But even the flaws are done in a grandiose way, and I think it's that grandiosity -- along with Ewan's unbelievable way of lighting up the screen -- that redeems it.

Yep. I freely admit it's a flawed movie, but that doesn't change my love for it.

Well, I didn't *hate* it the first time I saw it -- in fact, I remember being blown away by Ewan's charisma and being utterly in awe of how the film LOOKS. Visually, it's possibly the most stunning, lush, gorgeous movie I've ever seen, and I thought that when I first saw it.

But the flaws were enough to drive me bonkers. However, this time around I'm sort of enjoying how utterly operatic and gradiose the flaws are.

And the Ewan. Even without getting Ewan cock.

I wrote down a thesis somewhere to the effect that To Live and Die in L.A. is as total and exact a celluloid expression of the middle-80s as can be had. Gay anxiety, excessive displays of teh macho, cynicism, people literally printing money, hair gel, tight pants, short shorts, drugs, psychotic acts of revenge, flames, paranoia, abuse of power, and John Pankow's fishbelly-white butt. Perfect!

So completely this!

The featurettes are amazing. William Friedkin's sheer delight at playing with bad guys to get the scoop on printing money is a joy to behold.

Aww, I should pull out my Moulin Rouge DVD. I keep getting reminded of it.

I overdosed when it came out. Flawed, yes, but flawed in a way I wanted to see 6 times in the theater anyway.

But even the flaws are done in a grandiose way, and I think it's that grandiosity -- along with Ewan's unbelievable way of lighting up the screen -- that redeems it.

One of Ebert's better one-liners, and he meant it as a compliment because he gave the film 3 or possibly 4 stars, was describing MOULIN ROUGE as like being trapped in an elevator with a circus - about as accurate a description as I could ever come up with.

I remember when I saw it with 3 friends (who all HATED it beyond reason), and the first words out of my mouth afterwards were "I don't know whether to be astonished or appalled". I still haven't decided.

I love Baz Lurhmann's style. Sumptuous and multi-layered...If only he'd let the viewer's eyes rest on the fantastic detail for more than 5 seconds at a time. Maybe I'm turning into my grandmother, but that quick-cut device? I'm so over it.

Speaking of flawed cinematic opera...I just watched "Classic Albums: Meat Loaf: Bat out of Hell." What a treat!

Great stuff with Jim Steinman, Todd Rundgren, Max Weinstein. And, of course, Meat. Though I didn't smile as much through his bits...

I love that album, and the subsequent Bat Out of Hell II with a love that knows no shame. It would be such fun to see it turned into a movie.

Hey, if they can make films out of every tv show ever made, and most comic books, can dinosaur rock albums be far behind?

I watched about half of Renoir's Boudu Saved From Drowning this evening and was shocked to realize that Down And Out In Beverly Hills is a semi-faithful remake of this movie. Nolte plays the same character as Michel Simon in almost exactly the same way.

IMDb has Michael Winterbottom's Code 46 as the movie of the day, for which I want to give a tentative rec. I remember that, for a film that deals with a forbidden romance, it was a bit bloodless despite the presence of Samatha Morton, whom I love. Tim Robbins is rather so-so. Also, the ending kind of fizzes out. What it does have is an unexpectedly rich world-building of a dystopian future--lots of the usual Blade Runner influence, of course, but with its own unique twist. It also smartly plonks you down in the middle of this particular universe without preamble and lets you figure out what's going on--no condescending exposition-dump, which was refreshing. I felt like there was a lot more to the world than what we're shown, like this was one short fragment from a long, richer novel.

I may Netflix it to see how it holds up.

I remember it not being nearly as engaging as I'd hoped, based on the premise. Didn't leave me with the desire to see it again, Samantha Morton/dystopia aside.

Yeap. It had really interesting ideas and a terrific look, but the main story was plodding. I do remember loving the sequence in the clinic, and the whole idea of an "empathy virus" being as a tool for law enforcement. Kind of made me wish someone wrote a novel with different characters, set in the same universe.

Talking about Samantha Morton, I HBO was playing Sweet and Lowdown continuously last night--and I'd forgotten how friggin' amazing Morton was in what could have been a cringe-inducing role. Not that Sean Penn was any slouch, but I remember Morton's character more vividly. And the soundtrack for the movie (which I own) is wonderful.