Once (2007)

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.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadbent, John Leguizamo
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.