"Chicago" & "Chicken Little"

Finally! A musical! "Chicago" is my all time favourite musical stage production. When I was 14yrs old I joined Dad backstage at the Wellington Hospital Repitory Theatre production of "Chicago" and so started my love of musicals, theatre and "Chicago". I've seen it performed in Wellington many times and on the West End when I was in London two years ago. When I heard that they were doing a movie version of the show I was a little dubious. How were they possibly going to transform this very theatrical show into a movie?

"Chicago" is set in 1920 Chicago (strangely enough). Jazz singer Velma Kelly has been put in prison for killing her sister and husband, and Roxie Hart is a wannabe jazz singer that's just killed her lover. In prison Roxie is envious of Velma's fame and goes out of her way to get in good with the warden. The warden gets her the best lawyer in town Billy Flynn. Roxie and Velma vie for Billy and the media's attention in a hopes of getting out of prison and keeping their fame. Roxie is such a wannabe jazz singer that she views conversations and episodes of her life as songs and performances.

In this 2002 production Renee Zellewegger stars as Roxie Hart, Catherine Zeta Jones stars as Velma Kelly and Richard Gere stars as Billy Flynn. All the actors not only act, but sing as well. Many movie makers will pick great actors and dub over them with better singers. In this production the singing is such a big part of  the movie that it would have been tragic had they done this. It would have cheapened the production. But they didn't, they found great actors that are also fantastic singers. Both Renee Zellewegger and Catherine Zeta-Jones do fantastic jobs at portraying guilty killers who are great performers. They are very talented at drawing you in to their world. Richard Gere is great as Billy and who knew he could sing like that?!

Taye Diggs makes a cameo appearance as the MC and piano player. It's a very small part, but he's very very handsome and I love him. Queen Latifah stars as Mama Warden and John C. Reilly stars as Amos Hart. These actors, like the three main leads, both act and sing very well. They give fantastic supporting performances.

I prefer a real stage production usually - it's more powerful and enticing. But each production is different. Different set, actors, direction etc etc. At least with the movie I have it available to watch any time and I know what the production is like. 

I suggest you watch it unless you dislike musicals. JP hates musical and was caught texting and fiddling throughout the whole movie. After awhile I just blocked him out so that I could sit and enjoy it. I love it so I'm glad we got to watch it, but I can understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Next was "Chicken Little". A Walt Disney made picture based on the fable "The Sky is Falling". Chicken Little is a very small chicken who sent his town into panic when he claimed that a piece of the sky fell and hit him in the head. Ridiculed by everyone including his father he is scared to tell them when it happens again a year later. That is until him and his best friends find themselves face to face with an alien spacecraft. When they try to tell the town it takes off and leaves behind one of it's babies. Now it's up to Chicken Little to save the baby, and save the town from impending alien attack. Chicken Little has some great little friends including Fish, Abby Mallard (Ugly Duckling) and Runt of the Litter.

This was another animation of mine. This was a Walt Disney movie but not in collaboration with Pixar. But you probably don't need me to rant on about the wonders of Pixar again. The quality of the movie is good, but not fantastic.

Characters are voiced by Garry Marshall, Steve Zahn, Patrick Stewart, Joan Cusack and Zack Braff as Chicken Little. Patrick Warbuton lends his voice to yet another animated character. He certainly has a distinctive voice.

I'm struggling to find things to say about this movie. I think that's because it's a short, sweet movie that's great for kids but doesn't really hold anything for adults. You watch it and then forget it again pretty quickly. I wouldn't have any worries with showing this to kids, but I don't really have any deep desire to watch it again.

If you're looking for something light to watch - perhaps you're sick at home and need a no-brainer movie to watch - this is the one for you. Have fun!

There are more reviews to come - Chicken Run, Children of Men, City of Ember, The City of Lost Children and Click. We are definetly on a movie watching run, I just have to keep up with the reviews!