Annie (2014): Musical Hell Review #45

[@aacsmiles]

He's how you rewrite the whole "Annie can't read" plot point. Instead of her being unable to read all together, maybe she has dyslexia. The teachers noticed and have told Miss Hannigan to get her evaluated, but Miss Hannigan doesn't want to bother, so Annie unfortunately falls through the cracks.

[@MusicalHell]

Now THAT is a good idea! I think you could sell the idea that she manages to mostly fake her way around it through resourcefulness and a good memory more convincingly with that angle, too.

[@GatorRay]

+MusicalHell IKR

[@saphiriathebluedragonknight375]

That's what I was thinking!

[@vilwarin5635]

As I said in other commentary, it could have worked also if English wasn´t her mother language, meaning, she could speak it, but not read it aloud, because in English sound doesn´t correspond with the writting, as in Spanish. That could´ve worked for me (in fact, I´ve seen it happen before, and people being embarrased for that). In her case, she can make oral exams, thus proving she knows stuff, and perhaps can understand written language, but reading aloud is the real problem.

[@EthalaRide]

irl that happened to me. I have dyslexia and was reading at a 2nd-grade reading level in 5th-grade but was just smart enough to get by and get by on context clues, my own quick wit, and inclass discussions. Thankfully my parents aren't Miss Hannigan and they took me to a school that taught children with Dyslexia so 1 year of 6th-grade Orton-Gillingham reading classes later and I jumped 5 reading levels. I know for a FACT this plot could work, and just kind of assumed Annie was dyslexic when I saw the movie, so her telling Mr. Stacks she ran off because she couldn't read the teleprompter made me cry because *dang did that hit close to home.* Especially after a song like Opportunity, which I know kinda stops the plot, but that's how I felt when I went to this school that felt like such a gift and opportunity. The movie is till not great and the overprocessing is *yikes* levels but those two scenes were my favorite.

[@alexmeyer5260]

At least the 1982 version perfectly cast Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan. Her rendition of the song "Little Girls" is iconic!

[@1dtoddy5sos4ever2]

YES

[@LA-mz1dd]

Let's not forget about Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters!:)

[@Musicradio77Network]

I used too, but I remember the original, but “Annie Live” is going to be better than ever starting this coming Thursday.

[@colleen4ever]

@@Musicradio77Network Let's hope so. Can't be worse than this. And I can so see Taraj B Hansen as Miss Hannigan!

[@janebyrne6463]

I saw the original production on Broadway, what comes to my mind is that in the musical, Daddy Warbucks essentially becomes a new dealer. In actuality, Harold Gray (the creator of he strip "Little Orphan Annie") was a frequent critic of both FDR and his New Deal.

[@disgruntledcashier503]

Also, if Mrs. Hannigan is so neglectful, why does she decorate their room like a Gap Kids catalog? I don't think the orphans bought those lights and all the fancy knick knocks on the change under a nickel Hannigan doesn't take from them.

[@elsie8757]

Well if she made them all share a king-sized blow up mattress in an empty room with a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling, it would be a lot more obvious to the inspectors that she was neglectful, wouldn't it? Plus maybe she uses it as leverage. "Don't talk back to me you little brat, I went out and bought you those stupid fairy lights didn't I? You can't say I don't care!"

[@firstcanonkill1767]

@@elsie8757 Touche.

[@KyrstOak]

*knacks

[@Emisop]

@@elsie8757 She wouldn't need to spend that much on the kids to get that facade through. Try again.

[@elsie8757]

@@Emisop That's why I included leverage as a possible motive as well. Also how expensive do you think fairy lights are? It's not like they all have their own room and an X-box or something

[@pikaace]

There's less autotuning on Quvenzhané than on Emma Watson in Beauty and the Beast, but still enough to get a cringe out of me. That poor child's singing voice deserved better.

[@kieranstark7213]

Mr. Coat: WHAT THE FUCKING HELL DID YOU SAY ABOUT ANNIE (2014) AND BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (2017)????!!!! YOU ARE ALL JUST JEALOUS THAT YOU CAN'T SING AS WELL AS THESE GIRLS!!!!! *everyone forces Mr. Coat to prison*

[@kieranstark7213]

@@clarelabellerose Check out one of AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast episodes which is "Why I Quit Mr. Coat" with hands-down the longest section of the series, then you will learn his personality in a nutshell. Which is that he actually cares more about his disgusting opinions than the well-being of other people.

[@luv4hutch]

What the fuck do you mean? I can't hear any pitch correction in Beauty. This film is extremely blatantly using it, almost up there with Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia.

[@mikikaoru7111]

luv4hutch oof. Emma is so painted over with autotune the entire show.

[@luv4hutch]

@@mikikaoru7111 No, her voice doesn't sound even remotely like the "singing into a fan" effect you get when pitch correction has been used, like Pierce Brosnan. It's alo not on Gerard Butler's performance in Phantom either. Not to mention, some people sound like that fairly naturally, like Celine Dion's current lower and middle range, which she developed since she can't do the high notes anymore. And, to the world at large, stop fucking saying "oof." The alt-right shitheads ruined it.

[@MadameCorgi]

12:24 This doesn't seem to annoy anyone, but why couldn't they find a dog that actually looked stray, or at least make it look dirty?

[@bettyjojoeharperre-imagina7322]

Madame Corgi TRUE!

[@trixxartarchive7705]

Yeah like the one in the original looked dirty and scruffy but still looked kind of cute. Well at least I thought it was kind of cute.

[@RackednStackeddd]

They could have just gotten a long haired dog and scruffed him up a bit, even that would look convincing

[@andysmith5806]

@@RackednStackeddd That’s what they usually did.

[@andysmith5806]

For some reason, this Sandy makes me think of a dingo.

[@theadae2494]

I went to see this in the theater and people were literally groaning throughout the whole thing. It was hilarious lol

[@billybarnett9518]

My mother liked it

[@bettyjojoeharperre-imagina7322]

Théa Dae When Easy Street came on, my friend who actually played Rooster at one point actually screamed in the theatre. We laughed our asses off, watching his meltdown.

[@nifralo2752]

@@billybarnett9518 well this is a movie made for mums tbf

[@quinnbenz987]

i saw it and the actors were shouting the entire time. and i was in the back of the theatre and my ears were DEAD.

[@happymilk7433]

The biggest thing I remember about seeing this Annie was throwing up later that night

[@davidspring4003]

at least one of the meta song things COULD have worked. the scene where Ms. Hanagan walks in on the girls singing and says "Less singing, more working." In a world where singing is just as accepted as a form of communication as talking, it would have worked in a "she walked in on them laying around doing nothing" kinda way.

