Since word came out that they are planning to release a new A-Team film we have been anticipating the release of any footage. Although there may have been difficulty locking in cast during the early stages of production, we now have a cast and an official trailer now available for us to enjoy. I am excited to see what director Joe Carnahan will finally bring to the big screen.
Don't be surprised when you see cameo appearances of John Schultz and Dirk Benedict who played H.M. Murdock and Templeton 'Faceman' Peck. I look forward to see how they are incorperated into the films, as well as look forward to see what these original players think of the new actors in their original roles. Casting Liam Neeson as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck, UFC fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as Sgt. B.A. "Bad Attitude" Baracus, and Sharlto Copley as Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock will be an interesting mix to see how it plays out. My concerns are with casting Jessica Biel as Lt. Carissa Sosa since I'm not sure how that role will play out for her. It may work out better than some of her past work, but I guess only time will tell.
The A-Team will hit theaters this summer with a scheduled release date of June 11, 2010. So keep your eyes out for The A-Team.
The tracklist for the upcoming Alice in Wonderland soundtrack have been released. The soundtrack will be titled "Almost Alice" and it is scheduled to hit shelves on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. Below is a look at the songs featured for the soundtrack. By the looks of things, it looks like it could be a great soundtrack.
1. “Alice (Underground)” performed by Avril Lavigne
2. “The Poison” performed by The All-American Rejects
3. “The Technicolor Phase” performed by OwlCity 4. “Her Name Is Alice” performed by Shinedown
5. “Painting Flowers” performed by All Time Low
6. “Where’s My Angel” performed by Metro Station
7. “Strange” performed by Tokio Hotel and Kerli
8. “Follow Me Down” performed by 3OH!3 featuring Neon Hitch
9. “Very Good Advice” performed by Robert Smith
10. “In Transit” performed by Mark Hoppus with Pete Wentz
11. “Welcome to Mystery” performed by Plain White T’s
12. “Tea Party” performed by Kerli
13. “The Lobster Quadrille” performed by Franz Ferdinand
14. “Running Out of Time” performed by Motion City Soundtrack
15. “Fell Down a Hole” performed by Wolfmother
16. “White Rabbit” performed by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Additionally, the first music video to be released will be "Alice (Underground)" by Avril Lavigne and that will be released in February.
For the past month I have been anticipating the release of Daybreakers. I was not sure what to expect, however the trailer caught my attention in a way that left me always wanting to search for more footage and featurettes online. Two hours after entering the theater I exited both happy with the final film and disgusted by the simple fact that anyone could come up with such a film. It was a pornography of blood, guts and gore with such graphic cinematography that not only could I not take my eyes off the screen, but I could not help begging for more.
Although the back-story of how the world came to be over populated by vampires is a little hard to weed out through newscasts and newspaper clippings that appear at various points during the film, it did not take away from the overall storyline.The power hungry Charles Bromley, played by Sam Neill, is a minor character with a large role for the current state of their world.The film felt like a nod to the original horror that is a classic vampire story.Rather than emphasizing the romanticism created for vampires like Dracula, Lestat, Louis, and Edward, we are given a story where all of the cards are laid out on the table and we are taken back to the brutality of these night creatures.We are given vampires that are a mash-up of the collective folklore and legends that are combined into one particular race.It is the concept of what happens to them physically as their bodies become starved of blood that I found so interesting.The digression of vampires from what would have been their human counter part to a creature that resembles a nosferatu with wings.But as the story progressed a thought came to me.
Over the past several years we have been introduced to several different styles of vampires.We originally had reformed vampires, we were then given the rebellious vampires and sexual deviants, we were given a morally conscious vampire with the Cullen’s who also gave us a “righteous vampire” who followed the "no sex before marriage", and now we are given a sort of “born again” vampire.It was interesting to watch William Dafoe and Ethan Hawk in their respective roles as Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac and Dr. Edward Dalton. With Dafoe as a former vampire who hypothetically "saw the light" in a blazing glory and was given his mortality again, and with the extinction of the human race becoming a growing threat he goes in search of a vampire he can trust to perfect and then share a solution for the world’s growing problems. It is Dr. Dalton who in the end "saves" the race.
