A Midnight magical feast!

Rating: 10/10 (11 June 2011)

I would encourage every cinema lover to take a stroll and walk into Woody Allen's latest gem "Midnight in Paris". Woody's 7,204th film (OK OK maybe he has not helmed that many) is an elegant nostalgic film that mentally transports you to another time & place; and isn't that what movies are primarily supposed to do! It's also an admirable love letter to the "city of lights" which will illuminate Paris to those who love Pari and even to those who have marked the city off their "favorites" map. Even if you're an "anti-Pari", how could you not want to visit Paris after a viewing of "Midnight"! So before it gets to midnight, let me not prolong this review any more and cut to the narrative chase. Owen Wilson stars as Gil, a disillusioned but successful Hollywood screenwriter working on a nostalgic novel, and who also longs to live in Paris. Californian Gil and his girlfriend Inez visit Paris on a leisure trip, and also occasionally meet with fellow Paris travelers John & Helen; who happen to be Inez's parents. Inez is a looker of a girlfriend for Gil but does not encompass the literary free-spirit and nostalgic demeanor that he possesses. She is also a domineering complainer who does not respect Gil's artistic passions. Gil is into the past, most notably the Golden Age of the 1920's including many of the artistic & literary legends that came out of that period. While in Paris, Gil is uninterested in spending time with Inez and her judgmental parents. To make matters worse, Gil also despises Paul, who is a supercilious American friend of Inez who also happens to run into Gil & Inez in Paris travels. Consequently, Gil decides to take solo walking strolls of Paris; and what he ends up encountering is beyond a "blast from the past" in the streets of Paris. To detail Gil's "media noche" Paris encounters would be an exercise of futility, because it does require a "see it for yourself" experience. I will however provide a Midnight clue: if you are a literary and art aficionado of the Golden Age, you are going to definitely think those scenes struck gold. There were hardly any hysterics in "Midnight Paris", and I am glad that there wasn't because that would have taken away from the film's magical magnitude. Woody Allen masterfully scribes & directs "Midnight in Paris" with lively ingenuity and sheer stylishness. Woody might be a little "French fried" by showcasing Paris a bit too often, but it actually plays well within the film's premise and narrative; and last I checked, the movie is called "Midnight in Paris". Owen Wilson has never been better, he is deserving of a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his captivating performance as Gil. Yes, I said it; Owen Wilson and Oscar did play out in the same sentence. Rachel McAdams was terrific as the superficial Inez. Michael Sheen delivered yet another exceptional performance here with his portrayal of Paul; remind me why Sheen has never been nominated for an Oscar? This is the Sheen that is winning with his acting! But the scene-stealer of "Midnight in Paris" is Adrien Brody who only appears for five minutes in the movie, but I guarantee you will have a "Dali" good time watching it. Johanna Debas and Darius Khondji should be shoo-ins for a Best Cinematography Oscar nomination for their picture-Paris-perfect cinematic photography of "Midnight in Paris". To be France I mean frank with you, this is the best movie I have seen so far in 2011. So go and catch a midnight show, a matinée, or any scheduled theatrical showing of "Midnight in Paris". You will have a golden time! ***** Excellent