[@peachyproductions9072]

Another element you forgot to mention, if Miss Hannigon hates caring for Annie and the other foster kids, why does she? There is no good reason in this version for her to suffer through caring for them. The original took place during the Great Depression, so it makes sense that Miss Hannigon would take that job; any job was valuable. Here, there's no excuse! She could of found some job to hold over after she was 'tragically' dumped by here band. Finding a job wouldn't have been easy and whatever job she got wouldn't have been great, but never the less there would have been other options for her to take instead of foster care,so her 'motivation' is non-existent.

[@CeltycSparrow]

She tells us why.....because she gets paid money from the government to look after the "foster kids".....even though its not worth the money she makes. lol. This is still the worst version of the 3 Annie movies I have seen. The second version they did with Audra McDonald as Grace was the best in my opinion. The little girl who plays Annie in this one was cute and she did her best, but I just didn't like "Daddy Stacks" AT ALL. There was absolutely NOTHING redeemable about his character.

[@icecreamhero2375]

She said she gets money from the state.

[@karrihart1]

Not to mention getting licensed to become a foster parent requires hours and hours and hours of work and classes and training, and people trying to become foster parents are screened very carefully. Miss Hannigan never ever would've qualified.

[@clioalexandra6485]

@@icecreamhero2375 She said she gets like $157 a week! 5:24 Do you know how much it costs to live in NYC??

[@icecreamhero2375]

@@clioalexandra6485 No but probably alot. I heard its expensive.

[@nathanforester5993]

As pretty as Cameron is, she isn't the first choice i'd have for Miss Hannigan. She lacks the witchiness of Carol Burnett and the ferocity of Kathy Bates, she comes across as being a bit melodramatic or that she's trying to be Cruella De Vil or Rita Repulsa.

[@nathanforester5993]

She definitely would. She's a talented singer.

[@LaineMann]

And plus, she's too young

[@celinak5062]

@Eamonn Deane yeah Madonna or michelle pfeiffer

[@TheRachaelLefler]

She's kind of TOO pretty to be Miss Hannigan. I was floored by that choice. Hannigan isn't supposed to be sexy and glamorous which is what I see Cameron Diaz as. She's not a frumpy old bat. So the only way to really make her scary is I guess with this overacting stuff? The casting doesn't match the character.

[@selina5598]

I like CD but I think she was miscast here

[@RobBob6197]

You know there's something wrong when you mock the original looks of the main character at the beginning. Great review btw.

[@WobblesandBean]

Why do writers think that'll endear them in any way to the audience? Just look at the DMC reboot. That scene where they actively diss fans of the original Devil May Cry only succeeded in convincing us to never buy any games from that studio. And just like this, it was also trying *_way_* too hard to be "hip" and "edgy". Fucking idiots.

[@Adamguy2003]

Yeah, I've always regarded that as an incredibly tacky, petty, and infantile thing for remake writers to do; to not just butcher/ pervert the original, but openly make fun of it purely for the sake of meanness.

[@ro_the_lion]

Yeah. Like, hey, you know what's weird and funny looking and lame? Redheads. Curly-haired redheads. Let's make fun of them, because that's okay. Also, kids who learnt how to tapdance are lame. Now let's go enjoy the mop-dancing number with the cool kids.

[@ZoanBlade90]

Really comes off as lack of confidence in not just their material, but lack of respect for the original. DMC remake, anyone?

[@ZoanBlade90]

@Ash Kitt Speaking as someone that played it...fair enough.

[@thesamuraihobbit]

I don't mind Annie being black. What I do mind is that it is set in modern times and is going out of its way to emphasize it. Annie was meant to take place during the Great Depression.

[@MrSophire]

Same, the point of Annie was that there no hope of ever getting adopted, she wasn't' t cute and she was Irish. I only bothered about the black because instead of being creative and telling an original story they gave us a Black version. I want to new content, not black or any minority version. As a Hispanic I know minority are smart enough to make great icons.

[@colleen4ever]

I always thought Annie was cute.

[@thesamuraihobbit]

I fail to see the relevance to my post. How does the show or character being cute at all relate to this adaptation being set in modern times rather than the Great Depression exactly?

[@colleen4ever]

Cause you said Annie couldn't be adopted because she wasn't cute. But I always found her cute.

[@WobblesandBean]

She's talking to MrSophire, not you.

[@Rpartin93]

I feel like Kristin Chenowith would make a good Hannigan...

[@LaineMann]

YES! OH MY GOD YES!

[@andrewollmann304]

She played Lily in the 1999 movie.

[@captaindreadeye6264]

@@andrewollmann304 I think that's partly why Rebecca suggested it.

[@idongesitusen5764]

If I am right, Chenowith played Rooster’s girlfriend in the 90’s tv film version. So why not cast her as Agatha in this one, we know she’s capable.

[@idongesitusen5764]

Good point

[@Theturtleowl]

'I think I am gonna like it here' did not appeal to me, but I could not put my finger on why. And it is the human aspect. There is no warmth in the scene, or in the rest of the movie for that matter. No relationship with her roommates but stuff, no connection with her foster father but stuff. That feels so empty, especially for a child like Annie that should be fun and engaging.

[@WobblesandBean]

You hit the nail on the head. The movie feels soulless. There's no heart put into it at all.

[@TheRachaelLefler]

Yeah, I did Annie in high school and that scene in the musical is one of my favorites. It's not about her getting material things she had never had before. Not just about that. It's also about having people who care about her and want to help her around. She's never had that before. Going from neglect to actual care. There was no 'care' in this scene to be contrasted with the lack of care shown in 'Hard Knock Life'.

[@starbird3939]

I think one of the big things about “I Like It Here” is that there are PEOPLE approaching her to give her things and - most importantly - undivided attention, after being an unloved orphan.

[@Adamguy2003]

@William Brynn perfect metaphor for this repulsive movie as a whole.

[@davidhileman8567]

My friend, you certainly have hit the nail on the head. Even "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (the 1996 Disney film we all know and love) indirectly criticizes this "stuff" thing, called "materialism", in the song "God Help the Outcasts", which shows several worshipers in the Notre Dame cathedral walking in the opposite direction of Esmeralda, praying for "stuff", such as glory, fame, wealth, and blessings for themselves, while Esmeralda prays for nothing she can get by, but help for her people, the Gypsies. Her prayer is warmer and probably more acceptable to God than the materialistic prayers the other worshipers sing.

[@Flowerbarrel]

Miss Hannigan's tragic backstory was actually that she turned into an ogre every night and her prince charming never came for her.

[@Shades14]

Wait, if she can't read then how the hell did she know the receipt was from that Italian restaurant? How did she know how exactly everything she needed to fill out that form? Is this version of Annie just that much of a Mary Sue (I think) that she knows all of that without being able to read?

[@RealParadoxBlues]

+The Shady Reviewer I was just about to ask those same questions. Ninja'd by the human plot hole detector.

[@Shades14]

RealParadoxBlues What can I say, I'm a reviewer too. I notice things like that.