The overall cheese of the film, with its quick one liners and over the top story concept is an entertaining film for any horror and gorror fan. The eminence amount of blood and brutality of the creatures is unbelievable. Sometimes taken so far that it becomes laughable as you sit there saying "are you serious?" and "he didn't really just do that did he?". Daybreakers takes the suspension of disbelief to the furthest extent possible, crosses the line, and then comes right back. But if you have a stomach for it, and can get through the majority of the film, you will eventually just laugh at the extreme gore and carnage that directors Michael and Peter Spierig give us in this film.
If you are a fan of horror, true horror and not just the psychological thrillers that sometimes slip into the genre and you have a strong stomach, then I would recommend this film. It takes a trip back to the horror that is what makes the creatures of the night so scary. For me it was a hit. It would run a close race with Zombieland as far as the believability level goes, but none the less, a fun and bloody film. Take it for what it is, cheese factor included, and I give this film a 4.5 out of 5.
If given the opportunity to walk into your own wildest dreams, would you take it? Would you walk through a mirror, into the unknown, unaware of the actions or consequences of what that journey might be, and just hoping to come out the other side as close to the same as you went in? What if there was an incredibly attractive person sweet talking you into the idea? Terry Gilliam's film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is an interesting twist to the story of deals made with the devil. It is a little hard to watch at times, and at others the visual content over powers the story itself leaving you feeling almost dizzy. The film feels like a bit of a mash-up of the visual styles of Tim Burton and Guillermo del Toro, with a clear sense of madness present within each of his characters.
Heath Ledger plays Tony, who it seems all on his own embodies a collective of characters previously played by Johnny Depp. It was odd to watch him speaking like Jack Sparrow, and yet having Willy Wonka and even the Mad Hatter coming through. It was almost as though he modeled his character primarily off the works of the other actor, or rather that director Terry Gilliam had modeled this particular character after friend and actor Johnny Depp. I feel puzzled as to where the choice came from or if it was just something that might become apparent to only some, and yet I also question if it may have been caused by the extreme measures that had to be taken to complete the film after the unfortunate passing of Heath Ledger during production.
Ever since news was released regarding how Mr. Gilliam planned to complete the film I was a little hesitant as to how he would be able to pull off having one character played by 4 different actors. In a weird way Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell all have similarities that could make it a little easier for them to play the same character, but I questioned whether or not it would be effective or if it would hurt the film. If you have read any news on Mr. Gilliam's choice to use these particular actors you will know that it was done because these men were friends of the late actor, and the choice to keep it "in the family" was made out of respect for Ledger with the film being dedicated to him upon its release. It is touching to know that so many people offered to step up to the plate and help the production when the tragic news haulted the film, and even more so to know that Ledger had touched so many people's hearts and particularly that a director would turn down so many people and only choose someone that knew and could honor the memory of such an amazingly talented actor in the way that he should be remembered. Depp, Law and Farrell channeled Ledger in every sense, with hair and make-up added into the mix to help with the visual aspect. I just wonder what it meant to these actors to have such a weight placed on their shoulders to pull off this particular type of role. It was not just the role of a character, but also the role of upholding the memory of a fallen actor in his final role.
The world of the imaginarium, or rather what we see from inside Doctor Parnassus' head, is truly a fantasy world fit for any child's wildest imagination. This is the world in which we find Depp, Law and Farrell. Each time Tony walks through the mirror and enters the imaginarium, we are given a different glimpse of who he is and his face is never the same. The first Imaginarium Tony is played by Johnny Depp and in this world it is an upper east side class of woman that he entertains with his charm and good looks. The second imaginarium Tony is played by Jude Law, and in this we see the scheming, sly character in which we begin to see the true colors of who Tony really is. The third imaginarium Tony is played by Colin Farrell and it is at this point when Doctor Parnassus' daughter has fallen for the sweet talker and it is only through the help of another member of the traveling circus, Anton, do we finally see just who Tony is.
