Sweet and Lowdown: A film review

 - Vancouver, British Columbia - In 1969, Woody Allen directed the runaway hit Take The Money and Run, wherein United Artists snapped him up and gave him a contract that allowed him to direct a series of films with almost complete creative control. Allen, a jazz enthusiast, submitted a script called The Jazz Baby that starred himself as a guitarist in the 1930s. UA read the script and balked at it – it wasn’t the comedy they were expecting, but a dramatic period piece. They told him they weren’t interested in pursuing that piece, and Allen continued with comedies.

Click to read more ...

To Rome with Love: A film review

 - Vancouver, British Columbia - After the success of last year's Midnight in Paris, it appeared that Woody Allen was back in the game as a writer and director. Generally speaking though, Allen has always been able to make the films he wanted and as often as he desired, but his vision hasn't always aligned with an understanding embrace from the critics. Personally, I've grown to really enjoy his style of film, which is often dialogue heavy and character driven, more so than situation or action driven. He has an amusing sense of humour that is invested into each of his films, which is light and far from overwhelming. Yet with his characters, though I enjoy them, they never seem to resemble true life very closely, but look more like archetypes that we are all familiar with in film. To Rome with Love looks and feels to be a hallmark Woody Allen picture with all of this to be found within.

Click to read more ...

Midnight in Paris: A film review

 - Vancouver, British Columbia - In many films, cities serve as little more than the background to a story, or perhaps even worse, the city or locale is not even learned by the viewer. Cities like New York City, Los Angeles, London, and Paris are the types of cities that many of us have preconceived notions about, or if we have been to them, we forever have memories that are stirred up when we revisit those cities in film, photo, or discussion. Woody Allen's most recent film (and his 41st film at that) focuses in on Paris, a city that I adore and have visited probably at least eight times now. I had my own ideas about Paris from my travels there and admittedly was a little curious to see how a revered American director would highlight the city.

Click to read more ...