[@MusicalHell]

+The Shady Reviewer I assume that older kids read her the note until she had it memorized. Thing I don't get is, if Annie can memorize what's written easily enough, why can't she put two and two together and figure out at least some words from there? Even my preschooler can recognize the words "Star Wars" because he sees them often enough....

[@sweeney60]

+Musical Hell This is one of the worst plot holes I've seen in recent memory. So glad you did this review and looking forward to your next one. Whats up next? Nine?

[@sweeney60]

+Musical Hell This is one of the worst plot holes I've seen in recent memory. So glad you did this review and looking forward to your next one. Whats up next? Nine?

[@janetgray6220]

Yikes! I knew the score was a martyr to autotune, but I had no clue how superficial and materialistic the actual movie was. It's like Bizaro world of Annie. Surprised Alan Cumming didn't get a shout out. If anyone could follow up a Tim Curry performance of Rooster it's Alan. Let's not forget the timeless Carol Burnett! That woman's a treasure.

[@elizabethfields2658]

My uncle has horrible dyslexia and he literally conned his way through school all the way to college to being able to read, at least well enough to actually make it into college without having to go to a special class.

[@crazycookie4645]

Dyslexia makes reading hard, not impossible. This movie is pushing the idea that Annie can't read at all and absolutely no one noticed.

[@nosuchthingasgoodcows7003]

Is your uncle’s name Jared? And was he 19?

[@SarahElisabethJoyal]

The DC sniper kept it up until he was pushing 30. He mostly charmed everyone else into reading stuff out loud for him and somehow nobody ever caught on.

[@richardketterer7965]

I agree. I know an adult, with a high school diploma, who functionally cannot read. He found various work arounds to get through school, and blah blah blah poor overcroweded education system, teachers found ways to pass him through because he was also a discipline case and they didn't want to deal with him anymore. It's really not that uncommon. That Annie can't read AT ALL is a touch much, she'd have had to pick up a little bit, but that she couldn't read well enough to deliver a political speech someone else wrote for her sight unseen? COMPLETELY BELIEVABLE.

[@fantasticfreddie5]

I really hate when these remakes and reboots try to appeal to our generation because they just become dated overtime.

[@ro_the_lion]

It's like they forget how much today's youth leans towards nostalgia.

[@DonSMDT]

that's not why they make movies though they make them dated because focus groups said that makes more money You want to play to the market when you're throwing 60 to 80 million dollars(!) at a movie

[@dahlrjay63]

True. Not everything NEEDS to be redone. Even though that time period may have passed... The meaningfulness and heart of the older version will perserve (if well done the first time).

[@gymnasticsedits_7789]

it would be fine if they actually knew what kids liked... or if they tackled modern issues (sexism/misogyny, race [if they can do it right], natural/man disasters, etc). but they don’t care enough about the quality, they just care about making it appeal to kids and making the money.

[@samwich9498]

Unpopular opinion: i liked the 1982 version better

[@MidnightSonnet]

Definitely not unpopular. I know a ton of people, including myself, that adore that movie, even with all its flaws. I was born in '82, so it came out at the right time. :)

[@blackmagician7645]

Defiantly the best Ms Hannigan with Carol Bennett. She's more easy to sympathise with her self destruction and despair. And her comic timing is on point😊

[@lusciousloxx6112]

Carol Burnett, Tim Curry, and Bernadette Peters. The 1982 version is superior on its cast alone.

[@JimVonSchmittou]

Same

[@emilyangel._.]

I thought everyone liked the 1982 version better When she said the 90s movie was better I literally gasped

[@alexmeyer5260]

This film won the Razzie for Worst Prequel, Remake, Ripoff Or Sequel.

[@MusicalHell]

+Alex Meyer Well deserved.

[@alexmeyer5260]

Musical Hell Can you give us a slightest hint what your next review will be?

[@MusicalHell]

+Alex Meyer Something that has been requested frequently, and will be a little behind schedule (details on that coming in the nearish future).

[@willlyon7129]

+Musical Hell Do Disney;s Desendants

[@harrietamidala1691]

+Musical Hell Doctor Doolittle?

[@BeanBag343]

Honestly I think the biggest problem with it is the tone. The original is dark and gloomy until she gets to daddy Warbucks' house but it the new one it's constantly upbeat which offers no relief from the situation. It's sad that it turned out so badly

[@eoghanfeighery7383]

Plus, an Annie adaptation should NOT feel artificial.

[@wawaH20]

Annie will never work as a modern film... The time period of the 30s is too integral to the plot.

[@timothymclean]

There's a reason Depression-era stories resonate with modern audiences. It was a time when the system fell apart and didn't or couldn't help the people devastated by it, and many feel those same anxieties today. Focus on those anxieties, on the places and communities where they run strongest, and you've got something close enough to a modern Depression for artistic purposes.

[@ilikecurry2345]

Yeah, right. Listen to what those other two guys said!

[@DonSMDT]

I mean, different sort of enviroment, but people compare the early 2010s to the 30's a lot.

[@Adamguy2003]

wawaH20, YES! That's exactly what I had been saying from the start! Some films/ stories can be modernized in a reboot without it affecting the plot too much (i.e. 'The Karate Kid,' 'Fright Night'). With stories such as "Annie," however, the time period in which they are set is a key element to the plot, and modernizing the story strips it of most of its uniqueness and gravity. Maybe next they could do modern remakes of 'Grease' or 'A Christmas Story'? How about 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly'? Uh oh, I hope no scumbag Hollywood writers are reading this, it might give them inspiration for the next cinematic atrocity!

[@ForrestFox626]

Would COVID of 2020 be a good setting?

[@berrypie11]

I had a feeling this movie wouldn't be that good. I really hate when movies try to be "hip". They just become dated over time, and it's embarrassing. If I ever wanna watch Annie, I'll just stick with the 1999 version. That was the one I grew up with, and that's the one I'll always go back to.

[@harrietamidala1691]

+berrypie11 1999 Annie is my favorite version. In fact, I think it's actually the closest to the stage show (apart from Miss Hannigan playing the fake mother instead of Lily). I didn't like the 1982 version because it felt too mean-spirited to me.

[@berrypie11]

+harrietamidala1691 I haven't seen the stage show, though I'd like to. I was kinda forced to watch the 1982 one, and I didn't really enjoy it. I kinda liked that Ms. Hannigan got protective over Annie at the end, and the fact that Tim Curry was in it. But aside from that, I didn't enjoy Annie's singing voice, nor did I enjoy most of the characters. You're right. It did kind of have a mean spirited vibe, and some racist moments too.

[@harrietamidala1691]

+berrypie11 My junior high once put on a production of Annie and I remember seeing it.

[@harrietamidala1691]

+berrypie11 By racist, are you referring to Punjab, the Indian servant? That's the only non-white character I remember from that Annie version.

[@berrypie11]

+harrietamidala1691 Yeah. Was he part of the original stage show?

