Annie

MPAA Rating: PG for some mild language and rude humor.
Run Time: 118 Minutes
My Rating: 3/5
So today we went and saw Columbia Pictures' Annie starring Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Jaime Foxx (Django Unchained), Rose Byrne (Neighbors), and Cameron Diaz (The Other Woman).  The film is the third adaption of the Broadway play of the same name.  It tells the story of little orphan Annie, who was left by her parents as a baby with the promise to come back for her someday.  She lives with the horrible Miss Hannigan, but tries to look at the positive things that life brings.  However, everything changes when she is chosen to live temporarily with Will Stacks, a rich mayoral candidate who wants to use Annie to make himself look more humane than he really is.  Eventually the two form a bond that changes not only Annie's world, but the life of Will Stacks as well.
So to be honest, this was not my favorite movie.  If you look at the film as just a movie, it is entertaining and full of laughs, however I looked at the film as an adaption of the play Annie, and doing so I was really disappointed.  The original play and previous adaptions have taken place in 1933 Depression Era, but this new adaption tries to modernize the musical by setting it in 2014 Recession Era.  This was done in order to make the story more relatable to younger audiences.  Also in this film the music is modernized and more upbeat, hopefully to attract a younger audience.  Though most of the songs from the musical are present in the play, they are either shortened or drowned out by the new remixes of the classic songs.  This for me was a big deal, because I remember growing up to the classic songs and seeing them changed so much or in some cases non-existent really bothered me.
Though there were things that bothered me, there were many things that I thought that the film did well.  One thing is casting the wonderful Quvenzhané Wallis.  She does an amazing job as little orphan Annie and has a spectacular voice.  She is definitely the shining star in this film and if it wasn't for her the film would probably be a complete disaster.  Another great casting choice was the amazing Rose Byrne.  She has had quite an impressive year and she takes control of every scene that she is in.  I would have never guessed at the beginning of the year that she would be my new favorite actress, but she definitely takes the crown.  She does an amazing job as Will Stacks' assistant Grace and also proves that she has an amazing voice as well.  Finally probably the greatest change that was added to the movie is the new song written by Sia called "Opportunity."  It is an incredible addition to the film and when Quvenzhané Wallis sings it, I forgot how much the film disappointed me.  It truly adds depth to the film and I wouldn't be opposed to it being added to musical at some point.
Overall, the film was just okay.  For those that grew up watching either the Carol Burnett or Kathy Bates version of Annie, you will probably be just as disappointed as I was.  However for those new to Annie will enjoy the film and be able to get a glimpse of some of its great music.  This is definitely a film for the whole family to watch.

Thanks again for reading.  If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, just let me know!!!