Wow--the James reference is even more spot on considering the next film (BARCELONA) is about Americans in Europe! Never thought of that.

Yeah, I seem to remember that too. I actually re-watched it a few days prior to posting it and seeing your name in the thread reminded me. It's a side of US/NY society that really fascinates me but which rarely gets much attention in its popular culture, at least now. Discussions around the topic here usually end with me urging you to write a book about it, simply so I can read it.

i loooove that movie for some strange reason, and i say it because i started as tom the socialist wanting to disapprove of and hate everyone in it, but couldn't help to find the characters a highly agreeable bunch of people. i particularly liked the nerdy friend with the glasses, the one who is constantly nerding up the conversation, and audrey of course, and nick (nick is the hardest to like because it's difficult to see his concealed goodness behind his cynical/shallow veneer).

in any case, if this is your first whit stillman movie, let me suggest you first watch the last days of disco and then continue with barcelona, because that's the correct chronological order of that universe, even though the movies were produced the other way around.

i posted a few days back i had watched and liked damsels in distress, which isn't up to par with his previous output but still is in spite of its involuntary campiness very enjoyable.

ps- ended up re-watching it just a little while ago, ha ha ha. so much fun.

Thanks for the recommendations. I've seen Last Days of Disco but wasn't aware it was by the same guy. I've never seen Barcelona although funnily enough I'll be in the actual city next week so I could watch it in preparation.

Anyway, another one I watched again the other day



Inglorious Basterds

2 1/2 hours of a filmmaker finally losing the plot completely. I'm generally quite a peaceful man but if Tarantino was ever in the room while I was watching either this, or Kill Bill I (I don't mind 2) or Death Proof, I honestly think I'd hit him. I haven't seen Django yet, but I will, because I think Tarantino was a great filmmaker and really want him to get back to being one and see no reason (other than his own infantile obsessions and ego, and those who indulge them) why he can't. He was never the saviour of cinema but with Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown he showed he had talent to burn. That the same guy who made those is now making stuff like Inglorious Basterds is a massive shame. That it seems like this is the kind of film he wanted to make from the beginning, is just depressing.

^ now that you know the characters from metropolitan, rewatch last days of disco and you'll notice cameos by audrey roget, sally fowler, fred, etc.,

dammit, now i want to re-watch that too.

barcelona might not be what you expect (i mean the movie, not the city) but i hope you enjoy it.

Di Caprio was great in it though.

Celebrity's one of the Woody Allen films I've not seen although I stopped really following what he was doing a while ago, probably after Deconstructing Harry, which I didn't hate but left me fairly indifferent. Everything I've read about his movies made after that seem to suggest he's been on a downward spiral ever since.

Really? Because many would say he's had a creative resurgence since "Match Point", and one of my favorites came after "Deconstructing Harry" which is "Sweet and Lowdown". I think maybe the movies he chooses not to act in these days are better, and he's been acting less and less and mostly just writing and directing. I guess he's hit or miss since he puts out so much.

I dare say you're right and I should give some of his more recent stuff a go. To be fair, though, there's only a few films from even his supposed golden era that I really like: Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Purple Rose of Cairo. That's about it. Was never a big fan of stuff like Bananas or Sleeper.

Anyway, just watched.



W.

Some great acting but it feels more like a sketch of a film than the thing itself.

sleeper is hilarious but it's also pretty dated, bananas was goofy in a good way but also very dated, what's up tigerlilly is unwatchable, etc.

however--- bullets over broadway came after his late 70s/early 80s golden era but it's still great (i think it was right before deconstructing harry).

from his new stuff i've loved midnight in paris, match point, sweet and lowdown, and... what else was there... oh, yes, barcelona! i mean vicki cristina barcelona. gorgeous cinematography on this one, a lush yellow palette. great cast too. plus, your trip!

Midnight In Paris is brilliant and it's certainly up there with his best. It's one of them films you find yourself watching with a silly grin on your face.

http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/sho...ighlight=woody

PARIS- I hated it. It was way too eager to please. Owen Wilson sucks. It's point was obvious very early on. etc.

ROME- I liked it. A lot actually. The stories all unfolded in unexpected directions. Watching it, I did something I haven't done in an Allen film for years and years and years: laugh a lot and enjoy myself. It's slight, but not brainless.

rome is celebrity yes? i liked it but i thought its points about celebrity were a little too telegraphed. loved the shower opera though-- this is reminiscent of both broadway danny rose (the agent of doomed acts) and zelig-- zelig because of the absurdity of the situations. damn, the first time i watched zelig i laughed so hard i had bellyaches-- hasn't fared so well in rewatches for me, but still that first time was tremendously memorable.

re: paris yes it's a bit of a sentimental movie but eh! and ellen page was great in it.

Shush you with your OUTRAGEOUS opinions.

That can go to both of you.

lol wut?

Midnight In Paris is delight and with that there is no room for any other opinion.

Sure SPOUT AWAY about how rubbish this is or how "luscious" that is but step...the hell away from Midnight In Paris.