What is the big deal about Chicago?

[corycouger]

I watched it on Starz just to see what the fuss was all about.


I was bored to tears.


How could this movie win best picture and why was it popular?

[FinkPish]

What was it about the movie that you didn't like? I could see how you might not like musicals in general, but to me, the last thing this movie is, is boring.

[RichC2]

*shrug* I found it highly entertaining.

Was nice to have the main characters all being bad, manipulative people and murderers for a change.

[scott shelton]

I watched it on Starz just to see what the fuss was all about.


I was bored to tears.


How could this movie win best picture and why was it popular?

Thanks for sharing!

Now back into the box.

[Bigsierra]

It wasn't at the top of my list either.

[Cygnet74]

How could this movie win best picture and why was it popular?i think this will be a best picture winner that doesnt stand up to the test of time, much like the rather forgettable 'driving miss daisy'.

[Perkinsun Dzees]

How could this movie win best picture....?

One word.....Miramax

[island007]

Thanks

I liked it, but then I like musicals.

[zuckuss]

I thought the movie was average at best.

[Rammsteinfan]

Chicago was a horrrrrible movie. I have never walked out of a film at theatres until I saw this one. I sat thru crap fests such as Ecks Vs. Sever and Battlefield Earth all the way thru despite how bad they were. Chicago just made me want to slam my head into a wall and pray that I hurt myself on the first try. And I have nothing against musicals, it was just a bad film.

[FinkPish]

OK, so what made it bad for you? I'm still waiting for the OP to answer that too; why was it so boring or painful to you? I'm honestly curious.

[Groucho]

I thought it was great, myself. But I can't really argue one way or another since no specifics have been provided on why it's supposed a crap film.

[DRG]

I generally don't like musicals, and I enjoyed this a lot. So that's got to be saying something. Best Picture? Maybe not, but it's not an embarassing choice IMO either.

[marty888]

How could this movie win best picture and why was it popular?


What? You can't understand how someone (many "someones", to judge by the box office receipts) could actually like something that <i>you</i> don't like?


It was popular because a <i>lot</i> of people liked it. If you didn't like it, no big deal - move on.

[Jackskeleton]

You mean people actually have different taste in films? What doesn't work for one person shouldn't also work for anyone else? I was not made aware of this. :confused:

[raven56706]

it was ok but not great

[spartanstew]

I generally enjoy musicals, but didn't particularly like this film. It's been awhile since I watched it, so I can't remember specifically what I didn't like about it although I remember not liking Renee Zelweger very much in it. I just didn't think she did as good of an acting job as everyone had said. I'm also not a fan of Geere or Jones, so that might have had something to do with it.



Stew

[Fok]

I watched it on Starz just to see what the fuss was all about.


I was bored to tears.


How could this movie win best picture and why was it popular?

I totally agree dude, when they started singing, it was terrible. I found Moulin Rouge to be a lot better actually.

[Tarnower]

My neighbors are an elderly couple in their 70s. When "Chicago" came out on DVD/Video, it was the first and only movie they ever purchased for home viewing. That's how much they loved it. Of course, they bought it on VHS.

I've found that many admirers of classic, old school Hollywood musicals were very taken with the film. I personally loved it, and saw it three times in the theatre. The musical numbers were very exciting and imaginatively integrated into the plot. I have to agree with some posters that this cast was not my favorite, but the finished film was a classic Hollywood musical that was extremely well-mounted for modern audiences. Plus, it's source material was created by Bob Fosse, who is a God.

[RichC2]

I totally agree dude, when they started singing, it was terrible. I found Moulin Rouge to be a lot better actually.

I like Chicago a good deal. MR on the otherhand... nails on chalkboard.

[Tarnower]

I like Chicago a good deal. MR on the otherhand... nails on chalkboard.
Yeah, I completely agree! "Moulin Rouge," to me, was like the cinematic equivalent of a splatter painting. Ugh! The rapturous praise for this film is just completely puzzling to me. A mess from start to finish.

[Drusilla]

I loved Chicago and thought Renée Zellweger rocked!! it would have been better if Richard Gere could sing, but it was a great talented cast IMO.

[Hokeyboy]

Loved Chicago. Loved every second of it. You don't like it? No problem. You're not supposed to like everything. I can't stand the actress who played Pinky Tuscadero. Gives me the heebie jeebies. See? Easy. Pie?

[fumanstan]

Wasn't impressed with Chicago at all. And i generally do enjoy musicals. I also loved Moulin Rouge.

[89981]

I totally agree dude, when they started singing, it was terrible. I found Moulin Rouge to be a lot better actually.


:thumbsup:

[taa455]

I didn't enjoy "Chicago" either. My reasons are: I could not find one endearing trait in any of the main characters, the music was mediocre and did not serve to advance the story, Zellweger and Gere were both highly annoying, and finally the whole movie left me feeling empty and depressed. But mine is just one humble opinion. I can understand people liking it.

[jaeufraser]

I didn't care for this movie either, simply because I hated Renee's character. But, in terms or production value and musical numbers, it is quite good. I just couldn't stand her character. Not really a fault of the movie, as she was performed well, I just didn't care for watching a movie about that person. Zeta Jones character I did enjoy watching, same with Gere. But something about Renee rubbed me the wrong way.

But...it's also a very well made film, and a well staged and performed musical, so it does not surprise me it met with such success.

[Brent L]

I don't think it's the best movie ever, or even one of the best films ever, but I will say this:

It is one of the most straight up entertaining films from start to finish that I've ever seen in my life. From the overall story to the acting to the style of the film, it entertained the hell out of me, and does so every single time I watch it.

