NINE - The Movie Musical - Review Thread- Page 5

[Dantes]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 2:12pm

Also very let down by this film. I would take the movie version of Rent over this anyday, at least Rent had a heart, great music and made sense, this was a big muddled mess

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 2:14pm

SPOILER* Her suicide, on the other hand, is handled very poorly and it's way to rushed to have any impact whatsoever. *SPOILER END*



- You mean suicide attempt. Right?

And I think you should change your avatar, lol.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 2:28pm

Yes, my apologies. Attempt.

And I will change my avatar once I find a replacement.

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 3:35pm

The "Follies Bergeres" number takes place on a stage - singing to an audience. I suppose it would be easy to compare it to the Mamma number in "Chicago." Dame Judy is a dancer, performing on the stage. It makes total sense the way it was done.

There doesn't need to be an explanation as to why the numbers are fantasy sequences. It's pretty ez to figure that out as you watch the movie.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 3:38pm

It's not really why it's a fantasy sequence that I had a problem with. It's the justification as to why. Yes, the "Folies Bergère" number takes place onstage, but the rest of them don't. So why is it onstage? It's never given any justification.

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 3:42pm

She's singing about being in the FB. Wouldn't that make sense to do it, as she's performing as a FB dancer?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 3:44pm

I just said that number made sense to put onstage but that the others didn't so why were THEY onstage.

My problem with the FB number was that it was a throwaway, not that it was onstage.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 3:47pm

Perhaps I should've been more clear.

"(in reference to the other numbers) It's not really why it's a fantasy sequence that I had a problem with. It's the justification as to why.

(separate thought) Yes, the "Folies Bergère" number takes place onstage, but the rest of them don't.

(in reference to the other numbers) So why is it onstage? It's never given any justification."
Updated On: 12/20/09 at 03:47 PM

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 3:51pm

Never thought that the FB number was a throwaway. But, it's an interesting observation.

Since he's having trouble making his film, most of the musical numbers take place on the set of his film - perhaps to get his creative juices flowing so he can focus on the film????

I think it's a wonderful, wonderful film. I'm seeing it again tonight with friends.
Updated On: 12/20/09 at 03:51 PM

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 4:44pm

Re-evaluating this film after my second viewing. It didn't get any better the second time around. I love the soundtrack. I could listen to it all day, but this film is such a mess.

The musical numbers are so stagebound, and in a film they shouldn't be thy should feel organic to the overall piece but the structure of this film is just off because of Rob Marshall's lack of faith in the musical genre. If he has no faith in the genre and respect it then he shouldn't be directing musical films.

He's trying to be the *new* Fosse. I have news for him...he can't and never will be the *new* Fosse. There was only one Bob Fosse and no one can touch him. He steals heavily from directorial concepts Fosse devised for his films CABARET and ALL THAT JAZZ but where Fosse succeeded Marshall fails miserably.

His use of these concepts in CHICAGO *did* work to his advantage but again he was borrowing heavily from Fosse's film version of CABARET. Marshall was hardly re-inventing anything he was merely re-introducing it in the new millennium.

So now for the film version of NINE Marshall tries once again to borrow not only from Fosse but from Fellini as well and fails miserably. This film comes off as a film with musical numbers jammed in for the sake of having musical numbers. The only songs that justifiably feel like they propel the story forward *and* are organic to the overall story are Cotillard's numbers. The rest could have been easily left on the cutting room floor and honestly not been missed at all...so then what's the point of having them there at all? The numbers shouldn't be that expendable they should be integral enough that if one of them were cut it would interrupt the flow of the overall piece, because of this and so many other factors NINE for me fails as a movie musical.

Marshall needs to seriously re-think his approach if he ever wants to direct another film musical again. If he tries to pull off this concept again on another musical I will not be seeing it.

He can't seriously think he can remake CHICAGO over and over again.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 4:48pm

He can't seriously think he can remake CHICAGO over and over again.


- While I enjoyed the film more than you, this is SO true. I am so glad Laurents canned his GYPSY idea. Imagine "Some People" being sung on a soundstage?

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 4:49pm

When did Rob M ever say that he's trying to be the new Fosse?

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 5:40pm

When did Rob M ever say that he's trying to be the new Fosse?

Not in those exact words but he's eluded to it and no one can deny where his "inspiration" comes from. It's all laid out there on the screen that only a blind person would miss it.

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 5:47pm

Where has he alluded it? I'd love to read the interview where he said that, or see the interview. The entire cast was on Larry King the other night. No mention there......

People are inspired everyday. There's no ulterior motive to being inspired.
Updated On: 12/21/09 at 05:47 PM

[D2]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 7:37pm

Alluded.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 7:56pm

Alluded to, not eluded to.

Ulterior motive, not ultimate motive.

[bk]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 10:32pm

"When did Rob M ever say that he's trying to be the new Fosse?"

If you read Marquise's post (unless it's been revised) he doesn't say Marshall said anything. He's giving an opinion that Marshall is trying to be the "new" Fosse, unless I missed something.

And, of course, he is - both Chicago and Nine are Fosse clones - anyone who cannot admit that (and it goes a lot beyond "inspiration") is just being stubborn. Chicago, especially, is Fosse-esque, but then it was Fosse's show, so I can buy it there. I cannot buy it with Nine - at all.

