NINE - The Movie Musical - Review Thread- Page 4

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 12:19pm

Salon.com didn't hate it, but didn't like it either

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 1:01pm

For what its worth... from a previous posts, here's what I had to say about Rob Marshall's film adaptation of NINE:

Having seen the film already this past Tuesday at one of the many nationwide advance screenings all I'll say about it is I cried 3 times during the film. It stands alone as its own interpretation of NINE as it pays heavy homage to all 3 previous incarnations -- Federico Fellini's original 1963 source, Tommy Tune's 1982 Broadway original and David Leveaux's 2003 Broadway revival. Rob Marshall even pays homage (just as he did to Bob Fosse and his original CHICAGO) to the 2 Broadway production's choreography in spots. Those familiar with them will know them.

I also agree with someone else's assessment on another post, the film is actually a straight film WITH musical numbers -- I wouldn't call it a movie musical at all. As a huge fan of the musical I am pleased that they trimmed the score and used what they did. It works for film. It would have been an overwhelming mess if ALL of the score was retained. I also love Marshall's technique of cutting into musical numbers (as he did with CHICAGO) -- from number to present reality, therefore you don't get bored watching a full 3-4 minute song without any visual stimuli. Heck, this technique is even used on stage BUT no one ever mentions that.

Anyway... I'm not going to go into a full detailed review as others have. It was a beautiful film. The film is purely a European film in every sense of the word (camouflaged as an American film). Its chic. Sophisticated. Funny. Sad. Introspective and fabulous. As I mentioned above, I cried 3 times. First time was during the opening Overture sequence. No credits needed to be seen -- Rob Marshall says it all with that sequence and it is simply breathtaking. The first little 60's 'cinema Italiano' moment (with that 60's music and Guido's little car and la Via Veneto), I was almost out of my seat from the bliss -- it was just all too perfect and delicious.

As my friend said -- the film might not appeal to US audiences: its just too sophisticated.

Time will tell and yes... I could have watched the film from the beginning right after it was over. Its an easy watch.

[bk]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 1:22pm

I've now read your post in three different threads :) We get it. However, THIS thread seems to be a review thread - and your post, which I enjoyed the first time, are your thoughts on the film. Whether one likes or dislikes the film (I can't say I disliked it, nor can I say I liked it), I know no one who has cried one time let alone three times. IMO, there is not one emotional scene in this film. But I'm glad you found it so - I wish I had. I find the Fellini film very moving and, as mentioned here many times, I've never seen Nine on stage so have no idea of its emotional pull there.

The rotten tomatoes site is interesting - many reviews in the plus column are really mixed and many reviews in the minus column have some nice things to say, too. And the majority of that rise in percentage comes from Internet reviews - look at the "top critics" - that went up, too, but not by much.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 1:52pm

That's why I usually check both RottenTomatoes AND Metacritic. Metacritic only aggregates reviews from major sources and gives each review a numeric grade, instead of the positive/negative system of RottenTomatoes, which often can be misleading.

Right now, Nine has a 50 on Metacritic.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 3:00pm

NY Post gives it 1 and a half stars out of four and the final section of the review reads:

"The jaw-droppingly awful "Nine" is the worst Broadway-to- Hollywood transfer since "The Producers" -- the cinematic equivalent of that movie's show "Springtime for Hitler."


OUCH. OUCH. OUCH.

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/looks_music_script_ohxjiVReefxQwxu7pH6LlL#ixzz0a4XwuBPU

[Kad]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 3:16pm

I'm seeing this tonight. I'm just having real trouble believing it's as offensively bad as some of the most negative reviews are saying. Particularly since the most negative reviews (from the Village Voice or the Post) seem to cram in unabashed criticism for both Chicago and the stage productions of Nine.

[Paulyd]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 6:18pm

Once again i feel that Marshall's cinematographer Dion Bebbe (who won an Oscar for Chicago) has bailed him out again. You cant fault the look of this film, which makes up for some shoddy direction in places.


The only serious weak link for me was Kidman who was just abysmal. On the plus side Marion (as usual) was amazing and threatened to steal the film away from Day-Lewis, and watching 'Be Italian' in its full glory was breathtaking.

Go to the biggest cinema with a loud sound system and enjoy.

[dented146]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 7:25pm

I agree with the critics who did not like it. And I don't believe the average theatregoer will have a lot of good things to say about the film except for the ravaging women.

