Frank DeMartini: ‘Midnight in Paris’ Review: Self Indulgent and Anti-Conservative
The headline: pan or paean? Apparently the main character's fiance's parents are conservative, and fun is had at their expense, which has never happened in a movie before. But here is another reason not to like it:
There is not much more I can say without giving the major plot twist away. However, I will say that the majority of jokes and dialogue require the viewer to have a strong background in the material. Anything short of that will leave the viewer perplexed and completely out of touch with the plot. In fact, when I saw the film, there were many jokes where only about five people in the audience were laughing hysterically. The remainder of the sold-out crowd just didn’t get it.
This is where the elitism and self-indulgent nature of Woody Allen shines. If you are not part of the inside joke and well aware of the literary and artistic references throughout, you will be lost. And, this, unfortunately, will be what kills this film commercially. It will play very well in intellectual centers and areas where elitism shines. But the mass general public throughout the world will almost definitely never see it.
Yes, you have to KNOW STUFF to get the jokes. How much more elitist and anti-conservative can you get? NONE MORE CAN YOU GET. I might go so far as to say that this Woody Allen film - as opposed to the Woody Allen films in which it was advantageous to know absolutely nothing - is for BOOKISH NERDS. How long can he sustain his career after such a sharp turn away from his audience of processed-cheese-food-eating NASCAR-loving hicks?
20 comments:
paen
Can I sell you a vowel?
I am advised that "Love and Death" is based on a Russian novel that no-one reads.
Oh dear. The knowing-stuff post is RUINED like a, a, soufle.
If Woody Allen really wanted to go all highbrow and in-joky in a movie he could base it on a Swedish movie but change the title to a Shakespearean reference.
only about five people in the audience were laughing hysterically
Tough crowd tonight.
like a, a, soufle
Memo to self: do not play Scrabble with cheating cheater McGravitas.
only about five people in the audience were laughing hysterically
Conservatives who hoped that they were laughing in the right places.
THEY'RE ALL GONE!!!
BwaAAHAHAHhhaHAHhaHHHAHha!!ones!LOL!!HAHAHH!
POOP.
~
Was this the first Allen film Frank had ever seen? I think it's safe to say that just about every movie Allen has made has been self-indulgent. In fact, the early portion of his career seemed to consist entirely of making movies where he played the lovably self-absorbed, neurotic nerdy guy who somehow gets all the cute girls. I mean, I love a lot of these films. But, sheesh, this guy writes like he's not familiar with Allen's shtick at all.
Shorter Frank DeMartini: "I am a troglodyte."
Damn, I can remember when conservatives were the snobs.
Maybe Woody Allen movies should come with subtitled footnotes. That way if someone didn't know what was going on they could ask a friend to read them aloud.
LAUGH TRACKS.
Laugh-track headphones, like 3D glasses but to help the comedy perceptions.
Take your blackberry so you look stuff up on Wikipedia.
"So I guess, that's unrealised sexual tension humour, there. Heh heh."
Or a laugh track and a red dot on the screen
paen
Can I sell you a vowel?
Is it wrong I got a little excited when I read this? It's awesome not being the one corrected FOR ONCE. Also, HA HA!!!
I got 30 points out of it later in the evening, so it was good.
With PAEAN? Those mustve been some primo spots on the board.
(2xP+4)x3
Home Inspector Expert not at all impressed with your use of the triple word score. Must be thinking of the Romantic period.
Bye bye expert.
If expert is interested in Romantic literature he should check out your next post.
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