Four and a Half things I like about FAME.

I hate to be the one to have to tell you this, but the remake of Fame that landed in theatres yesterday is neither going too live forever nor will it fly high. I am surprised it didn’t go straight to video and crash and burn.

Not sure who came up with the idea for this updated version, but I fear someone at Disney must have been behind it. It is all scrubbed up and clean and everyone, in the end, has a happy ending. Gone is any sense of grittiness or reality. Apparently everyone who goes to PA will be a success.

I fear that Fame suffers from the same pitfalls that Sex In The City did – too many storylines that all end the same place ~ boring town. There are at least 8 ‘main’ characters and 3 teachers that you follow over 4 years (from Freshman to Senior) in 2 hours. It should have been a series with this first movie just about the first year.

Despite my review, I do recall four and a half things I did like:

1 - After a slow start, my hopes were revived by a stunning performance from Naturi Naughton. She sits at a piano singing her little heart out and for a brief moment brings your interest back to the film. Papi, you have a job to do!
2 - Then, there is a Moulin Rouge type dance sequence during the schools CarnEvil themed Halloween party. Costumes and dancing are impressive, but like the piano solo above, it ends.
3 - Kherington Payne was the next one to strut her stuff. And for a boy that likes boys, I have to say that girl has STUFF and she knows how to STRUTT it. Oh my, she can move!
4 - Not really in the movie, but the trailer for New Moon (the next movie in the Twilight series). That Jacob has been hitting the gym. If he had been in Fame, it would have been MUCH better – especially if he strutted his stuff with Kherington.
.5 My half point goes to Megan Mullally for her 10 second Karen Walker-esque moment that took me back to the good old doily days. Oh Karen, we miss you.

Sorry to say it, Fame bites, save your money for the new Alice in Wonderland.