Chicago

"Chicago" won an Oscar for "Best Picture" in 2002, as well as many other awards. It received many positive reviews and accolades, and yet because of the premise and the fact that it was a musical, I couldn't help but be cynical about the chances I would like it. Music is one thing, but a musical is another.

Regardless, "Moulin Rouge" was a musical, and I thought it was ok, and if I was more secure in my masculinity, I might even say I liked it. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman were great, some of the score actually stuck with me, and it had a story and movie charisma that rivaled its sentimental and corny romance.

Don't get me wrong. For those who just love to watch movies that are technically executed with strong performances and directing, or would like to see a story of a woman who literally gets away with murder and makes it look cute, seductively singing and dancing the story out to vaudeville type songs that play out like a most incredibly boring nightmare, I highly recommend this movie.

Richard Gere, who stars as the suave, slick lawyer who never lost a case, was fantastic in "Primal Fear" and "Pretty Woman." He also gives a strong performance in "Chicago." Somehow seeing him go from a smooth cool defense lawyer in "Primal Fear", to singing and dancing around like a pixie seemed to cap off this musical nightmare that wouldn't end.

I am learning to pick movies that I will like before I actually watch them, and as I was putting this DVD into the player, I knew I had made a mistake in adding this to the queue of my Blockbuster on-line account. If the city of Chicago was anything like this movie musical, I would never want to go there again.