Woody Allen’s latest film, Wonder Wheel, stars Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Justin Timberlake and Juno Temple.
Set on Coney Island in the 1950s, Timberlake plays a lifeguard who tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator and his wife.
Winslet is the main reason I’ll be watching. I’m also curious about whether Wonder Wheel has what it takes to challenge the place of my favourite Woody Allen Movie, Blue Jasmine (2013). I’m thinking no. But we’ll see.
Café Society (2016), Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg
It’s generally understood that Hollywood films about Hollywood tend not to do well at the box office. I’d only been aware of this phenomenon anecdotally. That all changed once I watched Hail, Caesar! (2015), a movie that I, along with many others did not love.
I’m yet to see the most recent Hollywood film about Hollywood. Namely Warren Beatty’sRules Don’t Apply (2016), but I know that it also didn’t do particularly well upon release.
The most recent Hollywood movie about Hollywood I’ve watched is Woody Allen’sCafe Society (2016). I took my time to watch this one for the reasons stated above. It was my love for Allen’s Blue Jasmine (2013), my favourite of his films, curiosity about Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart’s acting that made me finally tune in.
Cafe Society isn’t one of Allen’s most raved about films. Still, if I had to choose between it and Hail, Caesar! (2015), the latter absolutely would not win, except that the costumes in Hail, Caesar! are more fun.
I wasn’t in love with the ending of Cafe Society and I admit to largely losing interest when one or two of the main characters shows up again towards the end; something to do with my general ‘liking’ Blake Lively’s character, perhaps.
Somehow, I did manage to make it to the film’s conclusion, a rather anticlimactic end I might add. As pleasing as that ending might be to Allen and everyone else, I felt, for want of a better phrase, ‘left in limbo‘.
Performance-wise, Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart were fine but I loved Steve Carell and Parker Posey more. My favourite thing about Cafe Society is the colour filter and the music. I’m just glad that the film didn’t prove to be a waste of my time to the levels of Hail, Caesar! (2015). I wouldn’t say that ‘You simply must see it! You must!’ because I only found it just OK overall.
Woody Allen; writer/director of Blue Jasmine (2013), one of my favourite films is back.
Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Blake Lively are the stars of Café Society, a film set in the 1930s about a young man who moves to live and work in Hollywood.
Having just recently watched the unfortunate disappointment that isHail, Caesar! (2016), I don’t know about seeing yet another movie about Hollywood from way back when. I may end up liking this, one can only hope, wait and see.
Cate Blanchett is the star of what is now confirmed as my favourite Woody Allen film, Blue Jasmine. Her performance is fantastic; a brilliantly captivating portrayal of a desperate woman very much on the edge – if not hanging directly off of it.
As Jasmine continues to struggle, you’ll find yourself silently willing for her to make it through. Even though she’s not exactly the most likeable character. Nevertheless, her predicament isn’t especially uncommon and nobody wants to be in her situation.
It’s interesting how the screen is filled with what looks like the most glorious sunshine, when ‘bright and breezy’ is far from what’s going on in the lives of the characters in this very well-written and excellently paced film.
Blue Jasmine (2013) Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin
Watch Blue Jasmine because there is so much useful information about life and particularly, why it can be ill-advised to take a detour from your well thought out plans – and far too hastily.
Watch it to understand the reason Woody Allen is a film making hero for so many, and why Cate Blanchett is an absolute gift and arguably Australia’s equivalent of Meryl Streep.
Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale and Sally Hawkins do a good job as the well-chosen supporting cast.
The Movie My Life 