Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

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Posted by Richard P. May (Member # 3598) on 05-23-2011, 05:52 PM:

This is the best thing Woody Allan has done in years. It is intelligent and funny. Timing of the comedy parts is excellent, and they hit by surprise, which is how comedy should work.
I won't go into any details, as it just wouldn't come off well in the telling. It has to be seen with an appreciative audience.

Posted by Mike Croaro (Member # 3123) on 05-29-2011, 09:34 PM:

Hi Folks:

Saw this today for an early matinee and enjoyed it. Perhapos not as much as critics, but I still liked it.

I followed it up with a screening of "Hobo with a Shotgun"...

Mike

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 06-18-2011, 04:48 PM:

CINEMA: AMC Oak View 24, Omaha, NE
AUDITORIUM: 22
PRESENTATION: 35mm/Analog
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: Selfish couple two seats over who discussed landmarks they recognized in the movie at regular speaking levels while eating food in noisy wax paper I'm pretty sure they snuck in
RATING: Three stars (out of four)

Wow. $4.50 admission. Nice.

THE PLOT: A guy longs for the Paris of old. Wackiness ensues.

Woody Allen's inspiration for his movies anymore seem to be beautiful locations he feels the need to capture on film. He finds them, he builds a movie around them. The first few minutes of this movie...even before opening credits...is simply a montage of locations set to music.

This story is a delicious guilty pleasure about a man finding himself. Some of it is predictable, some absurd, but all completely watchable.

I'd put it behind Match Point and ahead of Vicky Cristina Barcelona in recent Woody Allen efforts.

Posted by Jerome Holmes (Member # 5013) on 06-18-2011, 09:05 PM:

quote: Sam Graham
The first few minutes of this movie...even before opening credits...is simply a montage of locations set to music.

Is that a complaint? It actually harkens itself to an older style of film making, and even theatrical works like operas and plays. See this wiki. It might be slightly cheesy, but I like it.

The film is very strong overall, and I would recommend it if you have some time to kill. Its a shame the beautiful girl is such a jerk though.

Posted by Jerome Holmes (Member # 5013) on 06-18-2011, 11:57 PM:

Note too that it might be Woody Allen's way of alluding to the "golden age" of film, like the characters allude to the golden age of society.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 06-19-2011, 12:04 AM:

quote: Jerome Holmes
Is that a complaint?

No.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 06-19-2011, 07:22 AM:

I loved the pretty pictures of Paris as the opening. It told you that this movie would take its time and tell its story at a pleasant, leisurely pace. This is an adult movie...send the kids to Green Hornet and just let the movie happen. Don't try and figure out the why's and how's...just enjoy what it is.

A terrific film that actually requires some thinking by the audience. Great performances by Kathy Bates, who is letter perfect as Gertrude Stein (we even have Alice B. Toklas answering the door!) and especially Corey Stoll as Hemingway. And I will forever pronounce the artists name as Dal-EEE.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 06-19-2011, 09:45 PM:

saw this today over Landmark Bethesda - and it was alot of fun, great cast, really fun story, great dialogue in the Woody Allen tradition.

I also thought the digital intermediate tweaked imagery was very impressive - the color palette was very saturated and really conveyed Paris in all it's photogenic glory.