I Love Paris in the Fall.
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 11:59PM Jose here. Words can not describe how much I loved Midnight in Paris (and I mean it -- after having seen it three times in six days, I still haven't finished my review!) and today you lucky people in North America can have the privilege of watching it on the big screen again!
As part of what might be the year's kickstart to Oscar campaign season, the film is being re-released in the United States in order to take advantage of the word of mouth that has made the film perhaps the most beloved movie so far this year. It's also Woody Allen's biggest moneymaker and I kid you not, I've yet to attend a screening of it that isn't completely packed. People down here even applaud and cheer when the film ends!
In order to celebrate its re-release and to urge you to go see it in a movie theater (Blu-ray will not make justice to the warmth and magic that it exudes on the big screen) I'll go ahead and share what might be my favorite thing about it.
I don't know where Corey Stoll came from and what he did before, but he's perfect as a young, fiery Ernest Hemingway in the movie. He might give the film's most underrated performance but my favorite thing isn't how he possesses the exuberant allure of the iconic writer, but how every single actor in the film take Woody's words and make them their own.
No subject is terrible if the story is true, if the prose is clean and honest, and if it affirms courage and grace under pressure.
Like his actors, Allen too makes famous literary voices his own, the way in which he crafts words that sound both familiar and strangely "normal" and feeds them to his characters is altogether more surprising because instead of feeling like a total intellectual snobbery fest, the film is charming ebcause of its desire to share with us and invite us to become more familiar with these artists.
Midnight in Paris might have the Woodsman's most enchanting writing since the 80s and like The Purple Rose of Cairo and Manhattan before it, manages to turn the ordinary into pure poetic joy.
Anyway, before my love for it gets too out of control, I ask you: what was your favorite thing about Midnight in Paris?
Reader Comments (22)
I don't know anymore what stands out as my favorite thing. The film does a good job of not demanding much from me as an audience member except to watch a gorgeously photographed adult fairytale come to life. I love light Woody just fine.
You can't be serious. I lol'd at that line.
I liked all the scenes set in the past. But I have to admit I did not like the contemporary scenes as much and it astounds me that the film became so popular. Like many of the Allen's recent films I found it pretty slight. Just doesn't compare to his earlier work.
carol (paul's wife) + marion's expressive english
First, let me quickly say that Corey Stoll's performance was almost enough to make me a fan of Hemingway. He's great in this.
Second, my favorite part is still that first scene with Cole Porter at the piano and Gil slowly piecing together what's actually happening. I geeked out in new and unexpected ways. I haven't had that much fun spotting representations of celebrities since The Triplets of Belleville's opening scene.
3rtfu11's response is great - but Cotillard was definitely my favorite thing.
I thought the Hemingway scenes were hilarious! Corey Stoll was so pitch perfect it makes me sad he won't see any awards recognition. My other favorite cameos were Alison Pill and Adrien Brody.
I always struggle watching Woody’s films since I think they are talky films. But this one is so charming that when it ended I couldn’t believe how short I felt it was, contrary o my experience at home watching his old ones.
Marion’s presence is blinding me. But I think everyone in this film is really enjoying their own part, that’s what make this film works.
Owen Wilson's charms make the film...it's refreshing to see such a good-natured leading character. Owen will probably be at the Golden Globes this year.
And I don't know if anybody else noticed this...but Woody reallly emphasized Rachel McAdams' butt quite a bit...never realized she was so bootylicious.
Corey Stoll is really fantastic. I think my favorite moment is Hemingway's comma-free monologue about war and death when he picks Gill up from the corner. The delivery and writing of that scene are just perfect.
My other favorite thing about the film is a non-tangible element: I love the way I felt after both viewings. I felt blissful, inspired, and completely satisfied. I can only compare it to a great meal.
The opening montage.
Corey Stoll at any point in the film.
The first time you see Cotillard, smoking against an entryway.
The homage to 'Manhattan' with the montage of Paris in the beginning.
Allison Pill.
That moment Owen Wilson walks away from the bar, feverishly manic, excited by the prospect of magic existing in reality.
When Jean Cocteau is mentioned.
The brilliant, Oscar-Worthy cameo/perf by Adrien Brody.
The exchange between Gil and Bunuel. Perfection.
The Versailles scene, Owen Wilson as a young Allen, "cheap is cheap", Carla Bruni's character, the opening of the movie. Who could not love this movie???
Without question, my favorite thing was Corey Stoll. I kept hoping there'd be another scene with him every time one of his ended. He was just brilliant. And I also loved the complete surprise of Carla Bruni being such a wonderful screen presence. I really don't want to see a Cotillard campaign come Oscar season but I guess that's inevitable. I hope the major push is for Stoll.
Hi Nathaniel!
Corey Stoll (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1015684/), with his hair shaved, has been playing guest-star or minor roles on TV. Most prominently as one of the stars of the cancelled "Law & Order: LA." His film career has been restricted to action-type films, such as "Salt" and "The Number 23."
I thought Corey Stoll and Alison Pill were the standouts. I found everything set in the past to be very engaging. I found everything set in the present to be pretty grating and (in the case of Rachel McAdams' parents) incredibly lazy.
Allison Pill was absolutely exuberant but probably my FAVORITE part was Marion Cotillard. She was joyous and so multifaceted in that "muse" role. And of course, Mimi Kennedy was a riot as well!
Corey Stoll and Alison Pill by far.
Mimi Kennedy was better utilized in In The Loop. But how do you compare with THAT?
Oh, totally Mark. Kennedy was a treasure in 'In The Loop', but still so wonderful to see her having fun here as well. :)
As for the 'lazy characterizations', they're no more lazy than any supporting character in a Clint Eastwood film post-'Mystic River'.
I do admit I smiled when I saw Kennedy at first but I came out of it wishing she had given more meat to chew on, she was SO good with top notch material in In The Loop, it was just one of the unfortunate downsides of MiP. And paper-thin characterizations are nobody's best friend. :(
I agree that Stoll is wonderful here, but is his performance really "underrated"? Seems to me that most people I've read, or talked to, about the film single him out as a standout.
Much as I really loved the film, there's one thing that really got on my nerves. In most of Woody's later films, where he no longer plays the lead, one of the characters is his alter ego. This character will speak lines the we used to hear Woody saying, with his hypochondriac, low-esteem and dubitative discourse.
In this case that character is Owen Wilson´s. When the film started I thought the narrator's voice was actually Allen's. Nope. It was Owen WIlson doing a very good impersonation of Woody Allen. Is it necessary for the actors to imitate Allen (voice, body language, the works)? Can't they read the same lines their own way? To be quite honest, in this case I found it VERY distracting and even annoying to see Owen Wilson constantly pretending to be Woody Allen. With every other scene I didn't know if I was watching a film or a vaudeville impersionation act! It took away from fully enjoying the film. Regretfully, I don't think Allen will change this disturbing practice.