Midnight in Paris
Dir: Woody Allen
2011
****
I think 2011's Midnight in Paris is quite self-indulgent of Woody Allen, it certainly feels like it may be a personal film to him. This is a good thing in my book and the reason why it's so good and easily the best he's made since his last real self-indulgent film, Sweet & Lowdown. There are 3 different types of Woody Allen film; there's the all out comedy, the romantic comedy where the comedy is more subtle and the then there are the films he directs but doesn't star in, or at least, someone else plays him (in this case, Owen Wilson). Sometimes these cross over but when they work they really work, when they don't they are horrible. It's odd how someone can make such an awful film like You will meet a tall Dark Stranger one year, and Midnight in Paris the next, but what he has essentially done is mix the three main components of his films together and has eased off the stuff the audiences obviously don't like as much. I thought it was great, I loved it. I think his follow up should be a comedy biopic based on the life of Dali played by Adrien Brody, fat chance but wouldn't it be great!?