WOODY (he-he) ALLEN

[Spandau Belly]

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

This is light whimsical Woody Allen comedy that employs timetravel to examine nostalgia. Owen Wilson dimisses the present as shallow and romanticizes the past, so he travels back in time and mixes and mingles with various famous artists from the past. And in a BILL & TED kind of way they are all portrayed as one dimensional caricatures.

At first I didn't like it because the characters around Owen Wilson in the present were such assholes that it was kinda unbearable. I'm sure in real life these super-rich old Republicans really are narrowminded assholes like this, but in a movie it just felt shrill. In the early portion of the film it felt a bit too much like shameless stacking of the deck to sell us on Owen Wilson's nostalgia. I mean seriously, piting the most boring narrowminded business schmucks of today against the most fascinating artistic personages of yesteryear ain't exactly a fair fight. I probably would've prefered having Wilson's character hanging out with pop stars and music video directors of today and dismissing them as vapid, trendy, and unromantic the same way people would've regarded the geniuses of yesteryear during their eras.

Once Wilson starts timetravelling the movie gets better. Wilson doesn't have the best chemistry with the guy playing Ernest Hemingway and so even the first portion of the timetravel wasn't really winning me over but at least it wasn't as frustrating as the stuff with his Republican in-laws. Allen struggles a bit with trying to write in the voices of other famous people, so some of Wilson's interactions with them feel a bit undercooked. Although I will say Adrian Brody's cameo was fucking funny.

Allen typically writes three types of characters: avatars of himself, dream girls who represent hope and excitement in the future, and bitchy nags who represent the staleness of routine. Once Allen brings in Marion Cotillard he finds himself in his comfort zone as a writer, and things get a lot better. Like usual, Cotillard as an actress embodies a genuine warmth that is very easy to fall in love with.

By the end, the movie won me over and I enjoyed it. Like most people, I enjoy the ego-stroking of having art confirm my own outlook on the world. So the movie's conclusion message about nostalgia was an easy sell on me. This is a perfectly fine mainstream comedy and it's nice to see an element of whimsy in a film (where are you hiding Jean-Pierre Jeunet?) but this isn't anything great. I doubt many people would regret watching this, but I also doubt if many would remember to revisit it ever.

[Spandau Belly]

Woody Allen's next film has a pretty wacky cast. Andrew Dice Clay and Louis CK with Sally Hawkins and Cate Blanchett.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/56192

[Spandau Belly]

TO ROME WITH LOVE

So I caught Woody Allen's new flick, which is a multi-strained film featuring four romantic dramedy plots set in Rome, all involving some element of absurdity or whimsy.

Alec Baldwin goes back in time Ebeneezer Scrooge style to observe his younger self (played by Michael Facebook-Cera) fucking Ellen Page in a car. Woody comes to Rome to meet the family of the man his daughter has fallen in love with. Some dorky guy on his honeymoon has Penelope Cruz show up at his hotel room as a paid for prostitute whilehis wife is out getting her haircut. And Roberto Benigni is a boring nobody who wakes up one day to find he has become famous for nothing.

All of the stories are pretty cute each had a good unexpected turn to keep them interesting. The one with Woody has the most laughs and he gives himself the best lines of the whole film. The one with Alec Balwdin doesn't completely click, it feels like it's missing something, but is still alright. The one with Penelope Cruz was had the most unexpected turns. Whoever designed Cruz's dress for this movie deserves an award, and whoever designed Penelope Cruz deserves two awards. And Benigni isn't the annoying manic clown we're used to seeing him play, he's a bit more restrained here. Benigni's plotline felt a bit repetative at times and I saw a lot of it coming, but it was okay.

All and all, this was a nice light cute movie. Not as good as VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA, but still a nice time at the movies.

[Spandau Belly]

Woody's latest, BLUE JASMINE, looks like a sibling melodrama.

Here's the trailer.

[Spandau Belly]

Woody Allen offered funding to make film set in Sweden's glorious capital, feels honoured, but says he has no idea for a story.

[Ribbons]

Midnight Sun in Stockholm

[Spandau Belly]

BLUE JASMINE enjoys highest grossing opening of Woody Allen's career. I'll admit, this kinda surprised me. This one seemed like a slightly tougher sell than the more light breezy romance films he's done lately.

The cast discusses maggot farming. Andrew Dice Clay feels he and Allen have different styles of stand up comedy.

I'm really looking forward to this one.

[Spandau Belly]

I really enjoyed BLUE JASMINE. Allen perfectly realizes his themes and, along with his cast, realizes his characters. The film deals with deception and how people tolerate being deceived as long as it benefits them. The film also has a lot more humour than the trailers made it seem. There are a couple of very funny scenes. Although the subplot involving the dentist in love with Blanchett yields the funniest scene in the movie, it was also probably something that could've been cut without any real cost to the overall film.

Blanchett does an excellent job playing an insufferable and complex character. This was the first time I had seen Sally Hawkins do an American accent and I would say she did very well. In past roles I have found her accent to be so tied to her delivery, I wasn't sure if she would be able to deliver her lines smoothly in an American accent, but she did well. Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Andrew Dice Clay, Peter Sarsgaard, and Louis C.K. all fit perfectly into their roles as the various men in the story.

Excellent film.

[caruso_stalker217]

Just watched BLUE JASMINE. I thought this was an excellent film. Surprised it didn't get a Best Picture nom, considering some of the stuff that made it this year. Cate Blanchett was great as always. I used to have quite a crush on her and that has come back full force. Never noticed what a sexy voice she has. And this Sally Hawkins is adorable. Andrew Dice Clay is surprisingly great in his small role and it was cool seeing Peter Sarsgaard. I haven't seen him in anything in a long time.

Anyway, it was a well-written film. Funny and a bit sad. No shortage of assholes. This is a Woody Allen film after all.

[Spandau Belly]

And this Sally Hawkins is adorable.

I would totally use my knowledge of audio equipment to slot her in as my mistress.

[Peven]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dylan-farrow-responds-woody-allen-678552

[Spandau Belly]

Joaquin Phoenix cast as lead in Woody Allen's next film. Not MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT, the one after that. These two have never worked together before. Looking forward to it. Phoenix just delivers one outstanding performance after the next these days.

UPDATE: Emma Stone added to cast. I guess Woody was pleased with her work in MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT.

[Spandau Belly]

Trailer for MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT



Looks verymuch along the same lines as SCOOP. Might be a cute breezy summer viewing. Light fluffy stuff.

[Spandau Belly]

I got around to seeing WHATEVER WORKS on the weekend and really liked it. I know a lot of people who found it disappointing because they love CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM and felt this film wasn't as good as that show or that Larry David wasn't doing exactly the same type of comedy he does on that show. Like most tv shows, I've never seen it, so I didn't really have any of those expectations. I liked David's grouchy character in this and that he never became too vulnerable or weepy. The character arcs for Evan Rachel Woods's parents were a bit contrived and rushed, but it didn't really bug me. Funny movie.

[caruso_stalker217]

I also enjoyed the film back when I saw it a few years ago. Both for Larry David's asshole character and Evan Rachel Wood.

[Spandau Belly]

I caught MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT and found it to be pretty weak. I was hoping that Allen would get some good P.G. Wodehouse type of humour out of the premise and setting, but the movie feels understuffed and Colin Firth's character doesn't get the witty zingers he ought to have. Firth's arrogance gets played for a few good laughs later in the film, but I think his character and Emma Stone's character should've had traded some good barbs in the first half, but they didn't. Stone just seems to put up with Firth witlessly insulting her. I wouldn't recommend this one.