[@kitteridgesimpson8144]

Audra McDonald was the best Grace.

[@CeltycSparrow]

I agree. I have seen all 3 versions of Annie including this one. I agree with the Diva that this one was DEFINITELY trying way too hard and while Ann Reinking was trying in the first one, she felt kind of plastic to me, both in her singing and in her interactions with Daddy Warbucks and Annie. Audra McDonald in the second one had a warmth and a soft, maternal aura about her that made me feel like she genuinely CARED about Annie and her fate. And she has a very beautiful voice.

[@natasharomanof2543]

Audra McDonald is Queen!

[@laurena9563]

Back in the day, I had NO idea it was Audra McDonald in the role; I just knew as an eight to nine year old that she was genuinely warm and lovely, besides having a gorgeous voice. I think that's really the true test of Grace's character; she should feel like someone as a kid you wanted to have as a mother figure.

[@skimblebanks]

audra mcdonald is the best everything

[@ravioliravioligivemethefor9858]

Audra McDonald is the best anything ever

[@mandyhanton45]

I would really have enjoyed a dramatic, serious version of Annie where the actors sung the songs with orchestral backing and emotion, dealt with the darker themes of the source (identity, parenthood, belonging, despair, poverty, desertion, self worth) through the eyes of a little black girl in modern day New York. You could make it 2009, when the city was reeling from mass job losses in finance, and people were losing their homes. Annie could be caught in a racist, uncaring flawed care system where she was a number that didn't matter. Miss Hannigan could be explored as she was by Burnett as dealing with aging, being alone and being a joke after a failed dancing career. Warbucks could be a successful, genius black businessman who struggled to open up and deal with love and emotion after so long fighting the world. The characters could grow together through exploring love, support, trust and friendship in a world that values money. You could have made this fascinating and on par with Les Mis. Instead, its about being rich and having stuff.

[@johnvinals7423]

Hell, imagine what you could do with a racially diverse, modernised take upon “Les Mis”.

[@roberttreacy8271]

That sounds a lot better.

[@goldblaze93]

Saw the Alan Rickman part. We will turn to page 394 in his honor. R.I.P., Alan. As for this Annie movie...I actually liked the older one better. I think it was the 1980s one I grew up watching.

[@merrittanimation7721]

I think I watched bits of of both movie versions through out my child hood because I remember the 80's version of the title character version better but recognize the 90's version of "I'm going to like it here" better. The only version I've watched in its entirety was a local stage production.

[@Musicradio77Network]

@@merrittanimation7721 Just a reminder that “Tomorrow” is what the song says, “Annie Live” is going to be airing on NBC. I hope it will top even better than this one. Will it be better? Find out what happens when it comes on.

[@Musicradio77Network]

@@merrittanimation7721 The song will be hearing on “Annie Live” starting as what the song says “Tomorrow”.

[@kenthuang436]

So let me get this straight: Annie can’t read beyond her name yet she can use social media well enough to write out long messages with her photo posts and they aren’t full of grammar and spelling errors? You definitely need basic reading skills to use social media and to comprehend what is said on it and yet she can’t read a single word on a TelePrompter.

[@TalysAlankil]

she gets other people to take and post pictures of her. the better question is why did anyone think "taking a picture of a 10 year old and posting it online" was a good idea

[@georgevaltom2015]

"Sentenced to a stay at the Thenardiers' inn" YOU MONSTER

[@gennybaratta2460]

correction demon

[@TheRachaelLefler]

Well, it's good if you're Santa. :D

[@useroffline9999]

Rachael Lefler shhh, we don’t talk about that ;)

[@fireemberess]

Oh God. Hannigans little girls was turned into an up beat pop song. That's what killed it. It doesnt fit the tone at all. That's what's wrong with all the music in this. Cutesy pop. Like Annie's song about her parents touched me as a kid cause I felt the sadness, but the tiniest glimmer of hope and the wish that annie had of meeting her parents. (My eyes even got a little watery thinking about that sentiment) and you have 2014 annie trying too hard to make a bop instead of actually yearning for her parents. In other words missing the whole point of the song. This focuses so hard on being modern it completely loses why annie was a childhood favorite for so many to begin with. The heart little annie had, the hope she had in adversity. "The sun will come out tommorow" wasnt loved back in its day just for being catchy. It was loved because it was a little orphan girl singing about pushing through the bad times and relying on the hope giving promise that tommorow is another, brand new day to turn things around. That's a pretty easy, simple yet heartfelt message. How did modern annie fuck it up?

[@EYTPS]

To be fair, this Annie wouldn't make a bad Vocaloid preset

[@ULTIMA-2]

EYTPS I laughed way to hard at this

[@strawberrysoulforever8336]

Well...at least the old Annie wasn't talking about Herbert Hoover of all the presidents. That really would be hitting audiences over the head with "This is not the Annie this movie is about - no, this Annie is from this century, not the Depression". - Yes, I was referencing how the show and previous movies were set in 1933.

[@archive9796]

Shame that the new Annie didn't have pictures of all the presidents everywhere like the original has

[@jenneacoleman-cubero2365]

Why do I get the feeling Stacks would've been revealed to have been Annie's long-lost father had they made a sequel?

[@melfree2545]

Granted, I am not from New York and I don’t know how their foster system works, but I really, REALLY hated how it was portrayed in this movie. You touched on this, but the reason “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here” works in the other versions is because Annie wanted, craved, needed the human connection from Grace and the other staff. Orphans in the 1930s needed more than stuff. Foster kids in the modern day need more than stuff. They need to be able to feel secure and safe and cared for. Anyways. Yeah. Just… as a foster parent, I really didn’t like it.

[@Kilroyiii4644]

It seems to me that not only have they changed Daniel "Rooster" Hannigan's character-he's the Guy dude-but they've also combined Miss Hannigan and Lilly St. Regis into one character. Personally, I like the 1999 version of Annie best-the one with Kathy Bates, Allen Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth.

[@colleen4ever]

I didn;t understand that guy;s plot at all!! They should have cast Hannigan;s brother and have him have a black girlfriend or something. Then we'd keep the kidnap plot.

[@LizzieShiro]

Honestly, Jane Lynch as the villain was better for me. Man, I love Broadway.

[@colleen4ever]

Yeah, and Jane Lynch can sing...why didn't they cast her? I'm sure she could act like she was man-crazy! That's why it's called ACTING.

[@Kasino80]

colleen she's not a name like Cameron (although I personally shun any movie starring Cameron Diaz)

[@LaineMann]

If they'd kept Jane Lynch I would have loved this film. Although I like this version of Hard Knox Life

[@xxkewldudexx]

@@Kasino80 "Not a name"? Somebody hasn't watched Glee 😂 😂 😂

[@Frisby2007]

While I did like "Hard Knock Life" and "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here", I agree with the rest. The movie's self conscious joke poking of its musical numbers really irritated me throughout the movie. If you wanted to poke fun at musicals, then make a parody.

