Film Review: Annie Remake

Ermahgerd, it's Annie!

Let's review Annie!

In case you don't know (perhaps you're a recently unfrozen caveman), every iteration of Annie, including this latest from director Will Gluck, follows a delightful orphan as she is swept off her feet by a single billionaire who takes her away from her life of orphaning. Songs, laughter, and paternal love follow. It was originally conceived as a comic strip, then adapted as a radio play, a few movies, a musical, and finally the 1982 classic movie-musical starring Carol Burnett as Annie's alcoholic, evil-yet-nuanced caretaker Miss Hannigan and Albert Finney as the rich man who welcomes Annie onto his palatial estate and into his heart. The plot is bare-bones, and many of the musical numbers are regrettable; the 1982 version exists as a great movie mostly for the many stellar performances. This 2014 remake stars Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx in two main roles, which is the very definition of downgrading.

Quvenzhané Wallis Cast in Annie Remake!

The Sun'll Come Out... in 2014

This news is a few days old, but I just heard that Quvenzhané Wallis is going to be orphan Annie in the new film version of the classic musical (which itself is based on a comic strip) Annie.

I loved Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Annie seems like a natural extension of her previous work. She's already really good at playing damaged youths with father issues.

The original Annie film came out in 1982, and it starred some of my favorite people, including: Carol Burnett, Albert Finney, Tim Curry, Edward Hermann, and Bernadette Peters. Since it’s been over 30 years since the movie came out, it’s not exactly as if the remake would be stepping on the heels of the previous film.

The film is being produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z, and the director attached is Will Gluck.  Gluck directed Easy A, a film that my father didn't like but that I was a big fan of. With a screenplay by Emma Thompson, this all seems to be undeniably good news!