Dance Challenge

Chicago is a 2002 musical black comedy crime film based on the 1975 stage musical, which in turn originated in the 1926 play. It explores the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Chicago during the Jazz Age. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere, with Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Lucy Liu and Colm Feore in supporting roles. The film's plot centers on Roxie Hart (Zellweger) and Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones), two murderers who find themselves in jail together awaiting trial in 1920s Chicago. Roxie, a housewife, and Velma, a vaudevillian, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Rob Marshall, who also choreographed the film, and was adapted by screenwriter Bill Condon, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Chicago premiered in Los Angeles on December 10, 2002 and was released theatrically in Canada and the United States on December 26 and 27 respectively. It was widely acclaimed, with particular praise for the performances of the cast and, grossing over $306.5 million worldwide, emerged as the tenth-highest-grossing film of the year in the United States. Among its many accolades, the film received the most nominations and wins at the 75th Academy Awards, with 13 nominations and six wins, including Best Picture, becoming the first musical to win in the category since Oliver! (1968). The film also earned 12 nominations at the 56th British Academy Film Awards (including Best Film), winning two, as well as three wins at the 8th Critics' Choice Awards (including Best Picture and Best Acting Ensemble) and three each at the 60th Golden Globes (including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy) and 9th Screen Actors Guild Awards (including Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture). Zeta-Jones won Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, Critics' Choice Movie Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards, while Zellweger won Best Actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Golden Globes, where she beat Zeta-Jones. Latifah and Reilly also received nominations for their performances including at the Academy Awards, while Gere won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and was also nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. The film's soundtrack was also widely successful, reaching the top two on the US Billboard 200 and topping the US Billboard Soundtrack Albums chart. It also won Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. Considered among the best musical films of all time, it was voted the 12th Best Movie Musical by the American Film Institute in 2006 as part of the publication's 100 Years... series of best film lists, and ranked second in the National Board of Review's annual ranking of the 10 best films of the year in 2002.