I Hosted A Screening of “ANNIE!”#AnnieMovie @AnnieMovie

A Broadway classic that has delighted audiences for generations comes to the big screen with a new, contemporary vision in Columbia Pictures’ comedy, Annie. Director/Producer/Screenwriter Will Gluck teams with producers James Lassiter,Will Gluck, Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith, Caleeb Pinkett, Shawn “JAY Z” Carter, Laurence “Jay” Brown, Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith with a modern telling that captures the magic of the classic characters and original show that won seven Tony Awards. Celia Costas and Alicia Emmrich serve as Executive Producers. The screenplay is by Will Gluck and Aline Brosh McKenna, based on the musical stage play “Annie,” book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and on “Little Orphan Annie,” © and ® Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Not just a Broadway classic, a family classic for most everyone! I remember when my niece discovered the film at about the age of three. We would sit in my in-laws living room and she would watch in three times in a row.

Academy Award® nominee Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) stars as Annie, a young, happy foster kid who’s also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise that they’d be back for her someday, it’s been a hard knock life ever since with her mean foster mom Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). But everything’s about to change when the hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) – advised by his brilliant VP, Grace (Rose Byrne) and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy (Bobby Cannavale) – makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Stacks believes he’s her guardian angel, but Annie’s self-assured nature and bright, sun-will-come-out-tomorrow outlook on life just might mean it’s the other way around.

We loved it. The music, the updated story line, and the use of social media!

I do not want to give anything away this early, but there was one song ans scene that stood out for me as award winning. You’ll know as soon as you see the movie! How’s that for a tease!

Another bit stood out for my family as my son played Rooster Hannigan in his Summer cam a few months ago. The characters have been updated so the song, Easy Street, was sung by Bobby Cannevale. Over the Summer my son sang that song!

Lastly, there is a cameo by Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. That is information available on the web, as I do not want to put out any spoilers! Suffice it to say that it was yet another funny moment in the film. We laughed heartily throughout!

Plan on seeing this movie in December, you will not be disappointed!

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets to see the film. No other compensation was received, and this is not a review!

Oh yeah, our pics with Sandy the Dog!