March 6, 2014

"Annie," in the present day.

There don't seem to be orphanages in present-day NYC, so how can the transposition be made? And if Cameron Diaz is running that modern-day equivalent of an orphanage, how does she manage to get her makeup done so heavily, prettily, and precisely? And more importantly, can she be mean enough to make us feel sorry for the little orphans?



I don't know, but I do know 2 other things about upcoming musical movies: 1. Steven Spielberg is doing a remake of "West Side Story," and 2. Clint Eastwood has made the movie version of "Jersey Boys."

14 comments:

RecChief said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Known Unknown said...

Wow. This looks superterrible.

glam1931 said...

Ironically, this will probably be the most successful version yet put on film, because it's been completely re-thought as a film, rather than as a screen version of the stage play, which has pretty much been left in the dust. In the future, little girls seeing the play will wonder why the songs don't have a funky rhythm track behind them.
At least the little girl is good; fortunately this project took so long to get off the ground that Will Smith's untalented daughter got too old for the part before it got made.

glam1931 said...

This does not mean I would pay 5 cents to see it.

MadisonMan said...

fortunately this project took so long to get off the ground that Will Smith's untalented daughter got too old for the part before it got made.

LOL. Preach.

Seems to be a movie made for the 2nd-5th graders out there. I'll pass on it.

Ruth Anne Adams said...

Original Annie was set in NYC during the Great Depression. It came to the Broadway stage during the term of Jimmy Carter, a period noted for malaise. Now the updated version comes to the screen during the Great Recession of Barack Obama. I wonder if he'll appear singing 'New Deal for Christmas.'

And what about Miss Hannigan liking her bathtub gin? Perhaps Cameron Diaz will get medicinal marijuana.

But, hey, Jamie Foxx's clothes may be Beau Brummelly. They stand out a mile.

I think Annie comes around when Americans need to feel good about something.

Deirdre Mundy said...

I think this could be cute--- especially since the original film really drags at points-- maybe this one will be tighter.

Of course, I have little girls, so they'll demand to see it.....

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Blech. The original worked because it retained so much of that Broadway musical theater vibe. People who could act through song. I don't see any indication of that magic here. Some random woman with a fakey sounding British accent instead of the marvelous Ann Reinking? And I'm sorry, Cameron Diaz is emphatically NOT Carol Burnett. I first saw that movie in the 80s and my sister and I STILL quote her hilarious delivery of some of the lines. Especially when I had 3 girls in 4 years: "Some women are drippin' with diamonds/some women are drippin' with pearls/lucky me, lucky me, look at what I'm drippin' with: little girls!"

Known Unknown said...

At least the little girl is good;

Listen closely ... she can't sing.

khesanh0802 said...

Annie was wonderful on Broadway - I saw the original production. The story and characters fit the stage very nicely. The production was pretty simple but had everything you want to see on Broadway. The talent was superb and believable. Annie was incredible!

Movies don't do simple very well and that's what this show calls for. Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan? You've got to be kidding!

The Godfather said...

"Yes I am better than you" -- That alone might be worth seeing the movie.

When it turns up on TCM.

Known Unknown said...

When it turns up on TCM.

The "Classic" in TCM means less and less as each year passes.

William said...

I just watched the trailer. It didn't look terrible, and the original was no great shakes......Why would they want to do a remake of West Side Story? The original would be very difficult to improve on. I suppose they could cast it with real Puerto Ricans, but would that make it better? If they do a remake of The Sound of Music would it be better with a real Austrian in the Julie Andrews role.

CyndiF said...

Wow, Cameron Diaz looked pretty miscast there.