One of 2001's Best

Rating: 9/10 (25 June 2001)

Here is a film that is not only visually appealing, but may bring back the musical genre. The interesting aspect of Moulin Rouge is that either, one does not like the film or one does. There seems to be very little middle ground. That ability to draw out emotion, to create talk days, weeks after the viewing is wonderful. Nobody will be talking about Tomb Raider three weeks from now, but Moulin Rouge, well, this baby has legs. Another interesting aspect of this film is that while other successful and entertaining films, Shrek for instance, was created to appeal to a wide audience, thereby not asking for the patrons to involve themselves with the story as it will be laid out for them, Moulin Rouge asks, no demands, that you get involved. If you fail to get involved then you will fail to understand the beauty of two people in love. That it is not all visual, but also psychological, tactile, and dare I even say olfactoral. Then again to understand the film, maybe Christen (McGregor)was right, you had to have been in love to understand love. And I do mean true love. Not the shallow kind of love many are in today. BTW I have nothing but admiration for the use of the songs portrayed. I love the idea that songs we all listened to, reflected on, and talked about as a culture was reflected in the story. I believe their use just allows us the ability to understand the story and charactors better. As Toulouse Lautrec once said (to paraphrase), I love the Moulin Rouge, because its ugliness is so beautiful. Check out his art as it brilliantly captures the time.