movie review: 'katy perry: part of me' |...
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Katy Perry Punches HerPrince, Hugs Inner Child in'Wide Awake' VideoKaty Perry walks through anenchanted garden, punches alying Prince Charming in her last"Teenage Dream" video for "WideAwake."
K aty Perry's "Part of Me" is a gamble: that pop fans will followher from the arena to the movie theater. But the film, followingin the recent success of Michael Jackson's "This Is It" andJustin Bieber's "Never Say Never," should have no troubledrawing her Katy Cats to the multiplex.
"Part of Me" is a concert movie, a tour documentary and "Behind theMusic"-style biography all at once, a balance it strikes perfectly. Itsnarrative is clear: in 2011, Perry sets out on the biggest tour of her life asher sophomore album, "Teenage Dream," ascends the charts and scoresa record-setting five No. 1 singles. To casual observers, Perry's rise mightseem like an overnight success, a myth the film is intent on squashing."Part of Me" peels back the fairy tale, showcasing Perry's religiousupbringing, her years of label struggles and finally, her divorce fromcomedian Russell Brand, alongside powerhouse performances from her"California Dreams" stadium tour and gushing footage of her adoring fans.
Movie Review: 'Katy Perry: Part of Me'by David Greenwald, L.A. | June 27, 2012 3:00 EDT
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Though the movie skimps on parts of her history -- her stint on theWarped Tour and a tabloid-chronicled 2008 break-up from longtimeboyfriend Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes are notably absent -- fanswill be pleased to see an intimate portrait of her rise to fame that's full ofvintage footage and charming behind-the-scenes moments. The vintagematerial is especially revelatory: an 18-year-old Perry offers the film'sboldest confessionals, and rare music videos of her Alanis Morissette-influenced pre-fame songs are a surprising treat. The 2011 tour is the visual highlight:the performances are eye-popping,making full use of the film's 3D toshowcase Perry's rainbow-coloreddancers and elaborate stage. Theshow-stoppers include her first hit, "IKissed a Girl" -- reimagined here asa slow jam that builds into a hardrock anthem -- and the film-closing"California Gurls," which explodesthe screen into floating layers ofconfetti. There's also a payoffinvolving a candy-cane weapon thatwill please theater nerds familiarwith Chekov's Gun. While "Part of Me" reveals a numberof personal moments, the mostendearing are the silly ones -- Katygiving her unimpressed grandmothera tour jacket (Grandma nearly stealsthe movie), or jumping in shockwhen she feels a pregnant fan's baby kick. Of all Perry's relationships, it'sthe one with her fans that seems closest to her heart: we see herstruggling through exhaustion to go to another meet-and-greet and feelingoverwhelmed on stage when Brazilian fans start an impromptu "We loveyou" chant. "I wish I could speak Portuguese," she says, glowing.
Her whirlwind relationship with Brand, a controversial character in his ownright, is carefully inserted among her sugar-sweet career achievements.
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He makes brief but powerful appearances in the film: after one hometownshow, he greets her with a pet name ("Hi, Sausage!") as she tells him shealways sings better when he's in the audience. It's a sincere, touchingmoment -- it's also the last we see of him, as Perry's endless trek blursinto a global montage of candy imagery and long flights. Their split ishandled with a montage of TV news headlines, and in the film's heaviestscene, a crying Perry is unwilling to share her private tragedy with hermanager and assistant before pulling it together and taking the stage. "Part of Me" is ultimately an underdog story, the tale of a girl who wouldn'tgive up on her own teenage dream. It's an aspirational worldview sharedby Bieber, who cameos in the film and showed his support at Tuesdaynight's Hollywood premiere -- which saw its pink carpet graced by SelenaGomez and Carly Rae Jepsen, who's beginning her own Perry-esque rise-- and why not? Throughout the film, Perry is portrayed as a indefatigableworker, the "CEO of Katy Perry" -- and if that's the kind of savvy andhustle that inspires the young fans whose testimonials frame the movie,her biggest dreams may be yet to come true.
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A TOTAL FLOP and you shall see.......
hontokyoung
Like Reply1 month ago 19 Likes
LOL! Agreed! What a lame excuse for a "movie". I'm sorry, but movies are too expensiveanymore to waste it on stupid stuff. I would rather see strippers in Magic Mike or see TheAmazing Spider-Man than this horrid excuse of a "movie". The only thing that MIGHT savethis movie is the mindless people who want to fork out the extra buck for the IMAX showingsLOL!
elaGAGAnza89
Like Reply1 month ago in reply to hontokyoung 13 Likes
And I'm sure if Gaga did a 3D concert movie you will say it's not lame? Haha you'rehilarious.
schiz0id
Like Reply1 month ago in reply to elaGAGAnza89 15 Likes
Gaga wouldn't do such a stupid movie, she would do an oscar winningMusical honey
silv43
Like Reply1 month ago in reply to schiz0id 13 Likes
I'm holding my breath until that happens
schiz0id
Like Reply1 month ago in reply to silv43 11 Likes
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