Cotillard does get two songs, though, instead of just one – so she is a little more “featured” than the rest. But she had me hanging on her every glance well before that.

And yet Cotillard with her equally limited screen time is simply stunning here. Yes. her and Peter Sarsgaard should just be in everything. The world would be a better place

I think Cruz’s initial number turned me off a lot (obviously the opposite of its intention, heh), and made it difficult for me to look at the character as anything but oversexualized and a little whiny. Maybe I’ll think differently on rewatch.

Pretty boring story and the music is really lackluster. But man that set design, costuming and choreography is absolutely stunning! Worth the watch just for that. You are right, Fergie’s number is an absolute stand out. The color and lighting and the choreography with the sand and the tambourines is simply devine on every level.

Next to Broken Embraces and The White Ribbon, this is the best looking film of the year. Every shot is gorgeous.

Cotillard is brilliant. I actually disagree with you about Cruz. I thought she was pretty decent here, but you’re right that Cotillard is the stand-out steals every scene – even from DDL.

The Victoria Secret runway-type thing bothered me the most in Penelope Cruz’s number. And I guess in Kate Hudson’s, but as soon as that song equated Fellini with neo-realism I tuned out completely. I thought Marion Cotillard’s were quite well-done, and obviously Fergie’s was a knockout. I’m glad you mentioned the non-musical scenes, because there was a lot to enjoy there, too. I HATED Judi Dench’s number, though. Most pointless thing in the film. I’m plenty happy to have my Dame Judi not singing and dancing.

Almost all the women perform their musical numbers as if they were on a Victoria Secrets runway. This is excellent from an eye-candy perspective but I got a little tired of it by the end. I don’t know how it was handled for the Broadway production.

Fergie’s number is definitely the standout. The set for “Be Italian” was great and I loved the use of sand during that number.

I actually liked the movie better when the musical numbers weren’t being performed. The chemistry between Guido and Luisa and Guido and Lilli (Judi Dench’s character) were great. And the shots of Italy, the spa, the cobble stone streets – I love all that.

I admit that I haven’t seen Fellini’s 8 1/2 so I don’t know if I am missing something or not in relation to “Nine”

And Marc, you’re right, Anouk Aimee was great in 8 1/2, and I expect you may not like the more direct, less ambiguous way Luisa and Guido’s relationship is portrayed in Nine, but I actually liked it. I’m ready to take heat for this, but Nine is more satisfying than 8 1/2 narratively – I know that “satisfying” isn’t really what 8 1/2 is going for, and that what it achieves is superior cinematically, but I’d never pop 8 1/2 in for fun some afternoon. I would Nine. That’s the difference.

As you said though, I think the film will likely be much easier to appreciate scene by scene rather than as a completely package. I imagine the film is likely to say very little, but say it big and loudly.