Chicago

I know that I skipped over several great recent comedies with John C. Reilly, but I just love his performance (Mr. Cellophane) in the 2002 filming of Chicago, based on the musical which first hit the stage in 1975. I've never seen the live musical, and I'd love to, but this movie rendition is full of such amazing talent on many levels, it shouldn't be missed.

Chicago is fantastically sexy and portrays a subset of women who take control of their lives, for better or worse. Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah, and many other talented women fill the stage/screen with flashy, outstanding performances. Not to mention the men of the film, Richard Gere and John C. Reilly. A side note, I realized that the furniture salesman who Roxie Hart murders is played by Dominic West, smart-ass detective in The Wire, one of the best dramas ever on HBO.

Whether you like the story-line of Chicago or not (women being let off for murdering the men in their lives), for me, Chicago is all about the singing, the dancing, and the lights. I love the Cell Block Tango, in which each of the women have outrageous explanations for their murders, which they convince you is what anyone in their shoes would have done. I was inspired to dust off my tap shoes and check in on my flexibility (I can at least still touch my toes), as though my next stop would be Broadway. I know, daydreaming about silly fantasy lives again. I guess that's what I like so much about movies. My husband, who shall always remain nameless to protect his image, always wants to watch movies that are too close to real life for me. They always make me sad in a bad way, because they're just too realistic. I want a movie to help me escape to a dream world where everything falls into place just so. I want it to make me laugh, cry, imagine, and dream. I remember reading that during the Great Depression, one of the most successful industries was the film industry because it allowed people to forget their troubles, if only for an hour. Of course my troubles are nothing compared to the real troubles of those who experienced the Great Depression. Mine are mostly built up in my head.

Well, anyway, Chicago will remain one of my all time favorite films for all of the art and talent it packs onto the screen. All lovers of musicals should see it and it is now my quest to see a live performance before I go blind or deaf in old age.

Renee Zellweger is an easy choice for my next link, but I chose her anyway. Romantic comedy, here I come!