Midnight in Paris DVD

I've been a fan of Woody Allen for a long time. He never fails to surprise and delight me with the range of talents and ideas that he brings to his work. And there are so many movies that he's directed, written and/or starred in to enjoy!  

                            

 Midnight in Paris is no exception. I loved (almost) everything about this movie.

It has a story with a timeless message. We can be happy wherever we are. Life is what we make of it, right here and right now. Seeking happiness in other places (and in the case of the main character in this story: other eras) never really lasts. But what a fun trip it was to go on, watching this story unfold.

Visually, this movie is such a treat. The beauty of Paris portrayed in the present and from the perspective of the 1920's is breathtaking. There is a dreamy quality to this film throughout.

Loved the costumes and the mesmerizing musical score too. My kind of music....classical jazz and Cole Porter, play on! 

Life is but a dream for the lead character Gil (Owen Wilson). Night after night... wishes granted. Visiting legendary haunts with some of his literary idols from the past, Gil is transported to another time and place. And a place in time that he doesn't really want to come back from to face the problems in his own 21st century life including a fiancee and in-laws that leave much to be desired.

There is also a sadness to this story. Not just the voice but also the heart and soul of Woody Allen come through the main character's thoughts and words. It is obvious that there are personal memories woven into many scenes of this film. Maybe some "could have beens" and perhaps regrets for him too. It made the movie even more memorable and touching for me. I teared up a time or two watching and considering Woody Allen's mindset as the final cut rolled. 

The only negative for me. Some of the acting was a bit "stilted" for lack of a better word when it came to present-day interactions between Owen Wilson and his fiancee in the movie Rachel McAdams. I found some of the dialogue and interaction between these two characters a bit over the top at times, tedious...I was always happy when the story slipped back into the world of the 1920's and Gil's vivid imagination.

This is an escape and "feel good" movie of the very best kind.

I could imagine seeing this movie in a big old theatre. The kind that still has chandeliers, velvet seats and heavy drapes on the stage. For a matinee performance, even better. Stopping in for a break from a busy city street and day. That would really enhance the experience. It's just that kind of film.

                          

From the Amazon product page:

"Paris is a city that lends itself to daydreaming, to walking the streets and imagining all sorts of magic, a quality that Woody Allen understands perfectly. Midnight in Paris is Allen's charming reverie about just that quality, with a screenwriter hero named Gil (Owen Wilson) who strolls the lanes of Paris with his head in the clouds and walks right into his own best fantasy. Gil is there with his materialistic fiancée (Rachel McAdams) and her unpleasant parents, taking a break from his financially rewarding but spiritually unfulfilling Hollywood career--and he can't stop thinking that all he wants to do is quit the movies, move to Paris, and write that novel he's been meaning to finish. You know, be like his heroes in the bohemian Paris of the 1920s. "

"At age 75--with more than 40 films under his belt--Allen has created a film that literally glows. Its dazzling cinematography, inventive plot, and Parisian score, combined with the top-notch acting and set-design, makes for an almost-perfect film, one that's not only clever and thought-provoking, but also entertaining and accessible--even to mainstream audiences."

"Refreshing break from melting buildings, crumbling sidewalks, 50 car pileups, crude, rude humor and stacks of shot up bad guys. A breath of fresh air."

Here, here on that last quote!!!

If you enjoy romance and nostalgia at it's best. Perhaps dream of Paris now and from days gone by? And if you love to be transported by a story (sans the guts and gore!) you won't want to miss: Midnight in Paris.

It is a departure from most stories/films created by Woody Allen, but in a good way.

And if you've never been a Woody Allen fan, this might be the one that changes your mind.

Overall rating for this DVD: Very Good. 4 out of 5.