[@DrZuluGaming]

It felt like it was directed by The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals.

[@Musicradio77Network]

These two songs will be in “Annie Live” this Thursday.

[@POTOKnowItAll666IHC]

My dad died when I was 12, and with in the first two months of his death I came across a video of "Maybe" the song where Annie is hoping her parents would come back for her, and feeling the same way myself, I loved this musical. The main characters gusty optimism matches my own, and traits like her race, didn't really matter. Of course, having an African American Annie is a loving gesture, but with Black Lives Matter having to continue, it had no impact at all. Sia wrote the new songs for this version and she has a love for "Annie" and the new, and edited songs match what the original writers intended, to see the opposite, check out "Peter Pan Live!" This version addresses inequality caused by the Foster Care System, the fact that Annie isn't able to read isn't because she's African American, it's because she's a foster kid. Having an African American Annie is probably more tokenism than anything else. My advise, appreciate how similar this contemporary version is to the Broadway Version.

[@bettyjojoeharperre-imagina7322]

I really liked the song sia wrote for this movie too. Opportunity is a really cute song. Not meant for Annie, but certainly a decent song.

[@nosuchthingasgoodcows7003]

Might be cos I’m Aussie (we say opporchunatee) but for some reason the way she says ‘opportunity REALLY annoys me. Like, nails on a chalkboard.

[@ritaisexisting1962]

@@nosuchthingasgoodcows7003 legends say the Aussie is still annoyed by a little girls pronunciation of opportunity

[@Drixenol86]

Some movies are too dated to be modernized.

[@Drixenol86]

satireknight I don't get why reboots need to disrespect the original just to make itself look superior when it's not. It's downright mean. Which is why I hated Paul Feig's "Ghostbusters".

[@tatehildyard5332]

Drixenol86 I didn't see Paul Feig's Ghostbusters hating on the original. I saw it as relying on the original as a crutch.

[@tatehildyard5332]

Ash Kitt So you mean to tell me aside from the political implications, you don’t really mind the movie itself? I’m just stating in its own, the movie is not very good. Mainly because it refused to let itself be its own thing and it insisted on winking at the camera and reminding you that the original exists.

[@thomashuffman3237]

Drixenol86 at least the remakes of the jungle book and the lion king tried to honor their predecessors rather than trying to be hip and cool. With the casting choices of Bill Murray as Baloo and Christopher Walken as King Louie in TJB and Seth Rogen as Pumbaa in TLK, they still honored their original animated counterparts.

[@cookiemocher388]

Like a movie set in the great depression

[@AGothNamedWednessday]

Also something they missed out on is Annie's relationship with Warbucks' staff, it helps with the humanizing of warbucks, and that there were people who cared about her regardless of being paid, so much that when warbucks' decided to adopt her, they sing and dance in excitement in "we got Annie". It also filled in in the beginning of her relationship with warbucks, because he took a long time to warm up to her. It was one of the best parts of the musical

[@lauren121490]

Are you planning on doing Teen Beach Movie and Teen Beach 2? I recently suffered through both of those movies--especially the second one--and I would love to hear your opinion on them. Especially about the overt feminist themes in Teen Beach 2. I'm a pretty hardcore feminist myself, but Teen Beach 2 was VERY pandering.

[@bettyjojoeharperre-imagina7322]

Skipper Laurens Thank you. First one is some what watchable, the second one is awful.

[@LaineMann]

Neither is watchable, the first one is just MORE watchable

[@yodelgoats790]

ok but the first one is absolutely iconic. bubblegum cherry pop go to the hop.

[@ForrestFox626]

I feel like the second Teen Beach Movie has no coherent story and a confused message.

[@gabicullihall4907]

Am I literally the only one who prefers the 80 version? It was my childhood and I prefer it much more.

[@kieranstark7213]

No, don't listen to Mr. Coat (because he's insanely abusive and thinks his cringeworthy opinions matter more than everything else). We all do. Whether people like Annie (1982) or not, it will always be truthfully superior to the 2014 version

[@gabicullihall4907]

Kieran Stark the 2014 version had everyone going “that was a waste”

[@rebeccavaughn8897]

Actually a lot of poor children in public schools can't read. That's one of the reasons so many of them have problems in sixth grade and end up dropping out of high school. It is a big problem and the standardized tests just encourage struggling children to cheat.

[@elsie8757]

I think the issue wasn't that she couldn't read so much as the fact that it was somehow a complete secret to absolutely everyone until that moment.

[@rebeccavaughn8897]

Elsie Not Giving You My Last Name Smart kids who can't read hide it well.

[@xxxmaysilssss690]

@@rebeccavaughn8897 uh... How do kids hide not knowing how to read? Reading is literally required in every subject at school. What happens when the class is told to do silent reading? What if she's told to read out loud to the class? What happens when she has a test, and she needs to be able to read and write to actually do it?

[@rebeccavaughn8897]

@@xxxmaysilssss690 There's a lot of ways to hide not being able to read. Memorization, which a lot of the first years are filled with anyway. Teachers teaching to the tests, which happens in all states. Pretending you don't understand it (rather than can't read it) so that the teacher, teacher aid, or even another student will say what's written down.

[@xxxmaysilssss690]

@@rebeccavaughn8897 like I said before: that isn't good enough. The teacher and even your classmates would start to get suspicious over time if you say that you don't understand EVERY question on the test. And what about when you have to write and take notes down for class? Isn't that a necessary part of it?

[@Kasino80]

Did they seriously hire Kunis and Kutcher for the fake Twilight movie?

[@tatehildyard5332]

Kasino80 I'm pretty sure Julianne Moore was in somewhere in there too. Now that is a waste.

[@LaineMann]

You mean Vampires Suck? I actually like that movie

[@eamonclark4952]

@William Brynn Another movie starring Mila Kunis

[@cutiepuppy4427]

Thanks for tearing this apart. I saw this in theaters because I'm an idiotic masochist. I almost walked out of the theater when Micheal J. Fox was on screen with an instrumental of "NYC" in the background. I bet they did the musical meta humor because they hated musicals (Kinda like Schumaker). I love the punishments given!

[@tatehildyard5332]

Shumacher liked Phantom and musicals. He just had Andrew Lloyd Webber breathing down his neck because he was the one paying for it.

[@cutiepuppy4427]

Tate Hildyard Thanks for the explanation.

[@tatehildyard5332]

Shumacher was actually considered a fairly competent director in the early 90s. ALW even picked him personally to direct Phantom because of his use of music in Lost Boys. Hell, with Shumacher's flare for the gothic and the campy, he could have made a pretty good POTO movie. The background behind this is also really interesting considering the final product.

[@WobblesandBean]

Tate Hildyard Not in my eyes. Look through his IMDB history, none of his films were received well. I've seen quite a few of them and they were garbage, every last one.

