Evita

Surely Madonna was made for this role, that of Eva Duarte de Peron, a young girl from the country who rises to the top with a combination of brains, wits, political savvy and sexuality. Sure she used men to attain her dreams, but what was a girl to do in 1930s-40s Argentina? Antonio Banderas is superb as Che, the "narrator" critic, perhaps the soul of the Argentinian peasants. Banderas' background is stage musicals, and he matches Madonna in every way. Jonathan Pryce is also excellent in his role as the dictator who rises to power only with the talents of Eva. This is not your ordinary musical. Almost every word is sung, as in opera, and the whole thing works. Andrew Lloyd Webber proves himself again a master tunesmith. Besides "Don't cry for me Argentina," all the other songs (if you can call them that) are beautiful, ranging from sweet ballads to waltz and rock. The film is lavish in breadth and depth, with thousands of extras just like the old Hollywood spectaculars. No f/x here, but real people. The cinematography is also superb. This is truly a triumph, a glorious experience, totally unique in film. Highly recommended. *****