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Capone gives NINE about a 6 (out of 10)!!!
Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
Rob Marshall's musical follow up to his triumphant, visionary CHICAGO seven years ago is a bit of a mixed bag. Parts of it are beautiful and unforgettable, while other sections are frustrating and tedious. I'm recommending the film because, above all other thing, Marshall has creating one of the most stunning pieces of film you'll see all year--and there are actual moments when the message is as awe inspiring as the visuals. But there are other times where the music, the movement, and the message just didn't mesh--and occasionally they outright clash.
Based on the celebrated Broadway musical of the same name (which in turn was a take on Federico Fellini's 8 1/2), NINE is a journey through the life and loves of lauded Italian filmmaker Guido Contini (portrayed with the expected reverence and unexpected humor by Daniel Day-Lewis). He is days away from launching his next filmed production, after a couple of real box office and critical clunkers. The sets are being build, costumes are being sewn (by the omnipresent Lilli, played with fearsome gusto by Judi Dench), and the actors are flying in to be shooting. The problem is, Guido doesn't have a script or even an idea of what the film will be about. He's able to fool his producers and the press into thinking he's got another potential masterpiece in the making, but the truth is, he has nothing but a brain swirling with memories of all the girls he's loved before--some of which he is still currently loving, including his long-suffering wife Luisa (Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard, who gives the finest performance of the film).
As much fun as Day-Lewis is to watch do pretty much anything he damn well pleases, Guido is a tough guy to get behind or really care about. He has mistresses around the block and more waiting to bed him, a lovely wife who adores him and is destined to hurt on a daily basis, and a severe case of writers block seemingly causes by a flood of thoughts about more women. Rough life, Guido. And as he recalls each woman in his life fondly, we are given a new song in a different style so that roughly two-thirds of the movie takes place in a fantasy world of hot women, movies that may or may not have been made, and vision in his own mind of his sainted mother (Sophia Loren looking so gorgeous). Like the movie itself, the songs are hit and miss. Fergie's rendition of "Be Italian" is pure sex, and she's by far the best singer of the bunch. Nicole Kidman gets a forgettable number, while Kate Hudson gets to go-go shimmy like her mother used to do, but the number is forgettable and disposable except for the much-needed punch it gives the middle of the movie. The second-best performance in Nine belongs to Penelope Cruz, as Guido's long-standing mistress, who also has a respectable singing voice as is manic-depressive.
But here's the real question? Is there an audience ready to line up to see a film about an Italian filmmaker with songs that reference the neo-realist film movement and have clever references tossed in to Fellini's better-known works? It's not really my job to judge whether there's an audience for a particular film, I realize that. And certainly I am among the target audience members who might find this tribute to Italian cinema and beauty quite fascinating. So if I found NINE a bit shallow and tedious at times, I can only imagine what a more casual observer might think of this free-spirited and barely contained chaos. I found the entire exercise rather funny, and I'm pretty sure the humor is intentional. Certainly Day-Lewis is in on the frivolous nature of the exercise, and that almost makes it all the more enjoyable.
I should note at this point that Nine is the final screenplay attributed to the late Anthony Minghella (who co-wrote with Michael Tolkin), and just thinking that we won't ever benefit from his layered and singular outlook on relationships, love, loss, and rebirth (spiritual or otherwise) makes me sad. Director Marshall has done an admirable job with the with the visuals, but I just wasn't as sucked into the minimal settings the way I was with CHICAGO or even his telling of MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. Somethings missing from NINE. Maybe it's a sympathetic leading character. Maybe a collection of songs all essentially about the same thing--all in praise of Guido--is a bit too much. But I found it extremely difficult to find an entry point into this story. Cruz and especially Cotillard give us wonderful characters that draw us part of the way into this world, but when they leave the screen, I lost a degree of interest. NINE held me just enough that I'm still saying it's worth checking out, but only after you've seen about a half-dozen far better films out now. Stay for the sexy ladies, but don't expect to be humming any of these tunes as you leave the theater.
-- Capone
therealcapone@aintitcoolmail.com
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but Oprah loved the movie!
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All the trailers made it look like it was about a post-apocalyptic little big planet with Sack Boy all growed up. I think they should have stuck with that angle honestly.
