IslandGuru Who payed the critics

SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

ererer Newsies: An Unexpected Masterpiece Continues to AmazeNewsies, an unrecognized cinematic masterpiece made in 1992, is a classic, feel good Disney musical. This movie, starring Christian Bale and David Moscow, does not only feature exquisite singing and choreography but the story of poor newspaper salesmen and their journey of standing up for their rights. The film is rated PG and is 2 hours and 1 minute long. It is safe and fun for the whole family.The setting is 1899 in New York City. Newsies everywhere are selling Joseph Pulitzer's 'World', when the price to buy a paper goes up 1/10 of a cent. Keep in mind the newsies are already dirt poor, now they have to pay more for their job? This increase in purchase price does not settle well with them. Jack "Cowboy" Kelly (Bale) takes charge and leads the newsies in a strike against Pulitzer. David (Moscow) and his younger brother Les (Luke Edwards) help Jack get back the regular price. The newsie boys try to rally together the young workers of NYC to bring back fair wages. The newsie's story takes us on an amazing escapade of singing, dancing, some suspenseful fights, and even a little romance. Though it may be corny in certain scenes, the upbeat songs are catchy enough to get stuck in your head for days at a time. You can decide whether that is a blessing or a curse this movie musical has given you. I give this movie 4/5 stars for it's great story line and acting. I would give it 5/5 stars, but some parts are so cliché you cannot help but notice them.

kilroyc In 1992, amidst classics such as "A League of Their Own" and "The Muppet Christmas Carol", a movie, a musical movie hit theaters: "Newsies". Musicals, especially that of the live-action species, were few and far between in the 1990s. Of the small number that there were, many were not well-received by critics nor audiences. "Newsies" was no different. Upon its release, critics such as Roger Ebert called it "forgettable" and "pointless". Based on the Newsboys' Strike of 1899, the movie tells the story of the newsboys' of New York attempt at striking after the increase in price of papers. Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, owners of the World and the Journal, respectively, raised the cost of one hundred papers from fifty cents to sixty cents. Led by veteran newsy Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) and "the walking mouth" David Jacobs (David Moscow), the newsies held rallies and meetings to unite against this injustice.Though the cast was and remains full of mostly unknowns, the performances were relatively well done. From time to time, the acting suffers from a clunky, occasionally non- cohesive script, but the characters were there. David is very clearly dedicated to not only the newsies, but also his family, as one of the only newsies with parents. Crutchy (Marty Belafsky) is shown to be no less of a newsy because of his crippled leg, and quickly steals the heart of anyone watching due to his wit and endearing personality. Jack, the leader, the one every newsy aspires to be, is portrayed in the entire complexity of his character: not just the arrogant, joking, hardened street urchin, but the kid who has always wanted a family and longs for the sunshine of Santa Fe.This movie, once again, is a musical, which means two things are certain: music and dancing. Limited to a screen, the choreography is at times cramped and peculiarly timed, but overall it adds to the charm of the movie, making you giggle if nothing else, and is very impressive. The music and songs, however, are guaranteed to get stuck in your head for days on end. "Carrying the Banner", arguably the anthem of the newsies, and "King of New York" are catchy, uplifting, and motivating. So much so that you might want to go and deliver some papers yourself. In contrast, "Santa Fe", the song about Jack's longing for a home and travel, is a solemn reminder of the reality faced by orphans on the streets of New York City. The songs are on occasion seemingly random in placement, but just as with the choreography, they add to the overall charm of the film.All in all, as a musical fan and someone with appreciation for cheesy movies, I'd give "Newsies" a 7.5/10. While it is not as well-executed as it could be, I had an enjoyable time watching it and would recommend it to anyone looking to just have fun for about two hours. It's a quaint history lesson set to catchy song and impressive dance, what's not to love?

jorgensenc What happens when you combine rising, young actors, catchy songs, and the magic of Disney? The movie musical Newsies is created. The film takes place in New York City, and centers its plot on the newsboys' strike of 1899. Newsies follows the story of a newspaper boy named Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) who becomes an unlikely hero during this rebellion against the great newspaper powers of Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall) and William Hearst. After Pulitzer and Hearst decide to raise the price of a newspaper a tenth of a cent, the newsies find it completely unfair, and decide to rally together from all parts of the city and go on strike against the papers. With the help of friends like David (David Moscow) and his younger brother Les (Luke Edwards), Jack is successful in making the newspaper boy rebellion ignite a spark among all child laborers in New York to not stand for the unjust treatment anymore. Although the Newsies is based off the historical event of the newsboys' strike, it isn't entirely accurate. For example, Jack Kelly was not the leader of the strike in 1899; it was actually a young man known as Kid Blink. Aside from the multiple errors in historical accuracy, the Newsies is still worth the watch. The singing is phenomenal, and although cheesy at times, it helps keep the film lighthearted. The choreography and dancing makes you want to leap out of your chairs and move along with boys. There is a little bit of romance, a little bit of humor, a little bit of history, and a lot of fun for a family to watch. The Newsies will have you rooting for the underdogs, and it might make you want to enroll in a few dance classes! Rated PG

mcsweeneys You know that bad picture from grade school that you don't dare show anyone because it's just too… embarrassing? That must be how the multiple successful actors in Newsies feel after watching their performance in the 1992 film. With poor acting, B+ at best singing, and sloppily added in side plots, this film is two thumbs down! The story starts out in 1899 New York City, where Jack Kelly (Christian Bale), your generic "rebellious hero" character and unofficial leader of the newspaper boys, or newsies, makes his entrance in a poorly choreographed song that sets the scene for the rest of the blunderous movie. With the amount of unlikely fight scenes that seem as though created by a little boy (because our hero obviously never gets hit, he's too perfect!), you begin to wonder if Bale used this movie as training for his Dark Knight films. The predictable plot continues, and we are introduced to lovable, Disney cookie-cutter characters such as Crutchie, Davey, and Les. The diversity is much appreciated, as it is always fresh and exciting to watch a film all about boys, because who needs gender equality? Between the forced accents and multiple mentions of big, bad, Brooklyn, you sure can't forget the setting of the story! The 121 minute flick can get a little slow, but if you ever get sleepy, you can count on off-key singing to wake you right back up. The worst part of this family-friendly movie was the completely unnecessary romance angle that was squeezed in and left us all confused. Jack meets his partner Les' sister once and by the end of the movie they're walking off into the sunset together, which contradicts the whole message of the film, which is something like brotherhood, solidarity, and trust. If you are ever unfortunate enough to watch this movie, make sure to get comfy, it's going to be a long two hours.