Singin' in the Rain - 5 Stars

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2013)

"Singin' in the Rain" has provided me with probably the most joyful cinematic experience so far in my life. The movie functions entirely on happy juice. Some movie characters can light up a room; the main cast in "Singin' in the Rain" can light up the whole darn street. Many profound critics, like Roger Ebert and Pauline Kael, has declared it as the best Hollywood musical ever made. No wonder.
Great movies have a way of beating time. Their original audience is replaced by a new generation, but the positive reception stays the same. Curiously, "Singin' in the Rain" earned more praise as it got older. Though a success at the box office upon its release in 1952, people were late to give the praise it really deserved. It seemed that the increasing admiration continued with the following generations. And as I saw the film for the first time only a few nights ago, I was struck and stuck in a state of awe. It's been a long, long while since Hollywood has made a musical like this one, hasn't it?
"Singin' in the Rain" is a marvelous movie for many reasons, but watching it at this point in time highlights some things about it that has become a rarity in today's movies, making these things all the more treasured. Consider, for instance, its attention to a sense of movement. The sets are simple and the props are few, but one can tell that the makers of "Singin' in the Rain" have spent a whole lot of time and training to the people and their performances. And these performances were about feelings and passion and about the art of performance itself. Most musicals today, and other genres too, have learned to place too much dependence on money, for the sake of money. The recent excess of 3- D movies may prove a point.
Read more here: http://localmoviereview.com/singin-in-the-rain-movie- review-2/