Rating: 
Summary: ...And all that jazz... Motion in music
Review: For many, they groan at the thought of a musical movie, thinking that all are alike. While there are many wonderful classics out there in this genre of broadway to big screen, chicago stands alone, with a fast paced race through the underside of the roarin 20's chicago nightlife, you cant ask for a more edge of your seat experince then this.The music is intoxiating if even a little adultish at times, so dont let the kids see this one, the director keeps you drawn in with fast paced changes. he brings bob fosse's creation to life, with the somewhat artistic numbers to the emotional rollercoaster that we experince as we get sucked into the plot. musical movies are not for everyone, everyone has there prefered style, should it be action, horror, comedy, each person will always have a diffrent opinion. If you enjoy the living entity that is musical theatre, then i highly recommend that you see Chicago.
Rating: 
Summary: What This Musical Really Is
Review: I am an AVID musical lover and enjoy attending Broadway shows whenever possible. In May 2002, a full eight months before the film came to theatres, I saw "Chicago" on Broadway. It was, in a word, incredible. When I learned it was being made in a movie, I was very happy and spent many months anxiously anticipating its arrival. In January 2003, after seeing the film, I was even more astonished. Catherine Zeta-Jones, in the opening "All That Jazz", is simply stunning. I was equally impressed with Richard Gere and Renee Zellweger, but Zeta-Jones is truly incredible with her interpretation of Velma. But what surprised me most about all these actors is how well they became their characters. Their acting, singing, and dancing, is truly what musicals are. This film is Broadway on a movie reel, and it is not to be missed. Yes, the movie is about killing, and murder, and fame, and how it all goes to your head, but that is the point of the movie. It is a sort of satire of how murder and greed can make a person so popular and wanted that the crimes go unnoticed. THAT is the essence of "Chicago". It does not support murder; it helps to show audiences that fame sometimes can make us forget what really happened. If you are a musical fan, buy this movie. It is utterly fabulous. However, if you just view its surface, you will not understand the depth the actors have incorporated to the characters. I challenge you to watch and find the inner meaning to "Chicago". I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: They Had It Comin' --- The Oscars, That Is
Review: Chicago deserved every award it won and more. The reviewers above must not have watched the same film I did, because Chicago is one of the most refreshing and wonderful films ever made. Moulin Rouge was wonderful, but Chicago took it to the next level. As for the musical being degraded from a cheery fantasy world to dark corners of society, I don't think the above reviewer has seen many musicals. The fact of the matter is, few musicals (especially since the 70s) are non-stop "life is bunnies and daisies" happiness. Even Oklahoma has its downer songs...and today, Broadway thrives on sheer fun (Hairspray and The Producers) and hard emotion (Cabaret, Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera). Don't listen to the featured comments. Buy this movie, and you'll understand all that I've said...brilliant performances accompanied by brilliant direction and choreography. Drew Out.
Rating:
Summary: Life as a 2 ring circus
Review: Its a good musical. bold, brash, full of energy, bright, pushy. i would imagine a lot like the roaring 20's in Chicago. built around the story of two women who kill the men in their lives. spur of the moment passion murder that puts both women in jail awaiting trial. the movie is a switch back and forth between two 'circus rings' for want of a better image. the one ring is the musical numbers, the other ring is the storyline. life imitating art, then art returning the favor. very well done, because in one 'ring' you can say things differently, stronger, better than in the other 'ring'. but there is another ring, real life, like the problem of the 4th wall,(the invisible wall separating the audience from the stage) is always there in an artistic piece, but you can't really talk about it. we watch their passion, their ambitions, their failings and most of all the way everyone plays to the crowd. whether the witness in the jury box to the jury, or the sexy musical numbers to us the audience. everyone knows the scheme is to present life enough like the real world to be believable yet unlike the real world in the ability to manipulate to prove a point. in this way, the movie is a 3 ring circus, only we inhabit the 3rd ring with the movie, its actors, writers and the whole crew. this is why we watch the reality shows on tv. set our alarm clocks so we don't miss the latest crime drama. and go to movies like this. it involves us, it beguiles us with the similarity to real life, but like real life sometimes to play to the audience, to neglect the greater issues of life(what is guilt?), to realize that all the world is a stage and we but players.....neglects the duty to rise above this and act out of morality and responsibility. i liked the movie, music and dancing is very good, despite the fact that i like neither very much. worth the time and thoughtful analysis afterwards. but i distaste the passion without direction, the ambition without direction, the winning without justice, and the movie seems to reveal in it. essentially saying if you can get away with murder than it is alright.
maybe the next Judge is less interested in outward appearances than innerward motivated, and less distracted by a pretty leg. let's hope so.
