Rating: 
Summary: Don't Walk Away, Renee
Review: The journey of CHICAGO from stageboards to sound stage is probably worthy of A LOST IN LA MANCHA documentary. Over the years, I had heard rumors of Liza Minnelli and Goldie Hawn, Tracey Ullman, Madonna, all eyeing the chances to play either Roxie or Velma. Contracts and squabbling led to negotiations and renegotiations, and the project sat shelved and ignored for years.Now, the musical has made its way to the big screen and the wait was hardly worth it. Yes, the score is basically true to the original theater rendering (minus some numbers, abbreviating others)and the dance moments are reminiscent of Fosse's original steps. However, the film doesn't have the energy or the vison of a real musical. Cynical by nature, bleak in subject matter, this certainly isn't MY FAIR LADY or GIGI, but even so, the movie seems self-conscious about presenting its showstopper interludes. Every song in this play was tailored to present "Razzle Dazzle," for its original performers (Verdon, Rivera, Orbach) were legends of the Great White Way. Zellweger, Zeta-Jones, and Gere are not musical performers in the same caliber. Gere and Zeta-Jones have musical-comedy appearances on their resumes, but Zellweger was a true neophyte, an actual ingenue. It's Zellweger who anchors this movie. Despite Zeta-Jones's superior dancing skills and belting, full-blown voice, she doesn't really create a character for Velma Kelly. She's beautiful and can take a close-up; she doesn't invest her Velma with any personality. Gere, likewise, looks fabulous, but his Billy Flynn is devoid of the right sleaziness, the correct cockiness and bullishness. (Also, a huge fuss was made about his tap dancing lessons for this flick; yet he is shot in almost total darkness during his big routine. It could have been a dance double doing the two-step.) It's Renee Zelwegger, with her breathy voice, peculiar looks, gangly body, and exposed nerves that catapults this into a memorable flick. She sings her role, but it's so much more than that. She attacks her characterization. She lets us see how Roxie is dying for fame, so much so, that she kills for it. She invests her song-and-dance numbers with honest-to-goodness emotions, and she uses her choreography to make her character both vulnerable and steely, abused and abusive. She is the tour-de-force. Unlike MOULIN ROUGE, where director Baz Luhrmann allowed 95% of the numbers to be shot in entirety, permitting songs to flow from start to finish, CHICAGO's director Rob Marshall relies too much on MTV quick cuts and rapid-fire edits. It's as if he is distancing himself from the very medium he is honoring. It's a shame that the Kander-and-Ebb musical waited nearly 30 years to go on screen, and its arrival is at times disjointed and interrupted. For those who want to see a complete musical, a show that rejoices in its characters bursting into song and movement, rent MOULIN ROUGE or some of the great MGM masterpieces. If you want a sly, wry, cyncial "black" comedy that occasionally makes a melodious point, go to CHICAGO. It may be a hell of a town, but it's not a hell of a movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply stunning...and all that jazz
Review: One word: WOW. This film is one of the greatest I've seen in a long time. Takes a wonderful cast and places them in a dark, twisted plot and plays it out parallel to an old Broadway musical starring the same characters. Mischief, murder, mayhem, and too-cute-to-prosecute leading ladies take this movie to a whole new level! Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger are absolutely wonderful in both their acting and musical performances, Richard Gere (an actor I never respected until now) is perfect as the slick, money-hungry attorney, and the supporting cast are unstoppable. The costumes are sleek and sexy, the plot is insanely funny and smooth, and the musical aspects are as thrilling as they are fun and entertaining. Rob Marshall does a flawless job at the helm of this movie, taking the original show from Bob Fosse's Broadway hit and spinning it into a magical performance that will go down in history as one of the best adaptations ever. I was hesitant to see this film at first simply because I wanted to steer clear of the popular hype that usually just disappoints, but this is the real deal. Do yourself a favor and check this one out tonight!
Rating:
Summary: Well.........
Review: Well...... Its good, to me anyways. If you're seeing the movie you should know the plot, but lemme run-it-down for you anyways. Actually based on the murders of Roxy Hart in the 1920's, which 2 other(non-musical)films were based of of. One titled "Roxy Hart". And of course the broadway musical originally starring Chita Revera and Gwen Verdon. And then the updated version starring Bebe Neuwirth and Anne Renking. Roxy Hart is obsessed with becoming famous. She dates men to get famous and kills him(Fred)when she finds out they can't and were'nt going to in the first place. The same night Velma Kelly has comitted a nasty little crime as well and they both end up in Cooke County Jail. And what ensues is the way fame plays and how when we're no longer interesting no one cares. They want dirt. When its gone you're gone. Now for the music. Of course its amazing. I have the Broadway Revival cast. And personally I like this version better. Anne Reinking can be overnearing with her raspy growls, though none-the-less effective in another way. Whereas Rene Zellweger covers all Roxy's bases, she has the charm that makes people love her, and the hidden evil and deadly persistence that makes Roxy interesting and who she is. While Catherine Zeta-Jones is great as Velma Kelly. Singing all the songs with zest and making them her her. Richard Gere is quite good, suprizingly. And John C. Reily is just heart aching as Amous Hart Roxy's poor husband who she treats like rotten meat. Throws, it away. All over and impressive version of Chicago. Good for those who love the show and for newbies should impress as well. Or so I hope!!! *Enjoy*!!! God Bless! ~Amy
Rating:
Summary: Amazing - can we give it the oscar right now?
