RENT (A mini-review)

One thing that I want to use this blog for is to talk about movies that I love. So I figure I might as well start with one that is fresh on my mind. Last week I went to go see RENT. My wife and I saw the touring show when it came near NJP-ville a few years back, and it was amazing. When I saw the first trailer for it I got excited, but will admit that being so far removed from the stage show all I could remember was the feeling(amazed) I had when I left the theatre. Because of this I made a point of getting the movie soundtrack as soon as I could so that I could re-familiarize myself with the show. The problem with that is that it raised my anticipation to a fever pitch. I finally got to go on Black Friday, and what did I think?

It was phenomenal. It truly was. The tone, the music were all pitch perfect. Songs like La Vie Boheme and Take Me or Leave Me jumped off the screen. There were also truly touching moments including I Should Tell You, Will I, and my personal favorite in I'll Cover You(Reprise). One of the really neat things about this movie is that it used most of the original cast of the Broadway show, and it really helped keep it real. These people originated these roles and the love they have for them shined all throughout the movie. The real highlights were Wilson Jermaine Heredia's portrayal of Angel, Anthony Rapp's Mark Cohen and Jesse L. Martin's Tom Collins. Don't get me wrong, everybody else was really awesome, and I truly think that Wilson Jermaine Heredia's performance is Oscar worthy.

Because of all these great performers the shows themes of love, friendship and family in the face of anything really were quite tangible. People will maybe not want to see this movie because of the fact it deals with AIDS and half of the main characters are homosexual, but please don't let something that silly stop you from enjoying one of best musicals of all time and one of the best movies of 2005.

--No day but today!!