[@MaluuniRosa]

Alright, so, on the "Miss Hannigan redemption" point, that 1982 version did it better in my opinion. Miss Hannigan was still a rather horrible person, but when she thought/realized that her brother was going to kill Annie in the last part of the movie, she went after him to stop him and the actress made it really sound and feel like for the first time she was scared and panicking for Annie despite everything she herself put the girl through. Here in this 'modren' Annie, despite them trying to get us to feel somewhat sorry for Miss Hannigan throughout the film, her redemption at the end still feels more forced than the 1982 version

[@MegaKaitouKID1412]

I think the "I can't read" thing could work if her teachers knew about it but didn't have the resources to do anything about it. The school set would need to actually look like an inner-city school though.

[@LaDracul]

I just feel they set it in the present to justify the racially diverse casting...the TV version did no such thing and still succeeded. I do appreciate why Jamie Foxx did it as he was adopted as a child himself.

[@EmileeTv1993]

One of the biggest reasons people adored Annie was due to her happy-go-lucky, cheerful outlook on life despite not being given a single handout. This version is full of selfish depressing people.

[@beauswan6531]

Tbh i quite like how we never know what happened to Annie's parents... It just feels real. Like, not knowing anything and never finding your parents is the reality for many orphans or foster kids

[@ashlynnheller8400]

I though the musical did later say what happened to them. They did find them, but they had passed away in a fire.

[@JoelandtheBots]

So. Fucking. AUTOTUNED. My ears, they bleed.

[@KKDWTotalObelisk]

Good review, I'm gonna share this with my little sister since she like Annie. Also, now I feel bad for laughing at the same moment the words 'RIP Alan Rickman' appeared on screen!

[@MusicalHell]

+KKDWTotalObelisk S'okay, it was intended as a joke originally. I had the idea of doing the "Prince of Thieves" reference early on, since Cameron Diaz's banging in and out of the girls' room recalled the scene to me. It was only when I just started putting the episode together that Rickman quit the mortal sphere, at which point I couldn't let it pass without a mention.

[@harrietamidala1691]

+Musical Hell Yeah, Rickman's hammy Sheriff of Nottingham is the best part of Prince of Thieves. Nice nod and reference. If I had to do a list of worst musical movies ever, I would put Annie 2014 and Mamma Mia in the top two slots. I wonder which film adaptation is worst--a desecration of a classic musical, or an adaptation of a jukebox musical that wasn't very good in the first place.

[@MusicalHell]

+harrietamidala1691 I figured someone should show Cameron Diaz how it's done.

[@kirara2516]

Annie 2014: "Musicals aren't cool!" Hamilton: "Hold my beer"

[@remixchild]

Hamilton: I’m gonna make musicals awesome again

[@Little_Eris]

Hadestown: “Hold my Beer”

[@BronyTimereactions]

as soon as i heard the auto tune i threw my pop corn

[@cookiemocher388]

Why, pop corn's delicious?

[@keziahthompson5463]

2:42

[@dragoncatentertainment7462]

I was an extra in this :D The scene outside the theater, the movie scene and the after party Fun fact: filming the outside was FRICKING FREEZING, but wearing our coats wasn’t really allowed because it was supposed to be summer. I ran into Q (her name is long and I don’t remember it, also that’s what she was called on set) and we said hi. Then I realized that it was her a minute later I accidentally stole a pair of socks.

[@gageperuti5519]

RIP Albert Finney. The original Mr. Warbucks died last night aged 82.

[@lauradietrich9424]

Oh, that opening scene alone makes my skin crawl; it not only reeks of desperation, but of sour grapes. This is just like "Epic Movie" or "Vampires Suck" or whatever, because they're just pointing out a thing that exists and exclaiming, "isn't this dumb?!" No, sorry, the thing you're "parodying" isn't dumb, YOU* are. You can pooh-pooh the original "Annie" all you want, but there's a reason it's so beloved and that it's been running so long. 2014's "Annie" is actually intimidated by "Annie"'s popularity, and instead of paying tribute to it and making it stand on its own, it's approaching the story (and, indeed, musicals in general) like a jealous elementary schooler who thinks pushing the smart kid in the mud makes them look cool. Parody is definitely something that, if you can't do it well, you shouldn't do it at all. It works best if it's either goofy but affectionate ("Young Frankenstein", "Enchanted"), or incisive, biting, and over the top ("Blazing Saddles", "Kentucky Fried Movie"). Points to Taylor Richardson for being such a good sport (since they're basically making fun of her). I'm tired of unfunny, self-referential musicals that are aimed at people who don't like musicals. Just make it a damn musical, and the people who don't like them can just not go. Or, if you absolutely must make a musical that is meta and self-referential, at least do it right ("Spamalot" comes to mind). *"You" refers to the makers of the "Epic Movie" and the like, not whoever is reading this or anyone who doesn't happen to like "Annie". Hey, I don't love "Annie", but I get why people do, and I'll take any version over this one. And, MusicalHell, I also defend the 1999 version, in spite of its flaws (Rob Marshall is a frustratingly inconsistent director). I just wish someone could play Daddy Warbucks correctly onscreen; Albert Finney was way too wacky, Victor Garbor was way too nice , and Jamie Foxx as "Will Stacks" (seriously, why did they change the name?!) was... ugh. An actor who can play a man dignified and cold on the outside, but kind and decent at heart, is that asking so much?!

[@crypticmrchimes]

Wait, the omitted Rooster and Lilly?! Why? What was the point to it? Ok, additional Sin: Why did they Omit Rooster and Lily? Compared to Mr. Who-Cares campaigner, those two were very entertaining and since Rooster was Ms. Hannigan's brother, were able to imitate her parents since Annie never saw them before. Here it seems pointless to replace them with the Evil Campaign Manager since now they need to audition for fake parents. Not to mention they were far more entertaining to watch. Also, wouldn't the fake parents also be a larger liability, since they don't have any incentive to On a side note, I loved your review and thoroughly enjoyed your condemnations, especially the Thenardier one (though I am furious about that last line).

[@MusicalHell]

+Matthew Bradley Well, Miss Hannigan's brother would have a hard time passing for Annie's dad in this particular version (although if Lily were black, they could have possibly pulled it off).

[@crypticmrchimes]

That's true.

[@LaineMann]

Annie could be mixed race, so yes he could pass for her dad.

[@Evilgidgit4Ever]

I found Opportunity the only song in the film that allowed Quvenzhane to show her talents, but even then it sounded like the sound editors were trying to lasso her vocals with godawful autotuning.

[@Crystalpoodleblack]

In the original stage musical (according to the Thomas Meehan novel) Annie’s dad took her to the orphanage when her mother got sick with the flu to keep her well but her mother died shortly afterwards and her dad got got sick and died before he could tell anybody where she was.

