As the microscopic film world on the web awaits the Cannes lineup, Variety’s Todd McCarthy gets a mini-scoop, the news that Clint Eastwood will be bringing his horror film, The Changeling, to Cannes. This is good news for everyone if Angelina is not too pregnant to attend. McCarthy reports that it will be Eastwood’s fifth film in competition after Pale Rider, White Hunter, Black Heart, Bird and Mystic River. More Cannes news as it presents itself. This film joins the latest Woody Allen movie, Vicki Cristina Barcelona (which looks horrible), as does the latest debacle with Evan Rachel Wood and Larry David. I love Woody, or, I loved Woody back when he made good movies. But let’s face it; it’s been a while. How can I tell just by a few photos? It certainly doesn’t look like he’s matured past his fetish yet. Erm.
“I can’t think of a single director who has only made movies ranging from good to masterpieces.” – Iggy
Iggs, we aren’t talking about one or two errant films like the wiz for Sydney Lumet or Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers for the Coens. We’re talking about more than a decade of sustained subpar work along the same lines as his former masterpieces. He’s continually churining out average to bad work at the rate of almost one film per year. His work now is literally a shadow of his former films. Personally, I consider “Bullets over Broadway” to be the last “real” Woody Allen film.
That said, there’s always hope. Maybe VCB will be a true breakout, rather than the false breakout that was “Match Point”.
It’s interesting how we judge movies comparing them to their directors previous works. I can’t think of a single director who has only made movies ranging from good to masterpieces.
I do it myself, I found Cassandra’s Dream so disappointing, it got on my nerves. However, I think Woody Allen is still making light entertainment pieces (Scoop, Manhattan Murder Mystery) and good movies (Match Point) which is more than what I can say about most directors.
I’m really curious about Vicky Cristina Barcelona, I just miss Oviedo in the title, once you have started a list of names, why not the other setting? Common, Woody, you’ve got a statue in the city! 😉
I can’t say I’m eager for this last one he’s shooting now, I have no reference of the actors previous works. And yes, this young woman + old man thing is a bit… repetitive, to say the least. It reached its highest peak (for me) in Husband and Wives with him dating Juliette Lewis’ character!
..and more time… *break it down* …. 🙂
“the message is sent in code/and you’re not even close….” 😉
So many smiley faces; I don’t know how to react. Should I attack or retreat? Can’t decide.
actually is cool is sasha is giving us the vibe she’s getting from each film. hell don’t we all have some ‘gut’ feelings on stuff ????
actually sasha, should never tell us how she feels about anything… 😉
when sasha views each and she likes…i’m sure she’d have no problem/conflicts telling us…. 🙂
and ryan you say Bimbo Lesbo Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo Barcelono like that’s a bad thing… 😉
i don’t know or care if the wood/david/allen movie is gonna be any good… but looking at those photos i’m likely gonna catch this in the theatres with is something i can’t say about uh…Cassandra’s Dream/Match Point. so maybe i’m the audience for this film. so evryone send your bad vibes to me…now channel them. 😉
I wonder what part of the selection process
took precedent…..
1. The Changeling is a good film
2. Eastwood directed it
or 3. Bard and Angelina will be on the red carpet at Cannes
My guess is 3….
Match Point was overrated, but still soared above other recent works in the Woody oeuvre. I’m inclined to be more hopeful about Vicki Christina Barcelona, mainly because I wish I lived in Barcelona (and if things don’t work out in November I’ll wish it even more.)
But I have to concur with Dr. Sasha. That still featuring Evan Rachel Wood and Larry David triggers too many levels of anticipatory nausea.
First of all, it’s more palatable when Woody Allen surrogates like John Cusack and Jason Biggs channel the best of Allen mannerisms and help us forget the creepiness. How much of a grody ol’ troll is Woody becoming for Larry David to be a step-up as stand-in? I’d rather Allen downplay the noodgy nebbishness shtick instead of ratcheting it up exponentially.
I like Evan Rachel Woods and Larry David a lot, so it takes a special perverse skill to have them appear together in a shot that makes me cringe. One the basis of this scene, it’s easy to imagine the premise and pitch: Smeagol meets Bratz Doll.
Also, I’m pretty weary of Woody Allen abducting the hottest actresses on the planet and trashing them up so they look like kitschy tramps.
Match Point had some class, but it’s looking more and more like a brief blip of brainy echo on the EEG instead of comeback. Woody Allen has been in a sadly vegetative state since Crimes and Misdemeanors.
I’ll be thrilled if Vicki Christina Barcelona proves me wrong, but I can’t help having the icky anxiety that it’s gonna be Bimbo Lesbo Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo Barcelono.
I was hoping he would do something a little more creative with Larry David. I love Larry David and I’ll probably see that movie just to see him. But yeah, besides Match Point, it seems like Woody Allen’s been in a decade-long slump.
Sasha, I am surprised at your negative thoughts on Woody Allen. Maybe he is not making the masterpieces of years ago but I have liked his recent films. And from what I’ve heard VCB is supposed to be good. So give it a chance.
Correction: It’s been a good 10 years since Allen gave us anything better than average. Match Point was entirely overrated. Just a tawdry thriller with cookie-cutter characters. Not up to Allen’s standard. I think he hasn’t given us anything worthwhile since Sweet and Lowdown, and even that’s a stretch.
Cassandra’s Dream: pffft.
Face it, Allen’s been awful to mediocre for a decade. Maybe this will break the trend, but I doubt it.
Wow, I’ll bet Brian Grazer is pleased. Cannes programmer Thierry Fremeaux must have felt Changeling delivered to put it in the competition slot. It’s not a horror movie though. That’s the George C Scott film from 1980 you’re thinking of. Eastwood has said the script for Changeling reminded him of the George Cukor/Ingrid Bergman film ‘Gaslight’ (1944). So think psychological mystery/thriller.
Eastwood’s movie supposed to be a mystery, not a horror film.
I also don’t get why you’re so stridently negative towards a couple of films which nobody knows next to anything about yet. Shouldn’t there at least have to be some sort of word on a film’s quality from somewhere before it can be branded a “debacle”? You honestly don’t think that a collaboration between Woody Allen and Larry David has the potential to be good? Or that a Woody Allen film with Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, and Patricia Clarkson has little potential of being good? He may not be as consistent as he once was, but the talent is still there. Match Point was only 2 films ago.
Dearest Sasha, what gives?
VCB looks horrible? Come on, it’s not like you to be so pre-emptive negative about a movie (unless it happens to be a creationsint fantasiography). And I thought you were excited about it too!
And the last time Woody made a good movie was “Cassandra’s Dream”. The last time he made a great movie was two movies ago give me a break.