Paris Hilton’s new musical film, Repo! The Genetic Opera, is being savaged by critics as so bad it’s easily one of the worst movies of the year. What’s more is that Paris’ role is drawing particular ire, with journalists pointing out that she can’t sing and only shows up briefly, as if the director was trying to minimize her time on screen.

Repo! is a horror musical from the producers of Saw about a post-apocalyptic future in which organ transplants and plastic surgery are available on strict payment terms. It’s being called a “A bargain-bin Sweeney Todd,” that fails to approach the appeal of rock opera classics like The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

LA Times: Unwatchable, Paris is minimized

How’s this for a future: In the year 2056, which will look like a post-consumer apocalypse, one company will have a monopoly on designer plastic surgery and organ transplants, giving easy financing terms with gruesome, life-ending repossession if payment is not rendered on time. And there will be songs, lots of songs.

The film is bad — not good-bad, tacky-bad or fun-bad, just plain awful and nearly unwatchable. “Repo” has feet of lead, with none of the frenetic grace or swooping lyricism that make a musical film, well, musical…

It seems the production has had to cut around the ubiquitous Paris Hilton, as she is never glimpsed in anything but brief, fleeting shots and her hoarse bark of a singing voice is used as little as possible. And poor, poor Paul Sorvino — what a road from “Goodfellas” to here.

[From Los Angeles Times]

Boxoffice.com: one of the worst movies of the year

Without question, Repo! The Genetic Opera will pop up on worst-movies-of-the-year lists. More appropriately subtitled The Generic Opera, this adaptation of a stage musical by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich is a mangy mutt of a motion picture. A derivative concept, a screechy blend of musical styles, a mediocre book and lyrics, borderline production values and barely competent performances make for an excruciating experience. While it may aspire to cult status, the odds are not good that it will gain a loyal following, let alone make a killing.

All you need to know about Repo! is that Paris Hilton has a prominent role and that she’s the best thing in it. Sarcasm aside, the fact she was cast tells you where the movie’s head is at: namely, in the amateurish clouds where a celebrity connection might ensure much-needed attention—who cares if it’s for the wrong reasons?

[From Boxoffice.com]

Repo! has a current 27% aggregate rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and not everyone hated it. Some writers say that it’s so strange it’s visionary. The film has been out in limited release on just 8 screens since last Friday, November 7, and is scheduled to come out on DVD on January 20, 2009.

Paris has a new interview with Moviehole in which she repeats her talking points about how hard she works to expand her brand, and claims she made a difference in youth turnout for the US election with her political parody videos. She also says that it hurts her widdle feelings when people criticize her, and that “I’m not a spoiled person. I’m not a bad person. I’m a sweet girl with a big heart, I care about people and I do a lot of charity work, so it hurts my feelings when people are mean, and want to say nasty things.”

Is it nasty to say she can’t sing or act if it’s the truth? Maybe she should stick to looking cute and holding up stuff.

The best part of Paris’ interview with Moviehole is her response to a question about how she defines her brand.

Paris says she’s “Classy”

Question: How would you define the Paris Hilton brand? What is the Paris Hilton brand?

Hilton: Just – fashion, and in style, and hot and fun and sexy. And just – I don’t know. Classy.

[From Moviehole]

According to Paris, we won’t have a respite from seeing her classy acting on the big screen any time soon. She working on a film called Pedal to the Medal in which she plays a rock star.

Paris is shown filming a scene for “My New BFF” at the Apple Lounge in LA on 11/7/08. Credit: BAC/WENN. Thanks to WENN for the idea for this post.