Midnight in Paris

[Drunk Monk]

Typical Woody Allen - funny, witty, existential. A small film - Woody's work is small now - not worth the big screen despite scenic Paris. I don't care for Owen Wilson, but his stuttery style worked as Woody's neurotic lead, vaguely reminiscent of Branagh when he full out impersonated Woody. Brody as Dali and Stoll as Hemingway were funny. Didn't buy Bates as Stein and hoped for more with Man Ray and Bunuel. We were both amused as it delivered exactly what one expects from Woody now, no more, no less. Not exactly sure why many people are raving about this so much now. Maybe it's because it references a lot of period artists and art that is pretty recognizable amongst the 'art film' crowd and it makes them feel intelligent to know who is being satirized.

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

It's his most profitable film in years.

But what I hate about Allen films, is that every time one comes out, they always say it's his best film in years. Bleh. You can have him.

[Haggis Killer]

I liked everything about this movie except Owen Wilson. That plus the completely obvious conclusion that his wife was going to have an affair with the nerd ball friend of hers. Wow, really? Yes, I saw that coming. I liked all the character bits, but Wilson just seemed so out of place. And, like Branagh and every other recent male lead in a Woody Allen film, they're simply playing Woody. All the male lead characters are written as first person Woody Allen dialog. He might as well still be writing stand up lines, because his male leads are all simply playing him. Wilson acted like him, too. I guess if you're being directed by Woody Allen, and he asks you to "make it more like me", you simply give him what he wants.

I will say, I was glad to see Wilson get a decent role, even if it was to play Woody Allen. Perhaps he'll get another part where he can play himself. Like always.

[Drunk Monk]

There's always a hottie and a neurotic awkwardness around that hottie. There's always some existential nod (and the romanticizing of days gone by really worked for me). There's always jazz - good classic jazz. And so on, and so on. That being said, it's a step above from formulaic Hollywood, or formulaic kung fu flicks, so what can I say? Woody's best stuff had him as the star.

What was that Woody film where the aliens land and tell him to go back to making the funny movies? That was such a timeless line.