Burlesque! I know this movie has been out since Thanksgiving 2010 but it was playing in the Gladbrook theater this weekend and I really wanted to see it. Being a big fan of movie musicals this was on my must-see list. I also really like Christina Aguilera and Cher’s music; so, that is just more fuel on the fire.
The movie didn’t disappoint. It was really well done. The best part, for me at least, was the music. Christina has the best and most powerful singing voice I have ever heard, and it’s not something you would easily guess at from her speaking voice. I immediately downloaded the soundtrack when I got home and have been listening to it ever since.
Now to the movie itself…. (spoiler alert, read at your own risk)
Christina plays a girl named Ali who leaves her small town in Iowa to try her luck in the big city of LA. It is a true movie musical, and what I mean by that is that it has a song within the first five minutes. Christina belts an Etta James classic, “Something’s Got a Hold on Me.”
Once in LA, things are slow for Ali as she tries to find work. Then one fateful evening, she walks into the Burlesque club and falls in love with the performance style. Enter Cher. She is the owner of the club, Tess. She is singing the opening number of the show when Ali first comes into the club.
The club itself is really well done. While set in modern day, the club gives the movie a period piece feel, as though we are transported back to the original Burlesque time period. The costuming, the lights and all of the dancers really add to that feel. An added treat for me is that Julianne Hough appears in the movie as one of the dancers, Georgia. She is one of my favorite pro dancers from Dancing with the Stars. She hasn’t been on the show since season eight so it was great to see her dance again.
Back to the movie, Ali talks to one of the bartenders, Jack, played by hottie Cam Gigandet (who plays a bad vampire in Twilight). They discover they are kindred spirits as he came to the big city from small town Kentucky. Jack directs her to see Tess to try to get in the act. Long story short, she crashes and burns with Tess but uses her new found friendship with Jack to land a waitress gig so she can remain close to the club.
She is at the club every night, watching each routine and memorizing them. All she needs is her chance, and before long, one dancers needs to drop out and a replacement is needed. Ali impresses Tess by her work ethic and not backing down when Tess tells her no first. She wheedles the job out of her and she turns out to be a hit when they discover her singing talent.
From her the movie really takes off. Christina sings five different times throughout the course of the movie. Cher has a power house solo that gave me goose bumps from the first eight bars.
The plot line is solid. Tess is struggling to keep her club, and she tries to use her new found star in Ali to help save it for her. That leads to jealousy from the other dancers, all of the classic conflicts that comes with the performing arts.
The romantic angle is there between Jack and Ali; however, you find out early that he is engaged to some chick in New York that doesn’t seem to care whether he’s there or not. Jack and Ali are still able to form a great friendship and is a solid emotional base for the movie. Grey’s Anatomy’s Eric Dane is in the movie as businessman, Marcus. He is trying to buy the club from Tess and takes an interest in Ali, while Jack is still trying to figure out his feelings. You can’t really hate hime because he’s just being a smart businessman and he’s good to Ali when they are in each other’s company.
The movie comes to a satisfying conclusion. I won’t give everything away but know that I wouldn’t be blogging about it with such a nice tone if I hated the ending. It’s definitely a movie I will purchase when the DVD comes out. It gets my recommendation to anyone wanting to watch an entertaining film, whatever that’s worth.
Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci and Peter Gallagher also star in the movie.
Here’s Cher’s song, “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me Yet.” Not much of a video but the song is amazing!
Christina Aguilera and Kristen Bell go for brights at Burlesque premiere
Friday 17 December, 2010
Christina Aguilera wowed in a popping pink gown, while co-star Kristen Bell went for digi-prints at the colourful Burlesque premiere
The premiere tour of Christina Aguilera‘s new movie Burlesque has been anything but sedate! Fantastically flamboyant and characteristically colourful, each red carpet bash has been a real style extravaganza and this latest outing in Berlin didn’t disappoint.
Making sure all eyes were firmly on her, InStyle‘s December cover girl Christina wowed in a popping pink plunge neck halter-dress. The pop goddess made her big screen debut in this all-singing, all-dancing movie about a girl who wants to make it big on the Burlesque scene.
But not to be outdone by her on-screen rival, co-star Gossip Girl‘s Kristen Bell went bright too, working a layered digi-print Brian Reyes v-neck minidress teamed with a classic black Salvatore Ferragamo purse.
Co-starring the inimitable Cher, Burlesque is an absolute feast for the eyes, with fantastic costumes and incredible dance sequences. Out in UK cinemas today – add it to your Christmas must-see list!
