Rating: Summary: A wonderful film adaptation of a stage musical Review: I haven't seen many musicals on Broadway, Chicago is one. I enjoyed the stage version very much, but the film is superior. It is all about the way the film is edited, seamlessly moving back and forth between reality and the inside of Roxy's head. It is a lot of fun contrasting between the harsh reality of 1930s Chicago and the fantasy world of Roxy Hart. This had a lot of 'train wreck' potential, but the directors pulled it off wonderfully.Several have commented about the plot. Okay, I'll admit it too, the plot is weak and a bit far fetched, but isn't that typical of a musical? Has anyone ever actually seen a bunch of sailors going off on shore leave and breaking into song while standers by join in (On the Town)? Do you really believe that a whole town could be sucked in to buy musical instruments from a man that can't play a note (Music Man)? Haven't you heard of suspending reality? Chicago is different because it does the most convincing job of integrating the musical numbers into the story line. Get the DVD. Watch the transformation between reality and fantasy. Notice the difference between how Roxy imagines Billy F, and the way he really is. This movie is fun, the music is memorable, Bob Fosse would have almost been pleased.
Rating: Summary: Not a musical for everyone, but still very enjoyable Review: The art of making any musical in the mainstream has been long lost, until now. Chicago is a satire musical, satire meaning over-the-top, impossible, just hilarious stuff. There is no doubt this movie has a dark side to it, but the music is so good and the actors pull everything off beautifully. I have to say that "Velma"(Catherine Zeta Jones)really steals the show here, even more than Richard Gere does. Aparently Catherine has been in theatre and done musicals before, it shows. She has this incredible flow and energy out there, she would lite up a stage no doubt about it. There was basically no weak link in this cast at all, they all suprised me. Who knew that Renee Zwelleger, Richard Gere /Katherine Zeta could sing so well!! They really suprised me in this movie. The best aspect of the movie by far is the way the dream sequences and regular scenes are blended together so well, they flow right into one another. People just do not bust out into song, you know it is coming and feels right at the time. This method could have been butchered, sloppy and disaterious for the movie, but they pulled it off wonderfully. The electricity that is required in a live musical is here and grabs your towards the screen, of course the short costumes help also. I liked the set designs, it had the look of the 20's and the feel of it. The craziness of the times was there on screen and it added the finishing touch to the movie. As I said before, this is a satire. A satire basically pokes fun at a subject, the impossible and outlandish are required for it. Try not too take the plot too seriously and just enjoy it. There are actually truths to this plot, while they are exaggerated, they are still there. Overall a masterpiece of a musical, funny, well thought out and the music just makes the movie come alive. Highly reccomended to anyone.
Rating: Summary: Best Movie of 2002! PERIOD!!!!!!!!!! Review: I disagree with the negative reviews below. All they want to see at the Oscars are movies that have crime, wars, and drama in them. Don't get me wrong, I also like to see these kinds of movies, but we need to look at films from a different angle. It is very unfair to see just dramatic movies win Oscars. If the musical/comedy has humor, intelligence, and a good story to it, why not award it? It is sometimes good to change. Finally, I thought every musical number in this film was done without a glitch. The choreography was immpecable. Each actor sang their song the way it was meant to be sung. As for the acting, everyone gave a phenomenal performance, especially Cathrine Zeta-Jones. I thank you Rob Marshall for bringing back the musical genre. There must be more musicals in the works for the near future. I strongly recommend this movie. Ia am very proud that I own it. IT DESERVED EVERY OSCAR IT WON!
