Rent

[Listener]

$8.50 / $10

I liked it quite a bit.  But then, I also know more lyrics from musicals than most straight men.  And I like musicals.  Never having seen Rent on-stage, I don't know how accurate it was, but it was directed by Chris Columbus (Gremlins, Harry Potter 1 & 2), so I think it was pretty close to the original story.  The overall feel of the film was much better than last year's big musical picture, The Phantom of the Opera, and the performances were better as well (I always thought that, in Schumacher's Phantom, Gerard Butler left much to be desired as the Opera Ghost).  One thing that helped the movie move was that all the characters were constantly climbing and jumping on things.

For those of you into such things, there's a great ass shot, courtesy of Idina Menzel in "La Vive Boheme", one of the better musical numbers.  Also, Rosario Dawson obviously had to do some shaving to keep her Cat Scratch costume from being indecent.

No weak performances, although I feel Benjamin Coffin (Taye Diggs) was underdeveloped as the former-friend-who-turned-on-the-renters (not a spoiler, as it happens in the first 30 mins of the film).  The funeral of Angel seemed to go on a little too long and suffered from too much camera movement (horizontal arc shots, mostly) as each character gave a remembrance of Angel.  During that particular scene, I actually believed each character.

One thing Rent suffers from as a story is the fact that the main character has a strong mary-sue quality about him.  I get the feeling that Jonathan Larson, who wrote Rent, based Mark very strongly on himself, although I can't know that for certain without extensive googling that I'm just too lazy to do.  His documentary filmmaking on an old, wind-up film camera was not a strong enough device to hold the film together.

Another weak point:  Roger's trip to Santa Fe seemed to fit poorly in the grand scheme of the story.  It felt completely out-of-place, and broke my involvement in the experience.

I definitely enjoyed Tracie Thoms (TV's Wonderfalls) as Joann; she has a very soulful voice and a nice ass, too.   

Good enough film, although it suffers from the same problem I have with all musicals:  the first act is always better than the second.  And watch out for Rent fans who might sing along; I had a few of them behind me.

[ReBurn]

You guys watch a lot of musicals, don't you?

[Beefy]

I can't believe Rosario Dawson gets nekkid in Alexander and I still haven't seen it!

Damn you for depleting my interest in nearly every film you're in, Colin Farrell!

[Listener]

I can't believe Rosario Dawson gets nekkid in Alexander and I still haven't seen it!

Damn you for depleting my interest in nearly every film you're in, Colin Farrell!

Does she really?

Behold the power of GIS:

http://images.celebritymoviearchive.com/members/thumbs/b/bM4282-RosarioDawson@Alexander-DC.jpg (NSFW)

[ReBurn]

And you see his sack, too.  That's enough to keep most people away.  Well, most people other than Alice.

[Alice]

And you see his sack, too.  That's enough to keep most people away.  Well, most people other than Alice.

[Jessie]

He probably has a stinky sack.  I'm glad movies aren't scratch and sniff. Well, not that I'd be scratching his sack, but still.

[ReBurn]

He probably has a stinky sack.  I'm glad movies aren't scratch and sniff. Well, not that I'd be scratching his sack, but still.

Are you saying that there's a better chance of you sniffing it?

[Jessie]

He probably has a stinky sack.  I'm glad movies aren't scratch and sniff. Well, not that I'd be scratching his sack, but still.

Are you saying that there's a better chance of you sniffing it?

Yay~  Time for Timer~

[ReBurn]

He probably has a stinky sack.  I'm glad movies aren't scratch and sniff. Well, not that I'd be scratching his sack, but still.

Are you saying that there's a better chance of you sniffing it?

Yay~  Time for Timer~

For Gamp:



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Gamplayerx]

He probably has a stinky sack.  I'm glad movies aren't scratch and sniff. Well, not that I'd be scratching his sack, but still.

Are you saying that there's a better chance of you sniffing it?

Yay~  Time for Timer~

For Gamp:

Thank you, ReBurn! 

And thanks for returning my legs.  The shop was going to make me forfeit my deposit.

[ReBurn]

He probably has a stinky sack.  I'm glad movies aren't scratch and sniff. Well, not that I'd be scratching his sack, but still.

Are you saying that there's a better chance of you sniffing it?

Yay~  Time for Timer~

For Gamp:

Thank you, ReBurn! 

And thanks for returning my legs.  The shop was going to make me forfeit my deposit.

No problem.

[Alice]

I watched this last night... it was the suckiest suck that ever sucked.  The songs, save one, are awful.  The ending is absurd and way too forced.  I have no clue how this became a big hit.  I have no idea why anyone would buy the soundtrack - the music sounds like it was written by a garage band of High Schoolers in the 90's.  Awful.  I'm so glad I never paid for this.

