Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Big Magilla
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Big Magilla »

I would think Woody be more likely to make a film in Venice or Milan than Rome which is probably too modern for his tastes aside from the ruins and the Vatican which he wouldn't go near.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by ITALIANO »

Also, cities can be fashionable. In the 50s, Rome was "the" place to be in for Americans - films were shot there, intellectuals came to live there, movie stars fell in love there (the beauty of the local men also played a role - with intellectuals and movie stars I mean). It was admittedly a different Rome, poorer (and so cheaper), less noisy, less packed with cars. Now the place is still gloriously beautiful, but certainly less "trendy" (in Europe Barcelona and Berlin are probably the "in" places at the moment, and Paris is, of course, the "evergreen". But I think one should visit Rome at least once in his/her life).
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Damien »

Florence is really the Italian city that foreigners (well, at least Americans) really adore. And of course Venice, although that amazing place seems more like a sophisticated theme park than a functioning city. Rome is probably a bit too bustling and noisy and overwhelming for most tourists, other than the "must see" spots like the Sistine Chapel, Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. But New York is the same way.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

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ITALIANO wrote:
Reza wrote:As for Pakistan, unfortunately I have never been there. But, well, I can't go into details here... I'll just say that I like your countrymen, too...
Ok I think I got what you are saying. Lol
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by ITALIANO »

Reza wrote:Marco you can NEVER turn me off your countrymen or your beautiful country.

Thank you. I love Rome actually, I did my university there, I have great memories of the city, its squares, its fountains, its hidden corners, its strange, lazy energy (an oxymoron, I know, but it's like that). And I've personally met Americans who are in love in Rome (Gore Vidal, for example). I just hope that Woody Allen will have a different approach to it than the one he had to Paris in this movie.

As for Pakistan, unfortunately I have never been there. But, well, I can't go into details here... I'll just say that I like your countrymen, too...
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Reza »

ITALIANO wrote:
Reza wrote:
ITALIANO wrote: I hope he doesn't love Rome - which is possible, as it's a less lovable city
How can you say that about Rome? It is equally, if not more, ''lovable'' than Paris.

It is equally, if not more, important from the artistic point of view, and, obviously, more important from the archaeological point of view. But Paris is certainly "prettier", easier to like, more conventionally romantic even. And while both are very Latin, Rome is roughier, more mediterranean, and probably less foreign-friendly.
Maybe ''rougher'', yes, but certainly NOT ''less foreign-friendly''. I found the Italians to be extremely warm, friendly and helpful towards foreigners despite the language barrier. While the French are downright rude and certainly VERY unfriendly. And there is a strong tendency to pretend they don't understand English when it is obvious that most do.

Marco you can NEVER turn me off your countrymen or your beautiful country.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by ITALIANO »

Reza wrote:
ITALIANO wrote: I hope he doesn't love Rome - which is possible, as it's a less lovable city
How can you say that about Rome? It is equally, if not more, ''lovable'' than Paris.

It is equally, if not more, important from the artistic point of view, and, obviously, more important from the archaeological point of view. But Paris is certainly "prettier", easier to like, more conventionally romantic even. And while both are very Latin, Rome is roughier, more mediterranean, and probably less foreign-friendly.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Reza »

ITALIANO wrote: I hope he doesn't love Rome - which is possible, as it's a less lovable city
How can you say that about Rome? It is equally, if not more, ''lovable'' than Paris.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Uri »

ITALIANO wrote:
Sabin wrote:Woody Allen doesn't know them.
Exactly, and it's a big problem.
The problem is that Allen doesn't know ANY human being anymore. Period.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by ITALIANO »

Believe me, Annie Hall could have never stayed at the Bristol in Paris.

There IS a difference between "confortable" and "super-rich".
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Sabin »

Why? He's not trying to write them. Woody Allen has been writing about the same societal circle for four decades now. What's the point in taking him to task on it now?
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by ITALIANO »

Sabin wrote:Woody Allen doesn't know them.
Exactly, and it's a big problem.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Sabin »

