Quirky- Reviews

The Farmer's Wife (1928)

A slight, but charming early effort from Hitchcock

[7/10 · 9 November 2005]

Although his name will forever be linked with 'suspense' films, this 1928 silent feature from Alfred Hitchcock shows the man had considerable comic sensibilities, too. The story concerns a widowed farmer (Jameson Thomas) who decides he needs a wife...129 minutes later, he finds that the perfect woman he was after was under his nose the entire time. Thomas is great as the desperate for love farmer -- watch how he makes a list of desirable women and goes to each one individually to propose, crossing each off the list when they turn him down. It may be overlong (those who've seen the edited 97 minute version yearn for this extended one...personally I think it too long), but the wry humour and the charming characters make this a nice enough early effort from Hitch.

Ögat (1998)

A nice little thriller...

[31 May 2003]

Opening with very compelling title credits, Richard Hobert's Ögat (The Eye) continues the suspense for the remaining two hours. Ingrid (Lena Endre) is in a seemingly perfect relationship with an outwardly perfect man, Frederik (Samuel Fröler). What Ingrid doesn't know is that Frederik is not quite all there. In fact, his obsessive jealousy stretches so far that he fakes a suicide in order to see Ingrid's reactions to his death (albeit, from afar and through 'spy-cams') and to validate her 'fidelity' to him after his untimely demise. When Ingrid's old friend, Mikael (Göran Stangertz), well known singer-songwriter, discovers the creepy truth about the compulsively infatuated Frederik, he sets out to protect Ingrid and unearth any further dirt on Frederik. The cast is uniformly excellent, with sufficiently tense moments and some great writing and direction from Hobert, this Swedish effort is quite entertaining - Ingrid's revenge at being so unmercifully tricked is a very satisfying moment

Fox and His Friends (1975)

Fassbinder is excellent.

[30 May 2003]

The ironically titled Fox and His Friends, Fassbinder's rather excellent study of a none-too-bright circus worker who wins a small fortune in the lottery, is a touching film that features a great performance from Fassbinder himself in the title role. A reflection on the class system and homosexual relationships of 1970's Germany, Fox and His Friends is unsentimental and guileless most of the time. Fox (Fassbinder) is one of the main attractions of a circus like festival, with his lover being arrested for tax fraud. Fox somehow knows he'll win the lottery, so when he picks up a wealthy man at the local 'pick-up toilets', Fox makes sure he reaches the store in time to lodge his ticket. Cut to Fox celebrating his 500 000 marks win, he's drinking in his usual tavern with the effete bar staff and clientele. Fox then somehow becomes involved with a somewhat arrogant and pretentious man, already in a relationship, who takes the naïve Fox for a ride, spending his money in selfish and extravagant ways. Fassbinder's melodrama is droll and poignant, with a tragically ironic ending. Oh, and you have to give extra marks to a director who inserts lengthy nude scenes of themselves in their films.

Minority Report (2002)

Sci-fi fun from Spielberg

[8/10 · 26 January 2003]

***SPOILERS WITHIN REVIEW***

A small achievement in the sci-fi genre, Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Phillip K. Dick's short story, Minority Report is a good chase 'em thriller. Tom Cruise plays John Anderton, head of the pre-crime unit, a special branch of the police force that uses technology to 'tag' and arrest 'criminals' before they actually commit a murder. These prophecies are the work of three pre-cogs (short for pre-cognitives), a young woman and two twin brothers who were the pregnant results of drug addicts. All goes wrong for Anderton's world when the female pre-cog, Agatha, points him out as a future murderer. Anderton hits the road running from Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell) and his old police crew, unearthing long lost secrets and conspiracies.

The pre-cogs, Agatha (Samantha Morton), Dashiell and Arthur (named for Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett and Arthur Conan Doyle) are mysterious, almost angelic creatures - until Agatha is liberated by Anderton for her help, we don't really see them as humans - and the scenes with Agatha giving Anderton prophetic help have an other-worldly quality. Like previous Phillip K. Dick adaptations Blade Runner and Total Recall, Minority Report's special effects team (ILM) have created some very impressive effects, among the metal three legged Spyders; robotic spies employed by the pre-crime that scan people's eyes for identification, and futuristic cars and motorways, as well as other ultramodern creations. The pre-crime advertisements in the film (à la Starship Troopers) are effective in their designs and give us added insight into the goings-on of the pre-crime unit.

