Burlesque

Wikipedia helpfully describes burlesque as "a humorous theatrical entertainment involving parody and sometimes grotesque exaggeration". They're talking about the art form but it's also a conveniently accurate description of the film; Christina Aguilera's vocal stylings are the very embodiment of the words "grotesque exaggeration", while Cher slipped into self-parody so long ago that she's come out the other side and now occupies a tangential plane where it's OK to look like a life-size action figure of Pete Burns. Hang on, I think I can feel the world's worst pun coming on...

That said, Burlesque is a harmlessly inoffensive (almost disappointingly so) way to pass a couple of hours if you don't mind your story being regularly interrupted for another outing by Xtina's mutant slut lungs. There are only really a couple of great songs so it won't be troubling many Greatest Ever Musical polls, but it certainly leaves last Christmas's legs 'n' lungs catastrophe Nine standing in its glittery dust.

Stanley Tucci plays Stanley Tucci so well it's as if he was born to play the part, Alan Cumming pops in for a cheeky cameo which is virtually pointless but fannyloads of fun, and various other actresses get short shrift as cardboard characters whose only purpose is to fill out the running time.

Still, if you're not getting your ass up and showing us how you burlesque by the end credits, then there's something up with your ass. Get it seen to, pronto.