Those quotes from obscure reviewers are all anyone has at this point. It happens a lot with other films too so I'm not too worried about it.
Yankeefan, I hope I didn't offend you - unfortunately I unexpectedly had to be offline for quite a while just now - anyway, the only reason I brought it up is that there are a certain number of people on this board who aren't that interested in Rent to begin with, and seeing the emphasis on negative reviews is going to make it even more unlikely that they'll even consider seeing the film.
I occasionally check out Dress Circle, a British theater message board, and they recently had a thread about bad Rent movie reviews here on BWW. There have also been very positive reviews from both critics and BWW posters, but a casual lurker here might not realize that. These impressions do matter for people who are on the fence about seeing it.
Anyone know when we'll find out how many stars the movie got? I always thought this info came out before the movie was released...but I guess I've realized how little attention I've paid to that particular detail over the years! Now, I'm dying to know. Because that's a big seller right there--if it gets a decent amount of stars people who haven't seen the show will likely be more inclined to go see it. But a low rating probably won't get the "outsider" attention.
Not every publication uses a star system. Neither Hollywood Reporter or Variety do. As posted earlier -- check out metacritic.com and rottentomatoes. They apply ratings - even to reviews that don't impose stars themselves.
--Alex--
"They're singing, "Happy Birthday"
You just wanna lay down and cry
Not just another birthday, it's 30/90
Why can't you stay 29
Hell, you still feel like you're 22
Turn 30 in 1990
Bang! You're dead, what can you do?"
--TTB
"Not every publication uses a star system. Neither Hollywood Reporter or Variety do. As posted earlier -- check out metacritic.com and rottentomatoes. They apply ratings - even to reviews that don't impose stars themselves."
I know this. I'm talking about overall...you know, when, in Friday's newspaper they put a description of each movie and how many stars it got? Am I crazy or am I just misunderstanding you...I don't know.
I dont quite get what you mean by " in Friday's paper" -- Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic both tally all the major reviews from all the major publications and rate them on a scale. There is no universal "star" system for rating movies. But if there is one publication specifically you are trying to find -- you can do a search that way too.
"So many stage to screen translations are really just filmed versions of the play (see the upcoming The Producers), whereas with Rent, Columbus has transformed the locations and the action so that they are truly cinematic."
I had the privilege of seeing this movie on Saturday night and while I'm still trying to completely put my thoughts together, I wanted to get some sort of review up here. For those of you who just want the short of it, the movie was amazing. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Beautifully filmed, acted and put together. Go see it. For those of you who would like the longer version, here goes.
My heart was pounding as soon as the lights went down and the screen lit up. This was partially because of my excitement and partially because Anthony was sitting right behind me. But more on that later. This movie is packed with so much energy and emotion that there were several times where it quite literally took my breath away. I’ve never had a movie elicit the kind of response from me that this one did. There was so much about this movie that was so wonderful that I don't even know where to begin. So I’m giving you all my take on the parts that seem to have caused the most concern on these boards. If I leave anything out, please let me know.
Opening the Film with “Seasons of Love” It was perfect. Beginning with a song that emotional was an excellent preparation for the rest of the film. It makes a wonderful backdrop for the opening credits and acts as a sort of galvanizing agent for the audience. I think it will go a long way in getting audiences not familiar with the material into the right frame of mind to see the film. It couldn’t have worked as well in any other spot and would have ultimately hurt the pacing had it been placed anywhere else in the movie.
"Goodbye Love" and "Halloween" Although these are two of my favorite songs from the stage production, I did not miss the parts that were cut. The story actually moves along just fine without them. You don't need the argument between Roger and Mark because the rift between them is so evident by that point. And in subsequent scenes, all of the emotions that Mark expresses in "Halloween" are written all over his face, negating the need for that song as well. There may have been parts cut, but I didn't miss a thing. There were just so many places where the hurt and distance between these characters is so evident that a song reiterating it would have been overkill.
Rosario and Tracie- New Additions to the Cast Rosario and Tracie were brilliant. Rosario prowls as Mimi, somehow exuding this insane mix of sex and innocence that makes Mimi's circumstances all the more tragic. Tracie is so lovable as Joanne that every time she cried, my heart broke.
Anthony’s Presence Making A Difference In How An Audience Reacts to the Film I thought this was ridiculous the first time I read about it and I still do. He was sitting right behind me, folks. Even closer than lurking on a message board. And the only way it impacted the way I felt about the movie was that there were several points where I just wanted to turn around, look at him incredulously and say, “It’s too good!” Or turn around to see his reactions. (Let me tell you, there’s something completely surreal about listening to one of your favorite actors laugh during the funny parts of their own movie.) The movie is wonderful and it will be just as wonderful in all those theaters where he is not present.
I realize that some of you may be looking for more spoilers or details about specific scenes. There’s quite a bit more I could say, but I’m staying quiet in the interest of not ruining the experience of it for anyone. If anyone wants to know about a specific scene, feel free to PM me. I’m also saving certain nuances of the performances for the discussions that are sure to ensue once the film is released.
I saw the movie with three friends, but Anthony was one of the very first people to hear my opinion afterwards. I can't imagine him actually having been right there. Then again, I've hit my capacity for processing surrealism.
Em, it was awesome. The way you feel about Adam is how I feel about Anthony. So it was pretty much the neatest thing that has ever happened to me. I got a quick chance after the movie to tell Anthony that I loved it, but I don't think I'll ever be able to express just how much I love it. I'm already getting really anxious to see it again.
Me too, Em! And Tracie was so completely magnificent in this movie, BSOBW. They were all completely wonderful. Even Sarah Silverman as Alexi Darling was hysterical.
The Orlando Sentinel and Knight Ridder Newspapers (whatever 'those' are) just published reviews. See for yourself. Both will do more to hurt that high Rottentomatoes score than the Variety review did.
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