The performances are all solid, with Tom Cruise giving a good turn as the on-the-run police chief and Colin Farrell great as a smarmy competitor for Anderton's position who realises too late the truth of the investigation. Max von Sydow, playing the elderly head of the pre-crime facility, Lamar Burgess, is a kind of surrogate father to Anderton. Continuing the oft-used theme of paternal abandonment in his films, Minority Report's abandoned son is Cruise, with the scheming von Sydow betraying his 'son' in order to save his own hide. Of course, redemption is reached at the end, giving the viewer a happy ending. Janusz Kaminski's photography is impressively cold, effectively matching the overall mood of the film (the script, music, etc.) and enhancing the film noir sensibilities Spielberg and co. were aiming for. Interestingly, Spielberg notes that Minority Report is not a `warm adventure like A.I'. He's right in that regard, as this film doesn't share as much of the sentimentality that almost sank that picture. I liked the film a lot (all the more so because 'sci-fi' isn't ordinarily my favoured genre), but there were flaws that held back my enjoyment of the finished product. That said, I can't pinpoint any particularly grating imperfections, although I do know that it won't hold up to repeated viewings in my DVD player. An effective sci-fi thriller from a very talented director...the film taps into our need to know what the future holds for us.

8/10

Lawn Dogs (1997)

Brilliant performances from Barton and Rockwell.

[10/10 · 26 January 2003]

Haley Joel Osment, et al may be constantly praised, but for my money, Mischa Barton's relaxed and natural performance in Lawn Dogs is superior to them all. Barton plays ten-year-old Devon, an odd little girl who befriends the white trash gardener of her housing estate, Camelot Gardens, Trent (Sam Rockwell). The friendship is kept secret at the bequest of Trent, as he's wise to the world and the consequences that can come of a friendship between a twenty-two year old man and a little girl, no matter how innocuous the relationship may be. Rockwell and Barton are both superb in this touching film about the beauty of friendship from Aussie director, John Duigan. The cute logic of Devon for doing certain things gives her character an almost adult quality that makes their comradeship more credible. ("We won't be stealing them, just borrowing them…then changing our minds and eating them" – on stealing chickens for dinner and "I don't like kids; they smell like TV and talk too fast.") Christopher MacDonald as the father is his usual unctuous self, spouting lines such as "Why can't she at least pretend to be happy? It's what we did as kids!" and trying to mould his daughter into something that she truly doesn't want to be. Trent bemoans the fact that the small town is suffocating him, so he mows the lawns of the good folk in order to save enough money. With the film's climax, Devon (unwittingly?) liberates him, giving him the sought after escape he's been yearning. Lawn Dogs is a poignant study of an unnatural friendship that seems very natural and is a great achievement from Duigan.

8/10

Donnie Brasco (1997)

Good, solid mob effort from Mike Newell

[26 January 2003]

Inevitably compared to Goodfellas, Mike Newell's 1997 effort, Donnie Brasco is just as good as Scorcese's film in many regards. The performances, including Johnny Depp as the title character and Al Pacino as his wretched wise guy pal, are flawless, with Depp great as the undercover FBI agent and Pacino in excellent form as Benjamin ‘Lefty' Ruggiero. A less romanticised, more low-key look at mob life, Donnie Brasco follows Special Agent Joseph Piston, known to the mafia as Donnie Brasco, a friend of Lefty's who, unbeknownst to his mob friends, is collecting enough evidence to put them all away for many years. Too late, Lefty and his colleagues realise they've been had. Also coming to an overdue realisation is Joseph/Donnie who, too late, recognises his genuine affection for down and out Lefty and the predicament he's placed him in by befriending him. There are some justifications as to the Goodfellas comparisons, however: Bruno Kirby's Nicky sounds eerily like Joe Pesci's Tommy DeVito, even encompassing a similar kind of character. Moreover, the gaudy excess of Goodfellas is also on display Donnie Brasco, with the similar period setting and plot points (the bringing down of the mafia). However, the comparisons should probably end there, as they are two different films. In one of the funnier moments of the film (albeit, darkly humourous), Lefty (Pacino) laments to Donnie about being left out of the hit on their boss. This kind of tragicomedy also makes Pacino's character the more sympathetic of the two, I think. Lefty's greatest dream is to board a boat and escape his way of life. Although he underplays his role, Pacino still manages to overshadow every scene he's in. As a true story, it's also pretty fascinating; with the closing credits, we learn that the real Joseph Pistone, through his undercover work, ensured that 200 indictments and 100 convictions brought against the mob. An achievement for Pistone…just like the film is for Newell. 8/10