Christina Aguilera, Kristen Bell, Cher and the rest of the, “Burlesque,” cast headed to Madrid, Spain to promote their movie. On December 9th, they attended the premiere at the Callao cinema.
The Fashion Patrol was on hand to note what the stars wore, starting with Christina Aguilera. The singer chose a beaded, black cocktail dress from Marchesa’s Resort 2011 collection. It was a beautiful piece and it certainly had a “burlesque,” hint to it but, the overall styling made the dress look as if it was just an ordinary, department store purchase. The tight fit was not at all flattering. The heavy make-up and heavy, black, YSL pumps did not add anything to Christina’s look.
Christina’s co-star, Kristen Bell, fared much better in an Alberta Ferretti dress. The tulle number sparkled with diamantes strung across barely visible netting that covered Kristen’s neckline and arms. Like Christina, she also opted for black pumps. Kristen’s dress was slightly modified from its runway version whose longer hem had a more defined shape.
You Again, Film Premiere, El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, California. – Russ Einhorn / Splash News
Burlesque star Kristen Bell says it didn’t come naturally to her to act sexy in the new film.
The 30-year-old actress, who has starred in flicks such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and When in Rome, plays Christina Aguilera’s rival.
But Bell admitted she wasn’t comfortable playing a sexy role.
She told UK newspaper the Daily Record: ‘At first I wasn’t comfortable with it at all. I think I can work the cute card realistically but I’ve never really worked the sexy card.
‘But I was surrounded by these beautiful women who had embraced their own sensuality and were like, ‘Push your boobs up and have some fun, because it’s empowering’.
‘So I loosened up. But it was scary. It’s not who I walk around as. I’m not that way in real life.’
Kristen Bell pouts and is mad most of the time, apparently she’s supposed to be an alcoholic. The best parts are early dance numbers with Juliana Hough and Kristen Bell – they’re energetic, sexy in a less-is-more way, and perform music more appropriate given the film’s title.
Numbers like “Long John Blues” show that humorous, playful side of burlesque — and so does Kristen Bell, who’s absolutely fearless in her performance, particularly in that scene.
So fearless. She really came full speed ahead at me, met with me and said, “I want to do this.” Kristen Bell is rare as an actress, because she’s the type of actor who jumps out of a plane without a parachute — from a totally fearless place, which is really refreshing and inspiring. She has complete faith and support in the filmmaking process and the director.
Kristen Bell sits down with Ben Lyons of E! Entertainment Television
This has been a pretty darn good year for Kristen Bell. We’ve seen her share the silver screen with her fiancé, actor Dax Shepard, in When In Rome; the legendary Betty White in You Again; and this month with none other than Cher in Burlesque. Not a bad year for the self-described “late bloomer” from Michigan, who graduated from NYU and went on to become a Hollywood star who manages to fuse sex symbol with funny girl next door.
Bell’s Board Game and Garden Time
Despite all of her success—including making the difficult transition from the small screen to top billing on the big one—all this girl wants to do is play Scrabble and garden. Seriously.
BEN LYONS: You’ve worked with some pretty amazing women this year, including Betty White and Cher. Tell us about that. KRISTEN BELL: In 2010, my motto is “Icons only.” And great résumés. 2010 is also about “Show me your résumé.”
BL: Then how did I get this interview because I haven’t updated my résumé in a while! Seriously, how did working with those two legendary women happen? KB: Honestly, dumb luck. I was signed on to You Again before anybody else—even before our director, Andy Fickman. As they started assembling the cast, I was getting more and more frightened I was going to get bumped, that they would kick me out. It’s so great to work with some really awesome women. It’s a nice change because the previous few years I had been working with mostly all men on Veronica Mars, Heroes, Forgetting Sarah Marshall—I feel like now my life is filled with estrogen, and I love it!
BL:Christina Aguilera plays the lead in Burlesque. Were you a big fan growing up? KB: I was a huge fan. I didn’t have posters on my wall or anything—but, actually, the posters on my wall were really weird growing up. I had an Antonio Banderas poster, a Simon Rex poster and a JTT [Jonathan Taylor Thomas] poster. I mean, what a spectrum.
BL: Banderas? Really? KB: Let me tell you what I realized later in life: I didn’t really have a thing for Antonio Banderas or his movies, and I’m sure he’s wonderful, but I was hitting a time in puberty when girls were putting posters up, and I felt really left out. I was a late bloomer, so I ripped out the first couple posters I could find, and it happened to be those three. Years later my friends called me out on it, and I had to admit I just wanted to be part of the club of girls with posters on their walls.