The sometimes overwhelming visuals highlight the traveling show and the magic of the imagination. I found that I sometimes needed to dig through the images to find the cast, even though I knew that on their own they would stand strong. The traveling show's crew was graciously made of up such talent as Christopher Plummer as Doctor Parnassus, supermodel Lily Cole as his young daughter Valentina, Andrew Garfield as Anton, and Verne Troyer as Percy. They are later joined by the collective cast of Tony's, and even Tom Waits who plays Mr. Nick whom Doctor Parnassus places bets with the devil for life, love and even his daughter's freedom. It is the ever betting man and his wagers with the devil that lead the story through Terry Gilliam's wild imaginarium.
As a whole the film is worth watching just to see what wild things Terry Gilliam can come up with. The actor's performances are great when you can see them, but the ever changing visuals sometimes become too much and you have to look away if only for a second. I would give this film a 3 out of 5 for story, but a 4 out of 5 for originality and imagery. As dedicated to Heath Ledger, the actors help up their part of the bargain and gave you a deep character that makes you think about life. Thank you Heath for such a great performance. You are surely missed as a shinning star and great talent.
As Valentine's Day begins to make it's quick approach the number of upcoming releases in the romantic comedy category will of course increase. We will have remakes of old classes (When in Rome - modern update to Roman Holiday), we will have the romantic comedy with Taylor squared and a collaborative with other great actors (Valentine's Day) which I expect will of course live up to it's title. But in order to kick off the year right we have to have at least one romantic comedy opening the first weekend of the new year.
Granted if this was me, I would have waited a little and most likely I would have chosen to release this particular film on an actual leap year. The gimmick is there of course, but for me I need a little extra something. Maybe it is the cynical single girl within lashing out after sitting through yet another romantic comedy on my own, unable to prevent that horrible little thought that creeps into every single girls mind of "I wish I was here with someone". But this is where I draw the line and apply one of my new years resolutions... (to not let the sight of happy couples make me feel bad about being single)... So I put my single feelings behind me and move on.
Leap Year is a cute story with a little bit of Irish luck. From time to time the story did begin to drag, but it helped that there were a few good actors to keep the film afloat. Amy Adams is a triple threat with in her ever growing career, shining on screen as an actress, singer and dancer. Her comedic timing made her adorable to watch, and even with several weak lines throughout the film she shinned with the Irish look and strawberry blond hair. I guess I'm just a sucker for the Irish, but the pairing of Amy Adams and Matthew Goode was a cute on-screen couple. Matthew Goode may not be a "McDreamy" or "McSteamy", or even a Bradly Cooper, but his charm, gorgeous green eyes and to-die-for accent makes up for all the rest. It was refreshing to see a film where the leading lady realizes she has a thing for "the guy she's not supposed to like" when he has ALL of his clothes on. The chemistry was fun to watch unfold throughout the film. At times it reminded me of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night, when all you wanted was the "fall of the wall of Gibraltar".
Aside from the story, the beautiful Irish country side is a sight to see. Aside from the single girl cynicism of the "I wish I had that...", I could not contain the awe feeling of watching this traveling film. By the end of the film you will want to rush out and purchase a ticket on the next flight to Dublin, jump in a car, and just drive around Ireland just to see the lush greens and history of these shires and villages. It's true that it is all about location, location, location...
Leap Year may not be your choice for top theater going films, but I would highly recommend it for a little cuddle time with your special someone on a snowy or rainy day.
When I was younger I used to stay up late and watch the Oscars, with my ballot, and hope that each of the winner's I picked actually received the Oscar. Tonight however is not the Oscars. Tonight networks primarily aired repeats so as not to loose ratings to the People's Choice Awards which aired on CBS. I will admit that I have never before watched this particular award show. I generally stick to watching the Tonys, Oscars, and from time to time I catch the Emmys, but tonight I figured I'd give the People's Choice Awards a shot.
