
Reflecting on the significant evolution in cinema, consider how different things are today compared to “Showgirls,” a film released three decades ago. It was notoriously panned as a poor movie, but over time, it’s gained a cult following for its bold embrace of the gritty glamour found within the seedy world of Las Vegas nightlife. Initially, many critics, most of whom were men, criticized “Showgirls” because it dared to glorify something as supposedly lowbrow as aspiring to become a Vegas showgirl. After all, didn’t Elizabeth Berkley’s character Nomi have unworthy dreams? Instead, the film could be seen as celebrating ambition and resilience in the face of societal expectations.