Chicago

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: December 27, 2002

DVD Release Date: August 19, 2003

Plot 411: After shooting her lover, Roxie reaches for stardom to save her from the gallows.

Review: This musical stars Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart, a 1920s housewife who is having an affair with Fred (Dominic West) to increase her chances of starring in a vaudeville show. When he reveals that he has no connections to showbiz, she kills him. Roxie tries to convince her husband (John C. Reilly) that she's innocent but is put in jail anyway. In the slammer, she meets a real vaudeville star named Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Velma's lawyer Billy (Richard Gere) takes on Roxie's case and both women become newspaper darlings, especially when gossip reporter Mary Sunshine (Christine Baranski) writes up their stories. They fight each other for the front page and celebrity in an effort to become so famous that they can't be executed. They will stop at nothing to make headlines, including falsifying a pregnancy. The musical is a comment on society's unhealthy attraction to fame and how it can cause corruption in the system. I don't think this only applies to the '20s when journalism was pretty unethical anyway. I mean, look at all the tabloids and blogs catering to this type of news nowadays. The individual performances (both singing and dancing) by the cast is amazing. Who knew Richard Gere could sing? My favorite number is definitely Mr. Cellophane by John C. Reilly though. Queen Latifah also has a hand in this film as Mama, Roxie and Velma's warden. They did a really good job of transferring a stage production to film, and I liked how they kept some of the set pieces to make it look like a stage show.

Watch It: For really great singing and dancing numbers. They don't make musicals like this anymore and it makes me long for a musical revival. Bring back the Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire flicks!

Skip It: If musicals aren't your bag of tea because this is fully a musical. There are dream sequences especially so the actors can break into song.

Cinderella Man

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: June 3, 2005

DVD Release Date: December 6, 2005

Plot 411: During the Depression, one man came to represent the fighting spirit of Americans everywhere.

Review: James Braddock (Russell Crowe) is an aging boxer whose time in the ring has seemingly come to an end when he breaks his hand. He is forced to take any job he can get as times are tough and money is sparse. His wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) is both relieved and worried with the turn of events. She disliked the danger and violence of the fighting, but without it, money is even harder to come by. In a twist of fate, James' manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) offers him a chance to make a little money against a contestant ranked number two in the world. An underdog all the way, James surprises everyone with a knockout. He continues to win and slowly makes his way up to the number one contender Max Baer (Craig Bierko). With nothing else to bolster their spirits, Americans everywhere soon get behind James' amazing rise. He becomes a shining light during a time that is filled with darkness. Will James be able to beat the odds by rising to the top one more time? This film was pretty emotional and upsetting, but I suppose it is a good representation of the life and times of those who lived through the Great Depression. People were really struggling and survival became a daily task. Putting food on the table to feed hungry mouths became a priority above all else. During this time of struggle, people needed a hero and James Braddock came to represent one for Americans.

Watch It: For a movie based on the true story of one of America's most inspirational, but least known, athletes.

Skip It: If you think inspirational sports movies are for saps.

New In Town

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: January 30, 2009

DVD Release Date: May 26, 2009

Plot 411: A food producing exec trying to claw her way to the top gets relocated to rural Minnesota and finds herself in a whole new world.

Review: This rom com, surprisingly, had a lot of heart to it. I really enjoyed Harry Connick Jr. in his role as Ted, the union rep. I think it suited him a lot better than his character in P.S. I Love You. He seemed more manly and in his element out in the snow. Renee Zellweger was also quite endearing in her role as Lucy, the exec from Miami. I don't usually like her as a leading lady, but she did fine in this movie. I think what carried them through was the main idea behind the plot. The sensitive topic of factory jobs and people's livelihoods is rarely covered in Hollywood, where people make millions a day just by breathing. The story is the real hero and it was good to see the townspeople portrayed in a positive manner. Lucy is sent from sunny Miami to the frozen tundras of Minnesota to downsize and revitalize a failing factory. It's a big change from what she's used to, but she's determined to make a good impression and become a VP. However, while in Minnesota, she rediscovers her humble roots and falls in love.

Watch It: If a your heart stops for Connick's deep voice as you won't catch a glimpse of his figure out in the freezing cold.

Skip It: If you can't stand to watch Zellweger squint through another movie.