Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris (2011) – Movie Review

Director: Woody Allen

Screenwriter: Woody Allen

Producers: Letty Aronson, Jaume Roures, Stephen Tenenbaum 

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics 

Production Companies: Gravier Productions, Mediapro, Televisio de Catalunya

Top Billed Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Michael Sheen (no relation), Nina Arianda, Adrien Brody, Gad Elmaleh, Carla Bruni 

LOGLINE: When a writer goes to Paris with his fiance and her parents he finds all the inspiration he needs on his fantastical midnight strolls.

VIEWING CIRCUMSTANCES: At the cinema (Dendy, Canberra) with my wife, after having a beer and a sake at the Nara festival.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Good movie. In fact, I'm going to say my favourite Woody Allen film. The film fraternity will probably kick me out for saying that (instead of Annie Hall or Hannah and Her Sisters, which are generally considered the book ends of the golden period of Woody Allen), but being the Francophile that I am, he had me with the opening 3 minute sequence which consists of nothing but music and beautiful shots of Paris.

STORY: The story is pretty stock standard (Hero travels to new worlds to find what he's missing) but with some nice quirks and, of course, Jewish-style neuroticism, which Woody Allen is famous for, but this subtler form in his older age is more to my taste.

PRODUCTION: Lovely cinematography, set design and costuming etc all adds to the magical feel of the film, like an American made Amelie.

PERFORMANCE: Owen Wilson plays a great Woody Allen (he doesn't actually play Woody Allen but you get what I mean), though the costuming of a 50-something Jew on a 40-something Yank didn't work as well. Carli Bruni, the real life French President's real life Wife (and ex-nude model and pop star) was great as the tour guide, and Marion Cottiard was gorgeous and brilliant as always. Kurt Fuller played the Jeffrey Tamboresque role well and loads of great cameos particularly Adrien Brody's. Rachael McAdams? Not sure, I have a hard time critiquing unlikable portrayals because they're, well, unlikable... but I think she did pretty good.

OVERALL: A lovely little flick very french, very clever.

MEETSLINE: Back to the Future meets Amelie

FAVOURITE QUOTE: " for that moment when you are making love with a woman of true greatness you will feel immortal."


"That Paris exists and anyone could choose to live anywhere else in the world will always be a mystery to me."

"Gil: I would like you to read my novel and get your opinion. 
Ernest Hemingway: I hate it.
Gil: You haven't even read it yet. Ernest Hemingway: If it's bad, I'll hate it. If it's good, then I'll be envious and hate it even more. You don't want the opinion of another writer."

"Luis Buñuel: A man in love with a woman from a different era. I see a photograph! 
Man Ray: I see a film!
Gil: I see insurmountable problem! Salvador Dalí: I see rhinoceros!"

"Ernest Hemingway: You'll never be a great writer if you fear dying, do you? 
Gil: Yeah, I do. I would say it's my greatest fear."

"You're very kind, but I wouldn't call my babbling poetic. Although I was on a pretty good roll there."

"That's what the present is. It's a little unsatisfying because life is unsatisfying."

RECOMMENDED ACCOMPANIMENT: French wine, camembert, brie, baguette, etc.

RATING:

4 1/2 out of 5 reels of film.

Movie Review by A.B. McBlogsmith the Backwards Cap Film Reviewer

(C) Review Flix 2011

Avatar

Avatar (2009) – Movie Review

Director: James Cameron

Screenwriter: James Cameron

Producers: James Cameron, Jon Landau

Studio/s: 20th Century Fox

Production Companies: Lightstorm Entertainment, Dune Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners

Top Billed Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso

LOGLINE: Jake Sulley takes on an 'Avatar', an alien body that you project your mind into, to infiltrate the Na'avi to help the mining company persuade them to move off the rescource rich patch they inhabit, but when he falls in love with their princess and the mining company become more and more greedy Jake and his loyal scientist friends must teach the Na'avi how to fight the humans.

VIEWING CIRCUMSTANCES: At the IMAX Cinemas in 3D (IMAX, Darling Harbour).