Cry-Baby (1990)

Camp, infectious fun from Waters...fails due to caricatures

[26 January 2003]

***SPOILERS WITHIN***

Another oddball flick from the King of retro Kitsch, John Waters, the musical comedy Cry-Baby, features Johnny Depp as the juvenile delinquent who drives the girls wild with a single teardrop from his eye. The ‘Drapes', led by the musically gifted bad-boy Wade ‘Cry-baby' Walker, battle the wholesome ‘Squares', headed by Baldwin (Stephen Mailer) for the affections of the bad girl trapped in the Square's body, Allison (Amy Locane). Waters' sense of nostalgic 50's fun is infectious in this funny send up of the 50's teen movies. The performances are, of course, all hammy and cartoonish, as befitting a John Waters film, and some of the songs don't really work, but the end product is campy fun.

6.5/10

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Groovy 60's fun from Spielberg

[9/10 · 19 January 2003]

***SPOILERS IN REVIEW***

A breezy, very enjoyable film from the title credits onwards, Steven Spielberg's latest, 'Catch Me If You Can' is not a particularly important film from the blockbuster man, but it's good, guilt-free fun for a couple of hours. Frank William Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young man, son of a stationery store owner and a mother from provincial France, whose life is suddenly torn apart when his apparently in love parents announce their imminent divorce. Young Abagnale panics at the very notion of his parents being apart and hot foots it down the streets of NYC. After this spontaneous running away, Frank Jr. must somehow make a living…which leads to the idea of forging bank cheques. This forgery doesn't go unnoticed by the FBI, where Special Agent Carl Hanratty (a bespectacled Tom Hanks) is on the case, desperate to track down the chameleonic Abagnale. After some credible impersonations of pilots, doctors, CIA agents and lawyers (and a few others), Abagnale has racked up almost $4 million and the FBI is close to tracking him down…

At 140 minutes, the film feels a little too long, although the time doesn't drag with the proceedings. DiCaprio is excellent as Abagnale, Christopher Walken is tragically funny as Frank, Sr. and Hanks is good as the always-on-the-job, Hanratty. As I said, it's not a particularly significant film in Spielberg's career, but it's a lot of fun.

8.5/10

The Thin Red Line (1998)

A modern masterpiece.

[9/10 · 19 January 2003]

***SPOILERS IN REVIEW***

Hauntingly beautiful in every regard, Terrence Malick's third film to date, 'The Thin Red Line' is cinematic bliss. A study of life, death and war in nature, the film traces American soldiers fighting in the South Pacific – the Guatemala Canal – and their fight for survival. Told from several perspectives, the film relies occasionally on voiceovers, something that can sound the death knell for films when used in a lazy fashion. These voiceovers, especially that of Jim Caviezel's character Private Witt, actually assist the viewer, lending us a heightened sense of compassion for these men, most of whom see the futility and waste of war. Different from Spielberg's war opus, 'Saving Private Ryan' – the films are often unfairly compared due to their sharing the same year of release – Malick's film does not rely so heavily on the lauded action set pieces that made Spielberg's film seemingly everybody's new favourite ‘war' film. Sure, there's action in 'The Thin Red Line', but in between the shoot ‘em ups, we aren't bored by the philosophical ponderings of the characters, unlike the generally trite reflections contained in 'Saving Private Ryan'. (I should probably point out at this point, for fear of being labelled merely as a ‘Spielberg hater' that I actually like most of Spielberg's films…)

Some scenes are fuelled by the conflict between the warring nations, others drift along solely on the genuine emotion on show. The scene in which Witt (Caviezel) is surrounded by Japanese soldiers is among the most emotionally affecting I can think of; it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. Such emotional expressions in the film are not rare, with the voice-over ruminations, flash backs to happier days for Ben Chaplin's character and the soulful music adding considerable emotional weight. With generally flawless direction from Malick, beautiful music by Hans Zimmer, gorgeous, lush photography by John Toll (even the gory battle scenes are beautifully done) and some performances that could be described as superb (a few gluttonous Hollywood mistakes are thrown in, but are forgettable, so the film doesn't suffer too badly), 'The Thin Red Line' is my pick for the best ‘war' film ever (if ever pigeon holing a film into a genre was stupid, this would be it), and one of the most poignantly stunning films I've had the pleasure of seeing. Forget the comparisons with Spielberg's film.