The opening number by Queen Latifah was entertaining, but I do not feel it stood up to Neil Patrick Harris or Hugh Jackman's opening numbers for the Oscars and Tony's over the past few years. The Paranormal Activity parody was a bit shocking but definitely worth a good laugh or two. The only thing better was Mariah struggling to walk to the stage to accept her award for Favorite R&B Artist. She may have thought that dress was going to make her look good, and next time she'll consider the ability to walk over showing off her tatas... Thankfully she thanked her hubby for helping her to walk.
I never realized how entertaining the Emmy's and Tony's actually were until just now. I mean it takes a lot to hold the attention of your viewers for 2+ hours, but for me the writing for the show was just lacking. The jokes just were not that funny, or maybe it was just their choice in presenters. I mean Chevy Chase is getting up there now and watching his read with Jenna Elfman was just sooooo hard to watch.
I was happy to see that The Big Bang Theory won Favorite TV Comedy, however it Kaley Cuoco's dress reminded me a bit of a dominatrics as she stood in what looked like a black leather dress beside her geeky co-stars who I love so much. I will let that slide though because no one does it better than Sheldon or Leonerd. I <3 my geeks. Aside from comedy, there is always the drama. We always go looking for drama, but sometimes it is funny how easily we forget just how great some of the actors truly are. Hugh Laurie is known for his "American Accent", so hearing his "normal" speaking voice with the English accent was a shock even though I knew to expect it. It's great when actors can give you so much depth that they make you forget the "truth".
It took until half-way through the show before things picked up, and actually got any good. The best present of the night was by far George Lopez. With his hilarious comments towards Taylor Lautner, the crack at Tigar Woods, and the reminder that even great actresses make mistakes (Speed 2). Following the great introduction, Sandra Bullock followed suit with her acceptance speech. She's cute, classy, and everything we want in a leading lady. She reminded us that even the stars go through though times. Downfall... Twilight spoof... MAJOR FAIL! Shortly after the turn around, it began to drag again. So a quick wrap up with only 10 minutes left (unless of course they are heavy and run over...) Yes... Kodak was the sponsor, but do we really need the lame attempts with the stalls...? So sad that Vampire Diaries was not there to accept award. Glee wins but left me feeling cheated. If we wanted a "special surprise" sing us a lyric or two... do not serve pizza. But I get it. Yet another sponsor. Banter between LL and the Queen, cute be eh... if thats what we wanted we could just rent Last Holiday. Swift is cute... but I'm almost over her winning EVERYTHING.
Side Note: Children's Safe Drinking Water Quick flashback to Bruno sitting on Eminem's face (MTV Movie Awards)... Baron Cohen reflect's on Johnny Depp's film career. Johnny Depp sighting (god I love the hair)! end of show...
That's it? Really? And they didn't even get through the entire list of nominees... So now we wait for the rest of the winners to be announced online and via other media forums. Well, glad I didn't waste space on my DVR for that show. Fingers crossed the Critic's Choice Movie Awards are better next week. Three Cheers for Kristen Chenoweth!
Winners: Best Comedy Movie: The Proposal
Favorite R&B Artist: Mariah Carey
Favorite TV Comedy Actor: Steve Carell
Favorite TV Comedy Actress: Alyson Hannigan
Favorite TV Comedy: The Big Bang Theory
Favorite Country Artist: Carey Underwood
Favorite TV Drama Actor: Hugh Laurie
Favorite TV Drama: House
Favorite Movie Actress: Sandra Bullock
Favorite Action Star: Hugh Jackman
Favorite Independent Film: Inglourious Basterds
Favorite Breakout Movie Actor: Taylor Lautner
Favorite Male Artist: Keith Urban
Favorite Web Celeb: Ashton Kutcher
Favorite New TV Drama: The Vampire Diaries
Favorite New TV Comedy: Glee
Favorite Female Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Movie Male :Johnny Depp
Actor of the Decade: Johnny Depp
...
