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Movie: Golden Globe nominated Christina Aguilera in 'Burlesque'
Member Since: 9/7/2008
Posts: 12,807
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Quote:
Burlesque Soundtrack Review!
That voice. That powerful pitch-perfect voice.
When she belts out the first few bars of Etta James’ “Something’s Got a Hold On Me,” the first track on the forthcoming “Burlesque” soundtrack, there’s no mistaking who the star of this movie is. Christina Aguilera.
The diminutive diva has few equals in pop music with her singing range and booming power. The soundtrack showcases her strong command of the lower registers, as well as her ability to nail and sustain the high notes. After all, it was her ability to hit a high C that landed her a singing role in the animated Disney movie “Mulan” as a teenager.
Aguilera sings eight of the 10 tracks on the “Burlesque” soundtrack, with co-star Cher lending her signature voice to the other two. It’s an eclectic mix of old-school jazz with a Chicago nightclub feel and modern electronica dance music.
Aguilera’s remake of “A Guy What Takes His Time,” is every bit as steamy as the original made popular by 1930s screen siren Mae West. Muted horn sections playing to the beat with a marching snare drumbeat give it an authentic sound.
At the other end of the spectrum are electronica tracks such as “Express” and a reinvention of Marilyn Manson’s “The Beautiful People.” But it’s the more traditional jazz numbers like “Tough Lover” that will have you snapping your fingers.
If her acting chops prove half as good as the show-stopping vocal acrobatics on display in her major film debut, “Burlesque” should be a hit.
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http://www.newsregister.com/article/...lbum+burlesque
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Member Since: 6/16/2006
Posts: 12,884
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Quote:
Originally posted by D.M.F
1st critic review through bulletpoints -
- Jami Philbrick
He's legit, and on Rotten Tomatoes.
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LEGEND.
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Member Since: 6/16/2006
Posts: 12,884
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Member Since: 9/7/2008
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Los Angeles Times:
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Christina Aguilera hopes Hollywood leads to the road back
Her acting debut in 'Burlesque' comes after a tough year in which her album 'Bionic'
posted low sales, a concert tour was canceled and her marriage hit the skids.
By Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times
A few paparazzi were loitering on the hot concrete outside of Chelsea Handler's talk show studio in West L.A. last week, waiting for pop diva Christina Aguilera to emerge so they could take her picture. But they weren't sure their idling would pay off.
"Her walking with a coffee cup is basically worth nothing," said Bobby Rachpoot, a photographer for Bauer Griffin. "Unless she is with a new boyfriend. That would be like $100,000."
In the wake of a tough year, it seems Aguilera's stock has plummeted. More than a decade ago, she became one of the biggest names in pop music alongside Britney Spears and 'N Sync when her single "Genie in a Bottle" hit the airwaves. Since then, she has sold more than 16 million albums in the United States and won five Grammy awards. But the 29-year-old's fourth English-language studio album, "Bionic," debuted in June to mixed reviews and sold only 110,000 copies in its first week of release. Two weeks before that, she abruptly postponed her North American summer tour until next year, citing her busy schedule. And last month, Aguilera filed for divorce from her husband of five years, music producer Jordan Bratman, with whom she has a 2-year-old son.
Now, though, Hollywood is giving Aguilera a chance to be the comeback kid. Just before Thanksgiving, she'll make her acting debut in "Burlesque," a PG-13 musical in which she stars opposite Oscar winner Cher. If the movie hits big, it could catapult her the way "The Bodyguard" did Whitney Houston. But if it flops, a la Mariah Carey's disastrous 2001 turn in "Glitter," it may further tarnish her once-flourishing career.
In the film, Aguilera plays Ali, a wide-eyed Midwest transplant with Hollywood dreams. When she arrives in L.A., she stumbles upon a Sunset Strip burlesque club, where she is taken in by owner Tess (Cher) and becomes the star of a song-and-dance show. In many ways, the movie is a custom-built showcase for the singer, with a handful of flashy musical numbers that play to her strengths — wailing atop a stage while executing taxing choreography. Even her look in the film — gaudy bustiers, fake eyelashes and glittery eye shadow — mimics the costumes she sometimes dons in concert.
If Aguilera is worried about being taken seriously as an actress — or about any of the troubles in her life — she hides it well. The singer, who has been in the spotlight since she was cast on "The New Mickey Mouse Club" at age 12, knows how to present a calm countenance in the eye of a storm.
