Spoonatects
Am i the only one who thinks........Average?
Zlatica
One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
Kinley
This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
Gideon24
Center Stage was a 2000 comedy-drama that followed the lives of various teenagers as they audition for a spot in the American Ballet Company. The film opens as students audition for the company but we learn that they have only been chosen to study at the company and are not actually members of the company yet. There is a showcase at the end of the year at which time, only a handful of students are chosen as actual members of the company.The primary characters focused on are Jody Sawyer (Amanda Schull), a young girl who has the passion for dance but doesn't really have the technique. Eva (Zoe Saldana) has the technique but doesn't have the attitude. Maureen (Susan May Pratt) was pretty much pushed into ballet by her mother (Debra Monk) who works for the company and though she has what it takes in terms of technique, learns that her heart isn't really in it. We are also are introduced to Jonathan (Peter Gallagher) the egomaniacal director of the company who constantly butts head with Cooper Nielsen (Ethan Stiefel), the principal male dancer of the company who longs to have his own company and finds himself attracted to Jody. Tony winner Donna Murphy is also featured as a teacher in the company whose battle of wills with Eva keep their working relationship very tense.Yeah, it's pretty much a soap opera on pointe shoes, but the characters presented are pretty realistic for the most part, as dancers, for the most part, are not the nicest people in the world and that film makes this very clear. Jonathan and Cooper pretty much grate on the nerves throughout, only made worse because Ethan Stiefel, though a brilliant dancer, can't act his way out of paper bag.On the other hand, Schull is charming as Jody and Saldana steals every scene she is in. There is also a cute cameo by original A CHORUS LINE cast member Priscilla Lopez as a dance instructor who is an old friend of Cooper's. There is some first-rate dancing though and Cooper's final ballet, featuring Schull and Stiefel, is spectacular.
capone666
Center StageThe main difference between attending ballet school and public school is that at ballet school they encourage you to sleep with your teacher to get ahead.A fact at least one student in this drama proves.With only a few openings for the prestigious ballet academy workshop, a group of aspiring dancers (Zoe Saldana, Susan May Pratt, Amanda Schull) compete against one another and themselves for the coveted positions.Meanwhile, there is a power struggle between the troupe's current choreographer Jonathon (Peter Gallagher) and Cooper (Ethan Stiefel), the lead dancer looking to replace him.Tackling the commonplace concerns facing ballet dancers, from eating disorders to complex love triangles that can only be explained through exaggerated movements, Center Stage is a realistic yet ridiculous look at the cutthroat art form.Besides, wouldn't sex with a ballerina have to involve 5 additional ballerinas, just to make it feel like there's someone else there? (Yellow Light)
Sam Sloan (samsloan)
I have watched this several times with my daughter, who is taking ballet lessons. She likes this movie and plays it over and over again.I am convinced that several of the dancers do not really dance at all and appear to dance through camera trickery or using stand-ins.Sascha Radetsky, Amanda Schull, Ethan Stiefel, Zoe Saldana and probably Ilia Kulik (Charlie, Jody, Cooper, Eva and Surgei) danced their own parts.Maureen, Emily, and Erik did not dance at all, I believe.I am not sure about Julie Kent who played Kathleen Donahue and danced the duet with Ethan Stiefel.Also, I think the dance sequences involved a lot of cutting and pasting. I think it would be almost impossible for anybody to dance that perfectly from the beginning to the end of these long dance sequences.Sam Sloan
trix_n_min
A film about ballet dancing sounded terrible to me, but I saw this at the movies and since have watched it on DVD at least 10 times. It is one of those rare films that is brand new, yet gives you a sense of nostalgic fun. I am not into any kind of dancing in any way, shape or form, but I found this film to be beautiful. I love the soundtrack, it fits perfectly. I love the ballet scenes - they are surprisingly magical and enchanting. I love the cast - mainly unknowns make the film so much nicer. I love the outcome of the film - predictable, but immensely satisfying. This is a very believable, romantic and fun storyline that I can watch over and over again. It makes me feel like a child again, and became one of my instant favourite films once I saw it. Definitely in my top ten list of films I never get sick of watching. Watch this one on a rainy day, or when you are feeling a bit down. It is strangely comforting, like a security blanket, and I don't really know why. Highly recommended.