[jarofclay73]

On it's own it's a pretty good movie, but I can think of a number of movie musicals I like better.

Why'd it win the Oscar? Because it stars Hollywood insiders which are friends of the Academy. Don't you notice Richard Gere, Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones always get nominated for something?

As I said before, it's a good movie but I don't own the DVD for it. Don't have much desire to watch it again.

[FinkPish]

Why'd it win the Oscar? Because it stars Hollywood insiders which are friends of the Academy. Don't you notice Richard Gere, Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones always get nominated for something?
:rolleyes: -ohbfrank- :whofart: -screwy-

[Count Dooku]

I won't get into a debate about the quality of the film, but a large part of the reason it was so well regarded by the film industry is that the struggle to turn the stage production into a movie was so well known.

The play had been around for 25-30 years, it had been revived many times and was always a hit... and it was considered unfilmable.

btw: to those less than enchanted with Gere. They first offered the role to Kevin Kline and he turned it down.

[Tarnower]

Why'd it win the Oscar? Because it stars Hollywood insiders which are friends of the Academy. Don't you notice Richard Gere, Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones always get nominated for something?

This is simply not true. If that were the case, then why wasn't "Ocean's 11" nominated? That starred more insiders than anything in memory. Also, Richard Gere has never been nominated for an Oscar (and justifiably so, IMO). Catherine Zeta-Jones' only nomination (and win) came from "Chicago," nothing before or since. And Zellweger has received notice from the Academy because she has turned in some terrific performances over the years. She should have been nominated for "Jerry Maguire."

[corycouger]

I did not like the story, the music, and I did not connect with any of the characters.



John C Reilly singing was the icing on the cake when it came to bad singers.

[cactusoly]

I don't like movie musicals in general, I don't think the material translates well. The type of content works a lot better live on stage.

[tdilia]

I did not like Chicago, very overrated. I don't like Gere I always thought he was a below average actor,(except in Internal Affairs) and Rene just gets on my nerves. I fell asleep doing Chicago, how it won Best Pisture I'll never know.

[IanH]

I loved both Moulin Rouge and Chicago. I saw both movies on opening night so these were people who really wanted to see these movies and knew pretty much what they were in for.

For Moulin Rouge: After Romeo + Juliet people expected Baz Luhrmann's kinetic energy, his ability to blend genres, change emotions on a dime, and his use of dazzling colors and sound. For Chicago: Most people in the audience were already fans of Kander/Ebb and Bob Fosse and very familiar with the stage show. After the lights went up on both opening nights almost everyone stood up applauded vocally and stayed through the credits. These films obviously satiated a need for a lot of people.

And the Oscars. Its fun to watch and root for your favorites that night but ultimately forgettable. Movies that last will last.

"Overrated" is a word people use when they aren't in on the fun.

[Terrell]

No offense, but practically everytime a film gets a lot of praise or wins an Oscar, inevitably someone will ask, what's the big deal. I have nothing all that important to say. I just fing that a bit funny.

As for the film, I liked it.

[tdilia]

I loved both Moulin Rouge and Chicago. I saw both movies on opening night so these were people who really wanted to see these movies and knew pretty much what they were in for.

For Moulin Rouge: After Romeo + Juliet people expected Baz Luhrmann's kinetic energy, his ability to blend genres, change emotions on a dime, and his use of dazzling colors and sound. For Chicago: Most people in the audience were already fans of Kander/Ebb and Bob Fosse and very familiar with the stage show. After the lights went up on both opening nights almost everyone stood up applauded vocally and stayed through the credits. These films obviously satiated a need for a lot of people.

And the Oscars. Its fun to watch and root for your favorites that night but ultimately forgettable. Movies that last will last.

"Overrated" is a word people use when they aren't in on the fun.

To me Chicago was overrated, (I think Moulin Rouge was better).
But to say "they aren't in on the fun" In on what fun?? In my opinion the movie was not that great. Just because you saw something fun about it doesn't mean everybody else has to.

[IanH]

To me Chicago was overrated, (I think Moulin Rouge was better).
But to say "they aren't in on the fun" In on what fun?? In my opinion the movie was not that great. Just because you saw something fun about it doesn't mean everybody else has to.

That wasn't what I was saying. You just said MR was "better" (I think so too). But it only means I liked MR "better" not that I can say its "better" objectively. People are predisposed to like certain things more. Another way of saying people's tastes are different. That's why I think the word "overrated" is almost meaningless. Overrated for whom? And in what way? Most people say (for example) the movie Casablanca or The Wizard of Oz are great all time classics. But one person can say they're "overrated". Its an overly emotional word and often used without authority.

[digitalfreaknyc]

Wasn't there a huge thread about this when the movie came out?

I'll repeat my comments again. Hated Moulin Rouge. Couldn't pay me enough to watch it again. Chicago was brilliant. Can't remember how many times I saw it when it opened. I believe I saw it 3 times in the first 2 days it was open.

[Giles]

I must say I am a sucker for movie musicals cause I liked both Moulin Rouge and Chicago - however, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera was lame and really disappointing.


btw: to those less than enchanted with Gere. They first offered the role to Kevin Kline and he turned it down.

I also couldn't stand De-Lovely. The moment the film broke out into a song and dance number that seemed to come out of nowhere, I was like "what the f**k"??

[Libby]

I thought I would hate it but instantly fell in love with it. I learned to love Moulin Rouge soon after.