"With the transitions that are happening in my life, I just can't wait to look forward to the future — as an actress, as a mom, as a woman who has experienced so much at this point in her life," she said, seeming eerily blissful while sitting in a plush massage chair in her dressing room at Handler's studio after filming an interview. Her publicist sat within earshot, mindlessly scrolling through her Blackberry.
Aguilera had changed out of a figure-fitting dress into a sweater and a pair of leggings. Sitting cross-legged, she looked tiny and childlike, despite the bronze powder caked on her cheeks and her bright fuchsia lipstick.
She puts on a good show, says Steven Antin, the writer-director of "Burlesque."
"She's guarded and hard to get to know at first. Not unfriendly, just guarded," he said. "She's been doing this for a long time, so you need to earn it with her."
Antin decided Aguilera was right for "Burlesque" after watching a 2007 episode of "Saturday Night Live" in which she performed a spot-on impression of Kim Cattrall, who played the libidinous cougar Samantha on HBO's "Sex and the City."
"It was really over the top and very funny and very broad, and I said, 'If she can do that level of comedy, she can do this,' because comedy's the most difficult thing," he recalled. "Of course, there's always a concern, like, 'Wow, what's it going to be like when you get on the set?' Maybe I had some blind faith."
Before Antin's script came her way, Aguilera had only casually been pursuing the idea of taking on a film role.
"It was nothing that I was every night passionately reading scripts and going through them and sweating about it," she said. "I would read them and usually just nothing sparked my attention enough. I really just wanted to open myself up, if anything, not to a musical at first. But this whole idea of burlesque — they say they wrote it with me in mind — it was almost like it was made for me."
Still, Aguilera admitted to doubts about the career move. She was anxious about starring with the larger-than-life Cher, of course, but also worried about the basics of film: Should she hire an acting coach? Was it best to look directly into the camera while performing musical numbers?
"In approaching it, I was like, 'How do I do this? Do I memorize the whole thing at once? How is this possible? How do people do this all the time?'" she said, laughing at herself.
Stanley Tucci, whose stage-manager character mentors Aguilera's in the movie, said he tried to help the novice actress feel comfortable on set, urging her to ask for an extra take if she felt she needed one.
"You could tell that there were times that she was nervous just about doing certain technical things that she didn't know, but that just comes with experience," he said. "But it's a very impressive first performance. I certainly couldn't have done that in my first film."
Pop stars don't have the best track records on the silver screen. Most famously, there was Carey's bomb "Glitter," followed by another ill-advised turn in " Tennessee." Britney Spears had her acting debut (and swan song) with the forgettable 2002 road trip movie " Crossroads." And while she didn't become a laughingstock, Miley Cyrus didn't exactly bowl critics over with her performance in the Nicholas Sparks tear-jerker "The Last Song" this year.
"You've heard a lot of horror stories," Aguilera acknowledged. "And a lot of people don't make successful crossovers. That's why I think I also just really took my time in choosing the right thing and not just saying, 'Hey, let me try this just to do it and say I did it.' If you don't, I think the work would suffer and then you'd get written off as just another one trying to do something they can't do."
Though "Bionic" was a disappointment, few in the music industry are ready to write off Aguilera. Those who worked on the futuristic-themed pop album blame the album's underperformance on poor marketing and promotion.
"The type of record she made, I don't necessarily think that it was connected to the people that she was making the album for properly," said Tricky Stewart, who produced several tracks on "Bionic" and served as executive music consultant on "Burlesque." "I don't think that she was given enough singles and enough push to really let her vision into full fruition."
"I think what happened is sometimes Christina is ahead, and sometimes she's behind — her timing is off," said Linda Perry, who has written a number of songs for Aguilera, including her hit 2002 single "Beautiful." "It was an energy between timing of management and label and how they do things — marketing stuff. That's what went wrong with 'Bionic.'"
The album's lackluster sales fueled rumors that Aguilera would be dropped by her longtime label, RCA Records. The speculation prompted Irving Azoff, Aguilera's manager and executive chairman of Live Nation, to take to his Twitter feed to defend her.
"No one is giving up on bionic," he tweeted in August. "christina is under a long term contract with rca records! live nation is not a record company. focused on burlesque right now!"
Antin, for one, believes the movie will mark a "whole new chapter" in Aguilera's life.
"She had a tough couple of years," he said. "I think it's definitely a new start for her, and I think it's something she's very excited about. She's a mom. She has a baby. And she has a very, very, very full life in terms of just her career. It's 24/7. I think that she's holding up remarkably well."
Aguilera said she was unsure when she would resume touring in 2011 but said she looks forward to performing some of the numbers from the film's soundtrack for her fans. She's slowly beginning to conceptualize her next record. "There's been a lot of feelings bubbling up and wanting to come out," which she is eager to express, she said.
