Burlesque

This film is about a small town girl from Iowa who goes to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams of dancing and singing.

"Burlesque" is very enjoyable on many levels. The costumes and sets are dazzling, and the dances are great. The moves are seductive but not erotic, and I commend the choreographers for getting this fine balance right. Christina Aguilera has always been known for her powerful voice, and in "Burlesque" her voice and singing skills are brilliantly displayed.

In some films, the abundance of songs can make the film like an extended music video, or is awkward or forced. In "Burlesque" there is no such problem. The speaking scenes and singing scenes transit smoothly from one another. Another thing I really like about this film is the witty lines, they made me laugh so many times! I never thought "Burlesque" could be so good, I think it should have made a lot more in the box office.

Burlesque may have started out as a dazzling, lip-sync singing French twist sensation but when a talented girl from a small town takes center stage belching out loud piercing notes screaming with soul, "You know something got a hold of you and won't let go."

The director starts out with scenes in dingy, crusty locations, overshadowed with filtered sunlight to create an outdated, old fashion look. These scenes failed to capture a unique cinematic vision, instead the views were dark and dull. His blend of melodrama and music worked better than Chicago because singing was sung only on stage. No phantom of the opera to bring tears, just a busting out movie that went straight to the point--I want to sing!

Ms small town girl named Ali, played by Christina Aguilera, changed cities but couldn't quite change her waitress uniform. She worked her way to that familiar job, when charmed by neon lights, she opened the door to a new world, Welcome to Burlesque. As she looked around, she watched the bickering and cat fights among the dancers and how shamefully patrons weren't getting their drinks. So, she took charge by befriending Jack the bartender played by Cam Gigandet, then moved from the unemployment line to waiting on tables and serving drinks. Tess, the club owner played by Cher, told her she has great enthusiasm and terrible timing. However, in the midst of all this tension whiplash, Tess told Ali to take off her coat and get to work.

Ali studied hard by reading every burlesque book ever written. She demonstrated a fierce determination that she could do every dance, every scene, step by step better than the other girls at the audition . She was impressive and landed the job. Now here's the catch 22, people pay to see the dancers lip sync to the great stars like Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend." There is no live singing at Burlesque. What is a girl to do with all that vocal talent? Well, she could be lucky to have a vengeful enemy like Nikki who turns off the pre-recorded music during her lip sync stage performance. Surely for Nikki that has to be the biggest mistake, huge mistake, right? Right. So the rest, as they say, is history! Tess rewrites the whole show around Ali's voice and the small town girl is now center stage on Hollywood Sunset Stripe.

Cher's performance was better than great, it was awesome. She delivers a warm touchy feeling convincing me she owned the club, she loved the club and she wasn't selling her club. Hard set and beautiful, standing tall and confident, singing " You Haven't Seen the Last of Me;" Cher is a true goddess, definitive of stage and production. I needed to see more and more of her . You can't get enough of Cher and her makeup, her hair and her famous, I know everything attitude.

Christina is the sweetest part of the movie. She worked Burlesque from the beginning to the end with an Eminem's 8 mile state of mind, you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. Without a doubt, she definitely lost herself in the music, the moment, and the dancing. When you know you got it, you go get it. She wore skimpy cultured pearls, juicy bareback couture glittering with diamonds, and holding ostrich feathers only, as she paraded the stage singing slow songs, old songs and hip hop songs. Her roommate Jack, black eyeliner by night, is the movie's secret eye candy. Well built, nice teeth, and shy, he gives us a little touch of burlesque with his steamy and lusty private moves. And of course we need to mention Sean played by Stanley Tucci. He held the movie together or should I say he held Tess together.

Burlesque is an eye-popping never boring cinematic experience that will entertain you with grandeur songs from the present and the past. As you experience this razzle dazzle movie, you can actually feel the music. To me, Burlesque mirrors Purple Rain's electrifying energy that generated from a club of talented, struggling performers and a sidekick love affair. Christina and Cher in Burlesque will be remembered like Prince in Purple Rain. You have to see it again and again, because true talent never ages, its ageless. I just loved every mind- blowing performance and I'm sure you will too, so GO see it!!