BL: Now, with Burlesque, you’re part of the musical club. Are you a fan of musical theater? KB: Yes! I went to musical-theater school. Glee is my dream come true. I was trained operatically as a soprano when I was 12. I love music and like the fact that musicals are coming back.
BL: Would you consider doing Broadway? KB: Absolutely! I’ve thought about it and even investigated it, and for me it’s always been about timing. Broadway shows require—even if you’re the biggest actor of all time—a 12-month commitment, and I’m not loving the idea of moving back to the East Coast right now. I’m settled here, but if the right show comes about—maybe in a limited run—I’d consider it. I’d actually love to bring more musical theater to LA.
BL:How do you pick and choose which projects to be a part of? KB: To be totally honest with you, I’ve been in the right place at the right time. I’m no stranger to desperation. I have that actor thing where I feel like every role will be my last, and I can’t believe people actually hire me. It’s very romantic to have the notion that actors construct their careers and have all the options in the world, and they are cutting and pasting the perfect strategic résumé, but it’s not really the case. A lot of it is, “This movie is being made right now—do you want to try out?” So I’ve been lucky there have been things I fit into.
BL:Let’s get to the serious stuff—Scrabble. I know you’re a big player; what are your strengths and weaknesses? KB: I’m great with the two-letter words. I know X-I; I know Z-A; I know Q-I. But once you memorize all the two-letter words, expand your horizons. Go for the three-letter Qs—Q-A-T, for example. Know what I’m saying? If I could memorize [all the three-letter words], I’d be unbeatable.
BL:Besides Scrabble and your career, what keeps you rooted in Los Angeles? KB: LA is what you make of it. I crave a more suburban lifestyle, which is what I’ve made LA for me. I hike a lot, and I really like being outdoors. I like how eclectic the culture is here. The older you get, the more settled you feel. We live out of suitcases enough as actors; I don’t want to move to a new city every 12 months. I like to cook a lot and garden.
BL: I’ve heard about your famous garden. KB: You did? Who told you about my garden? Well, my garden rules, so it doesn’t surprise me it’s being talked about on the streets.
BL: What’s in season right now? KB: I planted Black Monukka grapes. I planted a blueberry bush that is not thriving right now. I planted peppers that are doing OK—green, lilac, red, yellow and Thai peppers, which are the spicy ones. I planted basil that has basically taken over my garden. I can’t give basil away. I show up places with bags of basil for people, and I still have too much of it.
Another clip from “Burlesque” has been aired on Access Hollywood and the video has now hit the web. It gives a preview to Christina Aguilera‘s performance of “But I’m a Good Girl” in the drama musical. Despite the song’s title, Aguilera’s Ali plays sexy and naughty in the footage, wearing a skimpy outfit and dancing around a pole.
Ali is an aspiring singer who moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream. Landing a job as a cocktail waitress in The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater headlined by Cher‘s Tess, Ali vows to perform there one day. With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager and gender-bending host, Stanley Tucci‘s Sean, she makes her way from the bar to the stage.
Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur, played by Eric Dane, arrives with an enticing proposal. In the meantime, she builds a friendship with a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled and jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician.
Steve Antin directs “Burlesque” and promises it would be “PG-13 sexy”. He additionally writes the script along with Diablo Cody, Keith Merryman and Susannah Grant. The movie will open wide in U.S. theaters on November 24, just in time for Thanksgiving.
Christina Aguilera‘s new single “Express” from her upcoming movie “Burlesque” has finally been debuted in full. Filled with drum-trumping beats, the song allows the singer to show off her high-octane voice which might remind people of her “Back to Basics” era.
“It’s a cold and crazy world that’s ragin’ outside/ Well baby me and all my girls are bringin’ on the fire,” the Alice Marilyn “Ali” Rose depicter opens the retro song. “Show a little leg, gotta shimmy your chest/ It’s a life, it’s a style, it’s a need, it’s burlesque.”
The track was debuted on Ryan Seacrest‘s radio show and will likely be performed live for the first time later this month when Aguilera visits American Music Awards on November 21. She is set to do “Burlesque number, which will showcase moments from one of the most anticipated films of the season.”
Out of twelve songs listed on the theme songs compilation, eight including “Express” are performed by Aguilera. Another song called “But I Am a Good Girl” was previously revealed in the movie clip which highlights her sexy and naughty stage act.
Her co-star Cher sings two tracks and Kristen Bell as well as Alan Cumming have one each. “Welcome to Burlesque”, one of the songs performed by Cher, has also been previewed in a recent event. The album will be released in the United States on November 16, but the movie will not hit theaters across the country until a week later on date 24.