As for film plans, she said "Burlesque" gave her the acting bug but admits she struggles while reading scripts.
"My attention span is very short for getting through them, so I do what I can," she said with a sigh.
And though Screen Gems executives have told her that "Burlesque" test audiences have received her well, Aguilera said experience has taught her to tame her expectations.
"As far as like looking at numbers and figuring out test scores and things like that, I really don't try to get involved in that," she said. "And sometimes they're like, 'Why aren't you excited? Be excited.' But I have a big thing about jinxing myself before things happen. … I don't like to count my chickens before they're hatched."
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http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...ge=1&track=rss
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Member Since: 9/7/2008
Posts: 12,807
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Quote:
Christina Aguilera's life of chaos and pain
If you think that Christina Aguilera's headline-grabbing divorce last month from music-executive husband Jordan Bratman is going to keep the pop singer from enjoying the opening of her first movie, you don't know Christina.
The singer, who plays a small-town girl with a big-city voice in the movie musical "Burlesque," has been through difficult times before, and she insists that she will get through this.
"I've had some element of struggle or pain or chaos since the day I was born," she told The Orange County Register in her Los Angeles hotel suite.
"I grew up in a household with a lot of chaos; where I didn't feel safe or stable. I never had a father figure in my life, and I had to work through that. I felt alienated at home and at school, and I had to work through that. There are good days, and there are hard days. You get through them."
See photos of Christina Aguilera in "Burlesque" and through the years
Aguilera, who turns 30 next month and is the mother of a 3-year-old son named Max, has made no secret of her dysfunctional childhood, during which her parents split and she was raised by her mother and grandmother.
Although her last album did not sell up to the standards she has set for herself, she has sold more than 30 million albums and won four Grammys. She was the only singer under 30 to make Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest singers of all time.
Aguilera is making her acting debut in "Burlesque," which opens Wednesday. She plays a wide-eyed innocent who moves to Los Angeles to start a new life, and wanders into a financially strapped lounge run by Cher. Although she starts as a waitress, she soon graduates to performer.
After all, she's got that voice, which got her professional gigs at 6, a big break on the TV show "Star Search," a spot on Disney Channel's "The Mickey Mouse Club" and a recording contract while she was still a teenager.
During this interview, she relaxed on a sofa with a blanket covering her legs and her small dog sitting next to her. She explained how she gets her through tough times, what Cher said to her when they met and what she'd like that Angelina Jolie has.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Were your little-girl dreams exclusively about music, or were there acting dreams as well?
CHRISTINA AGUILERA: They were strictly music-related, although all forms of performing and entertaining were goals that were always on my mind.
Q. But nothing specifically about acting?
A. I auditioned for things when I was a kid. I auditioned for the movie "My Girl," and didn't get it. But singing was my first love.
Q. Was there a "aha" moment sometime in your life when you opened your mouth and discovered that voice?
A. There really wasn't. I was singing all the time, like on buses and other public places, and didn't think anything of it. But people reacted to it. They'd stop my mom and tell her I had a good voice.
Q. Were you aware of that reaction?
A. Not really. I was singing as a release.
Q. A release from what?
A. A pretty chaotic childhood. It was an escape from the environment I was in.
Q. So, there was no moment when you realized that you possessed something special?
A. Honestly, I started having professional gigs at 6 years old, so there was no big moment. It all just kind of happened.
Q. That voice coming out of that little body must have freaked people out.
A. I was singing at a block party when I was seven, and this man came up behind me and unplugged my microphone because he didn't believe it was my voice. It was so mean to do to a seven-year-old.
Q. When did you realize that you could actually make a living at singing?
A. When I was six, I guess (laughs).
Q. Whose career did you want?
A. I was a big fan of Whitney Houston at the time. I loved Janet Jackson. And I was a big Michael Jackson fan.
Q. It's interesting that you liked two singers who were also actresses?
A. Yeah, I guess you're right. But I wasn't thinking about acting in the beginning. I wanted to get the singing right first, and then wait for the right project to expand my horizons. I knew "Burlesque" was the right project when I read it.
Q. Why?
A. I've always been fascinated with the idea of burlesque. I have a collection of books on burlesque.
Q. You do?
A. I love the sensuality and beauty of burlesque. And I love the female empowerment that comes along with it. I have always been in love with the idea and art form of burlesque.