Performances: Mary J. Blige -- I Am
Cobra Starship w/ Nicole from Pussycat Dolls
Sneak Peeks: Robin Hood Looks like it could be good. Always a fan of the story of Robin Hood, but we'll see if the former Gladiator can pull off the role.
Survivor: Heros vs Villians 20th Season... a decade later and the show is still going. Probably nothing I'm going to watch, but who knows. Maybe there will be some serious drama that will out shine the producer who had sexual relations with one of the women on The Bachelor. But probably not.
Clash of the Titans We have seen a few trailers already for this film, and each time I watch the trailers I get that much more excited for the film. I will never forget the 1981 classic with the Laurence Olivier and Maggie Smith and the ever so entertaining stop motion animation, but the updated remake looks like it will be a serious winner and a potential blockbuster hit with an amazing casting. I will say this though, I was disappointed with the so called "World Exclusive" since the footage we were shown has been out since Avatar hit theaters and it was placed as one of the trailers shown prior to the start of the film.
Slips/Falls/Mishaps:
Mariah Carey -- almost unable to walk in dress. Needing help from her hubby to walk up stairs to accept award.
Carey Underwood -- almost slips and falls while rushing to the stage to accept award
"Seat filler" -- ouch... enough said (btw people... get over Taylor Lautner... he may have abs of steel, but remember he is 17 so Twilight Mom's... please act appropriately and behave yourselves.)
New Moon Parody
Favorite MOVIE ACTOR
Johnny Depp Brad Pitt
Hugh Jackman
Robert Pattinson
Ryan Reynolds
Favorite MOVIE ACTRESS
Sandra Bullock Anne Hathaway
Drew Barrymore
Jennifer Aniston
Kristen Stewart
Favorite ACTION STAR
Hugh Jackman Christian Bale
Gerard Butler
Shia LaBeouf
Vin Diesel
Favorite COMEDIC STAR Jim Carrey Adam Sandler
Ben Stiller
Ryan Reynolds
Vince Vaughn
Favorite BREAKOUT MOVIE ACTRESS
Miley Cyrus Anna Kendrick
Emily Osment
Ginnifer Goodwin
Zoe Saldana
Favorite BREAKOUT MOVIE ACTOR
Taylor Lautner Chris Pine
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Sam Worthington
Zachary Quinto
Favorite ON-SCREEN TEAM
The Twilight Saga Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Proposal
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Favorite INDEPENDENT MOVIE
Inglourious Basterds (500) Days of Summer
District 9
Paranormal Activity
Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail
Favorite COMEDY MOVIE
The Proposal 17 Again
Bride Wars
The Hangover
He's Just Not That Into You
Favorite MOVIE
Twilight The Hangover
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Proposal
Star Trek
Favorite TV DRAMA
House CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Grey's Anatomy
Lost
NCIS
Favorite TV COMEDY
The Big Bang Theory Desperate Housewives
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Two and a Half Men
Favorite TV DRAMA ACTOR
Hugh Laurie Kiefer Sutherland
Mark Harmon
Matthew Fox
Patrick Dempsey
Favorite TV DRAMA ACTRESS
Katherine Heigl Anna Paquin
Blake Lively
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Mariska Hargitay
Favorite TV COMEDY ACTOR
Steve Carell Alec Baldwin
Charlie Sheen
Jim Parsons
Neil Patrick Harris
Favorite TV COMEDY ACTRESS
Alyson Hannigan America Ferrera
Amy Poehler
Eva Longoria Parker
Tina Fey
Favorite TV OBSESSION
True Blood Dexter
Gossip Girl
The Hills
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
Favorite COMPETITION SHOW
American Idol Dancing with the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Survivor: Samoa
