Unlike any movie you'll ever see.

Rating: 10/10 (8 June 2001)

Moulin Rouge is a refreshing change to the action, comedy, horror, and romantic genres that we are used to these days. It's unique style of directing and cinematography is second to none. I cannot put into words how stylish this movie really plays out on the screen.
Moulin Rouge tells the story of a young writer who moves to Paris with plans of writing his best piece of work and finding love. Upon arriving, he sits to write and realizes that he has the worst case of writer's block ever. This started a chain reaction of very unusual events that would change his life. He is thrust into using his poetic talent to write a play entitled `Spectacular, Spectacular!'
Ewan McGregor is indeed spectacular as Christian, the love-hunting writer. He is great in this role, and who would have guessed that he could sing; not well, but he tried. I have seen McGregor perform miracles in everything from 혩Shallow Grave' to 혩Star Wars: Episode I' to perhaps his now second greatest performance in 혩Trainspotting', but his performance in Moulin Rouge is nothing less than wonderful.
Nicole Kidman plays the seductive `Sparkling Diamond', Satine, a woman paid to make men believe she loves them. She mistakenly believes Christian to be a Duke she wants to seduce so he will finance her budding acting career, only to end up falling in love with the penniless writer. Kidman's performance is very good, and she sings rather well. Watching Kidman play, and I mean play in every sense of the word, in this movie was a delight. Her ability to make the audience laugh was a skill I didn't know she possessed.
Finally, John Leguizamo has not been this funny since 혩The Pest.' He is certainly a forgotten funnyman in Hollywood (To Wong Foo comes to mind). His character in Moulin Rouge, Toulouse, is absolutely indescribable!

While many might think Moulin Rouge is a musical, let it be known that it is not merely a musical, but one could say it creates a whole new genre. I have been known to despise musicals, especially Disney Masterpieces, but Moulin Rouge is different.
Moulin Rouge is a nice refreshing change to the all too familiar explosions, jokes, and love stories that are virtually force-fed to us in films lately. Not that I mind movies like `Armageddon', `Star Wars', and `The Rock', but getting ready for a summer full of action blockbusters such as `Tomb Raider', `Planet of the Apes', and the much anticipated `Jurassic Park 3'will be much easier thanks to the blissful Moulin Rouge.