Nine - Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film

Country: italy, united_states

Year: 2009

Running time: 118

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0875034/

Jason says: “Daniel Day-Lewis being in a movie is genuinely a good sign – since THE BOXER in 1997 he’s done a mere four, only signing on when there seems to be something worth doing. And he’s got a fantastic cast of women working opposite him – Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, NIcole Kidman, Sophia Loren. Unfortunately, this comes from the guy who directed CHICAGO. And it’s even worse.

“Now, I don’t particularly like musicals, but Rob Marshall’s method of putting them on is incredibly irritating: He can’t just have characters burst into song; there’s got to be a ‘safe area’ where we can understand that it’s part of the character’s imagination. So, every time the story is going to get into emotional territory – because that’s what songs are for in musicals, heightened emotion – we have to go somewhere else. Apparently, he figures that modern audiences just won’t accept or comprehend that, within the story, people aren’t really singing and dancing, and it’s just a form of communication with the audience. Basically, he seems to think his audience is composed of idiots.

“But even without that, NINE feels terribly cut down, reliant on the audience’s familiarity with the original play, Fellini, and/or his film 8½, and lacking a story. Despite the effort made by some of his performers, there’s just no real movie here. The only things that manage to be really enjoyable are Judi Dench (who is lucky to have a supporting character that just needs personality, rather than motivation and story; otherwise she’d probably be as lost and wasted as everybody else), a couple early scenes with Lewis, before we really get to know and disdain his character, and maybe a late-film appearance by Nicole Kidman. Well, and Penelope Cruz spending a lot of time in lacy underthings; that kind of goes without saying.

“But, man, am I glad to see that Marshall’s next project is the fourth PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movie. Even if I weren’t tired of that franchise, that’s going to make it that much easier to ignore. 1 cat

“Seen 17 January 2010 at AMC Boston Common #3 (first-run)”

Thom says: “Sadly losing his must-see status with this film is super talented Daniel Day-Lewis. I have so many major complaints with this travesty it’s hard to know where to start. Firstly, I can’t think of one good reason why the magnificent film 8 œ should ever have been made into a musical. The film was dramatic, phantasmagoric, and rife with magical scenes and memories. It fairly floods the imagination all on its own so to try to add unnecessary music is to make the story implode in a seriously deluded way. Marcello Mastroianni as Guido in the Fellini film was perfection itself, jaded, anguished, desperately hanging-on to his previous accomplishments, and totally sexually obsessed, while retaining his appeal. While Day-Lewis is an unforgettable actor here he simply isn’t Guido. He has almost no physical appeal at all and is a curmudgeon in this role. The musical numbers were largely unexciting except for the delightful ‘Cinema Italiano’ done by, of all people, Kate Hudson. Judi Dench is memorable as a wardrobe mistress & who knew she could sing and dance? Cruz is as gorgeous as ever but she’s in a thankless, whining role that gets old fast. And has any other A-list star been in so many wretched films as Nicole Kidman? Fire your agent dear! After NINE, AUSTRALIA, THE STEPFORD WIVES, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, BEWITCHED, THE INTERPRETER, BIRTHDAY GIRL, THE OTHERS, MOULIN ROUGE!, EYES WIDE SHUT, THE PEACEMAKER, DAYS OF THUNDER, FAR & AWAY, BILLY BATHGATE, & BIRTH why is she still getting high-level roles? Anyway, I’m certain you all know the story of a seriously frustrated film director that can’t come up with any new ideas for his latest venture. Certainly the overrated Marshall couldn’t come up with anything fresh for this awful film. 1.5 cats”

Nine

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