Review: I thought this film was AMAZING , perfect cast , perfect songs , perfect everything , a truly cinematic achievment of the musical genre. 10/10 !
Rating: 
Summary: I didn't want to be impressed.
Review: Six years ago I saw Neuwirth and Reinking on Broadway and was blown away. I didn't want to see this movie because they cast hollywood instead of broadway stars and because I just didn't think it would translate well onto the big screen. I was pleasantly surprised. True, this show isn't for everyone. It's not plot-heavy. If you're into action it's not going to thrill you. But those of us who like Kander and Ebb musicals will actually like this film.
Rating:
Summary: Bob Fosse Himself Would Love It
Review: Bob Fosse was quite the perfectionist and even did the autobiographical film of his flaw (and cause of his demise), "All That Jazz." He is also best known for his "Cabaret." He died back in the '80s and it was a big loss to the film and stage worlds. However, his work lives on in the marvelous choreography and other creative work he did in the performing arts. This film has his look and his stamp all over it even though it was done by other filmmakers using his source material. I saw the stage show back in the '70s and this film is even better but, of course, cinema has advanced since then so the filmmakers had that going for them. This film also benefits from some exceptional talent. Renée Zellweger is a wonderful actress with a very wide range. She now adds singing and dancing to her repertoire and does a bang-up job. We knew she could act ever since her arrival with "Jerry McGuire." Richard Gere is the best he's been in a long, long time and he does two show stopping numbers, one nested within the other, both revolving around his conducting the defense trial for murderess Roxie Hart (Zellweger). He does a marvelous tap-dance in salute to legal defense too which should be played at ABA conventions. Zeta-Jones does a grand singing and dancing job. I don't think she has quite Zellweger's range of ability but she is very good. One of the best numbers in the film is done by Roxie's husband, Amos, (John C. Reilley). It is "Cellophane" and he is transformed while singing it. He's been hiding that talent behind his everyman roles in movie after movie. Queen Latifah also does a great number plus plays the woman prison warden. I will be buying this on DVD as soon as it comes out. It is that good. The plot line concerns female murderesses and tabloid fame in 1920s Chicago. It would be wonderful to put "Cabaret," "All That Jazz" and "Chicago" into one boxed DVD set. For younger people who never experienced the delights of Fosse's work, prepare to be knocked out by performing arts genius!
Rating:
Summary: Smashing!
Review: Just came from seeing this marvelous movie for a second time and can't wait for it to come out on DVD. I trust that will be soon. It's Bob Fosse at his best. The entire cast is absolutely marvelous. I wish Bob Fosse was here to see it. He'd have been so proud.
Rating:
Summary: Adaptation Was Good, But Not Oscar Worthy
Review: The musical story of Roxy Hart's fall and rise made for great Broadway when I saw it. Not being one who normally likes musicals of any stripe (I HATED sitting through 'Rent' but remember loving 'The Wiz' and liking 'Les Miz" a lot), I found 'Chicago' to be pretty darn good. Of course, I did see it while Bebe Neworth was performing... The movie version, by nescessity, had to add on some dialogue, but not enough to ruin it. The musical numbers were fine. Most of the performances we middle-of-the-road, with Queen Latifa's standing out and Richard Gere's petering out (he was awfully wooden, especially during his numbers). I know why the Academy chose to nominate this film, as it had to put something up there in what was an otherwise dull movie year (and God knows they'll never let a science fiction film like 'The Two Towers' near a Best Picture Oscar, no matter how much better it is). Most of the nominees had limited runs, and most of the moviegoing audience are still going 'huh?' over 'The Hours' and 'The Pianist'. So hence 'Chicago'. But it doesn't deserve an Oscar; 'All That Jazz' deserved an Oscar. Oh well, there's always next year...
Rating:
Summary: he had it comming
Review: chicago is a musicial movie its a butiful movie that thrilling the audience.
i really enjoyed watching this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Great songs, fun, and one hell of an energetic movie!
Review: Along with The Two Towers and Gangs of New York, this is by far the best picture of the year. There is no way you can be bored when viewing this movie, unless your already dead that is. Don't listen to the negative reviews bashing this movie. Go see it for yourself and then you will realize why this film is nominated for 13 Oscars.
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