Nine

Rating: ★★

Directing is easy. Yes, no, yes, no.

The lyrics in the first song seem to set up the rules for the movie. Maestro Contini is a director going through one hell of a mid-life crisis. He is making a movie, but has no script - a sort of poignant nod to his life having no direction. Much like the movie he's in has no direction. Guido, our anti-hero, wants to be "everywhere at once, though that's a contradiction in terms". Nine suffers the same fate: it's too many places at once, never stopping to focus on the good ideas it hints at along the way. Another indication of the film comes from a small exchange of dialog between the director and his costume designer. She tells him "directing is easy, maestro. 'Yes, no, yes, no'". Apparently, she nailed Rob Marshall's intent when direction this misguided take on the Broadway musical. Apathetic. 

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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Rob Marshall brings a little "Penzance" to "Pirates"

In what could typically be called "Captain Jack and the Last Crusade", we say goodbye to Will and Elizabeth Turner and hello to a more expensive look, drearier set pieces, and a more puzzling plot line. But, one benefit of the Pirates films is that no matter how twisted the story may be, and no matter how questionable things may get, everything seems to fall into place. The franchise has always had a firm rooting in faith and spirituality, and things seemingly happening for a reason, which the hint of a moral compass always guiding the way, so... in that aspect, the film gives itself room to take outlandish turns, so lang as everything fits. On Stranger Tides is certainly no exception to this rule, but At World's End had that market cornered. 

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