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Awesome! I had heard a lot of buzz, but hadn't listened closely to any of it so as not to build up an expectation, which was probably best. Shortly after seeing it two of my friends were talking about it and the conversation went something like this: 
A-"Have you seen Avatar?" B-"Are you kidding? How good is it?" A-"I know right?" B-"Ridiculous" A-"Just quietly I think it could be man kinds greatest achievement" B-"Just quietly I think it's the reason man kind exists".
Now, I think that if I had have heard that before I saw it I would've been disappointed. But let's face it, I don't think any movie, probably not even my favourite (Lord of the Rings) could live up to that hype.

STORY: Yes, what you've probably heard is true; the story is the weakest part of an otherwise strong movie. It is unoriginal, on the nose, corny and sometimes plain patronising. Having said that, it's also a ripping tale and mythologically strong. i.e. Even if it isn't original or delicate it's still a fun, meaningful adventure.

PRODUCTION: Breakthrough, brilliant and awesome. On the back of the (also breakthrough) production techniques of Lord of the Rings, Cameron took things to yet another level and single handedly (for better or [more likely] worse) shepherded in a whole new generation of 3D movies. 

PERFORMANCE: Sam Worthington is strong in the lead though I don't think he quite had the American accent down 100% (I'd have preferred if they let him play it straight [Aussie]). I get the feeling that Sigourney's role was maybe a little too easy for her and she might've been erring on the side of boredom. The vocal actors are all strong, led by the best of the lot, Zoe Saldana. Stephen Lang did well with a one dimensional "shapeshifter". Michelle Rodriguez takes my Best in Show award. 

OVERALL: James Cameron can be as subtle as a sledge hammer at times (unobtanium? come one) but the dude can tell a story and as unoriginal as this is it still hit some major mythic chord within me and resonated.

MEETSLINE: Pocahontas/Dances with Wolves (same movie) meets  Independence Day (only humans are the aliens in this one).

FAVOURITE QUOTES: "I see you"
"Run! Definitely run!"
"Sky People cannot learn, you do not see"
"It is hard to fill a cup that is already full."

RECOMMENDED ACCOMPANIMENT: Blue centered-grapefruit

LINKS: Deconstruction to come soon: http://filmdeconstructions.blogspot.com/

RATING:

4 1/2 out of 5 reels of film.

Movie Review by A.B. McBlogsmith the Backwards Cap Film Reviewer

(C) Review Flix 2011

The Help

The Help (2011) – Movie Review

Director: Tate Taylor

Screenwriter: Tate Taylor
Base on the Novel by: Kathryn Stockett

Producer/s: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter Fame), Brunson Green,  

Studio/s: Disney, Dreamworks

Production Companies: Participant Media, Harbinger Pictures, 1492 Pictures

Top Billed Cast: Emma "Woman of the moment" Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney.

LOGLINE: In 1950s, Jacksonville, Alabama a white girl goes about writing a book from the point of view of "the Help", the black women, most of whom derive from slave families, who keep house for white families.

VIEWING CIRCUMSTANCES: At the flicks (Dendy, Canberra), with my wife, with popcorn and choctop and coke.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I wasn't expecting to love this movie, I had pretty much written it off as a touchy/feely, 'chick flick', and thought that I'd basically seen it just from the trailers. But it exceeded all expectations and frankly all but blew my socks off.

STORY: The strong part of the film, and that's saying something because the production is classy and the performances are great! 

PRODUCTION: Wow, for basically a first timer, Tate knocked it out of the Park. The story goes that he and the writer were school friends and he optioned the movie writes for a dime before the book was even published and promised her he'd make it and make it well. I'd say he more than delivered on that promise.

PERFORMANCE: Great performances all round, Emma stone was great in the lead but Viola is perfect and Allison Janney, who probably had the toughest role (it's hard to play a likable bigot!) also knocked it out of the park.

OVERALL: Ain't too many movies that can make me cry, let alone laugh and cry let alone admit to the ocular seepage. This is one such movie.

MEETSLINE: To Kill a Mocking Bird meets Driving Miss Daisy.

FAVOURITE QUOTE:

RECOMMENDED ACCOMPANIMENT: Fried Chicken. (Strongly recommend NOT eating Chocolate or for that matter any pie).

RATING:

4 out of 5 reels of film.

Movie Review by A.B. McBlogsmith the Backwards Cap Film Reviewer

(C) Review Flix 2011