[bk]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 8:41pm

Be Italian is breathtaking - it certainly was breathtaking when it was called Mein Herr. :) This, not so much - it MIGHT have been breathtaking if they'd left the whole thing on the beach in black-and-white. The need to add fantasy to a memory is breathtaking all right - but not in a good way. Just shoot the damn number. I also have to say that Dion Bebbe is not my idea of a great cinematographer - and I saw it in a VERY big theater with state of the art projection and sound.

I did like Marion very much. For me, interestingly, the most uninteresting performance in the entire film is Mr. Day-Lewis.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/18/09 at 8:55pm

Marion and Penelope easily give the best performances in the film. I hope they will be recognized with Oscar nominations.
Updated On: 12/18/09 at 08:55 PM

[jewishboy]

Posted: 12/19/09 at 2:14am

See, I thought that Dench and Kidman easily gave the best performances in the film. Maybe Marion over Kidman...

[Kad]

Posted: 12/19/09 at 2:30am

I thought the movie was good with moments of greatness.

The greatness?

Marion Cotillard. Fantastic performance. Everyone in the audience cared about her. The reaction to the screen test she had to sit through was a testament to that. Gasps, awws, etc. "My Husband Makes Movies" was heartbreaking and beautiful. "Take It All" was heartbreaking and fierce. Fantastic. I can only hope the Oscar voters accept her into the Supporting category. She's not the Lead Actress that the Weinsteins are campaigning for.

Penelope Cruz illuminated the screen whenever she was on. I wish she had more to do. Her "Call to the Vatican" was effortlessly sexy.

Judi Dench. She was sassy, and I feel like I'm in the minority when I say that I liked her "Folies Bergere".

"Overture Belle Donna" was expertly staged and a fantastic opening. Likewise, the Finale was great. The music, and the curtain call quality of it all. But I'm a sucker for that type of thing in movies, when all the characters we've seen come back. So, for me, excellent. Same goes for the orchestrations and film score.

"Be Italian" was superb, the definitive rendition of that song, vocally. Again, I wish Fergie had more to do. From what I saw of her, I loved. Her voice is fantastic. There are glimmers of real acting talent, but we don't get to see the full thing. But that's not exclusive to the film version of the material.

The cinematography and art direction elevated the piece a great deal. It was never dull to look at.

Otherwise?

It could honestly have benefited from another musical number. "Simple", perhaps. Something more. The "book scenes" tended to drag, lacking momentum.

Some of the numbers were so... stagebound. And I hated the fact that we saw Nicole Kidman's back almost as much as her face during "Unusual Way" (which, while good, was not the standout it could've been).

Daniel Day-Lewis delivered a good performance. Hardly his best. And he had the film stolen from underneath him by basically all his female cast mates.

Sophia Loren added some nostalgia quality and a nice voice, but otherwise looked like a waxworks statue.

Kate Hudson delivered fine. But her number is such a tossaway thing. It's fun and all, but eh. I'd rather see "Take It All" nominated for awards than "Cinema Italiano". I liked the nod to the stage version of Stephanie, and think that if they had fleshed out that version, the version of a critic, more it would've benefited. We get it, everyone thinks Guido is a genius. It would've been nice to see Stephanie as the counterpoint to that. I also think it's odd that critics are singling out Kidman for being a glorified cameo, when Hudson seemed to be in the film less than her. And is far less influential.


As a whole- it hardly deserves the critical derision it has been getting. It's far, far superior to, say, Rent or The Producers or Mamma Mia!. I was entertained and captivated- at times, moved, and never bored. But, I did not love it as much as I wanted to. It was good, like I said, with moments of greatness. Which is far more than a lot of movies deliver nowadays. I honestly don't get some of the sheer nastiness and venom some usually respectable critics are giving it.

Updated On: 12/19/09 at 02:30 AM

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 12/19/09 at 3:25am

random insert, but I just saw a commercial for Nine on Korean TV.

[D2]

Posted: 12/19/09 at 8:54am

I loved every single minute of it, whatever that's worth.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 12/19/09 at 1:45pm

Kad, I agree with practically every word you said. This doesn't deserve what the critics are putting out there, and while it isn't a perfect movie, there are moments of brilliance. For example: Marion Cotillard, who definitely should be placed in the supporting category. I think she would give Mo'Nique a run for her money come Oscar time.

~Steven

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/19/09 at 11:34pm

Kad, your review was pretty much, spot on. Although, I liked Kate Hudson and her number much more than you did.

Judi Dench's number was wonderful.....wonderful!!!!

