Reviews

"Nine" is a beautiful film, a dazzling spectacle, a feast for the eyes. However, while the eyes may be satisfied, the mind will not. "Nine" is a prime example of a film in which nothing really happens, in which a series of impressively choreographed, show-stopping musical numbers are present merely to distract from the lack of plot.

Daniel Day-Lewis plays ne'er-do-well director Guido Contini, the creator of several well-loved films…and a few more recent flops, as random characters repeatedly remind us. (Though this is a criticism of the original "8½," and not this film, I wish that the lead's name weren't so…generic.) Guido tells the press that he will make a comeback with his magnum opus "Italia." Production begins in a week, and, as only Guido's closest confidants know, the script hasn't been written. Guido, it would seem, has a monster case of writer's block. Thus, he does what any of us would do: he retreats to an insular resort at which he distances himself from his wife and has yet another liaison with his mistress. And that's pretty much it. As anyone who merely looks at the list of songs in the soundtrack will realize, the movie never gets made, and Guido's life collapses.

The ever-versatile Day-Lewis plays the role of Guido surprisingly well. His singing, while not fantastic, is better than I expected. His accent is flawless, as is his acting. It's a shame, though, that the character is relatively stagnant; otherwise, he could have brought so much more.

Marion Cotillard, as Guido's wife, Luisa, is the real star of this film; if she is not nominated for an Oscar for her performance, I will scream. Luisa was once Guido's muse, and now as his dejected spouse, she has fallen from grace and has little left in her life, as her career has ended. In her two numbers, "My Husband Makes Movies" and "Take It All" (the latter an original song written specifically for the film), Cotillard brilliantly conveys the heartbreak and raw desperation of her character. She is at once a dream and agonizing to watch. Cotillard, apparently, originally auditioned for the role of Lili, but was cast as Luisa instead. Quite frankly, thank goodness.

Penélope Cruz plays the hyper-sexual Carla Albanese, Guido's, shall we say, mistress. (Cruz really has a knack for landing the seductress roles. I mean, first "The Good Night," then "Elegy," then "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." It's not a bad thing — she's a fantastic actress — but it is an unnerving pattern.) Cruz fails to disappoint; her character, after Cotillard's, was the most entrancing in the film. Her emotional pain was clear, and I found myself pitying her frequently. Pobrecita.

The always wonderful Judi Dench plays Lili, Guido's costume designer and unconditional best friend. What can I say about Judi Dench? She's always, quite simply, fantastic, and brings her typical understated sass to what would otherwise have been a tedious role.

Pop/hip-hop artist Fergie randomly appears in a flashback to Guido's youth as a…um…a seaside prostitute. Though that is pretty much her only scene, her very, very arenaceous song, "Be Italian," was the best song of the film. Passionate, erotic, rubescent…the song is a show-stopper. Fergie reportedly gained twenty pounds to look more like her character, but I thought she actually looked really good with some more meat on her bones.

Kate Hudson appears in a mostly bit role as Stephanie Necrophorus, an American journalist for Vogue magazine. Though I usually disdain to even acknowledge her lowbrow films, she proves here that while she may not be the most talented actress on the planet, she can sing and dance really well. Channelling her mother with her heavy makeup, she serves as a five-minute distraction for Guido, and…that's it. Her song, "Cinema Italiano" (which was another original addition to the film), is the catchiest and the most fun, and I found myself humming it as I left the theater. (That could have been the fact that it was reprised during the credits, though.)

Nicole Kidman, I will not hesitate to say, is one of my favorite actresses of all time. The role of Claudia Jenssen is an utter waste of her talent. Catherine Zeta-Jones was reportedly originally cast in the role, but when she wanted the part enlarged, and her wish was denied, she quit. Now I see why; while Claudia is referenced throughout the film, she seems to be more of an unseen character until her arrival more than an hour in. Even then, she only appears in a handful of scenes, sings a forgettable song, and disappears. It exasperates me to think that Kidman, an enrapturing actress, only has ten minutes of screen time. But for what it's worth, Kidman steals all the scenes she appears in.