[@ssj4jason737]

My first Live-Action Musical movie that I saw was Little Shop Of Horrors and it scared the shit out of me mainly because of the singing plant.

[@phousefilms]

Such a great musical, saw it last year at Stratford(prefer the original ending to the happy one.)

[@kanafinwereincarnation]

​@@phousefilmsThey changed the ending??

[@phousefilms]

@@kanafinwereincarnation Original ending is how the plant mortally wounds Audrey and Seymour feeds her body to the plant at her request. Then he's approached by someone wanting to make cuttings of Audrey II and sell it across the world. Seymour tries to kill the plant using a gun, rat poison and then trying to climb inside the plant to hack it to death, with Audrey II eating him before theres a closing number "Don't Feed the Plants", where Audrey II spreads over the world. The recent blu ray edition of the movie version restored the original ending(think you can find it on youtube). The audiences didn't like the ending because they had gotten fond of Seymour and Audrey, so the studio changed it to a happy one with Seymour destroying the plant and getting married to Audrey.

[@kanafinwereincarnation]

@@phousefilms Oh no I know the original, I want to know what the new version is

[@phousefilms]

@@kanafinwereincarnation Sorry, I meant the newest version was the film with Rick Moranis(with the original version being the musical.)

[@eamonclark4952]

Seeing Gabriella Baldacchino in the beginning of the film in as one of Annie’s classmates in her classroom makes me wish she was one of the foster kids in Annie’s Foster home with Miss Hannigan seriously Will Gluck if you have Gabriella Baldacchino in your movie you might as well use her Adam Shankman got a great performance out of her as Morgan in Disenchanted

[@ShanteYouStay]

I just found your channel! Wow. This movie sucked HARD!!! I couldn't believe they made fun of the original Annie. Literally why bite the hand that feeds you so hard??? And even children in foster care learn to read, especially precocious children like Annie. This just seems to go with all the most awful stereotypes of musicals. The meta humor breaks the fourth wall in the Worst way possible and made me hate this movie even more than I did already. I grew up on the 1983 (?) version and loved it. Carol Burnett was Amazing in that film. Poor Cameron Diaz just seems so out of her element. If they were going to do auto tune, Cher is their queen! I love Cher, so this would have been cool with her!

[@colleen4ever]

Or maybe Taraj P. Henson.

[@JuicyfruitJessieB]

ShanteYouStay carol burnette was ms hannigan to me!

[@ro_the_lion]

Damn straight, Cher is excellent at playing trashy and mean but with a comedic streak. That would have been Legendary!

[@yotsubafanfan]

I would've loved to have seen Cher as Ms. Hannigan or perhaps Jane Lynch who's actually PLAYED MS. HANNIGAN.

[@thelittleredhairedgirlfrom6527]

I'm so glad my parents spared me from being in this movie.

[@banananutduckbread1279]

Good on ya, dear!

[@disneyfan94themuppetsforev95]

The little red haired girl from across the street you were going to be in this movie?

[@DonSMDT]

Mom had us watch it because "hey, it's Annie, but a new one!" When it first came out, I didn't know the cast(we watched it/found about it on some HBO free trial), thought it was Kanye or Jay-Z or something I don't remember. Maybe Chris Brown. Like I know it's Jamie Foxx but I'm trying to remember who I thought it was the first time I saw it.

[@TheHeroOfTomorrow]

Of all the questions I could ask...how could singing and dancing prevent someone from getting elected?! Unless it was a very specific kind of dancing...

[@welcometothemetaverse2523]

Musicals are meant to replace dialog and conversation with music and dance and not meant to be taken literally. So if you're going to break the fourth wall, constantly acknowledging your in a musical rather than just making a nod to it (like Flynn Rider in Tangled). It kind of sucks out the life out of the experience.

[@Musicradio77Network]

If you want to see “Annie Live” when it comes on, it should go back to its roots.

[@CeltycSparrow]

I am not saying its a cardinal sin to have a version of the "Annie" story (a story that is traditionally done with a little red-headed white girl as Annie and a bald man as Daddy Warbucks) that has actors of color playing Annie and the so-called "Daddy Warbucks" To be perfectly honest, I actually think the little girl playing Annie in this one did a good job with what she had to work with. She was a very pretty girl and seemed to have a lot of heart and a good voice and I liked some of the details they gave her character (like her waiting for her parents at the restaurant I thought was very sweet). She made me believe she was Annie and she is probably the ONLY saving grace of this movie. Her not knowing how to read was a bit ridiculous and unnecessary I thought because it literally goes nowhere. It was a detail that was shoe-horned in to try and create some sympathy from Will Stack's character and give him a bond with Annie and it as weak at best. That being said....this movie is not without its flaws. I REALLY did not like what they chose to do with the "Daddy Warbucks" character. In the other films, he was initially a rather cold, stand-offish character who didn't really know what to do with this little orphan who was quite literally plopped in his lap, BUT within a few scenes, he was warming up to her and they formed a very sincere bond. When she asked him to help her find her family he did it because its what SHE wanted....not for some political gain and when she finally accepts him as Daddy Warbucks, it feels earned. In this one, the ONLY reason why Jamie Foxx is interested in taking Annie in is for political gain (which the other one did too....to improve Daddy Warbucks image) but this one just makes it PAINFULLY, ANNOYINGLY clear that this is his ONLY reason for doing anything for Annie. Their reunion at the end when he withdrew did not feel earned because I didn't feel that bond between them. I also agree with the Diva's critique of Grace. Both Audra MacDonald and Ann Reinking's portayals of Grace showed her as being very warm and caring and maternal. She was willing to fight for Annie to stay with Daddy Warbucks and she was there to comfort Annie when the so called "parents" came. In this one she's just cold and impersonal. Cameron Diaz as Ms. Hannigan was also just.....weird. Ms. Hannigan is one of the great comedic villains. We expect her to be the lushy, over the top drama queen. In this one, they tried to play Ms. Hannigan as a character with a sympathetic backstory who actually feels sorry for Annie's fate at the end and it just did not look good on her at ALL. While the songs overall were nice, I REALLY did not get "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" I agree with the Diva....its usually a good song, but the way they had the scene set, I didn't SEE any reason for her to like Mr. Stack's home. It was cold. I have seen remakes that DID NOT need to exist and this is definitely one of them. It was perfectly OK to try to portray the ANNIE story in a new light....this just failed to do that.

[@DrGregoryHouseIT]

Trivia: Bobby Cannavale (Guy) and Rose Byrne (Grace) are together and have a four-month-old son, Rocco.

[@colleen4ever]

So she smacks her own HUSBAND at the end of this?! LOL!

[@GatorRay]

+GregoryHouse Well as Bender from Futurama once said "NOW THAT IS IRONY"

[@andrewbloom7637]

@@colleen4ever They're not married (yet). They're partners.

