It was so chilly towards the end of last week, and what with our weekend break to the Cotswold’s organised, Val and I decided to stay in last night Friday night. Not happy with the choices available on the small screen, and after already catching up on Desperate Housewives, Gossip Girl, etc. in the week, we decided to check out new releases on DVD. After the success of UK dance flick, Streetdance UK, we thought we would give the US their turn with the third instalment of the hugely successful dance series: Step Up. Now, based on the previous blogs we’ve posted about our choice in movies, you will probably not be too shocked to hear that we absolutely loved it!
However, we loved it in a different way to Streetdance. America’s Step Up 3 did, if we are being totally honest with you, have a lot of gimmicks and some moments that were cringier than the birds and bees talk with your dad (our flatmates who are less enthusiastic about dance flicks left us after only 15 minutes!). But then that’s because you have to look through and beyond the cheese (which they couldn’t!), and take it on the chin, in order to enjoy the breath-taking dance routines that occur for the full 2 hours. Yes, we know the script could never be described as particularly original and, no, the acting most certainly won’t be winning an Oscar any time soon (a Rotten Tomato perhaps!), yet none of this seems to matter as soon as you become mesmerised by the outstandingly talented cast of young dancers.
Like all good dance movies, the music is as amazing as the moves showcased. The generous array of genres, including: rap, hip hop and funky house, means that you’ll be heading to Itunes to download the soundtrack almost instantaneously! The tracks however, although being well-known in America, don’t get the considerable air play they deserve here. Step Up 3, isn’t simply a film about “dance”, but rather the different ways in which the body can move, stringing one movement from another in a unique stream of slick choreography. A wide range of fantastic body-art is featured in the film, such as: parkour, martial arts, popping, locking, and crunking. It also has a much cooler vibe than any dance film we’ve seen before it, as despite the rather lame-sounding “world battles” (like club dance-offs, only on steroids!), it is the best one we’ve seen. And just so you know, we have seen EVERY dance flick there is…. at least twice!
Sorry Streetdance but as much as we loved you it’s time for you to move over for the real McCoy. Yes, the cowboys across the pond have trumped us again! We advise you to grab a copy of Step Up 3 now in time to earn some moves for New Year’s Eve!
Oh, and perhaps even more excitingly - a work out/teach yourself DVD is due out at the end of December, also perfectly in time for New Year’s. We have already ordered ours in tune with our New Year’s resolutions to get amazing abs, so watch out for news of amazing dancers hitting London on the 31st! Wahoo!
