HCR Rates The Movies #158: RENT

[DTM]

So, our next film, Classic or Crud, Hit or Miss, what say you ALL?

Our next film open for discussion, and ultimately an Overall RATING by you all:

RENT
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Let the discussions flow. Likes, dislikes, classic film or overhyped trash, and DONT FORGET to place an Overall Rating when youre done.

Its easy, just give a Rating from 1 (Jaws 4:The Revenge) to 10 (Jaws), and thats it. Course I'd love to have you all give reasons as to why you feel it deserves this Overall Rating, and more than encourage discussions with us all about them.

So, what say you all?

Next Film: ??????

[anonym0use]

Hmmmmmmm....

My exposure to Rent started with a friend who loved the musical, owned the soundtrack, etc. etc. I had heard a song or two by association but really hadn't experienced RENT for myself until years later when it came to video. I had no expectations going into it, except that I knew it was a musical, and that it *might* have had something to do with AIDS, and that it was my friend's favorite of all time - so I decided to give it a try.

I'm not opposed to musicals, but it seems they don't translate well onscreen. Moulon Rouge (sorry if that's mispelled) has come the closest in recent years and would have been perfect if I hadn't almost gotten sick during the Absinthe halucination scene.

Regardless, my wife and I got about halfway into Rent and turned it off. This is almost unheard of in my household (but sadly becoming a more frequent occuance as I find my time precious and I'm not willing to "wait a few more minutes to see if it will get better). I can't tell you why I didn't like it - the music was okay, there's only 1 song that really sticks out (the one that counts the days/minutes/seconds). The characters were decent enough, although I didn't really get attached to any of them - which I think was the problem.

To me, it's the type of film that's geared to a specific audience, and apparently I wasn't it. Sorry if you're a fan of the movie - but any movie that I turn off or walk out of the theater on is a movie I can't support.

I'll give it a 1 out of 10 for my rating. The 1 is for the cinematography, which I remember more than anything else, which is a shame.

[St-Dumas]

I liked it. Granted, it was probably not as good as the original, but what is?

7.75/10

[Rokk_Krinn]

Moulon Rouge (sorry if that's mispelled) has come the closest in recent years and would have been perfect if I hadn't almost gotten sick during the Absinthe halucination scene.


I remember the first time I went to go watch Moulon Rouge. My then-fiancee had just taken a bunch of NyQuil and we'd just finished watching "Jeepers Creepers" (and the ending had given her the willies). Going right into the freakiness of that first minute or so of Rouge did her in...she literally shut off the VCR and ran for the bathroom. It was a TKO.

The movie rendition of "Rent" also made me want to run for the bathroom but for different reasons. While the songs work nicely on disc and a stage production - especially when "Rent" was first released - can be quite enjoyable, the movie was just...annoying. I don't know if it's because the musical is showing its' age - and not doing so gracefully like "My Fair Lady" - or if it was a combination of cast, production, etc. for the flick but it just was not an enjoyable viewing experience for me.

Score: 4.5

[charlesx]

I saw "Rent" on Broadway, but just recently watched it on DVD. I liked the live performance better, but the movie had its moments as well. I agree that over all, it didn't translate all that well to the silver screen, but I did enjoy bits like the opening song and "Tango Maureen". Of the cast, the guy who played Angel and Rosario Dawson were the best.

I give it a 7 out of 10.

BTW, Moulin Rouge is the only movie that I have watched on DVD that I can ever remember turning off and then returning to the video rental place. I guess I have a low tolerance for cheesiness and the scenes where Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman quote Elton John songs at each other were too painful to watch. To this day, I could not possibly begin to tell you why this movie was such a hit. Oh well - to each his/her own.

[mike_houghton]

525600 minutes... thats how you measure a year
And watching this movie I wasted 300 of them. 120ish for the movie, and another 180 spent gouging my eyes and ears with a rusty coat hanger.

2 out of ten because it took some talent from the actors to make me watch it all the way through

[lensnart]

I love musicals and I was really excited to see the movie version of a production that I had heard so many great things about, man was I dissapointed. RENT was beyond awful, the dialogue is bad, the songs are awkward, the acting caused me physical pain.

This was one of those that the video store guy warned me about, but I figured he probably just wasn't a fan of musicals, it turns out he wasn't a fan of junk.

This gets a 2 out of 10
only because it was still better than Shrek (0) and Transformers (1)

[DTM]

CURRENT HCR MEMBER RATING:

RENT - 4.04 / 10

(6 members rating)