed.

Kinda Obsessed With Lockscreens... — { Requested by @dailycatzz } Free (various)...
AWWWW
THE GENIUS OF LIN-MANUAL MIRANDA
Okay, so can we just appreciate how much work Lin-Manuel put into this? He wrote the whole thing AND took the lead role (naturally). The witty lines, the punchy jokes, the well-crafted dialogue... I just appreciated everything. It was one of those musicals where there was so much DEPTH and DETAIL that I could tell he put so much work and heart and effort into it. I could watch and listen to it a dozen times and still be picking up on new things hidden beneath. It is a true gem.

THE CHARACTERS
This is where I'm going to do a quick lil' shout-out to some of my favourite character portrayals in this film. 

Alexander Hamilton - Well, obviously. His drive, his determination, his wits, the speed of his brain... he was very moving to watch. He made me want to fight for what I believed to be right, and know where I stand. Watching him, I felt an urge to value true boldness and strength, because it can move people to do such incredible things. I thought Lin really brought the fierceness to this character in a great way, while showing the softer side at times.

Angelica Schuyler - Wow wow wow this girl is FIRE! I loved how Angelica was not going to be content with anything less than what she thought was right. Her sass, her strength, her loyalty, her love for her sister... this woman was incredible, and "Satisfied" is definitely one of my favourite songs from this show. Renee BROUGHT IT.

How 'Hamilton' star Renee Elise Goldsberry nailed 'Satisfied' - Los Angeles Times
The sass pose
Eliza Hamilton - I almost want to cry whenever I think of her. Phillipa brought so much emotion to this character, and I was drawn to her throughout the entire story. While I love "Helpless" and "Burn", her other songs like "That Would Be Enough" and "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" moved me even more. The strength and grace of this woman was so inspirational... I actually think I admire Eliza just as much if not more than Hamilton himself. What would he have been without her?

Aaron Burr - Yikes, Leslie was so INTENSE in this role! I loved it! I could rarely take my eyes off of him, he held the stage so well. And "Wait for It" was pretty epic!

Marquis de Lafayette - guys, I have no words. Pretty sure this guy was THE MOST FUN out of everyone!
 
LMAO I WAS LISTENING TO MUSIC AT THE SAME TIME AS I PLAYED THIS GIF AND HE MOVED WITH THE BEAT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF THE GIF
He's so bouncy, haha
He was basically the life of the party! Daveed was absolutely hilarious with his timing, his expression, and his performance, and I couldn't get enough of his time onstage. Also, that guy can rap faster than I've ever heard before. :O

King George - Cause how can you not mention this guy. ;) He was so creepily fantastic and disgusting and annoying and I can't imagine anyone else playing him. (But the spittle thing though? I didn't really need that. :P) Jonathon Groff looked like he had a lot of fun with that role. I even liked the way the show started, with his voicing overhead. So good!

I'm trying REALLY hard to not let this ruin Kristoff
I wish I could go on and talk about John Laurens and George Washington and Peggy etc, but for the sake of time, let me just say that I genuinely admired the whole cast and would probably watch a movie or musical just for the sake of any of them. ;)

THE MUSIC
This musical was long... very long. And what's more, the music was actually fast. I heard that if the music was sung at the average speed of musicals, it would take 6-7 hours. That's how FAST they rap! I must admit that sometimes I wished they could slow down a little, but c'mon, "Guns and Ships" is just so much fun I don't really care that I have no idea what they're saying! xD My particular favourites from this film would be "Alexander Hamilton" (how EPICCC! "We, fought with him. Me, I died for him. Me, I trusted him. Me, I loved him. And me, I was the damn fool that shot him."), "The Schuyler Sisters" (the sass! Somebody cool 'em down!), "That Would Be Enough" (so sweet :')), "Guns and Ships" (because, hello, LAFAYETTE!), "History Has Its Eyes on You" (so haunting!), "Dear Theodosia" (aww, so precious <3)... and I could go on!

" #Hamilton The New Musical! The dreaded high-school history-class field trip is about to become a thing of the past. When those of that age – or absolutely any age, for that matter- cast their eyes and ears on Lin-Manuel Miranda's amazing, thrillingly multi-layered new musical Hamilton, you can bet your sawbucks that Alexander Hamilton becomes more than a 10 a.m. textbook tale to them."
I want an epic coat like that, please
THE CHOREOGRAPHY
Okay guys, this needs a shout-out! The choreographer, Andy Blankenbuehler, also did Bandstand, and his detail and intention behind every little thing is insane. The choreography may not have been happy little tap dance breaks like I am a huge sucker for, but it added a completely different layer to the story and made it even more moving. I watched a couple videos about the detailing of this film, and it was mind-blowing. Did you know that they made the rolling, spinning part of the stage to move anti-clockwise, signifying time was passing? Or how Burr often moves in straight lines on stage to symbolize how he thought and acted, whereas Hamilton moved in circular, wide angles to symbolize his open mind and actions. It was just so clever!

