Movies

Woody Allen's imagination is endless. Once again he manages to captivate with this very smart and subtle tale of interrelated stories while delivering a very strong punch of social critique. If you are an Allen's fan you will like it, if not... don't bother. This is only a movie for the initiated.

Full of memorable moments - the opening use Beethoven with the word HELP in the sky; the cameos by narcissistic stars, the protagonist losing his manuscript, the premiere of the film we saw being shot at the start. The central divorce and how the protagonist becomes self-obsessed almost as a byproduct of the celebrity culture he is surrounded by, hits home. A fine film, reminiscent of Fellini La Dolce Vita, but lighter and less preachy.

Celebrity (1998) Woody Allen accomplishes what Bob Altman attempted in Ready to Wear: showing lots of movie stars and model types acting like, well movie stars and model types. Pretty boy Leo DiCaprio has a good turn as a hotshot, teen throb amidst orgies and dramatic posturing. Lots of selfish, crude behavior on the part of everyone makes this a veritable "How to Succeed in Hollywood" movie, though I wonder if that was Woody's intention.