Chicago (2002) Review || Oscar Madness #75

[@solomonrichards599]

The Pianist is just a masterpiece. A lot of it is based on Polanski's real life experiences, since he grew up in German occupied Poland and you can just see the passion ooze out of the film. It is a personal film in every regard. What sets the film apart from Schindler's List, is that SL was told from the POV of Oskar Schindler, who was part of the opressors, was watching it all from the top, was part of the system, who broke out of set system, but The Pianist is the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a small man, who slowly watches his world crumble around him. Who doesn't understand it and just has to survive. It shows the step by step plan of the Nazis, from someone who is experiencing it all first hand. He is in a way just a pawn. That shot where he is standing in between the bombed buildings and seems small in comparison perfectly highlights that. Polanski masterfully uses color throughout it, how he slowly drains the color from the film, until the film is just grey emphasizes the sheer hopelessness and desperation and unlike in Schindler’s List, the explicit violence is used sparingly and is more implied, than explicitly shown. Which makes the moments where they do show it, like in the scene, where the Nazi officer picks 7 jews out of his crowd at random and shoots them even more gutwrenching. (Also, attention to detail, a Luger has 7 shots, he shoots 6 times and has to reload for the final shot, implying he already shot someone earlier that day) I think it is the best film of 2002 and should’ve won Best Picture easily. I could see the argument, that the Academy wouldn’t want to give a film, Polanski directed the Best Picture the win due to his past, but then why did Polanski himself win Best Director that year?

[@Michelle-Eden]

Loved what you did at 3:27

[@solomonrichards599]

I think "The Pianist" should have won Best Picture.

[@kirstinebrown9013]

Yeah, I agree, but the only reason why they decided not to choose that movie was mainly to avoid any further controversy over the director of the film, Roman Polanski, despite he already won for Best Director that year, so it doesn’t make much sense, but that’s the Oscars for you.

[@kirstinebrown9013]

Also… YAY!!! YOU’RE GONNA TALK ABOUT LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING NEXT TIME!!!!!!!!

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Personally I would've went with Spirited Away. But The Pianist is also great.

[@solomonrichards599]

@@ThePreciseClimber Spirited Away is 2001

[@kirstinebrown9013]

@@solomonrichards599 Yeah, but it won Animated Feature for 2002.

[@SummerSun-sg3wf]

I agree. They had so much beauty and talent to work with but ruined it.

[@adamhasideas6813]

I ranked Chicago 72nd out of all the Best picture winners (I'm done with the challenge). I thought the choreography and the singing were the high points, but it was too slick and amoral for me.

[@Myrth1]

Well, they DO get a comeuppance in the end - Velma and Roxie are simply forgotten nobodies. Sure, free from jail, but this is their personal hell: nobody gives a damn about them. The actual problem is that the film directly jumps from that to their fantasy of being famous and recognisable performers, undermining the fact that they've got exactly what they deserved: a spot in the gutter.

[@michaelwarwickvalencia8501]

One of my favourite movie musical movies of all time but I don’t think I should have won for Best Picture

[@adriangironchavez6638]

It's a shame we didn't agree on this one, either, being my top 3 favorite musical movies, along with West Side Story and The Sound of Music. Such a disappointment...but that's the beauty of art, all subjective.

[@angelcastaneda529]

Seabiscuit is the next Best Picture winner. 😅

[@aijamberisabel]

This 100% shouldn’t hav3 won best picture. The fact that a movie about the razzle dazzle of murder and deception of the Prohibition in the titular city. The way it just excuses murder morality of it all just for pointing the finger at how we all lean into celebrity culture rather than actually building a movie with likeable characters just made it completely miss the mark for me, form someone who loves musicals when they are great (hell I didn’t mind Gigi for all I care but Going My Way, the Great Ziegfeld and The Broadway Melody were among the worst films I have seen in this challenge). The performances were amazing objectively but the characters were so unlikeable and the way they were all just going for each others throats were done way too much. The way Roxie never goes around and she is just terrible like Velma as well and honestly Billy as well because she just leaned into his despicable and manipulative aura was just messed up. The songs were pretty good and the style was pretty solid and audacious but a little too much at times. The acting was solid and they 100% leaned into their horrible characters. And yeah when you can’t even like the main character because of their horrible and manipulative scheming ways and they don’t have anything like redemption which is just not realistic and the film is so hatable because it was just so immoral with no character building. I hated it for anything but the style which was decent and the songs and the acting was pretty solid. This is a 2.5/10 for me and there is no way I will rewatch it ever but I am at least glad I saw it even if it was purely for this marathon. It is completely maddening that The Pianist didn’t win as well as it actually shines a light on the horror of the Holocaust with Adrien Brody’s star making heart wrenching performance as the titular pianist that is probably one of my fave movies of all time and honestly one of the best acting performances of all time to boot.

[@kaykutcher2103]

I watched the silent from 1927 and old Rox managed to grind my gears there too. Ironically what it's about was better communicated there. Caught glimpses of this musical version when my parents watched it growing up and I've scheduled myself a proper watch. I do love me some Fosse but an homage? Also, you're right, judging by the clips you've highlighted it does resemble Moulin Rouge. I detest Moulin Rouge!

[@fr.williamnicholas955]

As a "Lord of the Rings should've won three years straight" person, I thank you for affirming that I have never seen "Chicago" and have no desire whatsoever to do so. That said, regarding your laugh-out-loud ending to this review (r.e. next review) may I suggest you be careful . . . . some of us might suspect "The Godfather" will be finally outranked on your list, which, mathematically, will mean that "Godfather" was at the top of your ranking only one year longer (30 years) than "Casablanca" (29 years). I dare you to do it! (LOL) Personally, I am looking forward to your review for 2005-2008. A real mixed bag there.

[@ΓΕΏΡΓΙΟΣ-ι8ν]

Hey im db, what films would you choosed instead of chicago if you had a chance

[@IaMD.B.]

I would’ve chosen The Two Towers with The Pianist a close second.

[@Meleeace1478]

Better to get shafted twice and then win a record tying number of Oscars on one film than to spread it out and only maybe win 8 max per film.

[@flyingrobotduck]

The Two Towers or The Pianist should have won. Thankfully The Pianist won Best Director. I don't hate Chicago as much as some, but aside from the songs it has little to offer aside from unlikeable characters.

[@justinsantos8514]

Roxxy is a typical modern character....

[@roberthayward6499]

Adaptation is the best film of 2002.

[@IaMD.B.]

It's a really good one

[@ThePreciseClimber]

Seeing how you REALLY did not care for the 2001 and 2002 winners, what Best Picture nominee from 2003 would've been the biggest insult for you had it actually won instead of LotR3?

[@IaMD.B.]

I guess Seabiscuit.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

@@IaMD.B. "A HORSE movie? AGAIN? Do I have to explain again why animals as actors just don't work?"

[@aville01]

I couldn’t make it through the first 20 min lol