Guido! GUIDO!

I have to admit from the outset that, although I would describe myself as a lover of realist cinema, I have a guilty pleasure. I never crave chocolate and gave up smoking with relative ease, but I just can't go a fortnight without watching a musical.

To date I have to say that my favourite is still the ridiculously cheesy 'Hairspray' (2007) although now Nine, Chicago director Rob Marshall's Italian-set musical is coming in a close second thanks to the central character, troubled screenwriter Guido Contini.

I don't know what it is about a man singing and dancing that makes me melt but when Daniel Day-Lewis (much like the love of my life Zac Efron) glided across the screen in 'Guido's Song' I was his in a second. I really enjoy seeing a man dance effortlessly and Day-Lewis had the cheeky rogue Guido down to a tee, seemingly making no real effort whilst knowing he had the heart of every woman in the room. Don't get me wrong if I were to see a man dancing like that in the street I would probably cross the road quite quickly, but in the movies it's more than OK with me!

Perhaps my love of musicals stems from my equal passion for the realist film - many are suprised to hear me recommend 'Mamma Mia' and Gus Van Sant's 2003 masterpiece 'Elephant' in the same breath - but it's so important to balance things out, a lot of these 'indie' films leave you reaching for the sleeping pills so why not have a singalong to perk yourself up?

Although maybe a little long (by the time the film was halfway through I found myself wishing the film was called six, or seven at a push) Nine showcases some real hidden talents from the likes of Kate Hudson as the racy Stephanie and Marion Cotillard as Guido's long-suffering wife Luisa with each of the nine ladies having a song each.

I couldn't end this blog without a special mention to Penelope Cruz, the Spanish beauty with the loveliest bum I've seen in a film for a very long time.