Movie Review: Burlesque

Here's a link to the trailer

I had a rough Sunday - more about that another time - and the hubs was thoughtful enough to think I needed a night out of the house, so he surprised me with an impromptu date night.

We checked what was playing at the local theatre and decided that Burlesque was a movie we had both heard of and wanted to see. I wasn't really sure what I expected going into it, but I was happy with the result.

The costumes are great, and surprisingly the acting isn't too bad, either. It's a fairly typical story - small town girl goes to L.A. to make it big. She falls on hard times, can't find a job, wanders into a burlesque club and stands in awe by what she sees. At first she thinks she's in a strip club, but the guy at the door quickly points out that these ladies don't strip. The lights go out and the show starts. She is dumbfounded and wants in. Blah, blah - not giving away too much of the plot - she finally ends up "in" when the owner realizes she can dance, and not too long afterwards hears that she has some amazing songbird capabilities, too.

There's some romance and they try to throw in a few life lessons, too. My biggest disappointment was that in a movie where more than half the dialogue was sung, Cher only sang two songs. However; Christina Aguilera did not disappoint. I was surprised that she could actually act and as it was her character singing the majority of the songs. Her trademark sound was perfect for the part. I'm not ordinarily a soundtrack person, but I think if I see this soundtrack in the store it's going to make it's way into my shopping cart.

So if you're looking for an escape from your holiday shopping, cooking, party going - I'd recommend this one.



An Open Letter to my Blackberry

Dear Blackberry,

We've had a long relationship. It's had it's ups and downs; however, we always worked out our differences and you just seemed to compliment me so well. That said, I'm seriously beginning to question how much longer we can keep this up. You see I'm being courted by newer/flashier versions of you... not to mention the iPhone and the Droid. They are seducing me with glitz and extra apps that you don't offer.

It's true, I did have an on-going side  relationship with the iPhone a while back. Since I broke it off  I've had withdrawl from what the iPhone offered me during those months. And, you can't fulfill my scrabble fantasies.

Lately your service to Facebook hasn't been that great; and then today... horror of all horrors, you just stopped allowing me to read my texts. I'm not sure how to break this to you, blackberry, but once the baby wakes from his nap I'm going to have to go to the AT&T store to have a discussion about our relationship. I'm giving you full warning. Maybe between now and then you can snap out of your funk and return to the loving blackberry I once knew. If not, I'm unsure of our future. At this point it is in "the plan's" hands as we'll have to see what is covered and what isn't.

Thank you for the memories. And I hope we can work it out.

With a heavy heart,

Beth