Movie review et al.

[sff_corgi_lj]

The other day I saw a man, in suit and tie, noodling around the credit union's car park on a skateboard. He also apparently was talking on his mobile phone at the same time. It was the suit part that really made me grin.


Meissa seems to be finally getting a clear concept of housebreaking... except, Meissa dear, when you need to go, you're supposed to poo after you get out the door, not before. But thank you for asking for 'out' anyway.


I really need to wash my hair but the puppies have used up all the towels the right size. Meh. And it's a pain anyway.


Due to the generosity of myfanwy, I've finally got around to watching Moulin Rouge!. Although there's various aspects of it that were enjoyable, as a whole it's not turned out to be a film I'm actually crazy about. Considering I love Strictly Ballroom, this was a little disappointing.

The music is anachronistic and intriguingly built. One medley covers about a half-a-dozen pop hit from over the past decade or two, including something from U2. A few minutes later, there's a snippet of filked Bowie. I knew Sting had to show up in that kind of company, and sure enough, one of the most involving scenes has 'Roxanne' remixed as a tango, roared out by a narcoleptic Argentinean character played by a Polish Australian. Now that is a medley.

The cast is excellent; Ewan's and Nicole's voices surprised everybody. Ewan especially has a sound that makes me think he'd be well-suited to Sting's catalog - there's something of that same howl in his voice. I thought both their performances were moving.

Richard Roxburgh, who I'd only 'seen' before in the abomination The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, had wonderful menace. I've heard he really fangs the scenery in Van Helsing, but gawd, who's gonna watch that for anything except mental popcorn? With the makeup he was wearing, he was actually reminding me a lot of Gary 'Wee Brun Man' Oldman somehow.

Surprisingly, I didn't recognise Faramir. *coughCOUGH*

And I really don't know of anything that a little John Leguizamo doesn't improve. No, that was not a pun. Well... not meant to be.

Art direction: only one word -- LUSH.

As to the story... well... kinda same-ol'-same-ol', in a way. It's a very old story, after all. No surprises. All in all, I didn't feel I'd wasted my time (especially when I found out Kylie Minogue was dubbed by Ozzy Osborne), but it's not something I'm interested in buying.


For some reason, I have Ghost in the Machine on my brain. For that, I proffer you a lyric:

(Andy Summers)

The night came down, jungle sounds were in my ears
City screams are all I've heard in tewnty years
The razor's edge of night, it cuts into my sleep
I sit upon the edge now
Shall I make that leap?

I'm the Omegaman
I'm the Omegaman

The sky's alive with turned on television sets
I walk the streets and seek another vision yet
The echo makes me turn to see that last frontier
The edge of time closes down as I disappear

I'm the Omegaman
I'm the Omegaman
I'm the Omegaman
I'm the Omegaman
Always talking to myself
Oh!

The time that's best is when surroundings fade away
The presense of another world comes close to me
It's time for me to throw away this paper knife
I'm not alone in reaching for a perfect life

I'm the Omegaman
I'm the Omegaman
I'm the Omegaman
I'm the Omegaman

I'm so tired
Of the Omegaman
(to fade)


Work, being that it's Monday, has decided to suck already.

Comments

[darkpoole.livejournal.com]

I had a very similar response to Moulin Rouge. For me, it was one of those films where "everything about it was good except the movie." Good cast, good design, good direction and cinematography and choreography and music ... and I felt I should have liked it and I wanted to like it but somehow, despite having all the right ingredients, it just didn't gel for me.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Well summed!

[cynthia-black.livejournal.com]

"I've finally got around to watching Moulin Rouge!. Although there's various aspects of it that were enjoyable, as a whole it's not turned out to be a film I'm actually crazy about. Considering I love Strictly Ballroom, this was a little disappointing.

I'd agree with you - Strictly Ballroom is IMHO far better than Moulin Rouge.

[baralier.livejournal.com]

While I don't watch Moulin Rouge with an obsession I know some people have developed, I do like it as a movie. Mainly for the visuals though the singing is impressive. I still get a lump in my throat during the Roxanne sequence.

I think it's interesting that you preferred Strictly Ballroom over Moulin Rouge as my tastes have it the other way around.

Did you see Luhrman's version of Romeo & Juliet?

[rozberk.livejournal.com]

And what do you think about the movie Chicago?

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it's the pacing or the dancing that strikes me best; the music's a little less distracting ('Oh, that's U2! Oh, that's... that other group! Oh, that's...') for sure, heh.

Of course, that flamenco dancer... *cough*.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I think the Roxanne tango might easily be the strongest part of the whole movie.

Now, why might you not like Ballroom quite as much? Anything you can put your paw on?

I didn't see his R&J because despite being nearly compulsively Shakespearean, the style of the production didn't interest me at all. It's kind of like the Musketeers done by Lester and MacDonald Fraser -- why bother with Disney's (latest) version, even with Kiefer in it? Likewise, I think Zefferelli's version suits me pretty well, and then I'll take whatever the BBC has on hand as backup. :)

(Hmmm... don't have either a dancey or a Shakespearey icon... hmmm.)

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Gawjus. And it has a Cymraes in it. :D

Still might buy a copy, but I'm in no rush.

[baralier.livejournal.com]

Nothing specific with Strictly Ballroom though I didn't think much of Paul Mecurio's acting.

Why bother with Disney's Three Musketeers? IT HAD TIM CURRY IN IT! :-) And Oliver Platt.

I think Luhrman's R&J was part of my stepping stone towards liking Shakespeare. I hated as a kid and it was mainly through Kenneth Branagh's movies and Ian McKellan's re-interpretation of Richard III (which up until then I had despised, being a pro-Ricardian) that finally got me over my distaste for Shakespeare. Now I can look at is as a story rather than as "Shakespeare".

The Bell Shakespeare Company here did a wonderful reworking of Julius Caesar as a Corporate Boardroom drama. Very well done.

[h311ybean]

Thank you for the mental image of the skateboarder in business attire and with mobile. :D

And I also loved Strictly Ballroom more than Baz's more commercially successful films (he did Romeo+Juliet, too, IIRC). Paul Mercurio... *sigh*

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

The Roxanne tango gives me goosebumps. I love MR and Strictly Ballroom (so nice it is known outside Oz).

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

He made me grin quite a bit.

Well... so does Paul.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

It's one of the benefits of cable, etc. that something like Ballroom made it to a culty little niche over here.

Part of the Roxanne tango, I think, is Jacek's gravelly un-voice. He makes it sound fierce and frightening. Combined with the editing, it's... wow.