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So, like, are we not grammar checking the reviews anymore? Is that "in" now? Would that be this year's "splooge"?
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It's called "The Princess and the Frog." Really. Expect Saints fans to adopt "Almost There" as their NFL playoffs anthem
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And, Capone, to answer your question: No. They're not ready to line up for a movie about a philandering Italian filmmaker. That's why the Weinstein's stacked the deck with movie stars.
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maybe someone has come up with the "Back Nine" musical parody, and if not, America's comedic minds should pick up the pace
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Those two are special.
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Dude, Chicago is THE strongest contender for worst movie ever to have received an Oscar... Now I generally go to movies with a fairly open mind and always try to stay away from spoilers, and I always try to find good things even in the bad.
But Chicago! Sheesh! It was annoying, shallow, characters were flat uninspired, bland and boring (Richard Gere and Catherine Zeta for Christ's sake!!) and the whole thing pissed me off to no end... I was absolutely shocked when it ran away with all those awards... Chicago was everything you describe the bad moments of Nine to be and more! It was atrocious, and had no redeeming qualities whatsoever - I would rather be caught watching the Kardashians than being caught watching Chicago ever again.
And as for "Memories of a Geisha", a big ole pile of orientalist bigotry crap - casting Chinese actors as Japanese, probably because they couldn't find any Japanese actresses that would fit a western audiences idea of an asian beauty.. Man, that was so low.
So if it wasn't for the absolute brilliance of Daniel Day Lewis I would have no interest in Nine whatsoever, cause I sure am reluctant to donate my hard earned cash to anything made by that superficial hack Rob Marshall - he should definitely stay away from the movies, and go back to the glitz and glamour of Broadway, surely that would suit him better, and don't call me surely! -
You made me spit my iced tea.
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I too thought this way 9 with sackboys PRODUCED by tim burton and starring frodo as the main sack, but its not... and I didn't know dd louie was in a musical. But none the less I'm pissed with all this 9 bullshit. District 9, 9 (sackboy), and nine ( dd louie musical). I think ill stab myself 9 times smoke 9 cigarettes buy 9 hookers then dial 9........ 11.
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BEST FILM OSCAR AWARD that's all you need to know about the Oscar Awards
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So it's not a 6 out of 4 or a 6 out of 5?
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FLOCKA!!!
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come to be about pleasing the eyes and not the ears? I mean really. Good God. Give me some tunes I can hum on the way out of the theatre (and that goes for Broadway too).
And while I'm at it, how about giving us a story and characters I'd want to care about. Why does making a modern day musical have to mean ignoring the most basic principles of good storytelling? Fellini and Minghella are great at certain things but those are two names I don't want to see associated with any musical made for the masses.
Marshall has a good eye. But I wish he would put all his efforts into making something thats, I don't know... fun and entertaining and something that anyone could enjoy. If he managed to do that, THAT would impress me. Out of all the great movie musicals, none have been about sexy visuals. And I'll stick Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge in the same boat... a good/great movie on many levels but I wouldn't consider it a great movie musical. -
He may do just that...as his next project is Pirates 4...although, having a director known for musicals making the next Pirates movie doesn't get my hopes up, because the music in the last 3 was the thing that made those films nauseating for me, and I was hoping they'd tone it down for the fourth. Guess that notion's out the window....
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I bet Capone can't wait for NINE: The Squeakquel!
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I really fear for Pirates 4, because he's such a bland director. If he can't even make a musical memorable, he'll ruin Pirates.
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It's hard to take a review seriously when the grammar used in it is so fucked up. I understand the "blog-ish" nature of these reviews, but screwing up usage and tense just makes the reviewer look like an idiot.
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Made me laugh. FUCK THE SAINTS, GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and this movie looks gay, but it is a musical so I will never see it anyway.
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Is the movie better than this review? Because the review was pretty damn hard to get through...
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I thought it was mostly really good. I liked it better than 8 1/2 too. But then I didn't like 8 1/2. DDL makes more sense in this role. Marcello Mastroianni seemed like too much of a slutty buffoon for me. This guy is more believable. I'm surprised NINE's gotten such negative reviews. I think too many people are hep to the Oscar race. So if they think a film is a threat to their favorite, they slam it hard. Most of the movies in the hunt are pretty good. But you're hearing insane superlatives on all sides.
