Wednesday Movie Night: Blue Jasmine (2013)

How people have responded to the movie is quite interesting. Some relate to Jasmine, the lead character, or others just plain hate her. Woody Allen though tells the story in his typical fashion, and it's another one to like in a long line of movies that he has made, and for others it will be a bit of a comeback after To Rome With Love was a flop with audiences and fans. Blue Jasmine though focuses on much of the same things that Allen movies do though including affairs and singleness. This time with a bit of mental instability through in.

Summary: Jasmine is a New York socialite who has arrived at her adopted sister's, Ginger, house to stay until she can get on her feet. With the recent loss of her husband and wealth her life is scrambled and now she is believing that maybe she can fall into the world of designing. Jasmine though has a destructive personality and her panic attacks hit at anytime, especially under deep stress. Ginger wants to help the only person she can call a sister, but she might drag Ginger down with her if she does.

240 of 1001 Movies: Manhattan (1979)

Before Midnight in Paris, many said that Manhattan was the last great Woody Allen movie made, which is pretty sad considering Manhattan was made only a little over a decade after his directing career started. I wouldn't know though as I've never seen anything of Allen's between the 90's and up till 2011. I do know that I have liked everything I've watched of his. Perhaps it's just the humor, or the way he portrays everyone as always growing in some ways in his movies that makes it alluring. He never sets out to make his characters look like good people, and they are selfish, but yet they become likable. Manhattan is set against the romantic backdrop of the city as one man tries to figure out his love life.

Summary: Isaac is a divorced New Yorker attempting to stop his ex-wife, Jill, from publishing a book about their failed marriage, and dating a high schooler, Tracy. He isn't feeling very satisfied in his relationship with Tracy, mostly because she is seventeen and he is unsure whether anything real can come of it. Instead his friend's mistress, Mary, catches his eye, and he begins hanging out with her all the while falling for her as well.

200 of 1001 Movies: Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

Did it out do my current favorite Woody Allen movies Midnight in Paris? Not quite, though it gives it a high run for it's money in my opinion. I just preferred the fantasy vibe of the other. Crimes and Misdemeanors really did surprise me. I had heard it was one of the better reviewed one, and there is a reason. It's not only pondering of life and relationships, but also the characters own morality and faith. It's one of Woody Allen's more ambitious movie.

Summary: Judah's life is unraveling when his mistress,Dolores, is fed up with hiding their relationship and wants to reveal it to his wife, Miriam. She may have underestimated how far Judah is willing to go to stop their relationship from being revealed on top of the things she knows about his business. In another story that is occurring throughout the movie, Cliff finds his marriage to Wendy suffering. The situation is worsened by her arrogant brother who has hired him to help make a documentary about himself, which he insist is to help Cliff's career. Cliff does find a benefit to doing the documentary though, and that is his growing feelings for his coworker, Halley.

Wednesday Movie Night: To Rome With Love (2012)

Not everyone can relate to artists, actors, and writers leaving in Rome can they? They can't, but one can dream I suppose. To Rome With Love is a visually stunning movie. With all the food and buildings popping with color. What may be difficult to get around is the characters who are difficult to relate to. The movie though does deal with Woody Allen's style in the heaviest. With plays on everyday fantasies and comical sayings by making them a reality. It'll probably be a movie only the heaviest Allen fan can like while others will be more focused on the confusion of the unexplained parts.

Summary: Several different characters are brought to Rome for different reasons. Antonio and Milly are newlyweds who are split apart for the day after Milly becomes lost in the city, it leaves Antonio on a date with a prostitute, and her with a huge Italian actor. Leopoldo finds fame unexpectedly when reporters focus on him as a new celebrity and follow his every move. There is also Jerry who finds that his daughter's new love's father has a talent for singing in the shower, and wants to have a play with him leading the opera. Then there is Jack who is caught between the new affection for his girlfriend's visiting friend, Monica.