10/10

Better Than Sex (2000)

Forgettable and not too entertaining Aussie comedy.

[5/10 · 10 October 2002]

**Possible Spoilers**

I picked this up not expecting too much and must say I wasn't disappointed. David Wenham and Susie Porter, Josh and Cynthia respectively, are two twenty something Australians who meet at a party and decide to get together for a night of 'no strings attached' sex. After a few days, they've become quite inseperable, which leads to much angst for the pair. For a film with a short running time (85 minutes), it feels much too long, despite the energy of the leads. One of my problems with it is the theatrical delivery of some scenes - many asides with non-characters giving their opinions and providing gossip. The majority of these deliveries become tiresome and repetitive. (This is only emphasised by the fact that there is only three characters given names and the rest are marginalised.) Not particularly funny, this is just another stab at the 'quirky comedy' that Australian cinema has mastered. A tedious 85 minutes.

The Castle (1997)

A great Australian comedy.

[10/10 · 10 October 2002]

**May Contain Spoilers**

Rob Sitch and the Working Dog team's 1997 comedy is a quaint little film with a few universal truths we can all see the merits of. Confronted with the prospect of a compulsory acquistion by a trans national air consortium, a middle aged family man named Darryl Kerrigan (played with an amazing verve by Michael Caton), fights the decision by rallying family and neighbours and going to court to do battle with the giant corporation. Following a 'David versus Goliath' type battle, the Kerrigans emerge as the new heroes of the Australian working class. Sitch and co. have created a film that, with the 'right' sense of humour, works on many levels. The script, filled with many quotable gems, many are actually Australian idioms not used by the majority of Aussies but have since been embraced in this re-birth of lost Australian culture, is continually funny and even delves into serious issues facing both the Kerrigan family and Australia in general (for example, displacement, national identity and the Mabo decision). Sitch and his co-writers don't really go for the jugular in their particular brand of humour, rather just amusing in a simple and traditional way, which is a welcome relief from the glut of gross-out flicks that have been produced in the last decade, especially. The performances from the entire cast is excellent and befits the film's quirky nature. The female characters are given quite marginalised roles, yet this doesn't detract from the overall characterisations. With many laughs to be found in this little Aussie gem, it's well worth the time. (Just do NOT watch it with expectations of 'high-art' - it's not pretentious in the slightest.) Recommended.

Iris (I) (2001)

A very good film, much emphasised by excellent performances.

[8 October 2002]

Magnificent performances abound in Richard Eyre's film, 'Iris'. Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent as the elderly Iris Murdoch and John Bayley, respectively, and Kate Winslet and Hugh Bonneville as the young lovers are all excellent, although Dench isn't given much to work with in the later half of the film, wandering aimlessly, not speaking and generally looking very ill. Winslet gives a beautifully refined performance as the young Dame Murdoch, as does both Bonneville as the lovingly goofy Bayley – Jim Broadbent's identical other half (albeit, much younger). The film could've been great, but it sadly doesn't reach those heights. Very much a performance driven film, based on the real lives of the Murdoch's, it seems to skirt many issues and at less than 90 minutes is much too short to ‘say' everything it should. Iris's descent into the hell of Alzheimer's is too swift, leaving the viewer in an awkward state, as we don't get to know the ‘well' Iris before she turns into the shuffling forgetful mess. A sad film that, sadly, missed its mark, it's nonetheless quite good.

Bully (2001)

A violent and uneven film from the dirty old man himself.

