Annie

There was zero reason for a remake other than them trying to make some kind of point. This movie was awful

I'm in my early 40's so i'm one of the ones that actually remembers the original Annie and honestly, i can't exactly say that i was the biggest fan of the original. Maybe it's just me, but i thought it was 'ok' at best.

We first saw the trailer for this movie over the summer and at first i was thinking, "really?...Annie?"... but the more the trailer played, the more i was able to actually feel that there was a very different VIBE to this movie than the original, so yes - i was sold and wanted to see this based on the trailer.

After actually seeing the movie in its entirety with my seven year old daughter, what i came away with was a BIG smile on my face and such an upbeat and inspirational feeling that still has me gushing today. My daughter can't stop talking about this movie either.

There was definitely an upbeat kinda VIBE throughout this entire movie that never quite leaves your side and should somehow be cast as an extra it's that good. It's also gone through a much needed makeover and is suddenly very up to date and modern (which is a lot of fun to see happen) The acting, i thought, was pretty spot on - keeping in mind that these characters are supposed to have a bit of animation to them (it IS a children's musical for crying out loud).

• Jamie Foxx once again shows his flexibility and endless talent in his role as Willie Stacks. The man can do it all.

• Quvenzhané is absolutely perfect for this movie and i might actually be more grateful that little Willow Smith 'backed out' of the lead of this movie opening the door for 'Q' than any thing else cause i can't see anyone else nailing this role down as perfectly as she did.

• Cameron Diaz, i thought, was a lot of fun and i even enjoyed her singing - not going to win any awards any time soon, but the moments she had were again, spot on for what the moment called for (and that's important to understand for a movie like this).

• Rose Byrne was ... 'proper' :-).

• Bobby Cannavale reminded me very much of a modern day John Larroquette - the kind of guy that just knows how to be the perfect, lovable D-Bag... you almost feel bad for loving him the way you do - but you still do.

The music, another major highlight to this movie, was also nicely done and scores a big assist to singer/songwriter Sia who did wonders for this movie. With some new songs added (see 'Opportunity' and 'Smiles' to name a couple) and a few changes to the originals, the soundtrack is already on my daughters Christmas list. Don't discount this as this helps change the entire tone of the movie.

All in all, i thought this movie was a perfect storm. It had a lot of intangibles working seamlessly together. I gave this movie a nine because it was a lot of fun, it was very upbeat and inspirational, had good music, a good message, and a lot of cute laughs.

Normally i would highly suggest seeing this movie if you had kids, especially any little girls - but - I think even as an adult without kids, this movie can still find a way to creep into your heart and make you love it just the same.

Recommended!

All the critics out there need to go see this movie with a bunch of 8-13 year old kids. I feel bad for the cast of this film, because I think the reviews are going to stop people from going to see it; We almost didn't go see it, because the reviews were so bad. We talked our kids and their friends into seeing another movie, but then we were late, so we ended up going to see Annie. They all loved it-- boys and girls--and it was so sweet to see them bopping around to the music. It was special for me because this was the first musical I ever saw live in the theater. I was worried that I was going to hate the re-write, but I loved the modern changes they made to make it relevant to a whole new generation. It wasn't perfect and there were a few changes I would've made to dial down the cheese factor a little, but the way the reviews were written it sounded like the worst movie ever: bad singing, bad writing, bad re- writes of the songs, bad acting. Was there something political behind all those awful reviews??? I've sat through a lot more mundane kids' movies through the years with my children that didn't get ripped apart like this movie. I thought the casting was perfect, the singing sounded authentic, the chemistry between the cast was apparent, and the songs were just as catchy as I remember it. At the end, I even had a "little pollen" in my eyes, and the audience clapped during the final number. I haven't been in a movie where that has happened in a long time. This movie is for kids and the kid in all of us!

I thought this was a clever re-write/updating of the original, which I saw on Broadway. Jamie Foxx is his usual wonderful self and has a terrific voice (I would have liked to hear more of it). It helps if you like the music of the original, which I do very much. I also liked the additional music that Will Gluck added. Being a New Yorker at heart, I liked every glimpse of what might have been New York. There are a few things I didn't like, especially Cameron Diaz who was over- over-the-top as Miss Hannigan to the point where I found it painful to watch her. Wallis is an adorable little girl but her strong suit is neither lip syncing nor dancing; that she shines anyhow is a testament to her loveliness. Because I've been deeply involved in politics, I found the premise believable in its fantastic incarnation. ANNIE is what it is: a charming movie for the light-hearted, with tuneful songs and a lively pace. I am deeply puzzled as to what has made reviewers react so negatively--fortunately I did not read a single review before I went, and I had a very good time.

It is unfortunate so much money (65 million) and so much talent (Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz) did not equal a better movie. A musical should have great singers; this did not. Foxx, the orphans and Quvenzhane were fine, but they were not great. Consider Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof and Oklahoma. Along with the actors singing in character, there were powerful voices. No one in Annie was a standout musically.

Rose Byrne did her job in Damages, but not so much in this movie. The remainder of the cast was competent; they had their occasional moments.

This rendition of Annie was okay. But, with a few cast changes and voice lessons, it could have been so much better.