I hadn't really planned on seeing this movie. I like Katy Perry just fine, but wasn't really considering shelling out $9 a ticket, plus the 3D charge. Plus I always said if i had to hear "Firework" or "California Girls" one more time, I was going to pierce my eardrums with an icepick. But my daughter is a fan and wanted to go, so I thought it would be a good mommy/daughter night for us.

Let me say, if you are a casual Katy fan, like I was, this movie will push you into full Katy Kat status (that's what her devoted fans call themselves, apparently). If you already love her, this will make you love her more. If you're not a fan, don't bother, there's nothing here for you at all, sorry. 

Half documentary and half concert movie, it tells the tale of Katy Perry's rocky start to become the huge pop star she is today. Raised with a strict Christian upbringing, she found her niche writing songs and performing at a young age. She spent several years bouncing around, signed to record labels that just didn't know what to do with her or how to market her. They wanted to market her as the "next Avril" or "next Alanis", when she just wanted to be "the first Katy Perry". Finally someone recognized her potential and helped her get where she needed to be, and the rest, well, you know.

That's only a small part. Most of the movie follows her on her tour last year, promoting her phenomenonaly successful Teenage Dream album. You see her grueling schedule and admire the energy it takes to put on such a high-energy show every night. Her support team (including her sister) discuss what goes into such a huge tour. You see her interacting with her fans, sweetly approaching everyone at meet-and-greets and introducing herself, "Hi, I'm Katy", like they've just wandered in off the street or something. There's even a costumed Katy Kat mascot to take pictures with. But it's not all sweetness and light; you also see her short-lived marriage to British comedian Russell Brand disintegrating around her, and the effect it had on her behind the scenes.

There are actually some moving scenes, as her teenage and young adult devotees talk about how her songs have inspired them to be themselves (a prevailing message in several of her songs). Footage of an elementary school choir performing "Firework" even made me tear up a bit. But I'm sappy that way.

The concert footage is amazing, very colorful and energetic, and really makes me want to go see her play live (no, she's not a lip syncher). The costumes alone are worth it. You'll see most of her biggest hits, "I Kissed a Girl", "Hot and Cold", "California Girls" and, of course, "Firework". I did have something strange happen during those last two, I found myself humming along and not at all wanting to mutilate my eardrums.

A word of advice if you go: see the 2D version if you can. We didn't have that option, but the 3D adds nothing to it, and most of it isn't even in 3D. I took my glasses off a few times and the screen was perfectly normal.

Meow.