Film Review: Pop Idolatry Lives in ‘Glee: The 3D Concert Movie’

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CHICAGO – Gleeks Unite! You have nothing to fear from “Glee: The 3D Concert Movie,” except the extra fee for those glasses. This film charms through it’s fabulous cast of singers and personalities singing jukebox hits.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

It’s interesting to view the phenomenon with only a passing knowledge of the show itself. In that sense the proceedings take on a show-from-another-planet aspect, as to why these young singers are doing a glammed-up show like this, and why is one of them in a wheelchair? But the so-called “Gleeks” (ardent admirers of the Fox TV series) know the score, and will no doubt cheer this loving and explicit coverage of the Glee cast concert tour.

Basically this is a concert showcasing the vocal talents and interests of the performers and the characters they play on the show. The fourteen central cast members appearing are Dianna Agron (who plays Quinn Fabray), Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel), Darren Criss (Blaine Anderson), Ashley Fink (Lauren Zizes), Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams), Lea Michele (Rachel Berry), Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson), Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce), Chord Overstreet (Sam Evans), Amber Riley (Mercedes Jones), Naya Rivera (Santana Lopez), Mark Salling (Noah “Puck” Puckerman), Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike Chang) and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina Cohen-Chang). Gwyneth Paltrow takes on a song as her character Holly Holliday, but alas, no Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester), until the DVD version.

Songs include (with their original artists) “Don’t Stop Believin’” (Journey), “I’m a Slave 4 U” (Britney Spears), “P.Y.T.(Pretty Young Thing)”  (Michael Jackson), “Teenage Dream” (Katy Perry), “Don’t Rain on My Parade” (Barbra Streisand), “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” (The Beatles) and “Forget You” (Cee Lo Green). It was a varied mix, with literally something for everyone, sung through the Glee filter.

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Glee: The 3D Concert Movie”

Kurt (Chris Colfer, left), Mercedes (Amber Riley) and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) Belt it Out in ‘Glee: The 3D Concert Movie’ Photo credit: Twentieth Century Fox Films

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Glee: The 3D Concert Movie”