Preview: Fame (2009)

Synopsis:

A remake of the 1980 singing and dancing sensation about members of the New York Academy of Performing Arts.

• Poster: C+ (x4)

Review:

Many films hoping to appeal to the popular culture have a tendency to release a series of posters. This film appears to be doing no differently and although they are nothing detailed or exciting, they create a dynamic environment that when combined send a message to old and new fans alike.

• Trailer: B+; B-; B

Review:

Starting off with a simple, powerhouse performance, the trailer then jumps into the frenetic and engaging rhytmic style of the film's dance numbers and highlights enough sequences to make it seem like it might actually be worth the price of admission.

Now we get to the meat and potatoes of the film seeing a number of the film's young stars and getting the standard salesman's job from producers wanting to brings auds to the theater. However, there is very little of substance here that we haven't seen a thousand times before in countless dance school/educators as motivators movies, many of which got their inspiration from the original Fame and other films before it. It certainly would be little surprise in this movie culture of rehashing to be just that and have little substantive resonance in the end result.

Almost more of the same, but a few different scenes distinguish this trailer from the last. It looks like a slightly better film in this second full trailer. It has me interested enough to see it and try to see how it plays, but not likely enough to thrill me in the end. It does remind me I should probably watch the original before I see its remake.

Oscar Prospects:

Depending if there are any new and original songs in the film will determine whether it meets with Oscar recognition as the original film managed to nab two nominations for Original Song. It might even be able to capture a nod in its predecessor's Sound Mixing category, though doubtfully in the others of Original Score, Editing or Original Screenplay (competing now for Adapted Screenplay).

Release Date:

• September 25, 2009

Full Review Synopsis:

I have not seen this film.

-Wesley Lovell (April 12, 2009) Original

-Wesley Lovell (June 21, 2009) New Trailer

-Wesley Lovell (August 23, 2009) New Trailer