A very heavily done up Sophia Loren plays Mamma Contini, Guido's deceased mother. Loren's character barely appears in the film, unfortunately. Her single song, "Guarda la Luna" (yet another original song), fails to entertain very much, despite its simplistic beauty. Loren's presence, however, is not to be ignored.

The reason I spent so much of this review discussing the actors is that they are the ones who made this film watchable. The plot is as thin as wax paper, and while the performances and dazzling musical numbers (all of which are presented on the same stage, which I thought was a nice, artistic touch) do a fantastic job of distracting audiences, they do not make up for the dearth of diegesis. Aristotle wrote in "Poetics" that the six components of a correct tragedy were plot, character, thought, speech, song, and spectacle. While "Nine" is not, in fact, a tragedy (and the part of "Poetics" that discussed comedy has been lost), the point is still apropos; "Nine" is heavy in spectacle and song and character, it is low in plot.

Back with a vengeance (eek!) is "High School Musical," now with a clearly bigger budget, a wider release, increasingly attractive stars, ostentatiously wholesome musical numbers (which is somehow not dichotomous), and several unexpectedly touching moments. Watching this movie with my pubescent sister, I could feel the hormonal rush whenever Zac Efron appeared on screen. This hopefully final installment (final for the cast members, at least) is definitely the best of the series; while it fails to recapture the encouraging, breaking-out-of-the-box-and-just-being-oneself story line and random humor that made the first so successful, it instead possesses a more nostalgic, caring, and anticipatory nature that reminds viewers why they fell in love with the films in the first place. Even as an eighteen-year-old male college student, I found it difficult to dislike this movie. It filled me with typically Disney-induced warmth and sugar.

The estrogen rush-creating Zac Efron, the sweet-voiced Vanessa Hudgens, the commanding and dramatic Ashley Tisdale, the ever-lovable Lucas Grabeel, the energetic and rhythmic Corbin Bleu, and the cordial Monique Coleman all return as jock-turned- actor Troy Bolton, brainiac Gabriella Montez, limelight stealers Sharpay and Ryan Evans, basketball player Chad Danforth, and yearbook-editing confidante Taylor McKessie, respectively, as do their co-stars Bart Johnson (Jack Bolton), Alyson Reed (Ms. Darbus), Oleysia Rulin (Kelsi Nielsen), Chris Warren Jr. (Zeke Baylor), Ryne Sanborn (Jason Cross), and KayCee Stroh (Martha Cox). Efron and Hudgens, the hearts and souls of the series, are so comfortable and romantic in their mutual scenes that I found myself gratified once again to see them as the leads. Tisdale dominates most of the film, yet again, with her flashiness and laughably high self-esteem, but it was often the bright-eyed Grabeel's reactions to his sometime sister that I found the most amusing. Bleu is predictably convivial as Efron's longtime friend; this movie explores the growing distance between the duo's aspirations. Unfortunately Coleman, like in the series' second installment, has a reduced role. I had hoped that I would get to see more of her in this film, but that was not the case. The major characters aside, I feel that the real star of this movie is Ms. Darbus, Reed's character. The melodramatic Darbus, complete with a strangely aristocratic accent, has been a staple of the series since the first movie, but a brief exchange between her and Efron in an empty theater shows the sheer depth of her character and how much she truly cares for her students.

The plot, which is somewhat predictable, follows the trials and tribulations of this class of seniors (the actors do look roughly eighteen years old; emphasis on "roughly") as they decide for themselves which colleges they will attend. Chad plans to go to the University of Albuquerque and Taylor to Yale. Somehow, the distance in their relationship is never discussed. Kelsi, Ryan, Sharpay, and a reluctant Troy all vie for a scholarship to Juilliard. Gabriella considers attending Stanford and Troy contemplates joining Chad at U of A; the distance between the schools would likely end their relationship. (Oh no!) In the end, however, Troy makes a satisfying decision, and the Juilliard scholarship goes to the student who I felt really deserved it. The eponymous musical, by the way, is a theatrical version of the characters' senior year. How appropriate.