‘Hamilton’: Making ecstatic history - The Washington Post
He be flying!
THE ENDING
This was by far my favourite part of the film. The way Lin used the duals to level up the climax, and the timing of everything... it was wonderfully done. I loved seeing "what happens after" and everything Eliza did after the death of her husband. Eliza's lines were truly so powerful, and I was almost in tears during the last part.

"I stop wasting time on tears, 
I live another 50 years, 
It's not enough"

"I ask myself, what would you do if you had more time
The Lord, in his kindness
He gives me what you wanted
He gives me more time"

"And when my time is up
Have I done enough?"

Broadway Backgrounds — Hamilton - iPhone Backgrounds

Overall, this film was very long, and I will admit I felt as though there was an insane amount of detail (I sometimes thought "do we really need ALL of these songs??") but because of that, it gave them the ability to take the story deeper. You got to see a lot of people's motivations, desires, and struggles during this story, and it made so much more of an impact. They handle some serious issues and topics in this musical with care, and I appreciated that. I also loved how the cast was very inclusive of race and culture, and broke away from a lot of stereotypes. 

This musical was full of sass, honesty, integrity, sacrifice, love, determination, forgiveness, loyalty, and purpose. It was overflowing with creative ideas, catchy music, and strong stances. It does have some mature themes, and I would not recommend it for younger viewers, but for anyone who loves a good musical, appreciates closer, in-depth looks at history, or strong, complex stories, I would definitely recommend giving it a go!

From #NewYorkTimes: Inside #Broadway's secret Laboratory: #New42ndStStudios. Cool #video shot on location where all the #hitshows rehearse. #Hamilton #Frozen
The genius of that brain
And now I really want to watch it again. ;)

I would love to hear your thoughts on Hamilton! I am fully prepared to discuss this with you in the comment section below! ;)

4 comments:

  1. MY FAVORITE MUSICAL OF ALL TIME. :D :D :D

    Truly, Hamilton is my top favorite musical--it has been since 2015, when it came out. I've listened to the cast album ad infinitum, I know every word by heart, I've actually seen it live (the touring cast, not the original, but still!!!) and I am SO SO SO HAPPY to see it gaining new fans!! This is awesome! I am so glad you loved it :D

    Angelica Schulyer is an Utter Boss and my favorite character in the show. I looooove how important all the female characters are here, actually. When Americans talk about our early history, we often leave women out and just focus on the men--but NOT HERE, NO SIR. Just like you said, you finish the show feeling that Eliza Hamilton is every bit as important as Alexander, BECAUSE SHE WAS. *nods many times*

    "It's Quiet Uptown" is my favorite song *sobs quietly in a corner* Also, John Laurens and "The Laurens Interlude." MY HEART.

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    1. Ohh, how exciting!! (And that is indeed a feat. I admire everyone who knows every word of Hamilton, because THAT IS 7 HOURS OF NORMAL SPEED TALKING.) And yes, you have a new fan over here. ;)

      Yes, I agree! I thought it was great that they placed a fairly large amount of emphasis on the women. *nods with you*

      Ohh, yesss!!! Those ones made me a little teary. :') They're so sweeeet. *sniffles* Honestly, I loved pretty much all the songs.

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  2. YAAASSSS. :D

    Angelica and Eliza are the BEST oh my gosh. Such queen. Much admire. Very wow.

    Daveed's Lafayette is fantastic, and I'm even more partial to his Jefferson. "What'd I Miss" gives me life. xD

    AND JONATHAN GROFF. Light of my life here. xD I LOVE George. He's hilarious. I love him so much.

    This is such a great review, Gabby! It can be tough to organize one's thoughts on such a "big" show as this, but you nailed it! ;)

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    1. "Such queen. Much admire. Very wow." XD Haha well said. ;D

      I know, though, "What'd I Miss" is so boppy haha! I was groovin' along to it, and was overjoyed with the change of rhythm and light hearted tone.

      Haha wow! Jonathan did do an excellent job, though. He spiced things up nicely. ;)

      Aww, thank you, Olivia! Coming from you that means a lot. :D

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