Dear Jodie - X is for Xanadu

Dear Jodie,

I once read a review of Xanadu where the critic apologized for liking it because so many of his colleagues didn't.

I don't get it.  It's like apologizing for liking fruitcake.

Okay, I'm not the biggest fan of fruitcake.

But I did like Xanadu.

I understand why critics panned it.  Michael Beck isn't the best of actors, but it's only about him to the extent that his Sonny Malone is the love interest for Kira (Olivia Newton-John) and the business partner of Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly).

Okay, fine.  It's not Citizen Kane.

Critics who go into this movie expecting anything more than entertainment will walk out and pan it.

Xanadu is entertainment.  Period. 

It is fun. 

Citizen Kane it is not, but I didn't like Citizen Kane.  Do people really get jazzed about some dude trying to figure out why his boss's last word was "Rosebud?"

Xanadu had Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John and that was more than enough for me. What a great dance number the two of them had together.  I had to rewind a couple of times for this one!  And Gene Kelly was 68, and still hoofing it so elegantly!

And, I was one of the few dudes who could admit that he had a crush on Olivia Newton-John . . . gotta LOVE the accent!

Not a bad way to spend an evening, huh?

My sister spend about $50 on the video tape copy of this movie in the early 80's, and asked me to watch it with her.

I had a good time watching it way back in the day.

Unlike my sister, I would not include this on my top 10 movies, but that's fine.

When you suggested this one, Jodie, and after my experience with Notting Hill, I wondered what would I think after all this time.

Well, I watched it again, and I'm not going to apologize for liking it.

As a reviewer I would give it 5 out of 10.

Add two because of Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John.  We're at 7 out of 10.

Add another point because of my sister's genuine love for the movie and we're at . . .

8 out of 10.

OH!  I forgot to mention the music of Jeff Lynne and ELO.  Fabulous!

What did you think, Jodie?

Read Jodie's review here.

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