Favorite MALE ARTIST
Keith Urban Eminem
Jason Mraz
John Mayer
Tim McGraw
Favorite FEMALE ARTIST Taylor Swift Beyonce
Britney Spears
Carrie Underwood
P!NK
Favorite COUNTRY ARTIST
Carrie Underwood Brad Paisley
Keith Urban
Rascal Flatts
Taylor Swift
Favorite BREAKOUT MUSIC ARTIST
Lady Gaga Adam Lambert
Demi Lovato
Kris Allen
Susan Boyle
Favorite ROCK BAND
Paramore Daughtry
Green Day
Kings of Leon
Muse
Favorite MUSIC COLLABORATION
Run This Town Good Girls Go Bad
I'm On a Boat
Live Your Life
Lucky
Favorite R&B ARTIST
Mariah Carey Alicia Keys
Beyonce
Jennifer Hudson
Usher
Favorite POP ARTIST
Lady Gaga The Black Eyed Peas
Britney Spears
Katy Perry
Taylor Swift
Favorite NEW TV DRAMA
The Vampire Diaries Flash Forward
The Good Wife
NCIS: Los Angeles
V
Favorite NEW TV COMEDY Glee Accidentally On Purpose
The Cleveland Show
Cougar Town
Modern Family
Favorite ANIMAL SHOW Dog Whisperer Animal Cops
DOGTOWN
It's Me or the Dog
Rescue Ink Unleashed
Favorite WEB CELEB
Ashton Kutcher Andy Samberg
Miley Cyrus
P. Diddy
Will Ferrell
Favorite FAMILY MOVIE Up Hannah Montana: The Movie
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Where the Wild Things Are
Favorite FRANCHISE The Twilight Saga Harry Potter
Star Trek
Transformers
X-Men
Favorite TALK SHOW The Ellen DeGeneres Show Chelsea Lately
Live with Regis & Kelly
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Tyra Banks Show
Favorite SCI-FI/FANTASY SHOW Supernatural Heroes
Lost
True Blood
The Vampire Diaries
Favorite HIP-HOP ARTIST Eminem Flo Rida
Jay-Z
Lil' Wayne
T.I.
NEXT UP: 2010 Critic's Choice Movie Awards on Friday, January 15
Imagine you have just purchased a ticket to a Broadway show. It is 30 minutes before curtain call and you begin to make your way to your seat. You have your ticket scanned, you walk to your seat, and then you wait for the lights to dim. Just as the orchestra begins to warm up and play the overture, you find the perfect position in your seat that allows for the best view as the curtain begins to rise. Two hours later you get up and leave the theater. I have had good and bad experiences at the theater, and just like any other form of story telling you can have strong and weak points that just may surprise you.
Nine is a film with an amazing star studded cast that would give any director the ability to pull off the most extravagant of films. With academy award winners like Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Dame Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Marion Cotillard, academy nominated Kate Hudson, and the beautiful Fergi all working together... well sort of... it gave Rob Marshall a full pallet of colors to work with to create what could be an amazing film. After his version of Chicago, I was hesitant to go see Nine. I love the music from Chicago, but there was something about the film that just did not sit well with me. Unfortunately the same happened with Nine, and for me it just fell short of everything I expected as little as that had been.
The 1963 Federico Fellini film 8 1/2 is an unusual, yet typical Italian film that is shot in a very particular style and with a very specific storyline that is an acquired taste that many people never seem to find. Nine is modeled very much in that same style. Unfortunately I am confused to say whether it is just a remake of the film or in a sense the sequel, or if it should just be viewed as a film adaptation of the Broadway show Nine. Either way I felt like I was left out in the rain of one of those narrow Italian cobble stone roads waiting to be picked up along for the ride, and yet that ride never showed up.