Rating:
Summary: They Are What They Are...
Review: Okay...I loved 'Moulin Rouge' for what it is and I loved 'Chicago' for what it is. What I believe is that they don't have enough in common to be compared so ruthlessly. 'Moulin' was thought up...'Chicago' was adapted from the stage. No wonder it had a more conducive and liquid story! It's been played on the stage for years and years, while MR was the brain-child of Baz Lurhman. I enjoyed the performances in both films, and I don't think the people (Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, Rob Marshall, etc) involved with either film will ever win enough awards to satisfy those of us who adore the movie/musical.
As a 'Chicago' fan, I do realize, however, that there would have been no 'Chicago' without 'Moulin Rouge'. MR found the audience for musicals. It awoke everyone to the inference that musicals were not only successful, but market-able in today's society. On one final note, about the Oscars, the only one I have a problem with is Nicole Kidman's win for 'The Hours.' Obviously the Academy was making up for the fact that they didn't give it to her for her much better performance in 'Moulin.' They know it, we know it, and oh well. At least she got one, right?
We should all just be ecstatic that the musical is back. I grew up watching classics like Liza Minelli's 'Cabaret' and 'There's No Business Like Show Business' with Marilyn Monroe. I'm so glad to see them back, dominating the screen, and demanding attention of the masses.
Rating:
Summary: What were "Daniel Wahl" and "A Viewer from Noneya" thinking?
Review: What were "Daniel Wahl" and "A Viewer from Noneya" thinking when they reviewed this movie? It's horrible to think that these two made the "helpful review" category because their reviews were dead wrong. There's no two ways about it! This musical is one of the best I have ever seen. Kander and Ebb craft a brilliant score, and it is only right that a musical by Kander and Ebb should be the first to win any academy awards for 30 some years, considering Kander and Ebb's "Cabaret" was the last one to win in 1972. And how can the earlier mentioned users even say things like that in the face of 6 ACADEMY AWARDS?
Rating: 
Summary: How to Fosse in10 easy steps....
Review: A decent adaptation of the Bob Fosse classic. Zeta-Jones shows off some terrific talent. Zellweger's voice doesn't quite hold the weight that might come with a seasoned Broadway voice, but she holds her own. Vieing for the "needs improvement" vote for singing is the male lead Richard Gere, who spends the movie singing through his nose, and underplaying where he should ham it up, and overperforming scenes that don't require it. While I enjoyed the movie, I think it would have been better served if they'd gone with performers who could meet the demanding requirements of most Fosse classics.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth the wait
Review: It took over 20 years to bring "Chicago" to the screen, but it was worth the wait. They actually made the story clearer and easier to believe that characters could move into and out of musical scenes. Bravo. This movie is infinitely better than "Moulin Rouge". In "Moulin Rouge", after 15 minutes I was bored with the constant camera movement(Luhrmann clearly must have wanted to attract the MTV crowd), and eventually found the whole movie irritating. My only complaint about "Chicago" was Richard Gere. I thought that while he was equally charming and smarmy, he just wasn't a strong enough presence to keep up with Zeta-Jones or Zellweger. Too bad it took so long to bring to the screen. It would have been even better with the original Thelma and Roxie, Chita Rivera (who has a cameo in this one) and Gwen Verdon.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: Being a dancer, actress, and avid stagegoer I was excited to see Chicago before it was ever released. When I finally saw it I was practically dancing in the aisles. "Cell Block Tango" has absolutely wonderful dancing, and the music is magnificent. Who knew Catherine Zeta-Jones and Rene Zelwegger had voices like that? I was so impressed I own the soundtrack as well. Moulin Rouge doesn't hold a candle to this! I recommend Chicago to anyone who loves musicals!
Rating:
Summary: Chicago is much much better than Moulin Rouge
Review: The first review I read said Moulin Rouge was bett than Chicago, I strongly dissagree. Moulin Rouge was a constant parade of costumes and annoying singing although I did find Nicole Kidman enchanting she could not save the movie. I saw Chicago 4 times in the theater and every time it just got more exciting and more true. Even though Chicago takes place in the Jazz Age it still seems true today. It shows that America is a disposable society and still is. It also has more interesting musical intervals I would pick Roxy Hart over The Can Can anyday. Nicole Kidman does have a better singing voice than Renee but Renee is a much more convincing actress. And the voices of Velma and Mamma overpower Satine's (voice). This a five star movie for anybody.
|