Q. So, I guess that accepting this role as your movie debut was a no-brainer?
A. When I met Steven (director Steven Antin) and saw how he intended to shoot the film and capture women's beauty in such a classic way, I wanted to do it. I liked his vision.
Q. Have you ever seen a burlesque show in person?
A. Yes, I went to Forty Deuce in Los Angeles, and I've been to Crazy Horse in Paris.
Q. Do you think in another time and place, you might have been a burlesque performer?
A. (giggles) Who knows? I've done a lot of things. In another time and place, I could have been a doctor.
Q. You mentioned Whitney and Janet. I wondered if Cher was ever a performer you admired?
A. As I got older, I started noticing her. I think the first time I really noticed her was in that music video on the ship with all those sailors. She was singing "If I Could Turn Back Time" in a body suit with the butt cut out (giggles). I remember my grandma not being a fan, and not letting me watch it. I wasn't allowed to watch Cher or Madonna. But I guess Cher had some influence on me, judging from the butt-less chaps I wore in "Dirrty" (laughs).
Q. I wonder if there are grandmothers out there right now who won't allow their grandchildren to watch you because of your sexy outfits?
A. I'm sure there are.
Q. Could you describe your first meeting with Cher?
A. I went in for a dance rehearsal on the Sony lot. I had sweat pants on and my little flat shoes, and my son on my hip. The studio head came up to me and said, "Oh, you've got to meet Cher." She was on another soundstage rehearsing for her Vegas show. I told him I wasn't dressed to meet Cher. I needed high heels. I needed to feel good about myself to meet Cher.
Q. But you met her anyway?
A. Yes. I worked up the nerve.
Q. What happened when you met?
A. Well, I had told the studio head to stalk and beg Cher to do the movie. I told him to tell her that I was such a big fan that I would drink her bath water if she did the movie. So, when we were introduced, I said: "Yes, I'm the one who wants to drink your bath water."
Q. And what did she say?
A. She laughed. And then she said, "I'm going to tell you what Meryl Streep told me when I first worked with her ("Silkwood"). Meryl said: 'Welcome, I'm so glad you're here.' That was so sweet of her to say. Then she gave me a hug. We bonded immediately. It was like a Cher and Christina love-fest after that.
Q. Once filming started, what was she like?
A. Priceless information. Stories for days on end. The energy she exudes on set. The way she works. How free she is in experimenting in different ways she does things. And personally, she had great advice.
Q. Like what?
A. She's been there; done everything. And lived to tell the story. She's amazing.
Q. Cher has had to deal with tabloids and paparazzi most of her life. You've had your share of dealings with the tabloid media recently. Did she offer any advice on that?
A. As far as the paparazzi is concerned, you know what you're in for. At this point, I have my own system for that. Cher and I had more personal talks about love and relationships. She has been through the gamut of marriages and divorces, and I consider her a wise woman. She's someone I look to as a mentor, both personally and professionally.
Q. How serious is your acting career?
A. Oh, very serious. I have the itch now. I'm not sure I'll do another musical. I'd like to do something different, like Angelina Jolie's character in "Girl, Interrupted." I think it would be fun to toy around with something so different for me.
Q. But a musical was a good place to start for you, wasn't it? It was comfortable?
A. It was familiar because Ali (her character) and I have the same voice. But I've never worked so hard in my life. I never danced before. The schedule was intense. I felt bounced around like a ping pong ball. I was working 17-hour days. Every couple of weeks, they had to take in my clothing because I was losing weight from all the work.
Q. You should start the "Star-in-Your-Own-Movie" diet.
A. How about the overworked-and-exhaustion diet?
Q. Besides this exhaustive schedule, you've had an unbelievably stressful year. How are you getting through it?
A. The way I always have. I've had some element of struggle or pain or chaos since the day I was born. I grew up in a household with a lot of chaos; where I didn't feel safe or stable. I never had a father figure in my life, and I had to work through that. I felt alienated at home and at school, and I had to work through that. I'm used to having my moments. There are good days, and there are hard days. You get through them. Working sometimes helps, but friends help me the most. A good support team is the only thing that really helps.
Q. And your little boy helps?
A. If he's happy, I'm happy.
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http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/-276559--.html
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Member Since: 9/7/2008
Posts: 12,807
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People.com article on Christina
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Christina Aguilera Gets Relationship Advice from Cher
While working alongside Cher on the film Burlesque, Christina Aguilera picked up tips on everything from makeup to marriage.
The singer, 29, who filed for divorce from husband Jordan Bratman, 33, last month, says the one piece of advice that stuck with her was when Cher told her, "You know, honey, husbands come and go, but I am still Cher at the end of the day."
