Customer Reviews

Moulin Rouge! [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(1,268)
4 star:		(187)
3 star:		(62)
2 star:		(92)
1 star:		(285)

 

 

I must admit that when I first went to see Mouln Rouge in the theaters, I was most reluctant. It looked cheesy to me, but I kept hearing good things about it. So finally I went, and was blown away. This movie, from a writing aspect, breaks no new ground, but visually,it is astonishing. The beautiful thing about film is that the same story can be told over and over in different styles. And Baz Luhrman's style is most definitely unique. The movie pulls you in from it's opening moments, and rarely lets go. I did find the movie slightly over-indulgent at times, as though Baz was throwing certain visual effects in for the sake of throwing them in. But the acting all around is incredible, and the music is absolutely genius. Many may have a problem with what could be describe as a 2 hour music video, but I loved it. It is definitely geared towards the MTV generation, but I think it can be enjoyed by all. All in all, it is the best movie I have seen in a long time.

At a time when movie-goers reward high budget, formulaic, Hollywood concoctions, I am grateful for this creative, unconventional, genre-defying movie. By genre, I don't mean musical or drama. I mean film, theater, opera, circus. Somehow the director had so much vision he managed to take so many unsavory elements (unoriginal love story, singing, dancing, so much lace and ruffles, a bit of campiness)and turned them into breath-taking entertainment. The first time I saw it, it did strange things to my pulse, but it was the second time that I let myself enjoy it. I feel sorry for all the critics and movie-goers who expected it to be what movies are 'supposed' to be and so didnt have anything to compare it to or knew how to relate to it. There really has never been anything like it. For those who have not seen it, I suggest approaching it as you would a roller-coaster ride (dont expect to be in control).

I went into the cinema expecting to be amazed with the costumes and scenery, in awe of the singing, and enthralled in the story. Basically I went into Moulin Rouge with unreachable expectations.

I wasn't disappointed!

The movie was unlike anything I've ever seen. The camera angles, and difficult shots are at times dizzying and overwhelming, but in the fantasy world that Baz Lurhmann has created it all works. The music is beautiful and inspiring and funny all at the same time.

Nicole doesn't have the most powerful or experienced voice, but it only adds to the poignancy of her character. I found that she fit the part far better than I expected. Her rendition of "One Day I'll Fly Away" was especially nice.

As for Ewan, he can *really* sing! His voice was clear and powerful, and the Elephant love melody duet was probably one of my favourite sequences. That last scene (*sniffs)...Wow.

I laughed (never I thought I'd enjoy Madonna's "Like a Virgin" quite so much!) and I cried, and I left the theatre shaking. I haven't felt that way since...I've never felt that way. I sincerly hope this film does well, because it is so unique and beautiful and touching.

I heartily recommend Moulin Rouge to everyone. It's truly a movie lover's movie. It's a movie, and you never once forget it. It's flashy and loud and fake. But the fact that it just doesn't make sense is what makes it make sense. It's a movie and it's art at the same time.

Stop reading already, and go see Moulin Rouge!

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return."

If you like musicals, fantasies and romantic dramas, you'll go nuts for Moulin Rouge. With unique camera action, wierd, wacky and wonderful sets, delightfully surprising musical adaptations and more than a touch of the fantastic, Moulin Rouge is sure to please. McGregor's performance, both dramatic and vocal, is to die for. How can one person be so shamelessly multi-talented?

Kidman does an excellent job as the courtesan "Satine". Though her singing did not have the "wow" factor of McGregor's, it was more than adequate for the task. And many of the hopeless love songs she performed seemed quite touching when one recalls her present situation in real life.

If you don't like musicals, see Moulin Rouge anyway. You'll be treated to a film that doesn't fit the usual, ho-hum summer offerings. Instead it provides a rare treat for the jaded and bored movie goer.

Boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl.

That's basically the plotline of "Moulin Rouge" in a nutshell, but the way Baz Luhrmann interprets this story on screen has to be seen to be believed.

Lots of lavish color, movement, sights and sounds explode on the screen like a Toulouse Lautrec painting on acid.

Baz has captured all the excitement and decadence of 1800s Paris, given it a modern twist and reinvented the classic movie musicals of days gone by. And the result? A truly unique cinematic experience that will be talked about for years to come!

The first frenetic 30 minutes will have you clutching your seat and gasping for breath. It's like a white-knuckle ride at your favorite theme park - it's almost too much to take. But what a ride!

"Moulin Rouge" is a movie to be viewed more than once....if only to take in what you missed the first time.

You'll either love or loathe it. But if you choose the latter, quickly take your pulse and check that you're still in the land of the living!

