Rating: 
Summary: Sometimes You Simply Must Drive On
Review: I watched this thing because my wife insisted we see it. Two minutes into it, I realized it would be a monumental effort to act interested in the thing, but I took a deep breath and saw it through (some wine helped). At the end, we were both happy (albeit for wholly different reasons). I spent most of the film wearing my Pollyanna hat, being glad that Hugh Grant wasn't in it.Rene should have won the academy award for this -- her performance was extraordinary, extremely expressive and impressive. Catherine Feta-Cheese only won it (in another category) because she's dating that guy from Fatal Attraction. If you've in the mood for a musical, Bye Bye Birdy or Hello Dolly would be a much better choice.
Rating: 
Summary: A musical??
Review: I decided to rent this atrocity only because it received the best picture Oscar and was expecting something better. What the hell all the hype is over is beyond me. I'm a Generation X'er and this must be a nostalgia trip for the Baby Boomers or something. I can't stand musicals and this tried I guess to be a good drama mixed in with singing and dancing? It didn't do anything for me. I turned it off after about 15 minutes. I guess I grew up with too much violence, sex and profanity to stomach something like this.
Rating:
Summary: Lousy attempt at a classic
Review: This should have been made in the days when Liza Minnelli was at her peak, can you just see (hear) her as Velma? They waited too long and as a result they are stuck with 'box-office hits' like Zeta Jones and Gere, both of whom may be good actors in their own right but are AWFUL in this travesty of a musical. And I'm surprised that Susan Stroman didn't do a better job of choreographing "Cell Block Tango", I was looking forward to that, but it was such a disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Why'd it get 6 academy awards??
Review: I was totally bored by this movie. I left in the middle of it, and I usually really like musicals. I don't get what the big deal is, and why everybody loves it. Lord of the Rings should've gotten most of the awards Chicago did. It's not worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: It's okay
Review: I just don't get what the hype is all about. It's a movie that features the biggest stars of our time and I just feel like the media made it into a much bigger deal than it should have been. I didn't really like the characters because their not worth rooting for. One is a manipulator and the other a murderer and they got rewarded for it. Why would I want to root for those kind of people? I dunno, I just didn't like it but that's just me.
Rating:
Summary: and all the zzzzzzzzzzzz...........
Review: What is with the American public nowadays!! How can anyone be impressed by this bore! Zeta-Jones has no vocal range (I'll admit she's a fair hoofer), and Gere is okay, but really---what's the big deal. I've seen better in amateur theatre productions. Zeeleger at least can hit a high note. But on the whole, it's like someone decided to film a musical on a broadway stage, and the conceit of having it all in Zellweger's character's head just is insipid.
Rating: 
Summary: Chicago
Review: Chicago's style is very much like All That Jazz, it intertwines reality with lucid fantasies, and Chicago even opens up with the musical number 'All that Jazz'. It's about how quickly fame can fade from people, and how desperately some people want to be in the spotlight. Zellweger and Zeta-Jones both play 2 women who killed their husbands, the latter being proud of it and gleaming in the media spotlight, the former being slightly startled, but wanting to take advantage of the media to become a Chicago superstar. The media eye goes back and forth between Zellweger and Zeta-Jones, as they live in their extremely lush prison watched over by "mama" (queen latifah) who arranges media coverage for the two ladies. The two ladies also share one lawyer, richard gere, who has "never lost a case", except he prioritizes the ladies by which one is more wanted by the media at the time. I thought the movie had a really abrupt ending, and ends with a kind of huge musical number. Of course, everything in the musical aspect is very good, the singing, dancing, and musical numbers. This is a great movie to see, regardless of if it deserves the best picture award or not. The DVD is very bad, one disc with one featurette. There's not a doubt that there will be a "special edition" released sometime later, because there are hardly any special features on the disc. That's not to say that the one disc is devoid of quality, however, it has a well enough transfer along with a 5.1 DTS mix which will make any Chicago-isque audiophile happy. If you think there will be a better version sometime soon, and want the very best version, just rent this dvd.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: I am a dyed in the wool Broadway musical purist, which means that I hardly ever like the movie versions of a show that started on Broadway. This is a notable exception. I actually think this musical works better on the big screen than on the stage, which is a huge concession from me. The casting and performances are fabulous. The film techniques add punch to the storyline. The costuming is stunning. I can't get enough of this film! My only regret is that they didn't make a movie of the original cast, too. Oh, to have seen Chita Rivera (in the role she originated instead of just a bit part), Gwen Verdon, and Jerry Orbach!
Rating:
Summary: Superb movie, sub-par DVD
Review: "Chicago" is definitely deserving of its nail-biter Best Picture Oscar win. Following close on the heels of pop musical spectacular "Moulin Rouge," "Chicago" is probably the first really successful adaptation of a stage musical to the screen since the 1970s. It tells the story of adulteress-turned-murderess Roxie Hart and her descent into a life of jazz and fame. The music is preserved intact from the stage show with just a few deletions and a single addition, and much of the choreography is nearly untouched Fosse. The set design and costuming are unbelievable, and it's hardly surprising that it took both Art Design and Costuming Oscars. It's a feast for the eyes and ears. When I first heard that "Chicago" was being adapted for the silver screen, I was quizzical. When I learned it was to star Renée Zelwigger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere, I had to contain my laughter. Yet in the theater I was stunned -- they pull it off so perfectly you never even notice. Catherine Zeta-Jones really shows off her dance background, but Zelwigger does a fine job and when Richard Gere began tap-dancing, it was so smooth that it took a minute to realize how odd the idea was. Also utterly amazing are Queen Latifah, who belts and struts like nobody's business, and John C. Reilly, who shows the film's greatest emotional depth in his poignant rendition of "Mr. Cellophane." They're so perfect for their roles that I find I can't listen to the Broadway cast now; no one else will ever be able to sing those parts for me. Why they weren't all Oscar winners is hard to understand; why Richard Gere wasn't even a nominee no one will ever guess. They're perfect. The adaptation for the screen is exquisite. I've never seen the show, only heard the recording, but their trimming seems to have been neat and the film certainly didn't have a broken-up feel. Choosing not to stick with the stage play's script was essential unless they wanted to end up with a three-hour long experience like "My Fair Lady," which probably wouldn't sit too well with modern audiences. The recasting of all the songs as fantasy numbers acted out in Roxie's head works well, allowing them to toy with the script and also eliminating the slight oddity modern audiences would find in characters strolling down the street and bursting into song. It's clear that they're still part of the story; it's probably just not happening quite that way in reality. As much as I have raved about this film, why only four stars? The lackluster DVD loses it its last point. I mean, color and sound are fine; I have no complaints about the technical aspects of the presentation. It's just that they made such poor use of the format in the production of this DVD. A single commentary track and a recording of a number cut from the film late in production are the only bonus features to be found. We needed lots of interviews and featurettes on the making of the costumes and sets. We needed footage from rehearsals, to see all the trouble our stars had learning their moves. Speaking of stars, we needed recordings of other actors and actresses who auditioned for the part, to get some sense of what else the film could have been like. Most importantly, we needed the uncut, multi-angle dance numbers that "Moulin Rouge" gave us. Why none of this is included I can't imagine. Perhaps they plan to release a supplemental disc or a new two-disc set down the road. But this incompleteness of presentation loses a star for this otherwise perfect film.
Rating:
Summary: Unengaging
Review: The characters in this movie never came alive for me. The dancing and singing was well done, but the actors weren't able to make the jump between "reality" and "fantasy" convincing. Only one minor scene, by a minor charactor portrayed any depth of emotion (Mr. Cellophane).
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