From the opening of the hypothetical curtain during the opening credits to the bow as the curtain closed I felt like I was being thrown into a self indulgent, egotistical males wildest fantasy and as the story progressed he discovered that that dream may not really be what will make him happy. I was bored with the story after twenty minutes when I finally realized the entire film was going to be about this one characters struggle with his own demons. I wish I could have connected with Guido, but opening the film with a mass orgie just did not do it for me. I had no sympathy for a man that continually threw away all the good things in his life, and yet the one steady relationship he had was with an older woman who in every aspect of the character reminded me of Bond's relationship with M. I love Dame Judi Dench and am always thrilled to watch her on the big screen, but throw M in a musical and that was pretty much the character Lilli.
I tried and tried to find something to connect with and yet there was very little that appealed to me on a level that would hold my interest for the entire running time of the film. Even the story as a whole felt like just a talent show of these women that danced and sang in and out of Guido's life. I almost wished I was at home with my TiVo remote and had the ability to skip and fast-forward through some of the sequences. At least Chicago felt like one single story and the musical numbers were a part of the story rather than the highlights of the film. I even remembered thinking back to when I had to study Fellini's film in college and the text book I had. I knew I had highlighted certain sections finding them more important than others and that is how I felt watching Nine. The musical numbers and singing were ok, I cannot say that I would be running out to purchase the soundtrack any time soon, nor would I be looking for the next musical that Cruz or Hudson would be in. I love them as actresses but I beg them to please stay out of the singing world.
By the time end credits began to roll I was ready to jump out of my seat and head for the nearest exit sign, however there was one thing that kept me. As a dancer, I appreciate watching rehearsal footage and behind-the-scenes footage from choreography sessions, so when the credits incorporated that footage in a montage and collage with the final cut from the film I was interested to see if that would last through the entire running of the credits. I sat in my seat until the final credit rolled up the screen and the lights in the theater came up. I was glad that the film had run its course, but I was then interested to go home to try and find more of the rehearsal footage. Unfortunately the only number I felt was worth truly watching was the Fergi number with the sand and tambourines, but then again the only thought I had as I watched that routine was stuck wondering how long those dancers ended up washing sand out of their hair once they had wrapped shooting that sequence.
Nine left me feeling empty. I wanted to go in and be wowed, blown away, shocked that the film would be so much more than what I had originally expected. I wanted to feel as though Rob Marshall had at least matched what he did with Chicago, but it fell so short. Yes Italy is beautiful and I want to visit the country now more than ever and the cinematography of the country and what it has to offer was shot gracefully, but it seems that any film can be shot in Italy and end up looking beautiful just because of the amazing backdrop that the country offers. But take that away, take away the names of the talent involved and you are left with nothing. Maybe it is just the story. Maybe it is my experience with a cheater that makes me feel the way I do towards a character who has any female he casts in his films "fall in love with him". Maybe it is just like 8 1/2 and Fellini himself that it is an acquired taste that I have never come to have. Whatever it is, or was, this film left me with the same sick feeling as A Clockwork Orange did. Grossed out by the characters and their actions even though in the end they tried to redeem themselves by the end of the film. Or maybe it was the director's choice to have Daniel Day-Lewis play an "Italian mama's boy" crying to his dead mother to fix the mistakes he made. It was an interesting choice to make, especially with such a notable actress as Sophia Loren, when you cast her as nothing more than a figment of the main character's imagination. I am sorry to use that analogy but after watching Daniel Day-Lewis playing such strong characters as Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood, Bill 'The Butcher' Cuttler in Gangs of New York, and Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans I had a very hard time watching him play such a weak character.
So for me Nine is a film I wished I could have passed on. If you are really interested in seeing the film I would almost suggest googling or going to youtube and searching the musical numbers and you would be getting the best scenes from the film without paying for the price of a ticket. I'm sorry Mr. Marshall, but this film is barely a 1 out of 5 for me.
8 1/2
Nine Trailer
Nine: The Musical
**UPDATE** Nine Featurette used during end credits:
Since word came out that they are planning to release a new A-Team film we have been anticipating the release of any footage. Although there may have been difficulty locking in cast during the early stages of production, we now have a cast and an official trailer now available for us to enjoy. I am excited to see what director Joe Carnahan will finally bring to the big screen.
