Rent

[EMsMom]

Anyone planning on seeing it? Anyone see the stage show?

[Vegastrtle]

I *love* the stage show...have been playing it in the car (and my head) all week. I had planned on seeing it tonight but have dinner plans with a friend...maybe I'll see the show after we get home from dinner.

[EMsMom]

I saw the show in NYC and loved it. Around that time, we listened to the soundtrack constantly! The songs have been going through my head lately, too. I'm really looking forward to seeing it, but will have to wait as DH won't want to see it and I'd like to see it with a friend.

[jnettie]

I went to see the midnight showing of the movie last night! We (DH, cousin, GF, SIL, uncle) had a blast. We all realy enjoyed the movie and thought it was true enought to the show while adding the extra bits a movie needs to fill out the story.

I've seen the Broadway show twice, SIL has seen it 4 times, I think. It's one of the best musicals I've seen, IMHO. One of the few that lived up to it's hype.

[EMsMom]

Excellent!! Now I really can't wait to see it!!!

[jnettie]

Bring your Kleenex. ;)

[EMsMom]

Will do, thanks!!

[LeslieandPaul]

I'm going to see it in about 45 minutes!!!! (the first showing at my local theatre)

[EMsMom]

Let me know how you like it!! :)

[LeslieandPaul]

SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD! I loved it! Now I really want to see it on stage!

[smartgrrl]

i don't believe it got fantastic reviews but that man from law and order is h-o-t, hot you know? :eek:

[Jill1228]

I saw the first showing today and I LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrsAlexander2B]

i saw the stage show 4 times and i walked into the movie expecting to be disappointed...

but it was FANTASTIC!!!! absolutely amazing!!!!

everyone, go see it!

[jnettie]

I think it was really so good (ok that's not a good start to a sentence, but anyway...) because they got most of the original cast from Broadway to be in the movie. It was just Maurene (or was it Joanne?) and Mimi who weren't original. They were those characters for such a long time and live the part every day. I heard that the producers wanted Justin Timberlake in the movie originally. Ack! That would have been aweful!

[jenahdawn]

Joanne and Mimi aren't original.

[kam]

I never saw the stage show and am wondering if I should just wait until it comes out on DVD. From all the reviews I've heard, it's on the "A Chorus Line" side of movie musicals vs. something like "Chicago". It sounds like people who saw the show originally will love it but those of us who haven't will wonder what all the hype was about. Anyone see this without seeing the stage show?

[jeanine]

LOVED IT. I finally saw it with some of my girlfriends last night (DH was soooooo glad he didn't have to go with me). I agree that it was pretty true to the stage show. I can't get the music out of my head ~ it brings back so many memories from freshman year (sigh). I liked Rosario Dawson a lot better than the original Mimi.

kam - One of my friends had never seen the show, or heard the soundtrack, and she really liked it, so I'm not sure that you would have needed to see the show to appreciate the movie. The music is fantastic, and the actors are great - especially Jesse Martin, and the guy who plays Angel. I guess it was more relevant to the early-mid 90s, but I think it's definitely worth seeing.

[charissa]

I heard that the producers wanted Justin Timberlake in the movie originally. Ack! That would have been aweful!

EWWWWWWWWWW! I can't believe that they even THOUGHT of him, ugh.

I saw this on Wednesday when it came out, I've also seen the musical 4 or 5 times, can't even remember anymore, :) and LOVED LOVED LOVED the movie. I went in with mediocre expectations, just so I wouldn't be disappointed and I really enjoyed it.

We watched Aida on Broadway with the original cast - mainly only b/c we wanted to see Adam Pascal since he wasn't doing Rent anymore, and WOW, amazing. :)

ETA: when I saw rent the 4 or 5 times, all had the original Mimi, so I was a little sad to hear she wasn't taking up her role in the movie, oh well. Glad I got to see her perform the times that I did. :)

[EMsMom]

Yuck! Justin Timberlake... I'm glad that they couldn't get him!! I am hearing really good reviews and cannot wait to see it!!!

Joanne wasn't original... I thought that I'd heard the only one who wasn't was Mimi... Oh well, at least Mark, Roger, Angel, Maureen, etc were the originals. :)

[jnettie]

As a movie, Rent exists someplace between A Chorus Line and Chicago. Actually, I'd say it's more like watching Shakespeare. At first, it seems funny to your ears, but pretty soon it's just natural that people break out in song in the middle of a conversation.

[EMsMom]

Those of you who saw Chicago, what did you think of that?

[Koala_Gurl]

I saw Chicago, but I wasn't all that jazzed about it (Ha! I totally didn't mean that pun!)

I love musicals, and I thought Moulin Rouge was great, but Chicago not great (not bad, just not great.)

I can't wait to see Rent though!

(FWIW...I also loved the Phantom of the Opera movie...)

[EMsMom]

I also liked the Phantom movie. I saw the musical and thought it very faithful to the stage play. :) I did NOT like Chicago although I thought that Catherine Zeta Jones did an excellent job as Velma. I saw the original revival cast of Chicago on Broadway and, as I said was very disappointed in the movie.

[Kimberland30]

I just saw this movie yesterday with my DD. DH didn't want to go, and I wasn't about to force him...although he has taken me to the stage shows of Les Miz and Miss Siagon.

Anyway, I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED this movie! I haven't not seen the stage show, but after reading the reviews here I decided to try it out. I never saw Phantom at the theater because eventually I'd like to see it live, and didn't want to "spoil" it. If Phantom is as true to the stage as Rent was, I may rent Phantom (huh, that got a little confusing huh??). :)

For those who haven't seen it yet, definately bring kleenex. There were 8 people in the theater, and my DD was the only one not crying on our way out.

[EMsMom]

I have plans to see it this weekend! I'm so excited!!

As for Phantom, I thought it very faithful to the stage production.

[Sare79]

I saw it on Friday night and I absolutely loved it. It was sad and beautiful and i have so many of the songs running through my head all weekend!

[PinkGirl]

LOVED Rent... have seen it on stage 3 times. Generally, I love musicals. However, I really hate Moulin Rouge and Phantom. I don't know why I hate them so much, I really can't stand them. I also love Les Miserables (movie good but not a musical). I liked Chicago, but have not seen it on stage. I just saw The Producers in May and am really looking forward to the movie coming out.

But Rent is my favorite by far. And yes, I know all of the words. :D

[EMsMom]

I'm also looking forward to seeing The Producers. It's the only one that I didn't see. I do like this trend of late, using the original casts, though!

I was listening to the OBR of Ragtime, yesterday and was thinking that it would make a really good movie, too.

[Phen]

Oh my goodness, I just love Jesse Martin's voice. I am such a nerd, I remember when I saw his name on Ally McBeal (remember? he played Dr. Greg, a love interest) I screamed "TOM COLLINS!!!!!"

The movie was really good, I thought, but not great. Maybe I just love the stage production too much. Or because the power in the theatre went out half-way through "La Vie Boheme"!! Gah.

~ phen

[EMsMom]

Well, I saw it this weekend and LOVED it! I was disappointed to see a few things taken out and some that were added. I'm a purist, what can I say! ;) I also thought it interesting how the took some of the parts that were sung and turned it into dialogue. All in all I really did love it and give it two thumbs up! :D