the more i think about this film, the more i love it — and that is why this post is going to be riddled with pictures. i was a child obsessed with the phantom of the opera soundtrack, singing every song at the top of my lungs and pretending i was christine. what i never fully understood about the musical while singing the songs as a child was the sensual relationship between christine and the phantom, a sexual awakening in both characters that i only picked up on from watching the latest film version.

emmy rossum as the innocent christine was an excellent choice on the part of andrew lloyd webber. i had no idea she had such a powerful voice! gerard butler, too, was surprisingly talented at singing. as the phantom, he was emotional, rugged, and just damn sexy — a far cry from michael crawford. even the character of raoul, played by patrick wilson, was tolerable and well sung. i was very impressed by all of the actors and their ability to assume the complex personalities of their respective characters. furthermore, imagery of the film was simply exquisite and visually appealing through the use of vibrant colour, lighting, and costumes.

what i loved most about the film, though, was the relationship between christine and the phantom. i pride myself on always rooting for the underdog, but throughout this movie, it’s difficult to tell who is truly the powerless individual; raoul and the phantom are both weak in different ways. the sensual ambience in every scene containing rossum and butler is undeniable. (you know, for a deformed recluse, the phantom is actually pretty hot.) i found myself just wishing they’d get it on already. there was great energy between the two actors and the audience can really feel the heat.

joel schumacher’s rendition of lloyd webber’s the phantom of the opera has received some harsh reviews from movie critics, reviews that appear to be scrutinizing the film based on certain cinematic conventions. i can’t believe how some people who loved chicago — one of the driest and worst film musicals, and films in general — can turn their noses at the phantom of the opera. the one thing i disliked about the film, however, was the title track, “the phantom of the opera”, that both christine and the phantom sing when they first meet up close; it had this gaudy, synthesized quality to it from the 80s london cast that just did not fit the period of the film. aside from that, i thought all of the actors in the movie played their hearts out, and whatever may have been lacking in the acting, the breathtaking set and costume design more than made up for it.