Category Archives: penelope cruz

Top of the class 2009. Performances.

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  1. Tilda Swinton, Julia
  2. Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
  3. Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
  4. Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
  5. Colin Firth, A Single Man
  6. Carey Mulligan, An Education
  7. Penelope Cruz, Vicky.Cristina.Barcelona.
  8. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
  9. Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
  10. James Franco, Milk

Nine.

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LILLI
That’s directing.
Rob Marshall is naked of cinematic sensibilities: he should not be a film director. If you thought Chicago and/or Memoirs of a Geisha suffered at his clunky hands, then Nine is almost destroyed in comparison. If I ever have the opportunity to meet the man again, I will demand an explanation for his camera’s infatuation with Nicole Kidman‘s back during her number: sure its lovely, but the emotion of the scene is hindered and, at times, lost. This is a trait carried throughout the film. One worsened by Marshall’s insistence that his musical sequences take place on a stage in Guido Contini’s head, despite the fact that Contini is not a director of musicals and the characters often belt out revelatory lyrics that he would have no previous knowledge of. In short, it doesn’t work as it did with Chicago (and the similarly structured Dancer in the Dark), Nine would be improved by the old fashioned style of bursting into song.
Your enjoyment of the film will then greatly depend on your love for musicals and your enjoyment of the performances…but there is little room to dislike those. Well, except for Sophia Loren who shows little interest in her limited role. She should have taken some tips from Kate Hudson and Fergie (ouch!), both of whom erupt through the screen to mark their brief appearances onto the audience’s memory. The rest are equally admirable. Judi Dench is fun as the feisty, one-liner-a-minute assistant. Marion Cotillard is wonderful as the “perfect Catholic wife” in desperate need of escape. Penelope Cruz channels a raunchier Marilyn Monroe with a naive sexuality that bursts through the screen. Kidman – my pick for best in show – rises above her thinly written role and is surprisingly affecting as the unloved muse. And Daniel Day-Lewis, although lacking sexual charisma, creates a convincing struggling artist and a solid center for events…I still would have preferred to see Javier Bardem in the part though. The ensemble is so mesmerizing (especially when grouped together as they are in the first and last moments) that the film is never less than enjoyable despite the technical craters that should prevent such fun (at least for anyone with a knowledge of film form).
So it is neither the disaster some may have predicted nor the masterpiece it might have aspired to be. Yet it remains a pleasure to sit and watch a grand Hollywood musical, especially with such a grand cast.

Quote.16 (Or my reaction the world premiere of Nine).

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MARGO CHANNING
“Autograph fiends, they’re not people. Those little beasts that run around in packs like coyotes…They’re nobody’s fans. They’re juvenile delinquent, they’re mental defective, and nobody’s audience. They never see a play or a movie even. They’re never indoors long enough.”
I had always thought that Margo Channing was being particularly harsh here, it turns out she was being uncharacteristically kind. This was discovered at this evening’s world premiere of Nine.
After months of anticipation, the opportunity to celebrate the release of Nine with the people behind it was irresistible to my film buff friend and I. Once the first ‘star’ had arrived, in the glorious form of Daniel Day Lewis, the crowd (AKA the vulters) started vying for his blood. This continued as the film’s director, Rob Marshall, approached our area for autographs…and how did people react? “DANIEL!”. They were as interested in Marshall as they are in last week’s newspaper Heat magazine. These were not film fans but celebrity whores, the type of which feed Katie Price, Peter Andre and the like…
This nightmarish quality did not distinguish all our excitement for the event, we were still in the presence of some of our favourite filmmakers. And they didn’t disappoint, not that they ever could!
We watched as Day Lewis charmed everybody around him (including us), as Judi Dench arrived with her gal pals, merrily reminisced with a group of dancers and gave serious judgement to questioned thrown her direction from the press, then Kate Hudson made a true Hollywood entrance with an elaborate gown screaming both sex and style – she worked it! – which was followed by the rather awkward presence of Nicole Kidman, complete with her hubbie on her hip, followed by an equally uncomfortable Penelope Cruz (she looked a though she was still suffering from that food poisoning at Cannes; unsurprisingly glamorous but largely unamused by events). Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren had the smarts – yes I’m referring Marshall’s Chicago – to skip the premiere, and the avoid the beastly attitude of the crowd.
It is an experience I doubt I will relive again, although there are many reflective joys within the tale – mainly the signature of Kidman on my treasured ticket for the premiere of last year’s Australia (that ticket is now loaded with sentimental value). Also the fact that Penelope Cruz stole my pen (now that I can tell the grand kids!). Yet the celebratory context was absent, and we were a part of a group of greedy celebrity consumers whose hunger could, and will, never be satisfied. Their presence may be vital in the publicity of such a high-profile film, but detracts too heavily from the experience of a film fan.
Right now, I need time to digest…And decide where to put my newfound giant Nine poster while I listen to the freshly leaked soundtrack (so far I can only say that I am torn in my reaction).

20 Seconds of Cruz-ing.

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Penelope Cruz continues to reign as the cinematic queen of fiery sexuality, and her voice sounds up to scratch (her English pronounciation is characteristically awful though). Still watching this clip, I feel as if I know how the whole movie will look, feel and disappoint once I am done marvelling at the fun performances. This is a Hollywood musical – why not move your camera Marshall?!? Scared the Academy, who seem have a greater like for the director than both audiences and critics, will shun you? Oh how I wish Fosse was alive to teach him some tricks.

Below is the potentially cringing new song from Kate Hudson, also sporting a fine voice. Surrounded by Marcello Mastroianni look-a-likes, Hudson lusts over ‘Cinema Italiano’…it sounds and looks like a parody of Fellini’s films. This could be painful.

Hanging with the girls.

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I will pretend that the above image was released as an apology from the Weinsteins for delaying the release of Nine from November until December…those brutes!

The image is endlessly enjoyable! Mainly because it is Nicole that takes centre stage (unfortunately not the case in the film itself); she caresses Penelope’s leg as she demands tough answers from Kate (look how uncomfortable her posture is!) while Judi and Marion watch them spellbound, Sophia sends her NK appreciation via laughter and Fergie wonders how the hell she ended up there. I want to watch that movie!

It also hints further that while Daniel Day Lewis is the lead, he may be overshadowed by the presence of this group of beauties. Should we be surprised?!

I still can’t see this film deserving the great anticipation I cannot stop myself from throwing its way…and now I must wait a handful more weeks before I eventually reach this disappointment. Oh my!