Hey folks, Harry here with a bit about CENTER STAGE from the Newman of LIVE CHAT.... that's right folks, I'm talking about that loathsome character... Flmlvr. First he tries to deceive you with lies about me and my obsession with Betty Rubble. Well, I'll have you know that my key obsession is focused upon the radiant cutie of all time, Ruby Keeler as well as Betty Boop, but I'm getting distracted... But right after his ill-founded comment about me, he's right on the mark about that Moriarty/Mongo thing... Scary stuff there... Things only the authorities talk about. Weird. Anyway, here's his review...
I am an addict. Just as Harry is addicted to Betty Rubble, Moriarty to his henchman Mongo...I am addicted to teen films. There's just something about teen films that I love. I can never put my sickly finger on it, but I do love them. It's a sickness, I know...but when I see a preview for a teen film, I just have to go.
"Center Stage" was no exception. I had first seen the trailer a few months back in front of "What Planet Are You From", and automatically my hands started shaking. I needed my fix. I needed it bad. I knew "Here on Earth" and "Whatever it Takes" weren't gonna cut it. I saw them, and although cheesy, did not satisfy my urge. So I have been waiting patiently, watching as Center Stage's marketing crept into Hollywood high gear, my hands still shaking. Then I heard it. What's this? A Mandy Moore song over the trailers, on the soundtrack! This is gonna be damn good. So when I saw the latest trailer declaring sneak preview blah blah, I just had to go. The day it was happening I was attending a film festival that included "Close Encounters", and "T2". So I did the only logical thing any film geek would do. Saw it in between the two. How did it compare to seeing the still awe-inspiring Close Encounters, and the Holds Up perfectly T2...
...Wonderfully. Let the flaming/hatred induced Talk Backs begin. Now I'm not saying that it's on the level with either of those films. I'd have to be crazy wouldn't I? But, damn if it wasn't fun. To me a good teen film doesn't have to pander just to that audience, try to stuff it full of In dialogue etc. A good teen film transcends all age barriers and this does that. The premise of Center Stage is tried and true. But as I said before, it's done well.
It starts out with Jody, played by Amanda Schull (a girl who is now added to my short list of women I will marry, she's right behind Kathryn Heigl), auditioning for an elite Ballet school. She gets in of course and the fun begins. It follows Jody throughout the year as she encounters various self doubting obstacles. Her bitchy roommate, all of her instructors, one of which is played by Peter Gallagher, telling her she's not good enough, through a love triangle, and of course Jody realizing that she shouldn't listen to what anyone else says, to just go out there and have fun. That's the plot in a very small nutshell. Nothing complicated, or for that matter original, but again done very well. The most important aspect in a teen film is the actors/acting. Here the acting is surprisingly good, and for the most part the actors likable...did I mention how damn likeable and cute Jody is? The dialogue here doesn't try to pander in the least, instead stays true to it's characters, not the demographic. Probably the most surprising thing here was the confident direction by Nicholas Hytner. (Madness of King George, Crucible). Subtle and confident. He got the most out of his actors and filmed the ballet scenes beautifully. Speaking of the ballet stuff...it's really good. Yeah, there's a lot of it, but who cares if it's done well. It was. The choreography obviously had a lot of work put into it...and it pays off.
Now, I know I'm gonna get tore-up in talk back, but this was just a good-fun film. I mean where else are you going to find a plot point that consists of a character fighting with herself on whether or not she should eat a piece of pizza? Plus there's a great scene with a bunch of damn hot girls ballet dancing to Red Hot Chili Peppers, Higher Ground...something I'd never thought I'd see. Great Stuff. When you stop laughing at me, consider seeing this, I bet you'll end up digging it. As you know I did, and by the time the credits rolled, my hands had stopped shaking.
A man a little off his reel,
