2002 was a good year for Oscars. Particularly in the Best Actor category. We had:

Daniel Day-Lewis - Gangs of New York
Adrien Brody - The Pianist
Nicholas Cage - Adaptation
Michael Caine - The Quiet American
Jack Nicholsan - About Schmidt

All fine performances by very fine actors. In my opinion. Day-Lewis should have walked away with the win, however, Brody gave an excellent performance. I understand it was a hard choice. Hopefully Day-Lewis will get his oscar one day. I hear he's working on a new film? Gosh, if he and Terrance Malick ever did something together...if that happens, I might just die from pleasure.

But the best picture nominees were equally interesting:

Chicago
Gangs of New York
The Hours
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Pianist

Of course, Chicago goes home with the win. So, I give you an analysis of 2002's Oscar winner for Best Motion Picture

Now, keep in mind, I have not seen the stage version. I view this as an advantage, for I view the film as that: a film.

First of all, the film has excellent performances. I particularly enjoyed John C. Reilly's performance as Amos, and his show-stopper, (in my opinion), song "My Cellophane". Catherine Zeta Jones was great, Richard Gere was very good. Not his BEST performance, but my goodness, particularly great. Renee Zellweger, I thought, was a little mis-cast. Not to say she was necessarily bad, but I can't help thinking another actress would have felt more comfortable in the role. She can sing though, which helps in a musical.

Queen Latifah was quite amusing.

Now, things I liked:

1. Rob Marshall's idea of putting the musical numbers on a stage was, in my opinion, great. It keeps with the tradition of the stage show, makes the film particularly interesting, at least visually, and most of all, grabs the viewer's attention. They don't seem out of place at all. In fact, they would feel out of place if they WEREN'T there. Wow, I yelled.

2. Art direction was great. Sets were visually great. "They Both Reached For the Gun" springs to mind. The razzle dazzle was all there! Ha, pun. *drum roll*

I particularly liked the opening of the film. "Five six seven eight" - puts you right into the middle of what this film is about. JAZZ. Well, you know, there are murders and stuff too, but you know what I mean. Marshall puts you RIGHT into the thick of what's going on with that smoky atmosphere. The almost dingy quality of those old jazz clubs, and yet, he makes it so visually captivating...so alluring...that you can't help but watch Zeta-Jones prance her way around the stage.

And other things were good too.

Bad stuff:

The script sometimes sucked. The latter half of the second act drags, and feels slow and weary compared to the upbeat tempo to the rest of the film. Of course, editing is to blame for this as well.

I used to think Renee Zellweger was really hot...she's still gorgeous, but my goodness, her eyes need to open...that's not part of the review.

And one other major problem: cinematography was too static at times. I consider this may be used to remind the viewer of the film's stage genesis, but I didn't feel, at times, that I was within the world Marshall was creating. This isn't a constant problem, but there were times when it was needed and wasn't there.

I can't be bothered writing anymore.

Favourite scene: "They Both Reached For the Gun". My gosh, Gere can belt can't he?

I give it 3.5/5. Really good film, but the downsides are too present to ignore. Worth a DVD buy.