Au le Moulin Rouge

I swear to God this is the manliest picture of Ewan McGregor I could find.


So I watched Moulin Rouge today. I figured it's been long enough that absolutely no one could associate anything too horrible about me with watching it alone in my pajamas at 1 a.m. You know, beyond the obvious, I mean.

Basically I was aware that this was a very good movie, however mass-appeal overshadowed that and unless he was trying to get a little somethin' somethin' no heterosexual male has really been witnessed to sit down and watch Moulin Rouge.

So first up, I verified my own lack of French expertise and recalled that "maison" means house, so I did a quick Google through the opening credits to see that "moulin" means "windmill," coincidentally right as a see a giant red windmill appear on screen. Thanks, timing.

Anyway I finished the movie and determined that I actually quite like it. Cinematically it is very interesting. The costumes and lighting are wonderful, there are some shots that run the gamut from entirely stage-based to special effects only possible on film with multiple cameras, and a few more that utilize everything in between. It opens with rapid-fire dialogue that only matches the early vigor of its characters who, with the exception of The Duke NOT being Gary Oldman but seriously looking/acting like Gary Oldman, are all ably played and wonderful to watch on screen. Literarily, the story is well crafted and truthful, and all-in-all it is just a wonderful movie.

Interestingly, I had commented that I was about to do this experiment on a social networking site with a little status message, assuming anyone up at the hour to comment would at least right something interesting in response.

When I went back to check afterwards I found only a single comment pointing out that, from years of crappy spellcheck programs questioning my vernacular and claiming it leans heavily towards the British, I had misspelled "endeavor."

Now the interesting thing about this is the person who wrote this really only ever speaks to me when her insurance refuses to pay for her mood-stabilizers and she is heavily self-medicating with alcohol (though I must admit she seems much more reasonable in this position). After watching Moulin Rouge I realized that this person is very much my own personal Nicole Kidman.

Now I don't mean to say that she is my Nicole and I her ever-devoted Ewan McGreggor (Obi-Wan repreSENT!) Every time I'm forced to watch Kidman I become acutely aware that she is who she is and the overall experience is ruined for me.

No, I mean to say that this girl is my Nicole Kidman; in principle I fundamentally hate her but still get funny feelings whenever I see her.

I would much rather she be my dwarfish John Leguizamo.