Review of Annie (2014) by Punkandglamour — 11 Jan 2015

I was ready to be mad at the metascore here but then I saw that people rated the original a 39. Don't go to movies for children, if you don't like childrens movies.

I saw the movie at a screening a few week before it was released and then again after release.

The reason this doesn't get 10 is because Cameron Diaz's portrayal of Colleen Hannigan is.

1) This is a MOVIE-Musical. Not a musical, it's not going to BE a musical. It's been converted to be something for children. A G-Rated version.

2) While the original Orpahn Annie got to know what happened to her family, I feel it's MUCH more realistic that Annie Bennett has no idea who her family is. They could have moved to the other side of the country. Also Annie wasn't fostered or given to an agency, this version of Annie was abandoned outside of a police precinct as a FOUR year old. That's called child endangerment and it's a crime. I seriously doubt even if she was on the news they'd be willing to say "hey we left our child out in the cold in NYC instead of going to a church or filing proper paperwork". They don't even know how old she actually is or her real birthday.

Jamie Fox and Quevhenzane Wallace are great here. When Cameron Diaz sings she's great otherwise BLAH.

This Annie to me is so very relate-able. I know kids in the system and I was one myself. The majority of kids in the foster system are black or latina. Having a white Annie now would be ridiculous considering most of the children who are 10 years old and still in the system don't look anything like a cute redheaded pale child.

It's a good movie and the songs are PHENOMENAL. My Opportunity, The City's Yours, and Who Am I are my personal favorites.