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Showing posts with label burlesque. Show all posts
Showing posts with label burlesque. Show all posts

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Burlesque


Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A small town Iowa girl (Christina Aguilera) has medium-sized Hollywood dreams and discovers a Burlesque Club on Sunset Strip that I personally have never heard of, seen there, or found on Google Maps. She quickly falls in love with Burlesque dancing and singing, and instantly realizes that she absolutely has to be a part of it.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Christina Aguilera, Cher, Cam Gigandet, Eric Dane, Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Julianne Hough, Alan Cumming, Peter Gallagher, Dianna Agron, Chelsea Traille

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. Fun dancing and singing, with a plot as thin and predictably delicious as the caramel coating of a candied apple means you'll get exactly what you came for.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Even though you will get your fill of laughs simply by sitting through the often-times horrendous dialogue, the filmmakers are also kind enough to throw in a bit of deliberate humor as well, which comes in the form of sexy clown contortionists. Yes, I said sexy clown contortionists.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Doesn't Christina's singing voice always? It's the reason I never listen to her music before a business meeting and always listen to it before I show up unannounced at some guy's house who I want to make feel sorry for me, because my mascara is running down my face, and I look pathetic and helpless.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: If this movie doesn't get nominated for Best Costume Design, I will seriously be offended by the whole process. These Burlesque outfits are not only more inventive than anything that King George and Queen Elizabeth wore, they're also sexier.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Christina Aguilera can act. Cam Gigandet wearing only a box of cookies is one of the highlights of the film (trust me, girls the world over will watch this movie more than once just for that reason). And Kristen Bell should fire her agents, as she finds herself in yet another role that makes her look like she would do better to stick to TV. She has no charisma or charm, and the entire subplot revolving around her antagonist character is poorly defined and uninteresting to follow... That said, her outfits are good.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: While some of the numbers are slightly over-lit for my taste, the angles on the dance sequences are dynamic and energetic. Unfortunately, there are several scenes without dancing and music in the beginning and middle, that lack in energy and bounce. And the requisite solo ballad at the end of the 2nd act is flying its boring-flag high and proud... As the late 2nd act ballad always seems to do in these movies.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: One good thing I can say about the writer of this script is that he clearly knows how predictable his plot and dialogue are, and uses it to fake the audience into thinking he's giving them good writing by having characters point out when the others have just said something cliché. I imagine him now, sitting at his desk writing something terrible, and rather than trying to finesse it and make it better, he just has one of his other characters say what he really thinks of the line he's just written, like, "That's so cheesy." Strangely enough, this technique actually works because once the audience thinks you're in on the cheesiness, they are more than willing to forgive you for it. And that's a hot tip to all you aspiring screenwriters out there... especially those of you who hope to achieve mediocrity.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/burlesque/38474/trailers

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Saturday, May 15, 2010

Behind the Burly Q


Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Talking head documentary about the birth, life, and death of Burlesque in America.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: A bunch of very old sexy ladies and Alan Alda.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketStop! While the subject matter should be fascinating, the film is so poorly compiled, that you almost had to be there to know who's who. This reduces the demographic to men over 70, and since that's about the age when most people get some form of dementia or Alzheimer's, that reduces the audience to about 3 people.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: I found the amount of plastic surgery on these ex-burlesque dancers to be humorous. But don't get me wrong, some of them looked hot!

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's a problem for me that it's not emotionally compelling, despite the fact that most of these women tell the devastatingly horrible stories of the childhoods which led them to taking off their clothes for money... Well, I guess some things never change.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I was very impressed with the eyelashes. Obviously they were falsies, but they came in so many different shapes and sizes, that it seemed like women could really express themselves with the eyelashes they chose. Kind of like how we use shoes these days.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Not dissimilarly to today, most of these showgirls were failed actresses, so it's not surprising that they discussed their sordid pasts on camera like it was the most important accomplishment anyone had ever achieved. But actually, it did sound like an interesting life of travel and hard work, if you don't count the part about having to take off your clothes for a bunch of lecherous men who are objectifying you in their minds.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Leslie Zemeckis' ability to acquire archival footage is impressive, but her ability to put it together into a story that makes sense and is easy to follow leaves a lot to be desired. Most of the time, I had no idea who the talking heads were talking about or what the talker's significance was in the burlesque movement. Were the women interviewed the biggest stars? Were they the girls on the sidelines who watched the big stars make it, while they stood in the wings? If I had been told upfront, even just that, I would have become more involved in the whole thing. Most of the time I didn't even know who was talking. It got tiring, and then it started to feel too long.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It does get you thinking about how when you grow old you lose your secret weapon of beauty, and how tough that is for those of us who have learned to rely on our good looks to get what we want. There are also a lot of interesting tidbits about history, but it's just not strong enough to be watched as anything more than a television documentary on the History Channel, and I have no idea how it got theatrical distribution.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=189Zme-Ioh8

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