Preview: 'Madonna Sticky and Sweet: Live from Buenos Aires' concert film

Poster for Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour

"I fell in love with the people, it's hard not to -- they're not only beautiful look at but they have incredible spirit and they're so warm and welcoming," says Madonna of Argentinians in the introduction to "Madonna Sticky and Sweet: Live from Buenos Aires," the concert film that is making its debut on television and the internet tomorrow (Oct. 30).

Clocking in at almost exactly two hours on the button, the film documents the entertainer's visit to the stage in Buenos Aires from first to last, with no interstitial interviews or filler.

It largely follows her setlist from the second leg of her record-breaking solo tour, from "Candy Shop" to the cutesy double-dutch sequence of "Into the Groove" to hard rocking crash-bang finales of "Ray of Light" into "Give It 2 Me." However, after "You Must Love Me," Madge launches into another "Evita" tune -- and how could she not? -- with "Don't Cry For Me Argentina," with clips from the film flashing behind her. She utilizes her band from "Doli Doli" and melodramatically holds those long notes longer. As you'll see, Argentina can't help but to cry for her, particularly after a 13 year absence from the country.

The wonderous technology of slow motion gives extra notice to the dancers and to Madonna's jaw-dropping physical fitness. She humps a guitar more than once. She changes her costumes, on average, in less than a minute and a half. It's an eclectic and star-studded (Britney, Pharrell, Kanye, Justin and more, via Megatron) show, and really reveals, in the camera work, just the kind of scale of audience that Madonna performs to.

As previously reported, the concert film will be made available tomorrow on Epix, the new on-demand service that is available online as well as on television. The website for the network has a countdown clock, in fact, that will bring its audience to the launch time for its 7,000 titles, through a joint venture between Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate.

Users will be able to watch films from this deep archive whenever they want online, without having to download extra software. From the testing I did yesterday, movies can be fast-forwarded or rewound  without hiccuping or interruption, and allows a feature in which viewers can invite other friends and users to watch a film simultaneously in their own personal online "screening room."

Extras to films -- like behind the scenes shoots, interviews or alternate takes -- will be available for free through the website. For instance, there is a cast interview bonus for "Sticky and Sweet," as well as standalone performances of tracks like "Vogue" and "Spanish Lesson."

Madonna will be on the premium cable channel at 10 p.m. tomorrow and will get a repeat twice next week.

The DVD for "Stick and Sweet" will get a release later this year.

Katie Hasty
Managing Editor

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After five years as a columnist and editor at Billboard, Katie Hasty joined HitFix in 2009 for music and film reporting out of New York. The Midwest native has worked as a writer, music promoter and in A&R since 1999 and performs with her band Numbers And Letters.