[Bennyhana]

I watched this last night... it was the suckiest suck that ever sucked.  The songs, save one, are awful.  The ending is absurd and way too forced.  I have no clue how this became a big hit.  I have no idea why anyone would buy the soundtrack - the music sounds like it was written by a garage band of High Schoolers in the 90's.  Awful.  I'm so glad I never paid for this.

Who made you watch it?  Are you dating a gay guy?

[Alice]

I watched this last night... it was the suckiest suck that ever sucked.  The songs, save one, are awful.  The ending is absurd and way too forced.  I have no clue how this became a big hit.  I have no idea why anyone would buy the soundtrack - the music sounds like it was written by a garage band of High Schoolers in the 90's.  Awful.  I'm so glad I never paid for this.

Who made you watch it?  Are you dating a gay guy?

I decided to watch it because I realized I didn't like the musical without ever having seen it.     And no, I'm not dating a gay guy... though we both know I have a tendancy to turn men gay.   

[Beefy]

[Bennyhana]

I watched this last night... it was the suckiest suck that ever sucked.  The songs, save one, are awful.  The ending is absurd and way too forced.  I have no clue how this became a big hit.  I have no idea why anyone would buy the soundtrack - the music sounds like it was written by a garage band of High Schoolers in the 90's.  Awful.  I'm so glad I never paid for this.

Who made you watch it?  Are you dating a gay guy?

I decided to watch it because I realized I didn't like the musical without ever having seen it.     And no, I'm not dating a gay guy... though we both know I have a tendancy to turn men gay.   

I see.  Well, I've never seen it, but I've been subjected to the music enough to know that it sucks.

[Alice]

I watched this last night... it was the suckiest suck that ever sucked.  The songs, save one, are awful.  The ending is absurd and way too forced.  I have no clue how this became a big hit.  I have no idea why anyone would buy the soundtrack - the music sounds like it was written by a garage band of High Schoolers in the 90's.  Awful.  I'm so glad I never paid for this.

Who made you watch it?  Are you dating a gay guy?

I decided to watch it because I realized I didn't like the musical without ever having seen it.     And no, I'm not dating a gay guy... though we both know I have a tendancy to turn men gay.   

I see.  Well, I've never seen it, but I've been subjected to the music enough to know that it sucks.

You lived with Josh - I'm sure you've heard it far too much.  I know that was my first RENT experience... crashing at your apartment, while Josh and his friends listened to that goddammed soundtrack over and over and over.

I still have the entry in my sketchbook about it.

[Bennyhana]

I watched this last night... it was the suckiest suck that ever sucked.  The songs, save one, are awful.  The ending is absurd and way too forced.  I have no clue how this became a big hit.  I have no idea why anyone would buy the soundtrack - the music sounds like it was written by a garage band of High Schoolers in the 90's.  Awful.  I'm so glad I never paid for this.

Who made you watch it?  Are you dating a gay guy?

I decided to watch it because I realized I didn't like the musical without ever having seen it.     And no, I'm not dating a gay guy... though we both know I have a tendancy to turn men gay.   

I see.  Well, I've never seen it, but I've been subjected to the music enough to know that it sucks.

You lived with Josh - I'm sure you've heard it far too much.  I know that was my first RENT experience... crashing at your apartment, while Josh and his friends listened to that goddammed soundtrack over and over and over.

I still have the entry in my sketchbook about it.

I think the worst thing about Rent is that it further marginalizes the appeal of theatre.  If you're going to do shows about Gay people dying of Aids in New York, you can't expect your audience to reach people other than:
1: Gay people
2: New Yorkers
3: People whose lives have been affected by AIDS
4: People who think paying $60 for a ticket to this drivel makes them cultured.

Which, of course, limits our industry and, ultimately, how much money I'm able to make in it.

So I have a perfectly good reason to hate Rent.

[Alice]

Which, of course, limits our industry and, ultimately, how much money I'm able to make in it.

So I have a perfectly good reason to hate Rent.

I do have to admit that I feel guilty when I see Chicago Off Broadway plays... granted, I see far more plays at the Trapdoor.  But I'm probably going to see Wicked a second time.  However, I feel like my appreciation for real theatre justifies me seeing Wicked. 

[Bennyhana]

Which, of course, limits our industry and, ultimately, how much money I'm able to make in it.

So I have a perfectly good reason to hate Rent.

I do have to admit that I feel guilty when I see Chicago Off Broadway plays... granted, I see far more plays at the Trapdoor.  But I'm probably going to see Wicked a second time.  However, I feel like my appreciation for real theatre justifies me seeing Wicked. 

The flying/lighting/projection effect during "Defying gravity" justifies you seeing Wicked.  I could take or leave the rest of it, but that effect is amazing.

[Alice]

Which, of course, limits our industry and, ultimately, how much money I'm able to make in it.

