I just realized that I was intent on having this list totally done by the beginning of this week. Hmmm. Looks like I've fallen out of sync with my plans. Well, for those of you who've been waiting, here's the next entry on my countdown...
#7 "Chicago" (2002) by Rob Marshall: The second part of the one-two-punch musical revival at the start of the new century, "Chicago" introduced us to a very special type of musical. Whereas "Moulin Rouge!" was a successful ORIGINAL musical (sort of...), "Chicago" had concrete source material. And not just any source material, but material that was often deemed "unfilmable". And this is where I get to segue into my rant about the brilliance of Rob Marshall. Ah, how I've waited for this moment. There's plenty to praise, but if there's one refreshing trait that Mr. Marshall brought to the stage-to-screen musical film, it's his understanding of what makes a coherent, consistent musical. Instead of simply shooting the musical sequences exactly as they would have appeared in the context of the story, Mr. Marshall wisely came up with the idea to tell "Chicago"'s story via a smart framing device: the show in Roxie's (Renee Zellweger) mind; every song in some way involves Roxie, whether she's getting involved, or simply listening. It also allows for Marshall to stage many of his numbers on more sparesly decorated, "stagey" minimalist sets without looking awkward or cheap. This was why the song "Class" (which was actually filmed), sung by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah, appears nowhere in the film. "But wait a minute," you say, "Mr. Cellophane doesn't involve Roxie at all!" That's right, it doesn't. So why does Mr. Marshall still include this, and not "Class"? Because he understands the material so damn well. Jones and Latifah's characters appear in at least one other number in the film, whereas John C. Reilly's character Amos gets nothing other than "Mr. Cellophane" (also, "Mr. Cellophane" is ten times better than "Class"). The song is also more compelling than "Class", and in a film filled with cynicism and satire, gives us a surprisingly powerful moment and makes us feel for a character who is just a dope. But that's not to discredit the power of the other songs. While songs such as "Cell Block Tango" may be as satirical as you can get, there's an undeniable impact from watching such a song so expertly staged and ferociously well performed (especially Zeta-Jones, who puts in 120% even when everyone else is already putting in 100%). Then there's the brilliance of the song "Roxie", which may actually deserve an award for minimalist opulence. Using nothing but a dark sound stage, cleverly arranged mirors, and Zellweger in a shimmery silver dress, the scene is a true artistic triumph on all fronts. And let's not forget the cast by any means. First of all, there's Zellweger, who no one would have ever picked for a singer, and yet under Marshall's guidance she blossoms and gives the best performance in her whole career. Richard Gere is another surprise and the slick lawyer and his chemistry with Zellweger is off the charts (the "They Both Reached for the Gun" number is genius). Latifah is yet another surprise. Not because of her singing, but because of the presence and attitude she brings to the role; it's a joy to watch her. John C. Reilly, like Latifah, is another cast member who takes only having one song and making it count: His rendition of "Mr. Cellophane" is gorgeous and charged with passion. But nothing comes close to Zeta-Jones, who won a well deserved Supporting Actress Oscar for the role of Velma Kelly, the singer turned murderess who becomes Roxie's competition for fame. She sings with so much energy that I'd question if you have a pulse if you didn't get chills during "Cell Block Tango", and she moves across the sets with immense verve and power, her legs pounding up and down like pistons on a six cylinder engine. Add in the fact that she was pregnant while filming, and the accomplishment becomes even more impressive. So that's "Chicago", the movie that completed what "Moulin Rouge!" started a year earlier. It works surprisingly well as a companion piece to Luhrmann's work, as it takes a minimalist route while "Rouge" goes all-out, and together the two created a dazzling revival of a genre many had assumed was dead and buried. At this February's Oscar ceremony, host Hugh Jackman at one point declared that the musical was back due to the success of "Mamma Mia!". While I think Mr. Jackman did a great job as host, I did take issue with the comment, because, really, the musical has been back since 2001/2002, and we shouldn't forget it. Besides, if we're going to credit just ONE film with bringing back the musical, do we really want it to be "Mamma Mia!"? I don't think so...Final Grade: A
Best Performance: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Best Scene: Honestly, almost every one is a masterpiece of staging and singing, so I'll cheat and pick THREE. Enjoy.
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