Posted on 12/19/2014 8:17:44 AM PST by HomerBohn
While there are several possible good reasons to remake the Depression-set musical “Annie” in 2014, none of them seem to have informed Will Gluck’s overblown yet undernourished treatment. More of a facelift than an update, the pic dusts off some old songs, adds a few desultory stabs at new ones, and stuffs the frame with shiny upscale gadgets that scream “modern.” Featuring a multiracial all-star cast with few pretensions to dancing expertise, the film replaces choreography with metronomic editing, while one-note overstatement drowns out character development. Even without the Sony hacking scandal that caused it to leak online early, “Annie” would seem headed for a lackluster Christmas bow.
-snip-
Very young kids may be diverted by “Annie’s” wall-to-wall music and nonstop movement; characters rarely pause to take a breath. Special thought was obviously expended on the presentation of the show’s Charles Strouse/Martin Charnin standards. “It’s the Hard-Knock Life,” danced by Wallis and the other tyke actors with occasionally percussive, object-slamming accompaniment vaguely reminiscent of “Stomp” (already feeling more dated than Busby Berkeley), is winningly executed by this exceptionally talented child troupe. By far the film’s best incorporation of New York locations occurs in the staging of “Tomorrow”: Like Snow White warbling into her wishing well, Wallis starts off singing into a sidewalk rain puddle, while Gluck continues to catch her reflection against plate-glass buildings and the windows of passing buses throughout the number.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Does this Annie twerk?
The wait list for adoptions are years now. There are no more “orphanages”
We can only hope that after the “The Interview” debacle and this politically-correct POS, Sony Pictures will go belly up.
Somehow the name “ANNIE” just does not fit a black kid. Maybe Swuannie or sumpin like dat, make it more real, but hey the hair fits.
The clips I’ve seen of this, the kid who plays “Annie” seems to be a terrible actress.
This is just more diversity for diversity’s sake. Had an original idea and actual need been extant, something entirely different from a rehashed “Annie” would have already been done.
It, whatever that ‘need’ is won’t be promulgated by rehash of other plays and movies(but with black actors), media opportunism (e.g., “Blackish” and “Modern Family”), or just pathetic contrivances (e.g., that Jurassic Park movie with Jeff Goldblum’s black daughter).
To offer up legitimate, serious review of such is pointless.
Shades of ‘The Wiz’.
The 21st century version of The Wiz. In defense of The Wiz it did have a successful Broadway run before being turned into a horrible movie.
Although back in the old days, black people had the same sorts of names as everyone else. I went to school in a well integrated school. Among my black classmates were Karen, Sheila, Milton, John, Michael, and Ruth.
This was back in the 60s and early 70s.
Point being if this new Annie is set in the Depression era there quite likely could have been a black girl named Annie.
I think this will fail because of the overt “blackness” being shoved down our throats.
Now they shove orphans (few of those now as most are from shattered home lives and drug-infested parents) into the money-grubbing foster care ‘homes’ where they are preyed upon by pedophiles and other assorted trash.
Her real name is Quvenzhané Wallis. Don't ask me how to pronounce that.
Yes, probably you are correct. However, this movie is made for the “today” audience of black people, the Annie name is just too WHITE.
No, but there are “group homes” and juvenile detention halls...
Where do they get them from? The Nairobi phone book?
It’s too bad that NK didn’t “convince Sony not to release this steaming piece of hip hop crap.
Now her real name would have fit perfectly for the audience they are trying to bring in.
The giving tree at my office is for needy children in a primarily african american urban neighborhood... I could not pronounce one name on the tree, and I’m not talking I couldn’t pronounce them because they are authentic African tribal/culturally based names... Of which I have had exposure too, but are all made up names with no basis in any culture or language known to the planet.
The little 7 year old girl who’s name I can’t pronounce will get a nice gift from Santa this year, but her parents have not helped her chances of escaping the poverty they find themselves in by naming the poor girl and invented name.
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