DVD REVIEW: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

My 1st Woody Allen film was a little movie called "Annie Hall," Allen's Best Picture-winning film from 1977, which famously beat out the 1st "Star Wars" movie for the top prize. I don't agree with that choice, but the "little movie that could" was clever, a little snarky, but had some majorly good messages of love and how hard it is to keep relationships alive. "Midnight in Paris" keeps some of these themes, but does it in what I'm tempted to say is in an even better format.

"Midnight in Paris" was the first gem for me in 2011 cinema. The one movie I was fascinated by though was Terrence Mallick's "The Tree of Life," which sounded alot like last year's "Inception" in that people weren't really sure what it was about and when they left the theater they still weren't entirely sure what they saw. I respect and love movies that have that effect on people. "Tree of Life" was in limited release, so I'm hoping it will get wider distribution later.

Ever since about 2 weeks ago when I saw Allen's true masterpiece of a film "Hannah and Her Sisters," covering such topics as mortality, love, and who you're truly happy with, I've been on this Woody Allen kick, and realized (like every year) he's got a new one out in theaters right now. So why not go?

I'm so joyful I did. "Midnight in Paris" packs that Allen punch films these days just can't compare with. It's not overly hilarious, or maybe it is and the jokes flew over my head, but I think for the most part with my limited knowledge of art, I got most of it. Owen Wilson is a real revelation in "Midnight." He departs from his "Wedding Crashers" frat boy persona to play a displeased writer in a rocky relationship with his fiance, a beautiful woman with tastes higher than the stick up her behind. Her parents come off decent, but snobby. The movie really deals with alot of snobby people. It might be better titled "Smart People Talking About Things You Won't Get."

The film's plot (visiting various artists and historical figures when the clock strikes twelve in Paris) is a little absurd, but you go along with it as a love story forms, time travel is incorporated for all you sci-fi geeks, and once Gil gets used to switching from past to the present, the movie really kicks off. A gem inside a gem of a movie is Corey Stoll, who is Oscar nom worthy as famed writer Ernest Hemingway. Stoll plays him with great robust and charisma, and will undoubtedly go undeserved at the Oscars this year.

"Midnight in Paris" is a must see movie among all the loud explosions in your face; this quiet, subtle film is not only a stand-out among generic action movies (I'm looking at you, "Green Lantern") but a great addition to Woody Allen's already enormous filmography of masterworks. Watch this film and see how the pros really do it.

Rating: 3/4 stars