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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

If it's bad, I'll hate it. If it's good, then I'll be envious and hate it even more.

I think, at times, my wife wishes she was born in another era. Not one where I don't exist you clever bastard, but maybe more like the late 50's to early 60's - something like that. She often enjoys a good Doris Day/Rock Hudson screwball type-love story and romanticizes about a simpler time. I get it, but I don't necessarily agree. I'm more of the guy who thanks God I was born when I was, especially considering the way things are today. If I had to wear girl pants and like awful music to fit in, I might have to kick my own ass. I appreciate other eras, but look back fondly to my own. My first concert was Vanilla Ice. That's as awesome as it is horribly unfortunate.

Midnight in Paris is Woody Allen's look at whatever it is that people refer to as the Golden Age. Our main character, Gil (fantastically played by Owen Wilson), is a writer in love with the 1920's. He and his fiancee are on a trip to Paris where Gil falls in love - first with the city, and eventually with much more. I'm not the world's biggest Woody Allen fan (I've liked everything I've seen, I just haven't seen that much), but I honestly loved this movie. Yes, it made me feel like an uncultured moron more than I'd like to admit, but that didn't dampen my enjoyment. Gil is such a good-natured guy. Usually those types are dopey losers, but Gil is actually really successful. Despite that success, I saw a lot of myself in him. I'm not sure how to explain it (I'm literally shrugging at the keyboard).

I know this film has garnered many positive reviews, so I'm not going out on a limb by gushing over it. But I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people found it kind of dull. When we finished it I turned to my wife and gave her the that was so good, right? look and she returned it with a it was okay wrinkle of the nose. Let's just say it wouldn't be the first time that exchange happened in these parts. Yeah...

Paul (left) is such a know-it-all doucher.
There were so many tiny exchanges in this movie that I happily devoured it makes me want to watch it again immediately. Gil sort of willingly takes everyone's shit but doesn't let it derail his pursuit of pleasure and happiness. I think most of the characters in contemporary times (oh, this is a time travel movie, by the way) think he's an idiot. They talk to him like he's a child, really. It doesn't seem to bother him that much, either - which I love. He just keeps on doing his thing.

Well, I'm going to keep doing my thing with another Yays and Boos list, grass-is-always-greener style.

Dude loves him some rhinos.
Yaaaaaaay!
  • Paris is beautiful. I know, surprise! But two minutes in, I was in love.
  • Hemingway. So intense. A true badass.
  • Brody shows up briefly, but is really funny. Is it possible to not like this guy? (rhetorical)
  • When Hemingway asks Gil if he hunts and Gil replies, "Only for bargains." Brilliant.
  • Marion Cotillard. Breath-taking.
  • The end. It's predictable, but perfect.
  • Um, just about everything else. Except...
It's not cheating if it's in another zip code, but...
Booo!
  • ...Rachel McAdams' character, Inez. I never for a minute bought that she loved her fiance. Shit, I don't think she really liked him. Bitch.
  • Paul. You're a dick, but I learned what pedantic means. Thanks for that.
  • How stupid I am. All these great people show up and I realize how I know nothing of history and should lock myself under a bridge away from intelligent people.
Okay, I've been sitting on this review since Saturday (my wife and I started this at 11:30pm, which in parent time is like, just shy of four in the morning for you cool kids) so I feel like the passion has waned a bit. Regardless, check this one out. Best Picture worthy? I'll get back to you...I still haven't seen Ghost Rider 2.

2 comments:

  1. Completely agree, Hemingway is awesome, McAdams is always good at playing bitchy characters, despite being a darling in real life [at least that's what interviews tell me, I don't ACTUALLY know her]. I too googled 'pedantic' and now currently use it in daily conversation. I used to throw the word pretentious around a lot, but pedantic is a wee bit more on the money when it concerns that type of person. And I too feel as though I'm missing out on tons of nit pick and tiny tributes because I'm not a history/literature buff. But truth be told, you don't need to be to really love this movie.

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  2. It's almost creepy, the bit about pretentious/pedantic. You basically read my mind on that one.

    Well played, good sir.

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