[@disgruntledcashier503]

You know the thing I hate the most about bad movie musicals like this? Musicals are one of the only film genres where the bad ones ALWAYS overshadow the good ones. When a person who doesn't watch musicals a lot talks about musical movies, they never talk about The Last Five Years or Evita, they're talking about The Wiz or Grease. I had a co-worker walk in on me watching Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary in the break room, and this is what happened: Co-Worker: What's that? Me: Phantom of the Opera. CW: Really? I love Phantom of the Opera!! Me: Do you? I think it's a pretty cool score t- CW: Gerard Butler's so cute!!

[@guldmattbb473]

No one talks about Little Shop of Horrors, either... :(

[@h193013]

+Matthew VanNostrand I do

[@grantkelly8696]

Disgruntled Cashier agreed, by the way I'm glad we can agree that musical was awesome, have you seen love never dies or bobsheaux review of it?

[@elsie8757]

@The Pasty British Guy From Wonderwoman I'll wager the reason is that both genres are popular with women.

[@oliverdelica2289]

F

[@jordangreen9201]

best day of the month in Musical Hell day!!

[@c.w.r.794]

I have had to watch the 1982 film ALL. THE. TIME. Four words: Fourth grade music class. (I have the movie memorized and I'd fill out the sheet before a song started because I've seen it too many times.

[@Musicradio77Network]

I hope you should watch “Annie Live” when it comes on.

[@queenoffabulous2156]

I came out of annie wanting to watch moon quake lake

[@rosabowen731]

My English teacher once knew a high-school student who'd hid he didn't know how to read.

[@vi_cesario]

whAT UP I'M JARED I'M 19 AND I NEVER FUCKIN' LEARNED HOW TO READ

[@crazycookie4645]

I'm still willing to bet that at least one person in his life was aware of his illiteracy. Again, unless someone is a complete hermit, it is pretty damn hard to hide being completely illiterate.

[@natasharomanof2543]

I'm all for changing the race or gender of a character but this movie should have been left taken place during the Great Depression like in the original stage show

[@england9530]

14:53 Annie's voice blends in with the apartment.

[@leileyaravencroft]

Okay. The 1980s version of Annie wasn't perfect but at least things made sense. Hannigan's turn around came when she realized that her brother was going to KILL ANNIE for tearing up the check that Warbucks gave him. Cameron Diaz's turn around seems completely out of the blue. I wasn't interested in seeing this movie when I heard about it being made... but now... I won't be watching it because the changes that they made don't make any sense and then... the musical numbers don't make any sense anymore. The songs seem to not fit in with the scene that they are featured in. As an example "Easy Street" sung by Rooster and Miss Hannigan made more sense as they knew that Warbucks was going to give them a check with a large sum of money that would make their lives easier. Getting Stark elected to New York mayor... doesn't put ANYONE on easy street.

[@davidhileman8567]

One of my rules for a good movie musical is "It is best to avoid auto-tune, often at all costs."

[@Musicradio77Network]

And watch “Annie Live” tomorrow and it is going to be way better than this.

[@pandorasangel2747]

I think this movie taking place in modern times hurts it especially with the modern pop style autotune

[@MsWickedWolf]

21:55 why couldn't Annie just get out of the car when she found out the truth or just roll down the window screaming for help?

[@MusicalHell]

+MsWickedWolf Most (all?) newer models of car allow you to disable the inside latch on the rear doors (safety measure to keep kids from screwing around and hurting themselves) and also have an automatic window lock on the driver's side. Presumably the "parents" are at least smart enough to take a couple basic precautions with their charge.

[@Isolder74]

So in this version just the threat of dumping Annie back into another foster home is enough for her to turn against the 'bad guys' in this movie. Wasn't the reason in the original because she wasn't willing to stoop to killing Annie to get the money?

[@Lyca31]

The 1982 Annie was the best one in my opinion. Annie and the orphans were perfectly cast. In fact the whole cast was perfect. The 1999 version was kinda okay(ish) but nowhere near as good as the 1982 one. The 2014 one was terrible as an Annie movie.

[@Musicradio77Network]

What about the new one when it comes on NBC tomorrow night? “Annie Live” is going to be a lot better than the other three.

[@Lyca31]

@@Musicradio77Network I'm from England so I won't get to see it unless it ends up on YT.

[@Musicradio77Network]

@@Lyca31 I hope you should get Peacock.

[@ashkitt7719]

This entire film is "How do you do fellow kids?"

[@kcurran9913]

THANK YOU for mentioning the fact that Irish people were discriminated against in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. I hate how people like to gloss over it and say that their ancestors were so "welcoming" and that they are proud of their heritage when they know nothing about it.

[@shiisiln6122]

Cameron Dias as Ms. Hannigan is what would happen if Eleanor Shellstrop's mom from The Good Place tried to raise foster kids

[@laurahugillofficial]

Also, the whole “Annie can’t read” plot is a problem because she has a letter from her parents that she keeps.

[@josepelaez3223]

The kids playing the orphans are specially bad- this makes the original movie which was just ok look like a masterpiece

[@plzleavemealone9660]

This movie could be summarized in one sentence. ''IM noT liKe oThEr GIrLs.''

[@minximeow1613]

The 1982 version with Tim Curry IS my childhood

[@EmilyGrace-gw7im]

The 1982 movie was amazing and I'm not gonna apologize for loving it. There were so many icons in it and the acting was on point

[@benjtan]

i just discovered your channel and bingeing on your videos now. your humor makes my day, everyday. thank you!

[@wwa_minuet]

If Annie couldn’t read, how could she read her parents’ letter?

[@davidhileman8567]

5:26 "Look, kids! Katy Perry! You like Katy Perry, right?!?" (with a flat expression) *NO.*

[@josephnewsome2935]

Let's auto tune the guy who won a Oscar for is performance as the great musician Ray Charles genius!

[@Serilia]

I had to replay the "Meet-cute" voice-over, that was brilliant. I'll be thinking of this whenever I see a meet-cute happening in anything now!

[@heidifedor]

I don’t mind a black Annie. But part of her character is that she’s a redhead. If you want point that most black people don’t have natural red hair, case in point: Malcolm X.

[@frankieseward8667]

Interesting

[@Furore2323]

This is Good. Thorough, considered, and detailed, not to mention funny. So basically what we've come to expect from you. Thanks again for all your hard work!

[@stefanfilipovits9221]

This is your finest work yet

[@lauramacgregor8497]

15:47 Is it wrong to admit I'd like to see an actual Moonquake Lake movie?

[@dessy0713]

I've been waiting for this!!!

[@bellabarahona5948]

Fantastic review Diva, but there's one thing I want to mention. Regarding the foster kid comment, foster kids are different from orphans in that a foster kids parents are alive but aren't capable of caring for them while an orphan's parents are dead. Annie called herself a foster kid because she believed her parents were still alive, it wasn't just a way to make her cooler. I just wanted to share my thoughts about that.