The musical numbers reminded me of "Sweet Charity" and the camera moves around the Kit Kat Klub style room like Fosse's camera did in "Cabaret" The similarities stop there. The film is a brave attempt but the writing walks a very, very thin line. Was Steve Antin trying to be funny? Some of the lines were received with loud guffaws and there is no way to know if that was the intention because, personally, I felt like cringing. Never mind. It was fun. Christina has a powerful voice but not film presence and Cher is a fearless icon but she had so little to show for it. The best performance is, without question, by Stanley Tucci. The songs work at the moment you're watching them being performed but I couldn't hum a tune now, 48 hours later, for the life of me. So, I was entertained and in the big scheme of things, I guess that's enough

I waited a long time to write this review. I liked the film a great deal but I'm not so sure everyone will. It is entertaining in the way of old fashioned entertainment. Other people in the theater I attended liked it a lot also. That was easy to ascertain by the loud comments both during and after the film.

The story, itself, is a little shallow, mainly it's there as a means to fill in the space in between the elaborate musical numbers. However, the story is enough for the vehicle it carries, happy ending and all.

Cher, as the club owner Tess, has top billing but the entire show is undoubtedly Christina Aguilera as country-girl turned burlesque performer Ali. I'm old enough to say that in my life I've seen most of the premiere singing performers of modern times, many in live concert. Little Christina Aguilera is not just in a class by herself. Ms. Aguilera is in another universe, perhaps even another dimension. Her voice has a tonal quality, a power and a range that is nothing short of staggering. But the best part is that she knows how to make fullest use of that magnificent instrument.

Every second that Christina Aguilera is on screen she is absolutely riveting. You can't take your eyes off of her; and not just because she's remarkably beautiful. Here she is in this film, surrounded by a good number of extremely beautiful and talented women, yet they all seem to fade into the background fog when she is on. She has something more than beauty. She radiates raw animal magnetism and positively smolders in some kind of unidentifiable sexual power that just plain overshadows everything around her. In short, this film is well worth watching just for Aguilara's screen time.

If you can tear yourself away from watching Christina, there is more here to see. All the participants turn in great performances. All the dancers surrounding her are talented and wonderful to watch. All together they create very memorable entertainment. Kristen Bell as Nikki and Julianne Hough as Georgia are great but it's Bell who is the surprise. Being so used to seeing her as the usual blonde adornment in romantic comedies she surprised me with her dancing talent. She's really good. And, Hough is a given in a dancing costume; as flawlessly great as she is beautiful.

For me, the performance I enjoyed the most other than Christina's was Stanley Tucci as Sean. Mr. Tucci is a great talent who adds character and charm to everything he does and he won't disappoint anyone here.

I saved any negatives for last and none have anything to do with the cast. I found I didn't like the sound the way it was presented. The techniques they used tended to make the performances almost look like they were all canned/lip synced. I'm sure they thought the vocals had more power the way they did them but it truthfully detracted from the overall presentation.

The decision to make a PG-13 rated film was, no doubt, made to try and capture the kiddie ticket buyers. I honestly feel that if they actually pulled out the stops and made an honest R rated film with a more adult slant it would have been better and more profitable in the long run. To me, trying to make anything called "BURLESQUE" anything other than an adult film just seems ludicrous on the face of it.

In spite of the negatives it's still entertaining. I'll take friends to see it with a clear conscience.

By Bruce L. Jones

http://webpages.charter.net/bruce.jones1/

At times I can be a bit snobby about movies. I am more attracted to slow artsy fartsy movies that try make grand points about society or existence. However, not all movies are to meant to challenge social structures or deliver underlying meanings and here there certainly is none of that.... and I liked it!

Burlesque is a little cheesy, yup, filled with clichés, uh huh, predictable, you betcha! That is all part of it's charm though. It set out to be a fun romp with some sexy outfits and entertaining song numbers and it delivered. There is no great villain, there is no great backstabbing - which in someways is more realistic. It doesn't try to have an overly deep plot. It knows it's superficial and embraces it. Did anyone ever doubt Christina could sing? Her voice is amazing and her acting ain't bad either. Cher is well, Cher and how can anyone not love her? Stanley Tucci certainly steals the show while Cam Gigandet provides some delicious eye candy. If you want to be visually and audibly entertained for about an hour and a half, shut your brain off, sit back and enjoy Burlesque. Disclaimer: this recommendation does not pertain to men, unless you are a man of the Cher-loving variety. Despite a burlesque club technically being a 'strip club' this movie is certainly geared for the ladies.