I review it: Burlesque

I kind of loved this movie.   It's like a giant pink cupcake iced with glitter and served on a plate of camp - and I mean that in the best possible way.

The 'small town girl with big dreams makes good' story line is pretty paint-by-numbers, but that's not why you're there.  You're there for the musical set pieces and gorgeous production design, and those are worth the price of admission.  Christina Aguilera does a capable job with the material, and she's given ample opportunity to do what she does best - blow the roof of the mother.



Cher spends the movie being Cher, because she's already proven that she can act and made one of the greatest movies of all time *cough* Moonstruck *cough* and my god people she's a goddamn national treasure!  What more do you want from her?

Oh, you say you want a patented Cher power ballad?  Alrighty then.  Seriously y'all, this is the show stopper number.  Believe.



Stanley Tucci steals the movie and is amazing and needs to be in everything.  That guy who plays the campaign manager on The Good Wife (tm my Mom) has the Joel Gray role.  Julianne Hough is in it so people can say, "Hey isn't that the girl from Dancing with the Stars?" and then spend the movie waiting for her to show up because FAKEOUT! she's a brunette.   The great Etta James also gets several shout outs because Christina worships her, as one does.

The one casting misstep is Kristen Bell.  I didn't really buy her as the fading star who is eclipsed by newcomer Xtina.  I just kind of sat there wondering, "Veronica Mars?  Really?"  She came off as more petulant than life weary, which is what I think the role really called for.  Although she did get the best line of the entire film:

"I won't be upstaged by some chick with mutant lungs!"

3 tasseled pasties out of 5.  Check it out.

In upcoming movie news, this was one of our trailers. I have no idea what this movie is about, but you pretty much had me at chicks with swords blowing shiz up in slow motion while the levee breaks. With robots! It's like director Zack Snyder made this movie just for me.