Café Society (2016)

[Cupid Stunt]

"I'm kind of half-bored, half-fascinated," Jesse Eisenberg's character says in a phone call ...

I know the feeling.

[WendyCR72]

Not a Woody Allen fan - even separate from his issues. I just never "got" his movies. Even the famed Annie Hall.

[Shriekingeel]

I liked the exquisite, impeccable sets and locations. Visually, it felt like a time machine trip into the late 1930s. 

I liked the callbacks to Radio Days, which I consider Woody's best film: the New Years countdown at the end, the wacky Jewish family of origin, the Woody narration. Except that there aren't any laughs in this. You can tell that the early scene with Anna Camp was supposed to be funny, but Woody has really has lost his fastball as far as comedy goes; there's nothing left. He can still make good films but only if they're very dark  dramas like Point Break and Cassandra's Dream. 

Clearly Woody was taken with Kristen Stewart. She is lit like a goddess in every scene and looks better than she's ever looked in a film. The usual KStew lip-biting mannerisms may annoy you, but I thought she was okay. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I liked it.  The first half kind of bored me, but the second half really swelled me up into it.  It's very romantic.  The costumes were heavenly; it's a really pretty film.   It's like a less impactful The Great Gatsby.  Much better than Magic in the Moonlight, which I thought was shit, and Irrational Man, which was just okay.  Not as good as Blue Jasmine, which I think is a perfect film.  I liked it better than Midnight in Paris but that is just a personal preference.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[SmithW6079]

Ugh. The only reason I saw this was because it's part of a film series at a local university for which I have tickets. I had no idea it was a Woody Allen film until I saw his name in the opening credits. I've refused to see anything he's made since he ran off with his stepdaughter 25 years ago. I'm also not a fan of Jesse Eisenberg. I find him too twitchy and annoying.

Visually, the film is beautiful, and there were scenes where I laughed (or at least smiled), but overall, it was bad. I also think that when there are too many "stars" in a film, it takes away from the movie -- you're watching the stars "act," not characters living their lives.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Bruce Willis was originally to play Steve Carell's part, which I find kind of interesting.  I don't know what I thought of Steve in that part, but then again, I thought Bruce was really atrocious on Friends so who knows if he would be an improvement.  Kristen was the standout of the film.

[GaT]

14 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

 I'm also not a fan of Jesse Eisenberg. I find him too twitchy and annoying

Does anybody else feel like Kristen Stewart & Jesse Eisenberg are just the male & female versions of the same person?