Rating: Summary: Chicago is the best! Review: I just wanted to say that Chicago is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I really recommend you see it. It has glitz & glamour and its has funny elements. The singing and dancing is wonderful and the songs are great. I've watched it at least a million times and Renee Zellweger is great at Roxie and is one of the best actresses! Catherine Zeta Jones also does awesome as Velma. :-D
Rating: Summary: A movie to watch over and over Review: Apparently, the movie is not for the easily offended. But having seen it four times now, I'd say it is very entertaining, and watchable. I think it is even works as great historical fiction-doesn't everything you read about Chicago in that era tell you that murder was a pastime back then? That morals were "degrading"? Cool symoblism (the tap dance in the courtroom scene, for example) and fuel for discussion on the American character, media, and choice of idols.
Rating: Summary: TRASH Review: I wholeheartedy agree with the review written by Daniel Wahl. This was horrible! A musical? Give me a break!! But then most of the award winning so-called movies these days are garbage, which is why I've taken to watching the old "classics" of late.
Rating: Summary: Highly entertaining! Review: I'd seen the play in New York (with Bebe Neuwirth as Velma) and just loved it. When I go to movies/theater, I want to be entertained. No more, no less, and Chicago does just that. Catherine Zeta-Jones is terrific as Velma, and Renee Zellweger is far better than I'd ever expected as Roxie. I'd been worried that Rob Marshall would not do a good job in translating the play to the screen, but he did a very creditable job. What worried me most is the placement of the song-and-dance numbers. I normally hate it when songs just appear out of nowhere, but Marshall is very clever in the way he manages to insert the songs into the movie, and he deserves all the praise he got.
Rating: Summary: Awful piece of garbage Review: You would think that a movie that won best picture should at least be a decent movie. Not the case with Chicago. How the heck did this hunk of junk win any Oscars? The movie's plot is terrible. A hopeful starlet, Roxy, shoots the man that she is having an affair with after she learns that despite what she thought, he has no connection in the nightclub world and will not help her get a gig. She goes to prison where she meets another murderess/singer, Velma, and Mama Morton, a prison mistress that is the least developed of a string of underdeveloped characters. Several bad musical numbers follow, Richard Gere's character eventually gets both Roxy and Velma off and they become famous. Great writing, huh? The manipulation of the justice system in this movie is preposterous. How is it remotely possible that not one, but two murders get off scott free and then become stars with their own show about, you guessed it, glorifity murder. Obvisouly, this is not a morality musical. It doesn't have any good moral in it all. It is just a stupid story with unlikable characters. People say that the musical numbers in this movie were great. I can't see how this is true. These tunes are so unharmonic that its not even funny. Mr. Cellophane? He had it coming? What is this terrible cacophony? In general, I'm not a hater of musicals, unlike some other reviewers. I just hate this one. If you want to see a good musical, see Paint Your Wagon. That is at least amuzing and has likeable characters, including Clint Eastwood. Overall, I agree with many other reviewers that this movie is very very overrated and was a huge waste of money to produce. I wish that I had the four dollars back that I paid to rent it. I could have thrown that money down the sewage and gotten more satisfaction. I know that a lot of readers may not agree with my comments, but I try to review any product honestly and thus can't give good reviews of everything.
Rating: Summary: Please Hollywood -- No More Musicals!!! Review: After suffering through this waste of celluloid, and reading some of the outrageous reviews here, I came to the following conclusion: This movie can be enjoyed only by (1)angry, man-hating white feminists (2)limp-wristed liberal white men, and (3)gaie men. For the vast majority of normal, hard working Americans, this piece of pop trash was a waste of the price of admission.
Rating: Summary: Don't be confused, read this!!! Review: First of all, people may not agree with me, but "Chicago" IS a great movie. I agree that Richard Gere cannot sing. And that some of the lyrics just don't make sense. But you have to consider that Rob Marshall did a great job on gathering information not only from the play and some of Fosse's movies, but from the life style of the 1920's. Also notice that the number "I can't do it alone" has a great choreography.And there are some great camera angles and tricks. And I'll have to admit that there are a couple of numbers where you'll be about to fall asleep, and that maybe if you blink you'll miss something important. But after all, watching the movie is loads of fun and I recomend it to all of you.
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