Two different opinions of Woody Allen’s Vicky Christina Barcelona have come down the pike – both from bloggers, not actual critics, but maybe it is all one greasy soup now and only opinions matter. Here’s my thinking on that – a blog develops a trusted readership, much the way critics used to, and thus, the readers want to know what this bloggers thinks of a film. And they match this opinion along with the blogger’s previous opinions of films, much the way they used to with critics. And thus, blogger-critics are born. I am still not sure where it all sits with Oscar but I guess we’ll find out. Anyway, Kim Voynar at Cinematical says this:
That’s the basic story, but there’s so much more in between the lines that I won’t reveal, so as not to spoil the joys of discovering them in the film for yourself. Suffice it to say that Allen has created one of his best works in years, a film that is funny, philosophical, and imaginatively explorative of the meaning of love and desire. Cruz turns in a performance that’s better, even, than her Oscar-nominated turn in Volver; her Maria Elena is on-the-edge crazy, but is also very funny and engaging.
So maybe we’re looking at another nod for Cruz. We have yet to see if 2008 will be a wasteland for actresses, as it was last year. Maybe this is a good sign. Over at Hollywood-Elsewhere, Jeff Wells thought the film was so bad it was like a parody of a Woody Allen film and he even suggests that maybe Allen was doing that on purpose (and if so, high five) to parody himself (really, Woody should do that – though he did do that in Stardust Memories. Sort of.) But Wells does single out both Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem as lighting up the screen ad libbing their Spanish:
The only parts of Woody Allen‘s Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Weinstein Co., 8.29) that feel truly alive and crackling are the Spanish-language scenes between Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. These two, portraying a pair of tempestuous, self-obsessed painters whose marriage has fallen apart due to an overload of heat and impulse and Spanish vinegar, are dynamite together. They create spark showers when they rage and taunt and rekindle their mutual hunger and disharmony. Cruz, especially, is electricity itself. When she loses her temper, it’s sheer bliss.
He also complains that there are no naked breast shots in the film – after all, he (HE) has a reputation to uphold. Perhaps he wrote to Allen’s publicist and asked for a few test shots of the naked Johansson and Cruz in exchange for a decent review? Just kidding. Not trying to stir the pot, just making a joke. Ahem.
leo I think we can all agree that given the cast, the lack of nudity is a real let down. At least a backside shot.
jeff wells is creepy.
I’m glad there’re no boobs in it, actually. That would have been creepy on Woody Allen’s part.
Oddly Mixed Reviews? Geez, you really don’t like this film, do you? You seem to hate it so much you ignore 98% of the reviews are very positive if not rave reviews. (Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Screendaily, etc)
Wells is the only bad review so far.
It is far from the same soup. You wish…
The title it really misleading. Snobby Welles is the only really negative critic. I knew that this would be a hit. The chemistry between Bardem and Cruz must be sizzling! I hope that they make more films together.
And, yes, Tufas Cholera is so much better than the reviews.
I’m glad its turning out good for VCB; (I told u so)
Anyway, FINALLY saw Love In The Time Of Cholera today (thats how long some movies take to get here) and it is not even close to as bad as people painted it. Not a five-star movie, but Javier Bardem and Benjamin Bratt do justice to their roles. The women on the other hand, overact in every scene, especially the lead.
Yes I know, a but unrelated, but there goes
Come on Vicky! Don’t take 6 months to premiere
Yeah, so far Wells has been the only strongly negative review I’ve read, and every Wells review has to be analyzed with a caveat along the lines of: “Come on, it’s Well.”
I wouldn’t call it surprising that the first set of reviews are mixed. I’d have been surprised if they were overwhelmingly positive or negative.
I agree with cc…may be you should think about changing the topic title….
From the 20 reviews I´ve read in American and French media, 95% agree that this is Woody Allen´s best movie in years….the actors are great and the movie is funny and enjoyable….as a sample the review at Variety:
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is a sexy, funny divertissement that passes as enjoyably as an idle summer’s afternoon in the titular Spanish city. With Javier Barden starring as a bohemian artist involved variously with Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz and Rebecca Hall, pic offers potent romantic fantasy elements for men and women and a cast that should produce the best commercial returns for a Woody Allen film since “Match Point.” And, in the bargain, if Barcelona wants even more visitors than it already attracts, this film will supply them.”
Positive reviews as well at Cinematical, Fox, Time, TimeOut, Emanuel Levy, Screendaily or Hollywood Reporter…
so…mixed reviews?….misleading!
Hmm, just to clear up something before it gets missunderstood, when I wrote “How is Jeffrey Wells’ a critic again? And why does get attention?” I wasn’t attacking the poster because his name/lame opinion was mentioned, it’s just a general complaint against the ”critic” in question. 🙂
“He also complains that there are no naked breast shots in the film”
How is Jeffrey Wells’ a critic again? And why does get attention? And does he know anything about film other than analysing a movie’s success or failure by its box-office potential and pretending to know a lot because he knows a few insiders and has visited one or two movie sets?
And why is he complaining about this? Is the pay-per-view porn in his hotel room so expensive? AWFUL.
What a f*cktard.
The reviews for this movie have been overall far better than for Blindness, another movie with “mixed reviews”. Good notices from Variety, Screendaily and Time Magazine, among others. A few nay-sayers here and there, but the ratio of yays to nays is far more favorable than most recent Woody films.
Two bits of advice: a). Change the topic title. It’s misleading. And b) wait for more than two reviews before you decide a consensus has been reached.
Richard Corliss at Time Magazine gives it a rave. 🙂