I’m not an expert when it comes to Woody Allen movies; I can’t identify the line of demarcation between his classic films and the slightly goofier things he’s been doing lately. I know that I’ve only seen two of the classic movies (although one of them might be the classic Woody Allen Movie), Husbands And Wives and Manhattan; and I’ve seen a little less than half of the output since Small Time Crooks, including the most recent picture, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Not being an expert is the reason that I don’t know the answer to the next question, and so have to ask it: When Mia Farrow and Diane Keaton were to Allen, in their turns, what Edie and her ilk were to Warhol, were they always cast as lighter-than-air quasi-bimbos whose every utterance landed somewhere between banal and idiotic? The reason I ask is that Allen’s latest Superstar, Scarlett Johansson, fits that mold perfectly in both Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Scoop; her observations are only slightly more insightful than the bombshells of wisdom Deanna Troi dropped on the crew of the Enterprise.
It’s almost like Woody Allen doesn’t even take himself seriously anymore, perhaps knowing full well that most of his audience stopped doing so years ago. Apart from the slightly bohemian setting, Vicky Cristina Barcelona might as well be Husbands And Wives Redux, except that Allen has already made all of these points before, and did a better job of it in the previous picture. And yet...I sort of liked VIcky Cristina Barcelona, even though I don’t think it’s all that great a movie.
With all of the other movies out there to Netflix, though, is it even worth the time to hunt and peck through the Woody Allen oeuvre for the gems that might be there (among the ones that are not already well known as gems) - or should I just watch Match Point and call it a day?
1 comment:
has any character, in any woody allen film that was not played by the egomaniac himself ever uttered anything other than banal, idiotic bullshit? the answer is no. and sadly, allen's own musings aren't all that great either.
i have never understood the appeal of this misanthropic, homophobic, sexist loser.
if you want something that delivers the charming qualities that people always attribute to allen films...watch the whit stillman movies(i especially think that you would like barcelona) stillman films are witty, light hearted, good natured, and breezy. and he actually likes people, which is always a plus in the cinema.
netflix: barcelona(dir. whit stillman) and then watch metropolitan(same dir.)
thank me later.
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