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Saber12, Fellini's film "8 1/2" was the inspiration, and (as the composer of the musical "Nine" said) if you add music, "it's like half a number more." ... Although that's sort of missing the point of the first title, as the original title "8 1/2" was supposed to signify the career of a director who had completed eight films, and was stuck half-way through his current project.
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No I don't, I think they're BAD! They're FAKE and PHONY and totally WRONG...!Wake up, dad, you're singing a SONG!
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One, the writing (actually, mostly the proofreading) on this site is quickly flying out the proverbial window. Two, that Chicago is stank ass. I have never understood the critical praise for that movie as I, all of my friends and my MUSICAL LOVING family absolutely hate that movie. Bought my Moms the Rogers and Hammerstein box set for Christmas and watched three of them in one day. After she purchased and watched Chicago she took it back and said that somebody else got it for her. She hated that movie so much that she LIED to return it.
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...I have no desire to watch this movie, ever. Love a great many of the people in this film, and Geisha is a personal favorite. but this one, not gonna see it.
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you just lost all credibility to write reviews. The last visionary American musical was Fosse's "Cabaret". Every other musical has followed the same formula. As for musicals set in Chicago, "The Blues Brothers" is a superior musical to "Chicago".
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It's always amusing when people on this site like modern stuff, and there's ALWAYS some weirdo that comes on that slams the modern stuff and says some movie from the 50s is the best ever.
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The "performances in the character's head" is a BETTER fit here since that's kind of the premise of the original story in the first place. That said, I loved 8 1/2 and imo this movie can't touch that, nor do I think it's trying to. It's just a rather loving and well-crafted homage. Still, it has some major flaws, but they don't bother me like parts of "Chicago" did.
The performances alone (Cotillard and DDL in particular) make this movie a must-see imo, but it does have other things going in its favor as well. I too am shocked by how negative the reviews are, to be honest. -
Because seven ate nine.
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Could you point out where in this talkback somebody said ANY movie from the 50s was "the best ever"? It's a pretty short talkback, so I read the entire thing.... I must be missing it.
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Please get a sense of humor, thanks.
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I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I saw Nine in theater 9, and it let out at 9:09. 9 was much better than Nine, and I especially liked being able to order my tickets by saying "2 x 9!" Of course, the math was off. 2 x 9 = 19 in this case.
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Yeah, I didn't really dig it. 8 1/2 is an interesting, complicated movie about a man who is sort of trapped and struggling in an abusive codependent relationship with his muse. Nine felt more like a two hour ode to self-pity to me. I can't think of the last time I was this annoyed by a movie, but still left the theater praising the entire cast.
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exclamation point! exclamation point! Mediocrity has never merited this much enthusiastic punctuation!!!!!!!
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I meant to say that it would impress me if Marshall made a fun, entertaining movie musical, not just any movie. I should've made that point clear.
A musical with that much star power and (I'm guessing) budget should be an "entertaining for the whole family" type of affair that anyone can enjoy. It shouldn't be something that has to rely on the film/musical geek community for ticket sales. That's a huge waste of resources for such a small market.
The big musicals we seem to get these days have a lot of focus on various techincal/artistic elements and flash and glitz and glamour but almost no attention to the music and story and universal appeal factors which (to me) are the most important qualities of the big, mass-market movie musical. They need to get these things right first before they add the flash and glitz. Otherwise, most people aren't going to have any reason to see it. And the same can be said for Broadway.
There are many good things in Marhall's films. I wonder though if a choreographer of his caliber with his rich resume makes him even interested in making an accessible, "pedestrian" musical. Anyway, for what it's worth, I hope he hits 'PIrates' out of the park. -
saber12 and filmivore. I have to correct filmivore. Fellini's film was called "8 1/2" because he had directed 6 whole films, two short films (which equal 1 film) and co-directed with another director which accounts for the half. Prior to "8 1/2" he had completed a total of 7 1/2 films which made "8 1/2" his 8 1/2 films. Whew, I'm winded.
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Backpedal much? lol
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Regarding the ridiculous cast and possible budget; I'd be willing to bet they worked for very little actual cash in exchange for points on the back end. Which means if it doesn't make money, neither do they. The fees for all those people would just be way too high otherwise. However, I am just guessing. Don't know that for certain.
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