dance movies are so uneven!

[Cloud]

I like a good dance movie sometimes. I approve of dancing in all forms as one of the highest of human endeavors. And I love to shake it! but finding a good dance movie can be tricky.

although the current crop of dance movies probably have been influenced most by "Dirty Dancing," there have been dance movies since the beginning of film, I'm guessing. Fred Astaire is a dream to watch. Even Shirley Temple wouldn't be who she was without her extraordinary talent for tap dancing. And then there are the musicals . . .

Anyway, some of the newer ones are pretty good, and others are just abysmal. And you can't always tell which are which in the videostore. I'm not an expert, or a critic! But --

recommended
"Shall We Dance:" Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez in a romantic comedy. Very sweet, and they dance a tango that's awesome

"Take the Lead": with Antonio Banderas playing the real-life dance teacher Pierre Dulaine, who teaches inner city kids ballroom dance

"Save the Lance Dance,": Julia Stiles, which is pretty much all you need to know here, 'cause I think I'd watch her in almost anything. There actually seems to be some chemistry with her co-star, a critical element missing in the non-recommeded flicks.

take your chances
I've seen a fair number of mediocre-to-bad other films, the titles of which mercifully have drifted out of my memory. I've seen latin themed ones, one or two of which are not bad. I've seen black university themed ones, "Drumline," and "Stomp the Yard" most notably. The actual dancing is fascinating, the subplots . . . well.

I predict more dance movies, with the popularity of ballroom dancing now on tv, too.