So I have a perfectly good reason to hate Rent.

I do have to admit that I feel guilty when I see Chicago Off Broadway plays... granted, I see far more plays at the Trapdoor.  But I'm probably going to see Wicked a second time.  However, I feel like my appreciation for real theatre justifies me seeing Wicked. 

The flying/lighting/projection effect during "Defying gravity" justifies you seeing Wicked.  I could take or leave the rest of it, but that effect is amazing.

Holy crap, that was amazing.  I thought the make-up was great too.

[Bennyhana]

Which, of course, limits our industry and, ultimately, how much money I'm able to make in it.

So I have a perfectly good reason to hate Rent.

I do have to admit that I feel guilty when I see Chicago Off Broadway plays... granted, I see far more plays at the Trapdoor.  But I'm probably going to see Wicked a second time.  However, I feel like my appreciation for real theatre justifies me seeing Wicked. 

The flying/lighting/projection effect during "Defying gravity" justifies you seeing Wicked.  I could take or leave the rest of it, but that effect is amazing.

Holy crap, that was amazing.  I thought the make-up was great too.

Well, I was in like the 2nd balcony, so all I can say about the makeup was that Ana Gasteyer sure was green.

My only real problem with the show was that the big dragon thing and the sprocket theme of the set made no sense whatsoever if, like me, you didn't read the book.

Erica's problem was that the ending was total crap if you did, like her, read the book.

[Alice]

I was in the first row of the Loge... so I was happy.

And yeah, I didn't pay attention to the dragon because you warned me about it.  I'm going to read the book here shortly, so I'll probably be upset with the ending too.

[Bennyhana]

I was in the first row of the Loge... so I was happy.

And yeah, I didn't pay attention to the dragon because you warned me about it.  I'm going to read the book here shortly, so I'll probably be upset with the ending too.

I was happy with the ending because it fit really well with the book, and it was upbeat.  It's a musical, for chrissake, it should be a happy ending.

[cnamon]

I was in the first row of the Loge... so I was happy.

And yeah, I didn't pay attention to the dragon because you warned me about it.  I'm going to read the book here shortly, so I'll probably be upset with the ending too.

I was happy with the ending because it fit really well with the book, and it was upbeat.  It's a musical, for chrissake, it should be a happy ending.

LIGHTEN UP IT'S JUST MUSIC!

[Alice]

I was in the first row of the Loge... so I was happy.

And yeah, I didn't pay attention to the dragon because you warned me about it.  I'm going to read the book here shortly, so I'll probably be upset with the ending too.

I was happy with the ending because it fit really well with the book, and it was upbeat.  It's a musical, for chrissake, it should be a happy ending.

LIGHTEN UP IT'S JUST MUSIC!

WTF?  He just said he was happy with the ending. 

[cnamon]

I was in the first row of the Loge... so I was happy.

And yeah, I didn't pay attention to the dragon because you warned me about it.  I'm going to read the book here shortly, so I'll probably be upset with the ending too.

I was happy with the ending because it fit really well with the book, and it was upbeat.  It's a musical, for chrissake, it should be a happy ending.

LIGHTEN UP IT'S JUST MUSIC!

WTF?  He just said he was happy with the ending. 

I know...what he said made me think of the Santino/Andre musical number...don't mind me.

[Alice]

I was in the first row of the Loge... so I was happy.

And yeah, I didn't pay attention to the dragon because you warned me about it.  I'm going to read the book here shortly, so I'll probably be upset with the ending too.

I was happy with the ending because it fit really well with the book, and it was upbeat.  It's a musical, for chrissake, it should be a happy ending.

LIGHTEN UP IT'S JUST MUSIC!

WTF?  He just said he was happy with the ending. 

I know...what he said made me think of the Santino/Andre musical number...don't mind me.

Ohhhhhh!  God, sorry!    For some reason I thought you were getting mean... my bad!

[Bennyhana]

Lighten up, it's just Junto, Junto, Junto.....

Yeah, I got it Dottie, Don't worry.

[Alice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wE3fdm3Ng&feature=Discussed&page=1&t=t&f=b

[Bennyhana]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wE3fdm3Ng&feature=Discussed&page=1&t=t&f=b

That totally fails to do it any justice.  You don't see the silk of her cape, you don't see the motor controlled flying effect sync'ed up with the intelligent lighting instruments (whose beams are visible in reality, though not on that video), or the projections.

[Alice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wE3fdm3Ng&feature=Discussed&page=1&t=t&f=b

That totally fails to do it any justice.  You don't see the silk of her cape, you don't see the motor controlled flying effect sync'ed up with the intelligent lighting instruments (whose beams are visible in reality, though not on that video), or the projections.

No kidding - but I don't think you could capture it on film very well at all.