This is one of those films people either love or hate--so how to tell which group you fit in before you rent or buy Moulin Rouge? Well, this is THEATER, 100% all the time, as one of my colleagues astutely remarked. So, don't expect a costume drama, a realistic, gritty look at life in Montmartre during L'Age D'Or in pre-WWI Paris. No, indeed.

However, if you like over-the-top musicals, music videos and outrageous theater, you may adore Moulin Rouge. My French friends certainly all loved it--"brilliante, merveilleuse" they cooed after it was shown at a Strasbourg film fest last year.

There is, in addition to a lot of computer generated hijinks and music video lightning-fast editing, some wonderful song moments such as burly Jim Broadbent singing "Like a Virgin" (yes, Madonna's anthem.) The finale number is something out of Vegas crossed with an Indian movie spectacular. It's all too much sometimes so you just have sit back and enjoy the ride.

Nicole Kidman is on-screen nearly the entire time and does a fabulous job as Satine, the "Sparkling Diamond." A courtesan (high priced long-term call girl, or kept mistress in modern terms) falls for a penniless writer. Meanwhile, she's being auctioned off to a clueless (or nearly clueless) Duke who is to finance the failing Moulin nightclub. Ewan MacGregor shines as the penniless, lovestruck writer and the rest of the cast is also excellent.

If you loved the film, the DVD is worth having for the music, which is really marvelous. Enjoy.

What an incredible movie! This film was extremely captivating. It draws you in from the beginning and drops you off rather abruptly and reluctantly when "The End" shows up on the screen.

Need a quick overview of this Luhrmann masterpiece? Christian(McGregor), a young impressionable writer, flees to Paris against the wishes of his father, turning down his fortune to seek his Bohemian dream of love. There he meets Toulouse-Lautrec(John Leguizamo), who pulls him into a lifestyle of absinthe, Spectacular! Spectacular!, and Moulin Rouge. In the famous Parisian nightclub, he meets Satine(Kidman), a popular courtesan, whom he falls in love with. A powerful romance ensues, despite hazardous perils.

Personally, I've seen this three times in the theatres and I'm still craving more of that thought-provoking picture. "Moulin Rouge" truly kidnaps all five senses and takes them for a ride, which is brought about by stunning fast-pace scenes, a simple but inviting plot, and beautiful performances by a great cast.

Those scenes and that director. Baz Luhrmann never fails to impress people. Leave it to him to incorporate pop music ranging from David Bowie to Madonna in a turn of the century film! An image of an ostentatious Harold Zidler belting out Like a Virgin will forever be engraved in my mind. Also, another aspect of the film that was rather innovative and extraordinary was the mixing of scenes. We watch a passionate tango dance occuring in the Moulin Rouge at the same time as we view a rendezvous between the Duke and Satine. While both of these scenes hold enough on their own, the marriage between the two is stirring and attention grabbing. It also points out the nuisance of blinking.

Though the storyline isn't anything new, creativity in other areas more than makes up for the predictability in the plot. For example, the acting in "Moulin Rouge" is remarkable. I have seen several movies that star the Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, and he always offers depth, charisma and poignant portrayals. "Moulin Rouge" is no exception for his impressive resume! His character, the sensitive, love-inflicted Bohemian writer Christian, is handsome, believable and devoted to the lovely yet doomed courtesan, Satine(played by the inspiring Nicole Kidman). Their love affair is naively pure and majestically brought about by the great chemistry between Kidman and McGregor. Another great actor in this film is the talented Jim Broadbent, who offers a humorous and captivating role as club's owner, Harold Zidler. His performance is truly one of the best I've witnessed this year in the cinema! He adds so many sides to his strident character that the movie would simply not be complete without him.

The overflow of vivid emotion that other motion pictures miserably lack is blended with raw talent and amusing comedy to form "Moulin Rouge". This film leaves its' audiences craving more, driving a crash course into an insane atmosphere of the uninhibited onslaught of merging sensuality with sparks, then falling into the conclusion with a dazzling array of cinematography. Luhrmann has certainly outdone himself.

I've not covered even half of the great points of this amazing movie, such as Ewan McGregor's spectacular singing voice or that operatic moon. There's only one solution to this disturbing problem - go see it, and immediately! But you must be aware that this wasn't made for historical purposes, or to rival a big action blockbuster. This is, simply and purely, "a story about love".

