Katy Perry: Part of Me

There have been tons of concert movies that have come out, but unless you're a fan they really have a limited audience. With the latest Katy Perry: Part of Me they do something a bit different than just deliver another concert film, but instead an inside look at the creation and execution of Perry's tour, but also a documentary aspect telling about her career and personal victories and heartaches throughout.

What's good about this film is that you don't have to be a fan of her music to find it interesting. On one side you get the Behind the Music vibe of her career wrapped in a big bow of making of the concert, sprinkled with numerous performances of her on stage. While all this is entertaining in itself, what really takes this film outside of the norm is the closer look at her personal life and emotions that she deals with while struggling to deal with life, marriage, and an unbelievable tour schedule. Here they never shy away from showing her raw moments of breaking down from pushing herself just as much as the glamour and fun of her seemingly magical world she has created around her. It's refreshing to see a star of her caliber that feels like a down to earth girl who made it big time and now just happens to be one of the biggest stars in the world. Of course there will be those that think some of it is just playing to the camera and who knows, but really who cares. The entire vibe she has created seems to bring more happiness to the world and her fans and seeing the amount of work and actual creative control she has it really impressive for someone still so young.

Like her music or not, this film is so much more than that. This is a behind the scenes look at the side of music you don't see very often. Every star has their ways of doing things, but here seeing what Perry, and obviously many others like her go through both personally and physically to deliver what the fans clamor for should give you a new respect for both her and the performers in general. What's really crazy is that you can't help but enjoy this movie due to the simple fact that it exhumes joy on every level. It's like you fell off a cloud into a real life candy land and will bring a smile to your face.

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Katy Perry: Part of Me, was, to be completely honest, okay. It was indeed interesting to learn about Katy Perry's off stage life, and on stage life, but the movie sadly dragged it out to much. It was too long for a sort of movie like it was. It, at some parts, got extremely boring. If you love watching movies about singers or actresses lives off and on stage than this movie is for you. But if you don't like it when they drag movies out and put stuff in there that is extremely pointless than this movie is definitely not for you. Katy Perry: Part of Me was just one of those movies that when nothing else is really on you turn it on and watch it. Of course if you love Katy Perry, then this Katy Perry movie is going to have you glued to the television. I am not a big fan of her, but the movie wasn't bad, just dragged out.

It's 2011. Katy Perry is embarking on her California Dreams Tour. It starts off as a traditional inspirational behind the scene concert movie with a good dose of the story of a young struggling artist. It introduces her team, her family and her journey so far. The journey is a little enlightening with some fascinating bits about record labels. It's all pretty much expected from a concert film introducing an artist. It's a good first half about her rise. The movie moves into auto-pilot where her marriage is wonderful, the fans are adoring and it's hard-working fun. About an hour in, the real world relationship intrudes and her marriage to Russell Brand falls apart. It gets hinted at from time to time culminating in the text message. If this is a regular drama, the climax is Katy waiting to rise up onto the stage. The movie would end soon after that. Watching Katy breaking down is like skimming the surface of a very deep pool. There is probably so much more to the story but we're given only glimpses. In the end, this is concert movie and not an in-depth documentary. It can't turn into a deeper analysis for both personal and professional reasons. It's an opportunity lost. She does show herself to be driven, professional and a romantic. For fans, that would be more than enough.

Yeah, I actually took the time to watch this. It's exactly what you would expect. It's simply another touring concert movie to cash in on the success of a modern icon, but at least we do get to see why people look up to Katy Perry in such a way. Is it her music? Okay, but lots of artists have good music. Is it her fashion? I don't think that's it either. I think people look up to Perry because her personality is just so likable, and she's faced relatable issues and real life problems, all of that leading to where she is now. Maybe the movie makes her a little too likable, but you can see exactly why she's considered such a role model, and any fan of her music (guilty) will enjoy hearing the live performances of her songs.

*** / *****

If you go into this movie as a fan of Katy Perry, you'll love it. If you don't like her at all, you won't like the movie. Plain and simple.

As a fan of Katy Perry, I juggled with the idea of actually paying money to see this in the theater because I wouldn't say I'm a hardcore fan. But I decided I would go to experience the 3D effects. The 3D did not disappoint. It added a dimension to some of the concert scenes making the atmosphere fun and bubbly. The concert scenes were mixed in with behind the scenes looks at what goes into being Katy Perry.

Now if you are not a huge fan of her, you probably won't want to see the movie. It does give a really personal and at times, tragic, look into super stardom. And at the end of the movie you might find yourself liking Katy more.

Overall, it really is a film for fans. Nothing more, nothing less.