Rating: Summary: Musicals are back! Review: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" reinvented the rock movie musical. "Moulin Rouge" basically reinvented the concept of a movie musical, period. And now, "Chicago" has revived the brassy, Broadway musical on the silver screen.Purists will wince and whine at casting choices and production values, but in the end the question must be asked, "Does it work?" The resounding answer must be YES! The movie is fun and captures the feel of a Fosse musical. I do believe that Bob Fosse himself would have enjoyed this production. Gwen Verdon would as well, I think. Including Queen Latifah shows the daring and the risks the producers took, but it also shows how interested they were in bringing this book to the broadest audience possible. Yes, I would have loved to have seen Bebe Newirth up there on the screen, but every member of the cast holds their own, including Richard Gere (which I seriously didn't expect). As for the DVD, I would like to have seen more extras, but I guess those can wait for the collector's edition. For now, this package is enough. So here's to more musicals! Hopefully they will be as good as this one.
Rating: Summary: THE WORST MOVIE OF ALL TIME Review: PLain and simple, DO NOT BUY THIS MOVIE! Except for Cathine Zeta Jones this movie should have been lost at sea, with cement overshoes! A waste of money no matter how you look at it, go watch Moulin Rouge again you will be happier!!!!
Rating: Summary: Highly Overated Review: I really have given this movie 2 1/2 stars, but what does it matter? As I heard the results from the Academy Awards, that Chicago had received 6 awards, I simply knew that it would be the best movie of the year. So, I rented it with great expectations of a movie with emotional actors, glorious dance and singing scenes, beautiful cinematography, and all done with a witty humorous dialogue in a well written, original, breathtaking movie with noteworthy moral value. I was expecting something spectacular. Instead I viewed a movie that was rushed, unmoving, lame, with standard acting, standard singing and dancing, standard acting, all performing to a song we've all hear before. It is your same old typical movie. Actually, the music was less than standard, with actors that can't sing, or dance, repeating the bad lyrics over and over again created by an obviously talentless insipid lyricist. I at least expected it to be a visionary marvelous beauty, but in turn it had dull red colors, an old 70's movie atmosphere, with a limited array of dismal colors and didn't sparkle as I had expected. Musicals usually aren't suppose to be dramatic, but this movie intentionally accomplished this, but when the actually music in the musical is bad, what is left to the movie? In my opinion this movie was boring, and I actually fell asleep on it, actually, and missed nothing. The actors didn't have chemistry together, nor did the director concentrate on interaction between the women of the prision. Characters are introduced, and fade as they preform to the horrible ranting music. It wasn't very fun, due to the fact that the characters were mindless bimbo female murderers and an arrogant cheating lead actor lawyer that causes a rotten woman to run free, and star in a musical afterwards. I know this was suppose to just be a fun movie, but it wasn't because the acting and music was so bad. In this case the movie 'Glitter' should have received as much raves. It simply is not that good. Now I know that the Academy Awards aren't an accurate rating system. Between this overated movie, and the overated album of Norah Jones, I don't know what Awards show to believe anymore.
Rating: Summary: Chicago Review: I have to give it at least 3 stars for the performances of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifa. As a dancer, I found Rene Zellweger's performance painful to watch. Overall, it was sort of a disappointment. A great musical that could have been more entertaining if cast differently.
Rating: Summary: Chicago is great!!! Review: this movie was great!!! the kind of people who would not like this movie are the kind of people who dont like to try new things and dont have a broad pallate. If you are the kind of person who goes to a lot of plays or musicals you would love this!!!
Rating: Summary: SleepToChicago Review: I must be from another planet.I've read so many great reviews of "Chicago".I LOVED "Cabaret,"Loved the music from the play I heard over the years,Loved Fosse's work,but HATE THIS FILM.Its HORRIBLE.If your having trouble sleeping at night,buy this DVD.
Rating: Summary: CHICAGO BOOM! Review: This movie is the perfect example of everything that is going on in Chicago in the 20s'. The streets are booming with murders and jazz. All characters are portrayed beautifully by Renne Zellweger, Cathrine Zita-Jones, Queen Latifah, and Richard Gere. You will be singing along with these songs in the shower in no time!
Rating: Summary: Buy the CD Review: The story line is most non-existant and what little there is is hard to follow. It cuts in and out of reality and musical fantasy, now time and then time to the point where you are never sure just when you are or what's going on. However, the music is hot. My recomendation? Buy the music CD.
Rating: Summary: The Musical as Drama Review: First, the DVD is vivid, the sound is excellent. As to the essence of the story, I have read reviews here that seem to demand a certain "style" to musicals - happy, uplifting, a champagne toast to life. In other words, singing nuns, either flying or climbing over mountains. Musicals are dramas, first. Cynicism, dispair, murder, death - these are all part of dramas. Many people don't like "Oklahoma" because of the character of Judd, a murderous loner, who brings tragedy. "Carousel" tells a story of Billy, a man who learns too late to love, and causes tragedy to those around him. Both of these musicals are standards of the American theatre. "The Thre Penny Opera" has its supporters and its detractors, but who would deny that it is art? Some reviewers quoted here appear to loathe "Chicago" as a downer. They appear to want a return to the fantasy-type of musical so popular from the 20's to the 70's. They do not want any deviation from the "formula." Admittedly, "Chicago" is meant for adults. What's wrong with that? Not everything is "Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang," which most critics dismissed for being far too out of touch with our current cultural sensitities. I don't like a lot of movies that have been declared "Best Picture," but it's only the Oscars, after all. The Academy doesn't dictate what I see (or don't see). I make up my own mind. I enjoyed "Chicago" on DVD (I saw it on Broadway in 1979 and enjoyed it then).
Rating: Summary: One Of The Best Of All Time Review: I was unsure how much I loved this movie until i came on here and read all the knucle-draggers condemning it. Make no mistake. Chicago is a work of art. And not unlike most works of art, it is beyond the comprehension and enjoyment of most of simpletons among us. If Forest Gump is your idea of the way the world really works, then you will HATE Chicago. Chicago is rough, brutal and unflinching in it's cynacism. It is also brilliant and enjoyable beyond imagination. It is mesmerizing. If you have a brain in your head and are unafraid to see the world and society and humanity for what they all really are. Then you will LOVE this movie. The music, the characters, and above all the songs -- All of it are simply outstanding. Only grown-ups can enjoy this type of film, and sadly, there are very few of those in are society today.
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