I have never written an online review about a movie before. I usually just read reviews from others. Today, reading some of these low-rating reviews inspired me to write my own review. Several other reviewers said this was the worst movie ever. I however, feel it is the BEST movie ever!!!! Many people criticized Kidman and McGregor for their lack of musical talent. I have a degree from a hightly-respected conservatory. I have also taught music lessons. I have heard the best and the worst. They absolutely are not the best but let me tell you, I've heard a lot worse. I think they did pretty well for their first vocal performances.
This movie is probably greater appreciated by people who love music, art, theater, etc. Although, if you are not one of those people, you should challenge yourself to see this movie anyway. This is a MODERN MUSICAL. Baz is trying to take new things (like the modern music) and marry it with the old in an attempt to reach a new audience that maybe has less exposre to musicals. The way the music tells the story is absolutely amazing. If you were to listen only to the music you would be able to feel the emotions of what is happening in the movie.
I have to admit, when they began to perform "Roxanne" I thought this was a little over the top. My mind was soon changed. The anger, turmoil, distress, and conflict of this movie came to it's climax through this song. No movie has ever made me feel so deeply the emotions of the characters. The music of this song is so perfectly matched to each increasingly dramatic mini-scene. It's almost sensory overload!!
This movie, in addition, does not have the "Happily-ever-after Hollywood" ending. It's a movie about love and "real" (in a fairy-tale sense) life. It's raw: life, love, motivation, inspiration, talent, friendship, fortune, desire and tragedy.
In this movie the scenes are beautiful; the use of color is astonishing. Luhrman uses some incredible effects that make you feel like you are living in a fairy tale land.
An interesting side note is that Director Baz Luhrmann has made this the third movie of a trilogy. The first being Stictly Ballroom, in which he used dance to tell his story. In Romeo and Juliet he used language and finally in Moulin Rouge he used music/song.
This is not the movie for you if you want to critique the actors on their new-found singing abilities or you hate doing "artsy" things. If you prefer the traditional, middle-of-the-road, happily-ever-after movies, don't see this movie.
This is the movie for you if you want to expand your horizons or if you love drama, art, dance, beauty and music. If you are open-minded at all . . . then open up your mind and your heart and let this wonderfully moving and creative movie in. It's a movie that makes you laugh and cry. To me, that's the best kind.

Baz Lurmann has crafted an intoxicating mess from musicals, movies, pop songs, and romances each of us know by heart. His movie jumps off the screen, and is unlike any other movie I have ever seen. No matter how you respond to the truly dizzying camera work, the off-kilter, obvious sets, and the often painfully obvious love story, you cannot deny the spectacular artistic vision of the creator. To boot, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor are enchanting, and they invest 100% into their crossed-lovers roles; they sing (well!) and they look ravishing. The jaw-dropping arrangements of such familiar pop fare as Your Song, Roxanne, Up Where We Belong, and many, many others, is somehow simultaneously hilarious and entirely appropriate in this anachronistic, created world that has nothing to do with Paris in 1900. More an over-the-top music video in style and substance than a feature length film, this movie nevertheless does revive the musical film -- the music and the chemistry of the stars draw you in at every turn. And the tributes paid to the pop poetry of Elton John and many others makes the words and music glow with a new light. Baz's hat is tipped often to such enduring classics as The Sound Of Music and La Boheme; the choreography and sheer dazzle are often overhwhelming and so glittery and crazily shot that they give you the sensation of being on a rollercoaster that is turning upside down. To the movie's credit, it is hard to shake the dark, swirling camera from your head once you have been to this Moulin Rouge.

I really don't like writing reviews, but for this blu-ray I just HAVE to.

As a HUGE Moulin Rouge! fan (I've seen it 54 times... yes, I'm a crazy person, hehe) I can tell you that this blu-ray transfer is beyond perfect.

When I bought it I knew it was gonna look great. I mean, this movie was made for blu-ray. But boy! did I underestimated its power?

The image is crystal clear and the colors pop like nothing you've ever seen. All the blues are bright royal blue. The reds look extra passionate. And the blacks are extraordinarily deep. The amount of grain is just perfect. And the image is so sharp you can see everything from the smallest scratch on the floor, to the tiniest crack on the walls, to the pores on the actors skins and even the small veins in Kidman's eyes.

The sound is rich and absolutely delicious. You can hear every.single.whisper in the background. And the music sounds even better.

The extras are the same as those in the DVD Collector's Edition, so they're great and a lot.

And well, I won't even begin to describe the movie itself cause you could get 50 pages or more of me describing how amazing and perfect it is. So I'll just stick to the quality of the transfer and disc.

I have enjoyed a large variety of blu-rays which looked absolutely stunning (Kung Fu Panda, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Pirates of The Caribbean, etc.), but I've never seen anything like this.

I have a 46-inch TV so the quality of the image sometimes suffers a tiny bit because of the size, but with this blu-ray I didn't perceive the tiniest flaw.

So, if you really wanna completely enjoy the full capacities of your Full HD TV, this is the disc to buy.

I'm still in awe of how perfect everything looked and sound.

A must-have for any Moulin Rouge! fan, any movie fan, and any HD fan.