[Jack Hughes]

Posted: 12/22/09 at 3:33am

Just got back from seeing this. I think this is a case in which the film makers almost perfectly realized their vision but it just didn't happen to be one that a large segment of the audience wanted to see. If it took place less inside Guido's head, was opened up some more and made Guido a little more lovable I think it would have been a worse more universally enjoyed film. As it is, I think it will resonate strongly with a few who will remember it fondly as a very personal, somewhat challenging, intimate musical with great musical numbers and performances to match.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 12/22/09 at 9:13am

Did somebody else for the Chicago Sun-Times review it or is Ebert doing the review? He already give his "best of..." list for the year. That made me wonder if he is planning on reviewing movies for the remainder of the year or just did already with the rest of the movies either just good or just terrible. If Ebert gives the film a nice write-up then at least you could say it got praise from the most important critic.

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 3:10am

Ebert only gave it two out of four stars and his whole review is about it not living up to the original movie 8 1/2. James Berardinelli seemed to like it a little more giving it 3 out of 4 stars.

Also i don't think it's a bad thing to be inspired by other people's work. A lot of music, movies, art and so on are inspired by other people's work. However if Marshall keeps making movie musicals it would be nice to see him pull one off without dream like musical scenes.




James Berardinell's Review
http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_template.php?identifier=1927






Roger Ebert's Review Updated On: 12/24/09 at 03:10 AM

[crushgroove]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 8:21am

I liked the film. I didn't love it. Then again I don't know the source material very well.

I loved "Be Italian" definitely the showstopper of the film...very "Cell Block Tango"

Why does every critic keep railing on Kate Hudson and her number? I think "Cinema Italiano" is the most fun number in the film as well as the most beautifully filmed with the switching of color to b&w.
Does anyone else think that "Folies Bergeres" looks almost identical to "All I Care About Is Love" from Chicago? I mean, even down to the large gold confetti at the end of the number.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 9:05am

Why does every critic keep railing on Kate Hudson and her number? I think "Cinema Italiano" is the most fun number in the film as well as the most beautifully filmed with the switching of color to b&w.

It certainly is a fun number. The song is catchy and the dancing is great. I personally thought the cinematography was annoying, but that's just me.

The problem people have (critics and audiences alike) is not that the number isn't fun, but that it's purposeless. Yes, it has a point, but it has no purpose in moving the plot along or even affecting the plot in any way. It's just there because it can be. If it was cut, the movie would not change in any way.

[Huey's Pop]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 10:40am

I went in to the theater with very limited expectations.

I loved the movie. I had tears in my eyes during most of it, and a lump in my throat at the end.

Would I recommend it to my non-musical-comedy-loving-friends? Probably not.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 11:19am

Hudson does a very good job with the material. It's just that she easily has the weakest material out of all of the women. And it's really obvious. I like "Cinema Italiano" as a song, it's catchy as hell, but I love listening to it. But, for example, "Guarda la Luna", which I rarely listen to on the soundtrack, is far more effective and purposeful even though it's, in my opinion, a weaker song.

"Cinema Italiano" is a bit jarring in the film because it's so different from EVERYTHING else. In terms of music, in terms of editing, everything. It's the only segment that I thought qualified for the cries of "music video style" editing (which I thought the film otherwise avoided). But then, I suppose that's the whole point of that segment- it's supposed to be vapid.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 12/24/09 at 11:34am

Also went in with very low expectations and really enjoyed it. As a whole, it doesn't quite work. A lot of turning points in the film aren't very well defined, which make you not quite sure when the movie goes in a new direction. But I hardly think it deserves any of the pans it has been getting.

No one in the cast is bad, everyone does what they are called on for doing. Unfortunately, Kidman gets the short end of the stick and her character loses a lot of the emotional heft it had in the show. Marshall should be given a medal for making her look the most beautiful she's looked since Moulin Rouge, and she's magnetic on screen, but I just wish she had a little more to do. As previously stated, the movie could have really needed "Simple."

Cotillard and Cruz are wonderful. "Call from the Vatican" is half a wonderful number and half a missed opportunity, though. Marshall has Cruz doing too much, such as the ropes. She's such a sexy woman, she could be sitting there for half the number and it would be sexy. Both of Cotillard's numbers are wonderful.

Hudson is also wonderful, and even if "Cinema Italiano" is a throwaway number, it's an excellent one. It will definitely be remembered for years to come, it's just never going to work in context with the movie. Daniel Day Lewis is surprisingly very charming and I enjoyed him immensely.

Most of the numbers were great, in my opinion, with my two favorites being the overture and "Be Itlian" (Fergie's version will now and forever be my favorite). If there was one major issue with the film, it would have to be, I'm sorry to say, Rob Marshall. He indulges himself SO much in this film, mostly with editting. It's even more fast cutting and sweeping camera angles than in Chicago. This style almost ruined "Folies Bergeres" for me. He never lets you focus on one thing at a time, which ruins a lot of the magic that he staged for the number. But, he loves him women and they all do look wonderful.

I also wondered why they cut the whole idea that Guido's doing a musical. I thought that would've been a perfect motive for the numbers: He can't think of how to make a musical, and looks on his life and the women in it as inspiration, viewing the situations and the women as musical numbers. A little cheesy, but at least it's a segueway.

I'm really not saying much that others haven't said. I'm not an advocate for keeping everything of a musical in its movie adaptation, I'm all for taking liberties. I think some of the artistic choices they made were great, adding Carla's husband and so on. Some other ones weren't bad, just a tad muddled. Overall, it's a very good movie musical and most of the time beautiful to look at. I'm interested to see how it will hold up over time. A few years after all the buzz (both good and bad) has died down and Oscars are off everyone's mind, what people will think of it then.