A beautiful, lovely, amazing film about "truth, beauty, freedom, but above all, love"!

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2002)

I must admit, before I first saw this movie (my friend Jessica dragged me to the theatre) I was utterly skeptical (this was before the Oscar nods and raving reviews). How could a musical about a nightspot with a stale, old plot be any good? In more ways than I could have dreamed.

The acting is spectacular, as are the cast's voices. Ewan MacGregor and Nicole Kidman sing and act beautifully; their chemistry jumps right off the screen! MacGregor has one of the loveliest voices I've ever heard. Listening to him belt out "Your Song" is amazing (not to mention the fact that his smile makes me melt). How did he not get an Oscar nomination?!? Jim Broadbent (as the exuberant Harold Zidler, the "king" of the Moulin Rouge) is fantastic in his supporting role, and Richard Roxburgh as the villianous Duke is perfect for the part.
Baz Luhrmann is an utter genius. A genius! It has so many of his special little touches that make the film unique and original. I can think of few other directors who could pull this off with as much grace as he did. It was a cinematic crime that he was robbed of an Oscar nomination. (This movie recieved far less Oscar recognition than it deserved).

The story may have been used many times in the art of film, but Luhrmann and Craig Pearce (his co-writer) make it stunningly unique. It's heartbreaking yet beautiful. There are few other movies that touch the heart such as this.

The music is spectacular! Reinventing many songs such as "Roxanne", "Your Song", and "Like a Virgin" (though I must admit I found that sequence a bit unnecessary) was delightful to watch, and I especially loved the "Elephant Love Medley" where Christian sings a mixture of classic love songs including "All You Need is Love", "Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong", "Just One Night", and "I Will Always Love You" in attempt to convince Satine that they "could be heroes forever and ever". The few originals of the movie (such as Satine's hopeful melody "One Day I'll Fly Away" and the wonderful, beautifully lyrical "Come What May") are absolutely FANTASTIC!

All in all, this movie is stunning. This movie is colourful. This movie is beautiful. This movie is heartbreaking. This movie is hopeful. This movie is quietly happy. This movie is more than just a movie. It is a secret longing to be loved, and loved alone that we all have inside us, which whether we have it boldly out in the open, like Christian; or silently locked in away inside so that barely even we know, like Satine, is undoubtedly there. See this movie. You won't regret it.
the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return....