And then there are the musical numbers. Although many come off as placeholders for songs in prequels, the greater emotional magnitude of the characters (and the larger budget) makes the songs far more enjoyable than I would have previously thought. Among those numbers is "Now or Never," which is similar to "Get'cha Head in the Game" and "Work This Out," is a rally of devotion, energy, and testosterone. "I Want It All," which is flashy and expensive in a way I would not have thought possible for a Disney movie, provides a look into the curious machinations of Sharpay and Ryan's minds. "A Night to Remember" is a beautiful, wonderfully choreographed dance sequence about prom. If only my senior prom could have been like that. "Scream," equivalent to "Bet on It," is yet another rather creative and choreographically well-done look into the tension and conflicting voices inside Troy's head. This song, I'm guessing, was also added to attract and appease female viewership. The final number, "High School Musical," is an immensely satisfying conclusion to the series. The only lingering question in my mind was, "Why did they wait until the third movie to feature a song called 'High School Musical' and actually perform the musical itself?"

Marnie Piper is given a scholarship to Witch University, a very prestigious college in Halloweentown. Accompanied by her brother, Dylan Piper, Marnie quickly adjusts to life at Witch University. She makes three friends, Aneesa (a genie), Ethan Dalloway, and a troll whose name is almost not pronounceable, and three enemies, Sage, Saphire, and Scarlett Sinister. As the film progresses, Marnie becomes aware of a conspiracy led by a secret organization called "The Dominion." The Dominion plans to harness the Cromwell magic locked away in a stone container by Splendora Cromwell, one of the earliest Cromwells, and take over Halloweentown. What follows is betrayal, romance, time travel, and Disney Channel suspense.

Like many, I was a little disappointed that Kimberley J. Brown did not reprise her role, but Sara Paxton did a very good job in her stead. Paxton's Marnie is different from Brown's Marnie; this Marnie is a bit more invigorated and definitely personifies teenage angst.

While Judith Hoag and Joey Zimmerman return as Gwen and Dylan Piper, Emily Roeske (Sophie Piper) does not have a role in the movie, and Debbie Reynolds (Aggie Cromwell) only has two cameos. While in my opinion, the loss of Roeske is not very tragic (she was barely in the third movie), I was surprised that Reynolds did not have a larger role.

The Sinister sisters (Kelly Cockrell, Katie Cockrell, and Kristy Wu) seem rather one dimensional. Scarlett (Wu) is the only sister who does not seem next to lifeless. I was also surprised that Sage and Saphire (Cockrell and Cockrell) did not have larger roles; their apparent purpose in the movie is to accompany Scarlett, who, of course, walks in the middle as if leading the pack.

I would write about the teachers and other faculty members that Marnie and Dylan meet at Witch University, but this website does not mention the names of at least two of them. What I can write is that Dr. Grogg is falsely benevolent, Dr. Goodwin (Leslie Pomeroy) has an aura of menace, Silas Sinister (the Sinister sisters' father) is repetitive and rather flat, yet imposing, and Professor Periwinkle, who was a friend of Marnie's grandmother, is very likable.

Ethan's (Lucas Grabeel, reprising his role from "Halloweentown High") character seems to have completely changed. He went from static and pompous to unusually flirtatious and caring. That was not a bad change; it was just unexpected. Aneesa (Summer Bishil) is a newcomer, but fills out her role very well.

But enough about the characters. The story was very good. There were a few pop culture references (some of which seemed a little anachronistic) such as "ring tone," "G-Unit," "shimmy," and "Spiderman," but their usage was funny. And every so often there was a shot of Judith Hoag yelling odd things at a birdbath or a toilet. The whole time travel storyline was very interesting; it was marred ever so slightly by the fact that Splendora Cromwell was not as ancient an ancestor as she would be expected to be. Overall, though, the movie was very enjoyable, and I feel that it was the best Halloweentown installment to date.

The movie is not the mirror image of the play. That is both a good thing and a bad thing. Some songs were cut (half of "Goodbye, Love" and "Halloween"), others were moved to new places ("Seasons of Love" was moved to the beginning of the movie), and new scenes were added. This was not tragic; there were simply some things that a movie could not pull off.

