Katy Perry: Part of Me [2012]
Directed by: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz
Starring: Katy Perry, Russell Brand, Adele, Jessie J, Rihanna
A note to the filmmakers: Katy Perry is not weird. Try as you might, you can’t convincingly paint her as a sort of spokesperson for the “quirky” types who want to make it big in showbiz. She is a young woman with a perfect face and a perfect body and a pretty voice. Wearing multi-colored wigs and candy lingerie does not make her weird. Thank you.
A note to the kids that claim that Katy Perry helps them get through tough times: Really? Katy Perry? I don’t think hearing this or this will help you cope with your parents’ divorce or an F in Biology. But I digress.
I know it doesn’t seem that way when you read the notes above, but I like Katy Perry. She’s nowhere near my favorite singers but I’m certainly not immune to her super-catchy pop ditties and her classic beauty. The people behind Katy Perry: Part of Me capitalized on those facets of the singer and they managed to deliver a (surprisingly) very good documentary. While I don’t necessarily agree with many aspects of the Katy Perry persona the movie is trying so desperately to portray, it wasn’t enough to ruin the experience. This is how you do a concert film. It’s fun, it’s insightful and it features the best use of 3D since Hugo. Katy Perry, born Katheryn Hudson is, of course, the star of this show but directors Cutforth and Lipsitz and cinematographer Shanra Kehl also deserve the credit for turning what could be a run-of-the-mill concert tour documentary into one of the best films of the year so far.
My daughter loved this film. I’ll probably give it a watch once it comes to rental. Thanks, Fernando.
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Thanks Michael. Make sure to check it out, it’s pretty fun. But I doubt it’ll look as good as it did on the big screen!
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Wait a minute this is actually a good movie? Well slap me sideways, I just sort of assumed this would be terrible.
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I did too but a friend is her biggest fan so I accompanied her and ended up having a lot of fun!
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I read this review from the email update originally when I was in a hurry, and only got through the first two paragraphs before I had to bolt. I remained confused by your four-star grade because of the blatant flaws you pointed out, but when I decided to revisit it today, I seem to to understand your analysis.
Great review, but I don’t think I’ll ever be convinced to see this. I am in no way a Katy Perry fan, to tell you the truth. I listen, as I’ve said before, to music of the 1960s and 1970s, mainly, but I have to hear my younger sister almost every day listening to either country music or Katy Perry. I, personally, think she’s just a pig who comes out of a Christian family and sings racy music as an excuse to have little kids follow her supposedly “wholesome messages”. I’m still trying to find a reason to look up to her. My sister, though, is a fan, and she has yet to see the movie. If she ends up begging to rent it when it comes to Redbox–she rarely wants to actually rent a movie, but when it does happen, you can’t forget it because she talks about it all day–I’ll probably just sit down and watch it as well.
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Thanks! And well, haha, to each his own, right? But I think anyone with the least bit of appreciation for Perry will enjoy this one. It is very fun.
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I’m…shocked. My wife really wants to see this and now I’m actually considering it.
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HAHAHA 😉 You should give it a shot. I went in expecting a piece of crap but I ended up having lots of fun and I was surprised at how good the movie actually was.
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Well written post, I’m going to have “Part of me” stuck in my head for ages now.
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Thanks man! And you could have worse songs stuck in your head, you know? Hahaha
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I was desperate to see this! Rob was even fully prepared to see it with me and I’m so annoyed we missed out on it, especially after your comments on the 3D.
I LOVE Katy Perry. Not really her music, I just love her. I love her quirkiness and style, I think she’s a great role model for being different. I wish I had someone like that to look to when I was growing up! And I completely agree with you; who cares what colour her hair is or if she wears funny bras? She’s just lovely!
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It’s a shame you missed it in theaters but I’ll bet you’d still enjoy it on home video. It’s very fun and surprisingly good.
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