Wells couldn't be more wrong about this film; I guess he was in one of his typically sour moods when he saw it at Cannes. But there are plenty of dissenting opinions, as cjKennedy points out. This is the most recent, from the LATimes; Patrick Goldstein:
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a delight. Call it a throwback or call it a comeback, it's Allen's best movie in years.
"The movie's story is simple enough. Young American friends Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) travel to Barcelona for the summer. Vicky is engaged, with her whole life already seemingly planned out. Cristina is a free thinker, impulsive, romantic and always vaguely dissatisfied by her relationships. Then they meet Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), a charming, seductive painter who whisks them away for a weekend, promising them romance and fine wine, even though he's still clearly in the thrall of the wildly high-strung Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz), the great love of his life who vamoosed after stabbing him in a jealous rage.
"The film grows far more complicated as it goes along, but complicated in the way of classic farce, not tedious storytelling. What makes it such a surprise is that it shows Allen exploring a new form: It's a bedroom farce, but performed slow and smooth, like a Ben Webster sax solo, without the hell-bent rush of a "Noises Off"-style door-slamming comedy. In an era in which comedy is such a blunt instrument, it's a kick to see a comedy that's actually a cozy meditation on the unpredictability of love, with the passion lurking just under the surface, erupting when we least expect it. Allen even tells much of the story via a dispassionate narrator, who shares information with us, the audience, on a need-to-know basis.
"The movie is full of good acting, especially from Bardem and Cruz, who are pretty irresistible every moment they're on screen. But the real surprise performance comes from Rebecca Hall, who starts out as the obligatory Allen stand-in character, jittery and full of nervous tics, but takes the part in an entirely unexpected direction, not only showing an emotional vulnerability but also nicely capturing the wobbly uncertainty of a woman startled by how thoroughly she succumbs to a passion she has so doggedly resisted.
"So mark your calendars. It will soon be time to give a Woody Allen movie another try, a movie that, compared with all the summer fast-food high jinks, feels like a sumptuous meal."
The title would be so much better with some punctation ... Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona ... or ... Vicky. Cristina. Barcelona. As it stands one is naturally inclined to presume the movie is named after a character named Vicky Cristina Barcelona, that character being portrayed by Scarlett Johannson...not much unlike Darius Rucker always being mistaken as "Hooty".
The trailer actually makes this look appealing in a bask-in-it, eye-candy kind of way. Beautiful babes, fantastic scenery. I get an Almodovar vibe from it.
There are movies like Mediterraneo that I can watch repeatedly despite the fact that I remember very little about the plot. I just like being on that Greek island.
On the other hand:
Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed.
Lou Reed, some of his solo stuff's not bad.
No, it's not bad, but it's not great either. And in your heart you kind of know that although it sounds all right, it's actually just shite.
comment #1
BurmaShave
says ...
I'm willing for you to be wrong about this movie.
Posted by BurmaShave
at July 17, 2008 4:40 PM
comment #2
actionman
says ...
Penelope and Scarlet are beyond luscious
Posted by actionman
at July 17, 2008 5:26 PM
comment #3
Craig Kennedy
says ...
Yeah, I hope Wells has missed the boat on this one. There are certainly dissenting opinions out there.
Posted by Craig Kennedy
at July 17, 2008 5:55 PM
comment #4
fielding
says ...
Wells couldn't be more wrong about this film; I guess he was in one of his typically sour moods when he saw it at Cannes. But there are plenty of dissenting opinions, as cjKennedy points out. This is the most recent, from the LATimes; Patrick Goldstein:
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a delight. Call it a throwback or call it a comeback, it's Allen's best movie in years.
"The movie's story is simple enough. Young American friends Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) travel to Barcelona for the summer. Vicky is engaged, with her whole life already seemingly planned out. Cristina is a free thinker, impulsive, romantic and always vaguely dissatisfied by her relationships. Then they meet Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), a charming, seductive painter who whisks them away for a weekend, promising them romance and fine wine, even though he's still clearly in the thrall of the wildly high-strung Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz), the great love of his life who vamoosed after stabbing him in a jealous rage.
"The film grows far more complicated as it goes along, but complicated in the way of classic farce, not tedious storytelling. What makes it such a surprise is that it shows Allen exploring a new form: It's a bedroom farce, but performed slow and smooth, like a Ben Webster sax solo, without the hell-bent rush of a "Noises Off"-style door-slamming comedy. In an era in which comedy is such a blunt instrument, it's a kick to see a comedy that's actually a cozy meditation on the unpredictability of love, with the passion lurking just under the surface, erupting when we least expect it. Allen even tells much of the story via a dispassionate narrator, who shares information with us, the audience, on a need-to-know basis.
"The movie is full of good acting, especially from Bardem and Cruz, who are pretty irresistible every moment they're on screen. But the real surprise performance comes from Rebecca Hall, who starts out as the obligatory Allen stand-in character, jittery and full of nervous tics, but takes the part in an entirely unexpected direction, not only showing an emotional vulnerability but also nicely capturing the wobbly uncertainty of a woman startled by how thoroughly she succumbs to a passion she has so doggedly resisted.
"So mark your calendars. It will soon be time to give a Woody Allen movie another try, a movie that, compared with all the summer fast-food high jinks, feels like a sumptuous meal."
Posted by fielding
at July 17, 2008 6:16 PM
comment #5
Edward
says ...
That's a good trailer, it shows enough without giving the whole film away.
Posted by Edward
at July 17, 2008 7:10 PM
comment #6
supertaster
says ...
The title would be so much better with some punctation ... Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona ... or ... Vicky. Cristina. Barcelona. As it stands one is naturally inclined to presume the movie is named after a character named Vicky Cristina Barcelona, that character being portrayed by Scarlett Johannson...not much unlike Darius Rucker always being mistaken as "Hooty".
Posted by supertaster
at July 17, 2008 8:16 PM
comment #7
hiviper
says ...
now that we have that out of the way, your impressions of The Dark Kinght? c'mon, a couple of sentences wouldn't hurt
Posted by hiviper
at July 17, 2008 10:55 PM
comment #8
T. S. Idiot
says ...
In the Critic's Choice feature in the latest Film Comment, Sarris and Schwarzbaum give it four stars (very good), and Dargis gives it three (good).
Posted by T. S. Idiot
at July 18, 2008 6:01 AM
comment #9
frankbooth
says ...
The trailer actually makes this look appealing in a bask-in-it, eye-candy kind of way. Beautiful babes, fantastic scenery. I get an Almodovar vibe from it.
There are movies like Mediterraneo that I can watch repeatedly despite the fact that I remember very little about the plot. I just like being on that Greek island.
On the other hand:
Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed.
Lou Reed, some of his solo stuff's not bad.
No, it's not bad, but it's not great either. And in your heart you kind of know that although it sounds all right, it's actually just shite.
Posted by frankbooth
at July 18, 2008 10:06 AM