Woody at his peak

Rating: 10/10 (4 June 2011)

"Midnight in Paris" is the best Woody Allen film I know, by several miles. The night before seeing it I happened to see another of Woody's films, "Deconstructing Harry," and the proximity was convenient for telling the difference. "Midnight in Paris" is based on an act of imagination, with Allen's quirky humor placed at the service of it. "Deconstructing Harry," like pretty much everything else Allen has made, is a long string of one-liners inspired by Woody's self-regarding. It seems that Woody has finally learned to take himself out of the frame and to create a structure that gives something of value to the viewer.
Is it a great film? Let's see how it plays in the memory. I knew I was hooked when I felt the wonder experienced by Owen Wilson's character. That moment breathes authentically; and Woody's persona is nowhere near. The film has its share of flaws but many more beauties. I especially respect the film for ending at precisely the place it should. How many of today's films or fictions can make that claim, or would bother to?