Woody Allen: poster boy or victim?

[Bella Fortuna]

I'm half way through Blue Jasmine right now.

I really disliked that film. Too much whining. I wanted to slap every single character. Also Allen's bizarrely stereotyped interpretation of "lower class" people is completely off-base. It was simply his standard New York characters in San Fran, and it did not fit at all - not to mention that none of them seemed real in the least. And Ginger's flat didn't seem like something she would live in. Just the whole thing was ridiculous and whinging. Lame.

[mistermack]

BTW, Love and Death is one of the best comedic films ever. Fact!

Never seen it. I hardly ever watch films. Or drama. Except for comedy.

Best film I ever saw was Superman. Best comedy and best drama. Apart from the weird stuff at the start. I thought it was a really funny film.

''Don't worry, I've got you'' ...... ''yes, but who's got YOU?''

Best line in any film ever.

[Bella Fortuna]

It's a pastiche and send-up of 19th-century Russian literature. If you don't know anything about that it might not be as funny, but it would still have moments. If you are familiar with the tropes and styles of Pushkin and the like, it's quite amusing.

[laklak]

I find most of his work whiny and contrived, and his usual ineffectual Jewish manchild character annoys the crap out of me, I just want to slap him. The huge exception is Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask, which was fucking brilliant.

[Tero]

It's a pastiche and send-up of 19th-century Russian literature. If you don't know anything about that it might not be as funny, but it would still have moments. If you are familiar with the tropes and styles of Pushkin and the like, it's quite amusing.

Crimeand Punishment would have made a better short story. In fact, nothing Dostoyevsky wrote was ever better than Gogol on a similar subject.

[mistermack]

If I had to choose an American film actor for comedy roles, it would have to be Steve Martin.

Roxanne was one of my favourites, it had me laughing till it hurt in some places, and the whole thing was great comedy.

[Tero]

I remember when he used to be funny. On live TV.

[orpheus]

BTW, Love and Death is one of the best comedic films ever. Fact!

I liked that one a lot.

My favorite of his is one that a lot of people hate: "Stardust Memories".

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I'm half way through Blue Jasmine right now.

I really disliked that film. Too much whining. I wanted to slap every single character. Also Allen's bizarrely stereotyped interpretation of "lower class" people is completely off-base. It was simply his standard New York characters in San Fran, and it did not fit at all - not to mention that none of them seemed real in the least. And Ginger's flat didn't seem like something she would live in. Just the whole thing was ridiculous and whinging. Lame.

There were places in the film where it was clear that Woody's words were being placed in other people's mouths. That has been a fault with a number of his recent films - there is always one (and often more than one) character that is clearly the WA foil. Overall though, I prefer that to the late 80s / early 90s where he played himself a few decades younger than he actually was! Watch Hollywood Ending if you don't know what I mean!

However, I think that this film is saved (and more than just saved) by Cate Blanchett's performance. The way that her face reflects every single emotion running through her character's brain is dazzling - she gives a simply perfect performance. The final reveal is well done and not telegraphed at all (although it's no surprise and fits in perfectly with the character study of Jasmine.)

I loved it. But then again, I like Allen's films in general and share his admiration for (and appreciate his attempts to follow on from) Bergman.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

BTW, Love and Death is one of the best comedic films ever. Fact!

I liked that one a lot.

My favorite of his is one that a lot of people hate: "Stardust Memories".

I first saw that in my 20s and thought... "WTF!" (although we didn't know how to abbreviate the phrase back in those days1 ) When I saw it again in my 40s, I saw what it was getting at and it made much more sense.

[DaveDodo007]

It's a pastiche and send-up of 19th-century Russian literature. If you don't know anything about that it might not be as funny, but it would still have moments. If you are familiar with the tropes and styles of Pushkin and the like, it's quite amusing.

Crimeand Punishment would have made a better short story. In fact, nothing Dostoyevsky wrote was ever better than Gogol on a similar subject.

I agree in fact I'm still pissed off with that religious freak who made him burn the second part of Dead Souls, cunt.