Mark Cohen, a filmmaker, and Roger Davis, a guitarist, live without heat in an apartment in the "Alphabet City" region of Manhattan. Mark is dedicated to making a documentary about people with AIDS and homeless people, and Roger is obsessed with writing a great song before he dies; Roger is infected with HIV. Mark and Roger's neighbor is Mimi Marquez, a dancer at an S&M club, the Cat Scratch Club, and a drug addict. She attempts to start a relationship with Roger, who continually refuses her, at least until he learns they share something in common: they are both HIV-positive. Mark and Roger's former roommate is Tom Collins ("Collins"), an ex-professor at MIT who is also HIV-positive. While back in Manhattan, he is mugged. Angel Dummott Schunard, an HIV-infected male transvestite, comes to his rescue. The two soon start a relationship. Another ex-roommate of Mark and Roger's, Benjamin Coffin III, married into a rich family and is threatening to evict Mark, Roger, and all the homeless and other tenants from their neighborhood. In response, Mark's girlfriend, Maureen Johnson, stages a protest. However, some time before the protest (and the beginning of the movie), Maureen dumps Mark and begins dating a lawyer, Joanne Jefferson.

The plot is not specific; the story is more reliant on themes. Time is one theme. Mimi, Roger, Collins, and Angel all have their clocks ticking. Love is another. The characters have their relationships, while Mark, having been dumped, is alone. A final theme is celebration; seven of the characters have horrible things going on in their lives, but they are able to celebrate the good things along with the bad.

And then, there's the music. The songs are spectacular. Even the bad ones are good. And, they have meaning. "Seasons of Love" and "I'll Cover You" are about love. "Rent" represents hidden ferocity. "One Song Glory," "Life Support," "Will I?," and "Without You" are depressing and anguished. "Light My Candle" and "I Should Tell You" are delightfully flirtatious. "La Vie Boheme" is all about celebration, and "Tango: Maureen" is humorous. And, "Your Eyes/Finale" is the glue that ties all the songs together.

Having seen the movie an immeasurable amount of times, there's one thing I'd advise you to notice in the second half of "La Vie Boheme:" Mark's dancing. That's a joke unto itself.

"Donnie Darko" is well-written, with a medley of humor, tragedy, and clues that keep the viewer guessing. The plot was engaging, but the ending was a little disappointing. However, I feel this ending was the only credible way the movie could have ended without drastically lowering ratings.

The Darko clan is interesting and reminiscent of the Addams family. Donnie, our protagonist, displays wisdom at odd times, rebelliousness whenever necessary, his psychotic side at pivotal moments, and teenage angst everywhere else. The Darko parents have a very strange sense of humor, and are very fun to watch. Donnie's sisters seem to be normal post/pre-adolescents, but still entertain the audience. The characters, even the minor ones, are also believable. Donnie's friend, Gretchen, is supportive and loving. Donnie's English teacher, Ms. Pomeroy, is informative and very cryptic. His phys. ed. teacher, Mrs. Farmer, is the epitome of awful teachers around the world. Donnie's science teacher, Dr. Monitoff, is resourceful, but a little too inhibited. His therapist, Dr. Thurman, is hard to describe; she is a gentle person, but she contributes eerie comments during her hypnotherapy sessions. There is also Jim Cunningham, a motivational speaker whom Donnie deems "the Antichrist." Lastly, there's Donnie's imaginary friend, Frank, the "six-foot-tall bunny rabbit." He is arguably the most mysterious character. Frank appears at frightening moments and delivers strange advice. He also takes control of Donnie while he sleeps and forces Donnie to do rather interesting actions.

Because the movie does not solve some issues on its own, I recommend that viewers watch the movie (especially the Director's Cut) at least twice in order to understand everything. A major plot point is a book entitled "The Philosophy of Time Travel." Throughout the movie, certain passages from the book are displayed on screen, and it is the viewer's job to piece these passages together and solve all the mysteries. It's a perfect rainy day activity.