RENT!
I'm not gonna lie. I really, really liked this movie. I think it was a great adapation from stage to screen. The songs were great, if altered a little from the original. I was surprised that they cut out the voice mails, but I suppose it all worked out okay. The shots of Roger's backstory were interesting. In the play, both Roger and Mark have AIDS, as well as Maurine; in the movie, far fewer characters are actually infected. I think that took a little bit away from the sympathy the audience feels for the characters, but like I said, it worked out okay.
It was a little strange to hear a few songs without seeing people singing them. I agree a little bit with the paper in that the music is spectacular but on the stage, little happens visually compared to what they did in the movie. However, I think it's more powerful to see Roger and Mimi actually singing "Without You" rather than hearing a voice-over, and the same with Roger and Mark in "What You Own" (though you do see them singing a lot of that, but for a few of the really great parts you don't). Overall, the music was wonderful, and the voices were amazing. Oh, another surprise: "Seasons of Love" at the beginning. But, truth be told, I had continual goosebumps for the whole scene.
I was surprised by the PG-13 rating. They took out the orgy, but several "fucks" were still there, not to mention the whole lesbian/gay/...sexuality...thing. Oh, and that strip club scene. Yeah, that was a little strange. Still, it doesn't matter to me what rating they gave it, now does it?
I want to have Roger's babies. That didn't change from stage to screen at all. I feel bad for poor Mark, too...the only one not having hot sex. *tear* I almost cried a couple times, but I just couldn't at the end. I mean, honestly. Jesus, anyone?
They did take away lots of little parts. For example, in "La Vie Boheme," only the main characters have lines, whereas on stage many extras have bits. And where was the fuzzy pink bra? But I digress...
The main point I'm trying to make is, it's really good as long as you don't mind a few changes from the stage version. And I certainly don't.
Natalie and I went to Coffee's before we went to the movie, and it was pretty cool. Almost no one was there when we first went in, at least not back in the platform area, so we had it all to ourselves. There were a few really cute dogs there, too! I went up in snatch and got 62.5 (it was a pretty nice lift, too) and then missed 65 twice, but oh well. Coffee has the weights for the 1-kilo system, and they're sooooooo cute! Possibly my favorite part of the workout was:
Coffee: You going to Americans?
Me: Nope.
Coffee: Why not?
Me: I had a scheduling problem that my mom refused to let me try to work out.
Coffee: Run away from home!
Me: I considered that.