Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen, 2011)

[tabuno]

After an insufferable experience having to force myself to watch this detached, unbearable disaster of a movie on DVD finally, Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris is easily the most overrated and highly praised movie that doesn't deserve such laurels. Many of the performances are wooden and the basic time travel fantasy theme is badly introduced and the introduction of so many ludricious movie gimmicks and devices make suspending my disbelief in order to enjoy this fantasy movie impossible. Wood Allen has taken his past success to his head and turned this movie into some sorry parody of his cerebral and philosphical mental dialogue and transported them onto the written page of his screenplay and then subsequently on the movie screen without allowing his talented actors and actresses to really perform.

Straight off, I couldn't believe why Owen Wilson's oblvious, monotone character could even be engaged to such a detached fiance much that his character would have the ability to ever write anything of literature value or interest. Wooden Allen never allowed for the ambiance of Paris nor his many, too many, famous characters much in the way of authenticity, offering most of them mere cameos such that there really wasn't an opportunity to become excited with the immersion into the unfolding of the richness and paradox of the future meeting the past. There are so many movies, many of them mainstream that in comparison, this movie is one of only two "terrible" movies I've from 2011. I'm sorry to have spent money and time watching it.

[I've searched three time on this discussion board back to February 2011 and found no related thread on this movie].

[Chris Knipp]

Sorry you didn't enjoy it. Maybe if you had watched it in Paris, as I did! The atmosphere was right there. It was the opening night film at Cannes and opened in Paris the same night in 15 theaters, and the critics raves (Allociné 4.2, extremely high). I rewatched it in New York a couple months ago and still liked it, though Oscar was not impressed. I don't know where he expressed his disapproval but it was here somewhere.

My Paris review is here. (http://www.filmleaf.net/showthread.php?3065-PARIS-MOVIE-REPORT-%28May-2011%29&p=26196#post26196)

[tabuno]

The opening “travelogue” sequence, especially the music, seems to be imprinted with Woody Allen. It’s quick, snappish shots almost become overly lavish and quick to the point of boredom because it’s impossible to soak up the colors, the rhythm, or experience of Paris. It's as if Woody Allen had super-imposed his New York-style cinematography upon the Paris landscape. This sequence of shots almost seems more of an intellectual see me what I can do experience. It isn't until the use of the changing weather to rain to the clean aftermath and the oncoming darkening evening shots that some connective tissue or meaningful pattern is introduced to justify the rapid snap shots of almost random locations. Of course, Wooden Allen ensured that most of the must-see, famous tourist sites were included. Personally, I wonder what an alterative opening sequence had been like if Woody Allen had incorporated fewer but longer immersive shots. I had hoped for a more creative, immersive and immediate sensation of the changing of weather and time, editing that had a more smooth and transformative feel of the authentic nature and the rhythm of Paris as if one were actually among the glistening sidewalks, listening to the rain drops, or smelling of the baking of French bread.

[Chris Knipp]

I didn't like the opening sequence the first time but when I saw the film again it worked okay.