Italiano wrote
Also - don't get me wrong, I'm not a communist, but... why, in all his movies about Americans in Europe, are all the characters super-rich, only sleep in the most famous luxury hotels, only eat in the most expensive and celebrated restaurants, only buy gifts in the most exclusive shops... Seriously, why? Is it because only rich Americans travel abroad? I mean, there MUST be Americans who travel like normal people, and who, even if they aren't millionaires, go to museums, like art, etc... It's just so annoying. And by the way, it's not like Woody Allen doesn't know (or love) Paris, so one could expect, from him, a less cliched, less postcard-like portrayal of the city, and maybe a visit to a normal brasserie, once in a while. (At this point, I hope he doesn't love Rome - which is possible, as it's a less lovable city, especially, I guess, from an American point of view - so we will get a more "real", rough even, view of the place in his next movie).
It's not that, Marco. I'm sure there are not super-rich Americans who travel abroad, but Woody Allen doesn't know them.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by ITALIANO »

I don't know, I found this Owen Wilson rather bland and inexpressive, but this probably isn't the movie he should be judged for.

Also - don't get me wrong, I'm not a communist, but... why, in all his movies about Americans in Europe, are all the characters super-rich, only sleep in the most famous luxury hotels, only eat in the most expensive and celebrated restaurants, only buy gifts in the most exclusive shops... Seriously, why? Is it because only rich Americans travel abroad? I mean, there MUST be Americans who travel like normal people, and who, even if they aren't millionaires, go to museums, like art, etc... It's just so annoying. And by the way, it's not like Woody Allen doesn't know (or love) Paris, so one could expect, from him, a less cliched, less postcard-like portrayal of the city, and maybe a visit to a normal brasserie, once in a while. (At this point, I hope he doesn't love Rome - which is possible, as it's a less lovable city, especially, I guess, from an American point of view - so we will get a more "real", rough even, view of the place in his next movie).

So yes, the movie looks fake in its modern sequences, but is also predictable in the scenes set in the past, with all the great (and, this is important, most popular) artists appearing one-by-one, saying the things one expects them to say... No surprises, and, let me say it, no laughs even - which could have been a compensation for no surprises. And Owen Wison MUST have been in New York in his life - why didn't this nostalgic trick happen there? It's not like New York doesn't have a glorious artistic and intellectual past (partly made by the same heroes he meets in Paris, by the way). No, it has to be Europe. Ok...

And again - today I'm very pro-American, must be Christmas - I can't believe that all Americans, except for the sensitive, intelligent leading characters - are so ignorant about Europe and only consider cities like Paris or Barcelona or London as places to do shopping in! I've met Americans, during my trips, who could appreciate art and didn't only talk about money. Did I only meet the exceptions to the rule? Maybe, but still....
Last edited by ITALIANO on Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Midnight in Paris - Woody's latest

Post by Sabin »

Sonic Youth wrote
But I should acknowledge that for me the two main reasons why the movie failed for me are casting reasons: a). I've decided I simply cannot stand Owen Wilson.
I just rewatched Midnight in Paris last night, and ultimately I agree with all the dissenters on this Board, and yet still find Midnight in Paris to be a fairly enjoyable piece of work and this is largely because of Owen Wilson. There is a laziness to Woody Allen's writing that cannot and should not go without mention, but it is precisely because of Owen Wilson's casting that the film does work. Regarded through the befuddled eyes of Owen Wilson, the manner in which these historical icons appear and announce themselves to him feels like a random joke he can scarcely believe. Owen Wilson has a boyish enthusiasm and the film plays like his idea of meeting F. Scott and Zelda, Gertrude, Hemingway, etc. and so it worked for me better than pretty much any other casting I can think of.

Every once in a while you see a film where you just make a conscious effort to forget the stuff that doesn't work. The scenes in the present are charmless aside from how stunning they look, and Michael Sheen and Rachel McAdams represent some of the laziest writing of Woody's recent career. But there is a charm to the scenes in the 20s, and even if he doesn't take as full advantage of his concept as he could, I still enjoyed it a second time. Unlike The Artist which is wholly boring in the middle and devoid of surprises, Midnight in Paris only picks up in loveliness as it goes along.
dws 1982
I agree with Italiano. Midnight had a few charming moments during the 1920's sequences, but the movie never really went anywhere with that setup.
SPOILERS

Well, no. He does go somewhere. I was finding the film a bit thin even in the 20s sequences, and then that carriage comes along again and takes them back to the belle epoque. It's not unexpected for Midnight in Paris to take on an anti-nostalgia thesis, but I didn't really see that coming. I think something else that I enjoyed about Midnight in Paris is that it did feel like watching a short story in action and to that credit its thinness works here (perhaps as a fluke) better than Woody's more recent films.
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