Burlesque: A Gay Man's Wet Dream

Here are a few reasons why I think the new movie, Burlesque, is a gay man's wet dream:

• Cher: In her first film since 2003's Stuck on You, the Oscar-winning actress is terrific as Tess, the owner of the Burlesque Lounge where most of the movie takes place. She's funny and dramatic - and she gets to sing "Welcome to Burlesque", which I was humming on my way out of the theater.

• Christina Aguilera: In her first feature film, the 29-year-old singer gives a decent acting performance - and a fabulous singing one - as Ali Rose, a small-town girl who moves to Los Angeles to become a star. I seriously doubt that Aguilera will ever win a Best Actress Academy Award, but she is far better than I expected her to be. With eight musical numbers on the film's soundtrack, Burlesque is her movie - and, fortunately, she has a likable screen presence.

• Stanley Tucci: This guy is a scene-stealer as Sean, Tess's gay best friend and Burlesque's witty stage manager. He even gets a brief love interest (played by the handsome David Walton).

• Cam Gigandet: This gorgeous 28-year-old dreamboat (see photo) has the film's second largest role after Aguilera as Jack, the Burlesque bartender who befriends Ali. And be still my heart, the young man has bedroom eyes - and a bedroom body - and he's a good actor. I expect we will be seeing a lot more of him in the future.

• A Great Supporting Cast: Eric Dane - Dr. McSteamy on TV's Grey's Anatomy - frequently gets to flash his beautiful teeth as a charismatic entrepreneur, but sadly he keeps his clothes on; Peter Gallagher is fine as Tess's ex-husband and business partner; Alan Cumming provides some comic relief as the club's host; Kristen Bell makes a delightful bitch as Nikki, Ali's jealous nemesis; and Mr. Barbra Streisand, James Brolin, and Glee's Dianna Agron even have cameos.

• Fun Musical Numbers: Burlesque does not know the meaning of "less is more" as it is jam-packed full of impressive production numbers - and gay director/writer Steve Antin does a good job of keeping the action moving for the film's 116 minutes.

As much as I enjoyed Burlesque, it's not a perfect movie. Aguilera has far too many songs, while Cher only has two. I was hoping that the ladies would sing a duet, but no, it's a missed opportunity. And Cher's second number, "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me", is underwhelming. Also, the film is Derivative with a capital D. If you stuck Flashdance, Chicago and Moulin Rouge! in a blender, Burlesque would be the end result - which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  If you're going to be derivative of other films, at least steal from those that I love - and Burlesque does. The plot twists are extremely predictable and the dialog is often corny as hell, but I still liked the film. I could watch Cher and Tucci - and especially the handsome Mr. Gigandet - in almost anything and be perfectly satisfied. Burlesque isn't going to win any awards, but if you're a gay man who's looking for some cotton candy fun, go see it. You'll have a good time - and you just might leave humming a happy tune.

My Grade: B
Website: www.burlesquethemovie.com