Although it’s only Halloween, the holiday movie season is just about upon us. Starting with “Megamind” and continuing through late-December arrivals like “True Grit,” there should be more than enough cinematic treats. Here are 12 for your consideration.
“Due Date” (Friday): Will the energetic comedic styles of Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis complement each other? You can find out in this raucous road trip that casts the “Iron Man” star as a father-to-be who catches a cross-country ride with an aspiring actor played by Galifianakis. It’s directed by Todd Phillips of “The Hangover,” so will there be tigers and Mike Tyson? Just hoping.
“Morning Glory” (Nov. 10): Think morning news shows can’t get any more ridiculous than they already are? Think again. This romantic comedy follows the young producer (Rachel McAdams) of a lagging national morning show who has the bright idea of teaming a stern anchor (Harrison Ford) with a veteran of the lighter morning style (Diane Keaton). Will this be a clash of the on-air titans? Can McAdams find love with Patrick Wilson, another producer in the high-pressure TV world? Stay tuned.
“Unstoppable” (Nov. 12): Fasten your seat belts. Director Tony Scott knows how to keep an action movie running like a well-oiled machine. And the super-cool cast — Denzel Washington, Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson — has charisma to spare. Now for the story line: Washington and Pine try to stop an unmanned runaway train from wreaking havoc. Gee, there’s nothing like a nice, relaxing railroad trip.
“127 Hours” (Nov. 19): Director Danny Boyle, who triumphed with “Slumdog Millionaire,” is poised for another success with this harrowing drama about a real-life mountain climber who is trapped by his arm in a remote canyon. The early reviews for James Franco’s performance have been so good, he probably won’t have much time for soap opera appearances for a while.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” (Nov. 19): Can this really be the beginning of the end of the movies based on the best-selling book series? Time flies when you’re attending Hogwarts, or at least it has for Harry and his fans. The first installment of the final chapter starts with Harry, Ron and Hermione on a precarious adventure to … well, you’ve read what happens already. So just savor the chance to see the actors growing up gracefully in one of the most beloved film franchises ever.
“Burlesque” (Nov. 24): Cher is back on the big screen. Need we say anything else? The setting is a Los Angeles nightclub owned by the fabulous diva. Christina Aguilera also stars as a newcomer to L.A. who dreams of being onstage in the club’s glamorous musical revue. The cast includes Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Eric Dane and Julianne Hough of “Dancing With the Stars.” Let’s hope it’s the next “Moulin Rouge.”
“The King’s Speech” (Nov. 24): Colin Firth is King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth, who became Britain’s monarch after his brother Edward abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson. Geoffrey Rush is the speech therapist who helps him conquer a stammer. Firth, who was nominated for an Oscar this year for “A Single Man,” could be in the running again for his performance as the man who ruled England during World War II.
“The Company Men” (December): Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper star as three men who lose their jobs to corporate downsizing. Kevin Costner plays Affleck’s brother-in-law, who gives him a job building houses. Like “Up in the Air,” this drama could be a perceptive meditation on the current state of the economy.
“The Tourist” (Dec. 10): An American tourist (Johnny Depp) is thrown into a world of mystery and peril after meeting an alluring woman (Angelina Jolie). As in “Salt,” Jolie is a stunningly beautiful action star. And Depp trades his pirate costume for a modern look.
“Black Swan” (Dec. 10): Don’t expect the traditional melodrama of “The Turning Point” in this portrait of a ballerina (Natalie Portman) in the fiercely competitive world of dance. The trailer, which focuses on Portman and a rival dancer, Mila Kunis, makes this psychological thriller with tutus look elegantly stylish and scary. It’s the latest movie from director Darren Aronofsky, who brought an unflinching eye to “The Wrestler.”
“Little Fockers” (Dec. 22): The dynasty introduced in “Meet the Parents” and “Meet the Fockers” continues to provide the laughs — and son-in-law/father-in-law tension — as Ben Stiller reunites with a cast that includes returning actors Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner, Owen Wilson, Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman and newcomers Jessica Alba, Laura Dern and Harvey Keitel.
“True Grit” (Dec. 25): The 1969 original with John Wayne won an Oscar for cinema’s legendary cowboy star. But expect something completely different from Joel and Ethan Coen, the directing and writing team from “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men.” They should bring their trademark style to this adaptation starring Josh Brolin and Matt Damon, and Jeff Bridges in Wayne’s role as Rooster Cogburn. If anyone knows grittiness, it’s the Coen brothers.
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