Lesha, 16, of our Hollywood Preview crew, went to a screening of a new romantic musical film. Here's the scoop on:

MOULIN ROUGE

Hey, Obi-Wan Kenobi and that chick from Batman Forever can sing! Moulin Rouge is a musical and we haven't seen a new one of those for a light-year. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman play doomed lovers in this lavish film that combines a coming of age theme with a little Cabaret and "Camille" thrown in. McGregor says "I was musical at school and used to dance when I was a kid. I've always had a passion for the old 1940's musicals and drove everybody on the set nuts because I was too excited.." We're excited too. It's a kick to see gorgeous Nic falling for hottie Ewan in the wildly colorful decadent world of 1900 Paris.

Christian (Ewan McGregor) is a struggling poet/writer in the Paris of 1900. In flashback, he tells us the story of his lost love. In Montmartre, the Haight-Ashbury of Paris, Bohemian artists work on theatrical productions in the "summer of love". Dwarfish artist Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo) is putting together "Spectacular Spectacular" a stage presentation that needs a writer. Christian gets the job but must impress Satine (Nicole Kidman) the gorgeous star of the Moulin Rouge nightclub, who will headline the production.

At the Moulin Rouge, Satine mistakes Christian for a Duke (Richard Roxburgh) whom she hopes to seduce to finance the production. Satine and Christian fall in love when he sings her some of his latest compositions. The Duke insists he'll only back the production if Satine will be his exclusively. As the story of "Spectacular" mirrors what is happening in real life, the Duke finally catches on and when Satine rebuffs his advances, he threatens to kill Christian if she doesn't get him out of her life. Fearing for her lover's life, Satine must make a terrible choice.

Moulin Rouge is the refreshing opposite of all the slam/bam, computer effects-laden films out this summer. Don't get me wrong. There is plenty of action and loads of effects are used in this film but to create imperfection, to create a feeling that the world was hand made. This world is gritty. Nicole's eyes are often bloodshot and Ewan's teeth are not perfect "actor" white. In Phantom Menace, Ewan's Obi-wan was a seasoned warrior. Here he's more like Luke Skywalker, full of dreams and naïve bravado. Nicole is the hardened but fragile ice queen that only a dreamer can thaw out. Moulin Rouge is wildly colorful and full of laughs! It's a weird combo of pop music, historical detail, high camp comedy and tragedy.

Like A Knight's Tale, this film uses pop music in a period not its own in order to make the story more accessible and real to modern audiences. When Satine struts her stuff on stage, it's to the tunes of Madonna's "Material Girl" and "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" not the cancan. Nicole and Ewan serenade each other with a medley of every pop love song you've ever heard from Paul McCartney to Sting. In the cabaret scenes, the Lil' Kim, Christina Aguilera, Mya and Pink version of "Lady Marmalade" rocks the crowd and Christian gets his job by singing a Julie Andrews standard from "The Sound of Music". There are original songs as well. The love song "Come What May" is a gorgeous ballad. I would only complain that the sound mix isn't always as balanced as it should be in the duets. Perhaps this is because Ewan's voice is so much stronger than Nicole's.

Director Baz Luhrmann (William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) has painted a gaudy, glamorous underworld and presents his classic story with humor and tears. It's all dressed up with great sets and fabulous costumes and comes at us with fast-paced editing. Even if you don't think you like musicals, this one may change your mind. It's so clever and innovative that you'll chuckle when hearing a familiar song and be tempted to shed a tear as the hero discovers the ultimate truth. "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return".

Directed by	Baz Luhrmann
Screenplay by	Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce
Starring	Nicole Kidman as Satine
	Ewan McGregor as Christian
	Lohn Leguizamo as Toulouse Lautrec
	Jim Broadbent as Zidler
	Richard Roxburgh as Duke of Worcester