[Kad]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 3:41am

I liked Kate Hudson, and her number, but found her part and song to be so superfluous to everything. You could make the argument that Guido's denial of a tryst with her is important, certainly. But "Cinema Italiano" is irrelevant to everything. It's very well done, and Hudson looks great doing it, and sings and dances wonderfully. It's just so pointless. The other numbers comment on and complement the plot, but I didn't feel "Cinema Italiano" did that.

[Luscious]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 10:47am

I find all of the musical numbers in NINE to be superfluous. I agree with the critic who said that none of the musical numbers do anything to advance the story and that they only restate what is obvious and has already been stated. This movie is a fiasco and Rob Marshall is a hack!

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 12:29pm

Kate Hudson, and her song, does break up the drama a little bit of the story. Perhaps, you could call her the "comedy number," in a rather somber story.

Luscious, if you think you can do better.....go for it!

[Luscious]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 12:34pm

"Luscious, if you think you can do better.....go for it!"

I don't think I can do better. That's why I don't make movies. And neither should Rob Marshall! He should be directing dinner theatre.

Updated On: 12/20/09 at 12:34 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 12:34pm

Well... I did absolutely hate this film. But I hope it doesn't go the way of Rent and that it does respectable business at the Box office.

[nealb1]

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

I loved it. Thought it was absolutely wonderful! I'm sure it will do quite well at the box office.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 1:40pm

I also think it'll have a pretty good showing at the box office. It's being pushed/hyped like crazy and has some big drawing names.

Although the movie will not be my favorite, I LOVE the soundtrack. I could listen to it all day. Except "Guarda la Luna". Even the bonus tracks aren't as terrible as the Chicago ones(although Fergie's "Quando Quando Quando" starts off good, it gets ruined, but the Noisettes cover of "Io Bacio...Tu Baci" is excellent).

Updated On: 12/20/09 at 01:40 PM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 1:45pm

I was incredibly disappointed. The movie is a big, flashy, incoherent mess with a few saving graces:
1) Marion Cotillard turns in a heartbreaking and very moving performance as Luisa and could easily score Oscar #2 this year if she's slipped into the supporting race. Her songs are the only ones I felt actually advanced the plot and fit well into the film.
2) Penelope Cruz is HOTTTTTTT! I'm not at all a fan of hers, but I was sitting in the theater actually finding my jaw dropping at points. *SPOILER* Her suicide, on the other hand, is handled very poorly and it's way to rushed to have any impact whatsoever. *SPOILER END*
3) "Be Italian" actually made me want to stand up and cheer. It's just that good. Like Kad said, vocally, it is the definitive version of the song. Fergie has a powerhouse voice that really makes the song come alive. Even if the jump cutting between musical number and reality is jarring (more on that later), the excitement of the number is so great that I just kind of went with it.
4) "Overture delle Donne" is beautifully executed. It's just a perfect way to set up the film. The way this number is staged had me really hoping the rest of the film would match it. I was let down.

The rest of the film is a big ol' mess, I'm sorry to say.
1) Daniel Day-Lewis is totally annoying as Guido. He does nothing to improve upon the fact that Guido is not much more than a whiny little kid. He adds nothing to the role. "Guido's Song" is so jarring and incohesive, that all I could think was "What is Rob Marshall doing?!"
2) There is zero need for any of the other numbers in the film besides the overture, "My Husband...," "Take It All," and "Be Italian." (Not even "Call from the Vatican.") Rob Marshall found no way to incorporate them into his masturbatory attempt at trying to create the same brilliance of CHICAGO. He made almost every single number and supporting character expendable.
3) Nothing was done to mend the thin plots of both 8 1/2 and the stage version of NINE. In fact, this movie worsens that flaw. The only clear plot line was Luisa's. Everything else kind of falls apart.
4) There is no explanation as to why the musical numbers are fantasy sequences. In CHICAGO, it was clear that it was all in the imaginations of the characters. Here, it's just CHICAGO copy-and-pasted without any reasoning. For example, Carla appears in a cloud of mist after her number much like the transition after "Cell Block Tango." And "Folies Bergère" is a direct copy of "When You're Good to Mama."

I give it a major thumbs down, with a major thumbs up for Marion Cotillard.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 1:59pm

I think some of the numbers, like "Call from the Vatican" and "Folies Bergere" HAVE to be fantasy numbers. But I think Marshall tried to take an easy way out by applying this concept that fit so well the material in Chicago, but not quite so well for this. I loved Chicago, but I take a major issue with Marshall distrusting the musical genre. If he wants to direct another musical, he needs to get over it.