Boo to 3D, I already have to wear glasses, I can't wear 3D ones at the same time without it being total gash, so, pfffttt...
ANYWAY
I went to see Nine yesterday amidst a LOT of anticipation. Rob Marshall's last musical, Chicago, was a top 5 film of the last decade for me (probably with Mulholland Drive, Moulin Rouge, Kill Bill and Inglorious Basterds if anyone's keeping count...), so, I was a *little* excited since it has two of my favourite women, Cruz and Kidman, as well.
So, lets get this out the way quickly - I LOVED it. Amazing. Awesome. Fantastic. Loved it. OK, to stem this gushing there IS problems with it - Sophia Loren just... sucks... Some of the songs are cut a bit short or just stuck in a bit randomly and they're generally not as well integrated as they were in Chicago, and it sort of lacks a few BIG numbers (something Chicago has in bucket loads), but, this IS a different sort of musical, so, I suppose that doesn't really matter. On this point, it's a LOT more "serious" than Chicago, or, indeed, any movie musical of the last ten years. It's not Hairspray, Mamma Mia or High School Musical, and, here I think it comes up to it's biggest problem - it just doesn't have the audience something this big budget needs. It's a GREAT film, but, it's NOT one that was ever going to be a box office success IMO. It's not a show that is popular (who hadn't heard of the Phantom of the Opera? So, despite the fact that film's actually quite a terrible adaptation, it still did better...), and I think that has hurt it's box office success. Nine as a musical just doesn't have that appeal IMO, which is a SHAME, because I think it's now being missed by a lot of people, and it's sending the message of "LOOK, this well directed, awesomely cast musical is being ignored, lets make more crappy special effects movies or remake more horror films!", which, sucks.
OK, I'll get off what's wrong with it, I did say I loved it, so, the good, and there's a LOT of it. The score is really good in an almost "grown-up" way. This goes back to what I was saying, this IS a serious musical, it's a drama not a comedy, and the score reflects that. It does have stand-out tunes, but, not one that just takes over the entire score (like happens in Phantom and everything else Webber has ever written...) Be Italian, Unusual Way and Take It All are certainly the stand-outs, but, all songs (minus Sophia Loren's which was just dull and about 30 seconds long) were handled brilliantly and performed excellently. Penelope Cruz just steals the show in every scene she's in AGAIN, but, it's Fergie that steals the whole film. She's in it for perhaps ten minutes (and doesn't say anything over than her song), but, she makes such a huge impact it's hard not to love her. Marion Cotillard is WONDERFUL as well, really making you sympathise with this poor woman. Judi Dench is also amazing, just as usual. Daniel Day-Lewis is also wonderful, making you actually sympathise with a man who is basically a dick.
And then there's Rob Marshall's direction. Well. I'm not even going to go into it, but, he's cemented himself as the best musical director we have IMO.
It's just... amazing. I really am not surprised it's getting a negative reaction because it's VERY much a musical for people who LOVE their musicals, not just those who "kinda like them" like Hairspray, Mamma Mia and, I'd say, Chicago, were. I'd love to see it up for a few Oscars. Probably not winning any (Inglorious Basterds needs to just sweep the board this year), but, nominated would make me happy.
9/9
(yes, that was a good end gag, right?)