"We were like old chatty girlfriends that could not stop talking," Aguilera says. "They had to drag us to set a few times because we were late just talking about love and relationships and life."
While Aguilera has been quietly seeing Matthew D. Rutler, a set assistant from the movie, Aguilera says the main man in her life is her son Max, who'll be 3 in January.
And although she wrote a song for Max on her Bionic album, she says his favorite song is actually a tune on the Burlesque soundtrack called "Beautiful People." "He loves that song. He was in the studio while I was recording it and was like, 'Put on 'Beautiful People.' "
The singer admits balancing motherhood and her career isn't easy but hopes her work ethic sets an example for her son.
"One day he will be able to look back at my body of work and feel proud of it. Hopefully it will motivate him to be an individual himself and really go for what he wants out of life."
Will that include a singing career? "He is musically inclined, I can tell," says Aguilera. "He is so smart and such a character I could see him doing something in the entertainment business."
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http://www.people.com/people/article...442432,00.html
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Member Since: 9/7/2008
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Member Since: 11/25/2008
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It looks like this film will def beat out L&OD for sure now. 
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Member Since: 9/7/2008
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Member Since: 9/7/2008
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Banned
Member Since: 11/24/2009
Posts: 61,404
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Burlesque(11/24/2010)
UA : 03 : 01 : 03 : 03 : 05
TA : 69 : 52 : 65 : 79 : 80
Def: 27 : 17 : 17 : 36 : 32
FC : 05 : 01 : 04 : 08 : 06
Faster(11/24/2010)
UA : 04 : 05 : 08 : 02 : 02
TA : 52 : 63 : 66 : 36 : 42
Def: 29 : 32 : 33 : 20 : 25
FC : 04 : 08 : 08 : ** : 01
Love And Other Drugs(11/24/2010)
UA : 04 : 03 : 01 : 06 : 06
TA : 61 : 52 : 55 : 70 : 68
Def: 30 : 17 : 17 : 47 : 35
FC : 04 : 01 : 01 : 07 : 06
Tangled(11/24/2010)
UA : 11 : 07 : 08 : 14 : 15
TA : 68 : 65 : 56 : 80 : 72
Def: 37 : 24 : 32 : 39 : 52
FC : 05 : 02 : 03 : 05 : 08
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Member Since: 9/7/2008
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Member Since: 2/18/2007
Posts: 12,501
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Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Yoso
you might want to Travel in the Philippines. CDs are out on Nov.. 22nd don't yah worry I'm gonna accompany you. I'll be your instant tourist guide here  |
how nice :heart:
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Member Since: 2/27/2007
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Quote:
Originally posted by Haus_of_Nicole
Burlesque(11/24/2010)
UA : 03 : 01 : 03 : 03 : 05
TA : 69 : 52 : 65 : 79 : 80
Def: 27 : 17 : 17 : 36 : 32
FC : 05 : 01 : 04 : 08 : 06
Faster(11/24/2010)
UA : 04 : 05 : 08 : 02 : 02
TA : 52 : 63 : 66 : 36 : 42
Def: 29 : 32 : 33 : 20 : 25
FC : 04 : 08 : 08 : ** : 01
Love And Other Drugs(11/24/2010)
UA : 04 : 03 : 01 : 06 : 06
TA : 61 : 52 : 55 : 70 : 68
Def: 30 : 17 : 17 : 47 : 35
FC : 04 : 01 : 01 : 07 : 06
Tangled(11/24/2010)
UA : 11 : 07 : 08 : 14 : 15
TA : 68 : 65 : 56 : 80 : 72
Def: 37 : 24 : 32 : 39 : 52
FC : 05 : 02 : 03 : 05 : 08
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well def. its a fight between burlesque and tangled, but since tangled is going to open in 3000 theaters and burlesque in 2800... well it seems that tangled is going to get that number 2
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Banned
Member Since: 9/13/2010
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Tangled is also more buzzed about and reaches a wider demographic. 
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Member Since: 11/25/2008
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Quote:
Originally posted by carlos_2003
well def. its a fight between burlesque and tangled, but since tangled is going to open in 3000 theaters and burlesque in 2800... well it seems that tangled is going to get that number 2
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According to that Burlesque has the best tracking for the Thanksgiving week releases, and is really solid. It looks like it will have a 1st week total around 20 - 30 mill, so if it ends up at 3 so be it.
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Member Since: 5/1/2007
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Variety's is mostly negative 
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Banned
Member Since: 11/24/2009
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Variety is always so tough. The Reporter likes everything.
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