I think I'm a bit strange. Chicago won an Oscar, I hated it. Nine gets massacred by critics, I go in expecting to hate it (same director), end up loving it.
My biggest complaint about Chicago was that the musical numbers were completely removed from the film's reality. This film kind of has the same thing, but I have NO problem with it whatsoever, because the main character remains the same in both realities - he is watching the musical numbers in his mind and reacting to them.
I listen to Italian at least 10 hours a week these days (while subtitling), and I must say the film's Italian and mock-Italian are _perfectly_ done. Day Lewis's accent is just as pitch-perfect as his acting. This attention to detail is a small thing but really won me over.
The staging of the musical numbers is flawless and breathtaking. (Yes, women are objectified, but that is so the point!) Penelope Cruz is amazing and strikingly beautiful. While Kate Hudson's acting or looks don't exactly rock my world, wait for the musical number - who knew she can sing and dance like that?! Possibly the best in the film.
Here's a music video of the song. It's intercut with other clips from the film and contains no spoilers as far as I can tell. The actual scene has a lot more great dancing, but it also spoils the film slightly, and I couldn't find it on Youtube anyway. (Pronouncing "cinema" the EN way - not ITA, with "ch" as in "chimney" - is not a mistake, Hudson's character is American.)
Marion Cotillard fails miserably at whatever accent she's going for (seems to vary from scene to scene), although she's very good otherwise. They might as well have cut Fergie and the Mother character.
There is very little plot momentum, but we're watching a film about the disintegration of a man's world. How much is there supposed to be?
I've never seen the stage version of Nine. I hear the movie is very, very different, and inferior in most people's opinion. My view may be somewhat altered if I ever manage to catch the real thing, but I can't imagine turning around and starting to _hate_ this, because the film very clearly works for me as is.
Stars: * * * * ½ / * * * * *
3 kommenttia:
You are so very silly.
The Fergie character is a direct quote from 8 1/2, so I don't think losing her wins you anything.
Mr. Sulopuisto, as polite as ever. :D
Well, not having seen 8 1/2 either, I'm ONLY going by what I saw on the screen, and what I saw was that the character added nothing to the film and seemed to be unrelated to the plot. (Did introduce young Guido, I guess.)
I'm sure seeing 8 1/2 would affect my experience of the film at least as much as seeing the stage Nine.
Oh! I actually have 8 1/2 sitting in my pile of bought-but-yet-to-be-watched DVDs. Soonish might be a good time to do something about that. I'll get back to you.
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