Topsy-Turvy 1999 ****

It was really just pure chance that brought this movie to the front of my DVD rental service, especially when I am going to see 'The Mikado' in a couple of months time and had no idea beforehand of the storyline. This is a delightful little film about the making, production and rehearsals that went into Gilbert and Sullivan's masterpiece. Jim Broadbent is excellent and actually Timothy Spall is very dry and sarcastic with a touch of campness that really goes with his character. We hear many of the popular songs, see all the gorgeous costumes, and enjoy all the humour that goes along with the play in what was probably a very painstaking process (director Mike Leigh spent hundreds of hours on research trying to find exact replicas of clothes, decor, make-up, places etc and it really paid off). It's lovely to be able to watch it this way. Lovely night in.

Burlesque - 2010 ****

I must admit I put off watching this for quite a while because I thought it would be predictable and I didn't see the point seeing it if I was going to guess what was going to happen. And when I watched it a lot of it was predictable, but interestingly I didn't actually care. People have said that it is a complete rip-off of Coyote Ugly and I must say there are some very similar scenes in it, but I thought the level of music and vocals were much better here. Added to which the idea of a Burlesque Lounge is really exciting.

Aguilera does have a strong voice and there are some great songs here, but sometimes I get the feeling that she is just a little bit too up herself to be taken seriously. Cher was good as well as the matronly madam who keeps the girls in check. Aguilera is Ali, the girl from (you guessed it) a small town who goes to Hollywood to make it big and finds herself working as a waitress in the Burlesque Lounge. However she longs to get up on the stage and dazzle everyone with her voice, an idea which Cher originally dismisses, until she hears her sing...

What a surprise, I bet you all knew what was going to happen, but I still loved the feel of the film, sort of mixed with one of my favourite films 'Moulin Rouge.'