Spectacular Spectacular

I had a serious Jones today for something romantic and depressing. So I watched Moulin Rouge, a movie that I hadn't seen, but whose ending had been maliciously revealed to me by cruel individual who shall remain nameless.

Here's the plot: It's 1899 Paris. Ewan McGregor (yummy) plays a starry-eyed, penniless young poet. He moves to Montmarte (the home of Amelie, I might add), in search of freedom, truth, beauty, and love. He befriends John Leguizamo's character, a short guy with trouble saying 'l's. He invites McGregor to write a play with him to sell to the Moulin Rouge, a night club, a den of "hedonistic pleasures." There, McGregor meets Satine (played by the enchanting Nicole Kidman), who mistakes him for the Duke she must seduce to get funding for the Moulin Rouge's new play (McGregor's play). She and McGregor meet, fall in love, and weave a tangled web around themselves, the Moulin Rouge, the real Duke, and Paris.

Their story alone is heartfelt, beautiful, heart-breaking, honest, ethereal, and excellent. But Baz Luhrman, the director of this masterpiece, tells it in such a way that makes it a modern love story that is absolutely true to its era of beauty, art, voluptuousness, and love. What makes it modern is this, my favorite part of the film: Luhrman makes a musical, but uses all modern songs like Elton John's 'Your Song,' 'Roxanne,' 'Like a Virgin,' 'The Show Must Go On,' and some great love songs from all across time.

It's a movie that's magical, with a singing moon and all, but still very mortal, showing a depth and a realness about the Parisian underworld while still acknowledging that world's respect for love.

It's not my first choice for a romantic and depressing movie (that would be Titanic), but I still enjoyed it very much.

Oh, and my guilty pleasure movie today was The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. I just got back from the theatre. I preferred Moulin Rouge.