The Best Films of the 2000s and more.
Posts tagged Musical
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Mar 24th
Starring: Björk, Peter Stormare, Catherine Deneuve
Director: Lars von Trier
Country: Various
Genre: Draaaaammmmaaaaaaaaa, Musical
WARNING: Do not watch this movie on a date.
There are a lot of tragic tales told on the screen these days, but more times than not the characters deserve what’s coming to them in the end. That’s not so much the case for Dancer in the Dark where tragedy is bestowed upon a disadvantaged and well-to-do character by outside forces, (who I might also add is played by the incredibly adorable Björk.) This film merges the insightful looks into the human soul that characterizes independent film with such beautiful and inspiring musical numbers, all shot with digital cameras. It’s straddles a line between being the most elegant film to watch, and the toughest as it moves into its second half. But it’s rewarding, in a way. Rewarding in that it’s wholly affective and isn’t likely to leave your memories for a long time.
Once (2007)
Jan 30th
Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová
Director: John Carney
Country: Ireland
Genre: Musical
Everything works together in perfect harmony.
It’s hard to classify this as a musical when thinking of the genre as a whole. The term springs to mind images of corsets and top hats, so there’s an inclination to say this film is about music more than it is a musical. However, each song progresses the story and characters further down their path, and without them there would be no movie. Musicians Glen Hansard (The Frames) and Markéta Irglová head up this wonderful tale of, well, musicians who find each other by chance and inspire each others work. What is striking about this film is its candor. It’s almost like seeing the chunk of events that happen that inspire an album to be written. And the music is some of the most beautiful ever put on screen. Everything works together in perfect harmony to create a very special film.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Jan 5th
Starring: John Cameron Mitchell, Michael Pitt, Andrea Martin
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Country: USA
Genre: Music
It’s not so much a performance as it is a genesis.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch serves up a bizarre viewing experience that’s half train wreck, half raw emotion, and half heart attack. The result is one and a half times the exploits of a normal film. The character is a bit paradoxical in that on the surface most of the audience shouldn’t be able to connect with a transgender lead singer of a punk rock band from East Berlin… but for whatever unabashed reason, it’s almost impossible not to. It feels outlandish saying it, but Hedwig and the Angry Inch wears its heart on its sleeve, and that opens up an emotional link with the audience that’s unavoidable. Did I mention it’s a rock opera? A performance piece? A pseudo-documentary? The character of Hedwig has so much depth, that John Cameron Mitchell doesn’t create so much of a performance as he does a genesis. I’d been putting this film off for far too long, after too many recommendations, and am finally glad to be recommending it to others.
The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
Oct 21st
Director: Sylvain Chomet
Country: France
Genre: Foreign, Animation
Triplets isn’t for everyone, but anyone seeking an animation that doesn’t involve talking animals or crotch shots should look this one up.
I don’t know what I was expecting going into this one, but whatever it was I didn’t get. Or maybe I got it with so much more. I’ll tell you this, I never expected to see old ladies in a chase scene with the mob. I didn’t expect to see anyone killed. The Triplets of Belleville is a bizarre and wonderful delight of adult animation. The reputation of the film’s music preceded the film for me, and for great reason. It’s some of the more innovative and eclectic tunes I’ve ever heard. This film is a perfect argument that traditional hand drawn animation can provide just as much eye candy as anything computer generated.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Aug 8th
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadbent
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Country: Australia, USA
Genre: Musical, Drama
“Well I’m not going to the movies anymore,” one dude said as the credits started to roll during the first time I saw Moulin Rouge!. Which I think goes to say that not everything is for everyone, and this film probably falls under that category. And ya know what? I don’t blame him. The in-your-face over-the-top theatrics and themes of this musical probably didn’t mesh well with his machismo. But it’s because of those aforementioned things that make me love this film.
After seeing it twice in the theater, and numerous times when I first purchased it on DVD, I had gone a long while without watching it. And much like a lot of films from around this time, I thought that it might not age well with my ever changing tastes. But sure enough, years and years later, it still grappled me with its blatant cheesiness, its oddball humor, its passion, its tragicness, and of course, its music. It’s not everyday you hear a mash-up of Fatboy Slim, Nirvana and Patti Labelle. It’s not everyday that you find a story that can be propelled by Elton John and Queen lyrics. Perhaps I should list it as a guilty pleasure, but there is no guilt about it, I love this film.
Moulin Rouge! might not be for everyone, but it’s hard to contest that there’s much else out there like it.
