Woody Allen sessions for Cold Rainy days
[In California]
“Annie Hall: It’s so clean out here.
Alvy Singer: That’s because they don’t throw their garbage away, they turn it into television shows.”
“Paul: Nostalgia is denial – denial of the painful present… the name for this denial is golden age thinking – the erroneous notion that a different time period is better than the one one’s living in – it’s a flaw in the romantic imagination of those people who find it difficult to cope with the present.”
“Jasmine: Anxiety, nightmares and a nervous breakdown, there’s only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming.”
“John: And you buy into her bullshit because she seems to know all the right things to say. She knows names, she knows buzzwords, she knows certain cultural phrases that imply that she knows more than she does.”
Christopher “Chris” Wilton: The man who said “I’d rather be lucky than good” saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It’s scary to think so much is out of one’s control…
Juan Antonio: We are meant for each other and not meant for each other. It’s a contradiction.
O cinema do Woody Allen tem uma assinatura, histórias em que as personagens, regra geral, se dividem entre free spirits, céticos, arrogantes, leigos e neuróticos, enredos que vão, constantemente, dar ao mesmo tema: insatisfação crónica. No último filme que vi do realizador, “Magic in the moonlight”, pareceu-me que o ator Colin Firth interpreta na perfeição o papel de Woody Allen. Passo a explicar, a descrença em Deus e em relação ao amor e a arrogância do personagem parecem-me auto-biográficas. Portanto, há em todos os filmes do autor um woody Allen que vai para além da sua presença. Aliás, tenho a sensação que ainda há pouco tempo, esta mesma personagem, era um pouco mais velha, e fazia parte doutra história, “Whatever Works”.
Pequenas histórias que saem duma grande mente, desenrolam-se como uma crítica à sociedade, geralmente representadas por uma classe média alta. O Tchekhov do século XXI, com um humor refinado, tem em todas as suas histórias maravilhosas analogias à arte e à literatura, neste contexto, um dos mais recentes filmes do realizador é uma delícia – “Midnight In Paris”.
No filme “To Rome with Love”, está presente uma das mais necessárias críticas à atualidade, os 15 minutos de fama e os cantores de chuveiro são representados por um elenco de luxo na bonita cidade de Roma com o exímio humor do autor/realizador. O escritor não se deixa ficar pelas palavras, há um perfeccionismo que deixa rasto em tudo o que toca, desde a banda sonora à fotografia.
Eu sou suspeita no que diz respeito ao Woody Allen, não me cabe em palavras o quanto gosto de todos os filmes dele, uns mais do que outros, claro, e não tenho nada contra esta nova era de Woody Allen que monta histórias nas mais bonitas cidades da Europa. Mas confesso, não há nenhum filme dele, nem nenhuma personagem, que supere a Annie do “Annie Hall”, considero-a das personagens mais bonitas que existe na história do cinema.
Movies (Woody Allen sessions):
Annie Hall (1977) Rating IMDB 8.2
Midnight in Paris (2011) Rating IMDB 7.7
Blue Jasmine (2013) Rating IMDB 7.3
To Rome with Love (2012) Rating IMDB 6.3
Match point (2005) Rating IMDB 7.7
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) IMDB 7.2
(Clica no filme e vai ao IMDB para mais informações)
(Click on the movie and go to IMDB to get more information)
Woody Allen has his own signature. Usually he makes stories about free spirits, skeptics, arrogants and neurotics. The plots always end up being about the same theme: chronic dissatisfaction. The last movie I saw, “Magic in the moonlight”, I think the actor Colin Firth played Woody Allen perfectly. Let me explain, the scepticism about God and love and the arrogance of the character seem to be self-biographical. Therefore, there is in every Woody Allen’s movie a Woody Allen that goes beyond his presence. Actually, I have this feeling that not too long ago, this same character was a little older, and he was part of another story, “whatever works”.
Little stories that come out of a great mind, critiques to society, usually represented by an upper middle class. He is the Chekhov of this century, with a refined humor, he puts wonderful analogies about art and literature in all his stories, about this, one of the latest films from the director is a delight – “Midnight In Paris”.
In the movie “To Rome with Love”, he shows one of the most needed critiques to society, the 15 minutes of fame and shower singers are played by an amazing cast in the beautiful city of Rome with the eminent humor of the writer / director. Woody Allen’s talent isn’t limited to words, there is a perfectionism that leaves trail on everything he touches, from the soundtrack to the photography.
I can’t put into words how much I love Woody’s movies, and I have nothing against this new era which is about him making stories happen in the most beautiful cities of Europe. Although I have to confess, there isn’t a Woody Allen’s movie, nor any character that comes close to be as good as Annie from “Annie Hall,” I consider her one of the most beautiful characters ever made in the history of cinema.
Tom: Either she’s an evil, emotionless, miserable human being, or… she’s a robot.
Anita & The Blog 