[8 October 2002]

Larry Clark has been saddled with the ‘dirty old man' tag since his breakthrough film, 'Kids'. With his follow up, 'Bully', it's perhaps somewhat warranted. An uneven, violent and vulgar film, it's not necessarily bad – just not very good. The performances range from generally good (Brad Renfro, Michael Pitt, Nick Stahl, Rachel Miner at times) to the poor (Bijou Phillips and Leo Fitzpatrick) , which gives the film a varied feel. Some of Clark's shots seem to err on the side of bad taste (e.g. the close up of Phillip's crotch), but thankfully he doesn't sensationalise the sex scenes as much as had the power to do. Some of these scenes are brief, some painful to watch – Stahl's raping of Phillips, but they generally stay on the tasteful side (or as tasteful as Clark's ever going to get). Renfro and Miner, sick of the abuse Stahl's character has heaped on them plot to kill Stahl, and this is where the film seems to spiral into a long, violent and manic state, with Miner getting more and more histrionic and losing most of the credibility she held from the beginning. A film that, like the superior 'Boys Don't Cry', leaves a bad aftertaste. Not recommended unless you happen to be a fan of Clark or the subject matter.

Bandits (2001)

Funny, if not memorable comedy from Levinson.

[8 October 2002]

Barry Levinson's comical "Bandits", featuring Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton (much better than his co-star) as bank robbers with a difference. Kidnapping the bank president the night before the robbery and going in to rob the bank in the early morning earns the pair the ‘Sleepover Bandits' moniker by the American press, which swoops on the story when a married woman is thought to be a Patti Hearst type victim of the kidnappers. The introduction of Cate Blanchett's character half an hour into the film (one of its faults – should have been much earlier), provides one of the funniest scenes in recent memory with Blanchett belting out Bonnie Tyler's 'I Need a Hero' while indulging in her passion – cooking. With a few plot twists along the way – including a love triangle between the trio – the film goes out on a bit of a cliché. With great performances from Blanchett (as always) playing an unloved married woman and Thornton as the neurotic Woody Allen type bank robber, the film hits some high notes. An average turn by Bruce Willis as the dominant male of the three brings it back down most of the time. Coupled with a sometimes great screenplay, "Bandits" is a good 2 hours of escapist fun. (And personally, much preferred to Levinson's other much ‘loved' film, "Rain Man".)

The Harmonists (1997)

A beautiful film from Vilsmaier - one of the best modern German pictures.

[10/10 · 8 October 2002]

One of the finest German films I've had the pleasure of seeing, 'Comedian Harmonists' tells the true story of a sextet of male singers who form a very famous group in Berlin when Hitler's Socialist party is just starting to get powerful. Of the six, three of them happen to be Jewish, which puts a dampener on their future when it's decreed that only Aryan entertainers will be allowed to perform in Germany. With a love triangle thrown in the mix, as well as the confusion of this almost sudden racial division, the members struggle to really come to terms with their future together. There are some chilling moments involving the hypocritical Nazis, indulging in some ironic entertainment care of the Comedian Harmonists, as well as some great musical segments. With some great performances from the entire cast - the stand outs are Ulrich Noethen as Harry Frommermann and Meret Becker as Erna - the film is a joy to watch, especially the wonderful musical sections, which at first I found to be tedious but then seemed to lift the film. Go figure. Joseph Vilsmaier, director of the excellent 'Stalingrad', has crafted a very entertaining film in this at times funny, joyous and very moving picture. (Watch for the ending - sentimental it may be, but it's very sad, IMO.) Recommended.

The Birch Wood (1970)

A strangely beautiful film from Andrzej Wajda.

[9/10 · 6 October 2002]

**SPOILERS**

A film about love and death, Brzezina (The Birchwood), is not easy to watch at times. The sorrow of Daniel Olbrychski's character Boleslaw when he realises he cannot have the love of the pretty farm hand to himself is quite moving, as is the eventual sickness that engulfs him. Most of the performances are good, especially Olgierd Lukaszewicz as Stanislaw, but the major let down in the acting department was Danuta Wodynska as the farm hand, Katarzyna. Her role consisting mainly of giggling wildly and/or looking flirtlily at the brothers - she's merely a set decoration at times. Beautiful photography of the Polish countryside, coupled with Wajda's sometimes very imaginative camera work make this an enjoyable cinematic experience.

Gattaca (1997)

Unassuming and beautifully shot

[9/10 · 11 June 2002]

Andrew Niccol's directorial and writing debut, Gattaca, was a great addition to the crowded sci-fi market of the 90's. Not usually a fan of sci-fi, I watched this with some reserve. However, from the opening credits I was spellbound. Niccol's assured direction of both the camera and his actors give the film a confidence that is dissimilar to the arrogance that other films (not necessarily of the genre) have. The dialogue is minimal - compared to other sci-fi films I've seen, anyway - which lets the actors do their stuff not restricted by heavy dialogue heavy handed in 'science fiction jargon'. The leads, Ethan Hawke (understated), Jude Law (dignified) and Uma Thurman (beautiful and pensive) all give great performances that are among the best of any of their respective previous work. Slavomir Idziak's cinematography is beautifully muted and adds enormous atmosphere where atmosphere is a must. A great film worthy of any praise heaped upon it.

