Nine (2009)

Some films are more than the sum of their parts; Nine has the misfortune of being the opposite. It has a great female cast, some interesting set pieces, some clever lighting that reminds of Gregg Toland’s work, and occasional smart editing, but they never gel into a satisfactory whole. Like the main protagonist’s mind it’s directionless and empty when it should be focused and impassioned. If that was a conscious decision, designed to reflect his crippling lack of imagination, it was a bad one. It's a yawn-fest with some bad music.

1½ cabaret music videos out of 5