Chicago (PG-13)
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The movie is set in 1920s Chicago. As musicals go, it's pretty damned good. Lots of great songs and interesting characters and a good story, and it's funny, and stuff. Anyway, Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) dreams of becoming a cabaret star. She's having an having an affair with a man who has claimed he can help her. But he lied. So she shoots and kills him. And goes to prison. Where she meets a famous cabaret star named Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones). She had recently killed her husband and sister for having an affair. In Chicago, it seems, murder is like entertainment, the public eats it up, murderers can become media darlings. Roxie's husband Amos (John C. Reilly) hires a famous lawyer named Billy Flynn (Richard Gere) to represent her (he's also representing Velma). And as Roxie's star begins to rise in the press, Velma's begins to fall. While Roxie originally admired her, Velma never gave her the time of day, and now that their positions are reversed, Roxie is no more generous. So they really don't like each other. Meanwhile, the only person who I think is really sympathetic throughout the movie is Amos...

Most of the song and dance numbers in the movie seem to be complete fantasy, not really happening. But they're always directly linked to what is actually happening. They seem to explain the situations pretty well and they're highly entertaining. There are at least a couple of real cabaret performances, though, at the beginning and end of the movie. I really don't know what else to say. I don't want to give away the outcome of Roxie's trial or what happens after, in case you don't already know.... Still, I should add that some time after seeing the movie and writing this review, I don't really remember it very well, and have little interest in ever seeing it again. But looking back on this review, maybe I will someday. Sounds like I liked it, heh....