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Deserved every available award for '98

[9/10 · 20 April 2002]

The reclusive Terrence Malick came out of a 20 year sabbatical to direct this stunning adaptation of James Joyce's novel. Oscar winning cinematographer John Toll's photography is achingly beautiful and is only one of the many highlights of this tremendous film, which was itself one of the few highlights of the '98 film season. The script and score are also invaluable in producing this hauntingly real film. Although robbed by Shakespeare In Love of the Best Picture award, The Thin Red Line is one of the many examples of those films that totally surpassed their 'competitors' when it came to the award. Unfair comparisons to Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan turned many would-be viewers away. (Well, that and the 3-hour running time perhaps). Whereas SPR was a war film that showed the unabashed glory of war, THRL is a more cerebral and un-Hollywood take on war, showing the ugliness and futility that wars produced. Malick's script doesn't suffer from pretension as others have argued; it is just a brave enough piece to juxtapose intellectualism with the ‘action' of war. The acting by the ensemble, led mostly by James Caviezel and Ben Chaplin(yes, i know its an ensemble) is all mostly well above par. The actors deliver their lines with aplomb, not degrading the humanitarianism with smirking preaching. Although the ‘cameos' by John Travolta and George Clooney do bring this aspect down, as they simply seem to be overacting, showing off as it were.

The Thin Red Line is one of the most beautifully acted, written and directed films of the last century, as well as being one of the best ‘war' films ever produced. Absolutely stunning.

The English Patient (1996)

Beautiful, sensual and Unforgettable!

[10/10 · 20 April 2002]

Anthony Minghella's faithful adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's Booker-prize winning novel is a film of epic proportions, catapulting the viewer into a world of turmoil circa. WWII. Although some of the plot details and characters have been cut, it still does not detract from the overall greatness of the film. The English Patient fell, and falls, victim to the criticism of those who believe that it is either ‘too sappy', ‘too long' or ‘all those Oscars mean it is just Hollywood trash being hawked to the public'. Well, it may be sappy, but it is beautiful also. And for those who argue it is too long (260mins) may just need to stop complaining. A film of this magnitude needs that amount of time to tell its story and to tell it well. And do it well it does! The script by Minghella is excellent, whilst the acting is sensational on the part of every actor credited. The cinematography adds to the romantic and beautiful feel of this film. A masterpiece indeed.

Muriel's Wedding (1994)

Huge part of the renaissance of Australian cinema

[10/10 · 17 April 2002]

This little Aussie gem from P.J. Hogan was a box-office smash here in Oz, and with good reason.Muriel's Wedding is extremely funny, sad, thought provoking, yet always enjoyable. The tale of Muriel, a dowdy teen from the 'burbs wanting to make good in her life is an uplifting tale that makes for a worthy inclusion in the top comedies of world cinema in the years to come.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Wonderfully over the top, camp fun...

[8/10 · 16 April 2002]

Moulin Rouge was surely a better film than Ron Howard's TV movie of the week weepie that eventually garnered a Best Picture Oscar in 2001 (A Beautiful Mind, in case you've blocked memories of THAT abomination out of your mind) and the fact that Baz Luhrmann failed to even secure a Best Director nomination in the face of such a low-grade 'true story' speaks volumes about the Academy.

Lurhmann's film is a colourful swirl of song and dance, with Nicole Kidman giving a dazzling (and surprisingly good) performance as the doomed Satine, while Ewan McGregor acquits himself well as usual, even if neither of the lead actors can sing particularly well. That, however, is half the fun of Moulin Rouge -- where the characters break into song, the singing talents (or lack thereof) of the actors gives the re-modelled song numbers (Diamond Dogs, Children of the Revolution, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend, Roxanne, Lady Marmalade, etc) a fun, almost spontaneous feel.

It's a wonderfully inventive pastiche of the musical genre that deserves the recognition and success it received upon release. Lots of fun.