Indeks
Woody Allen directed ``Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask,'' yet he's never made a sexier film than ``Vicky Cristina Barcelona,'' a lighthearted dramedy about two young American girlfriends searching for love in one of the world's most romantic cities.
Along with a menage a trois involving Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz, there's a smoldering darkroom liaison between Johansson and Cruz, and separate couplings of Bardem with Johansson and Rebecca Hall.
No, Allen hasn't suddenly turned into Hugh Hefner. He's still more interested in the mind games and conflicting emotions behind sex than the act itself. Compared with his past movies, though, ``Vicky Cristina Barcelona'' is practically ``Last Tango in Paris.''
Despite an annoying and needless narration, it's also Allen's best work in years -- a gorgeous-looking movie featuring fine acting, a casually intriguing story and a scenic tour of the architectural and cultural wonders of Barcelona. After making three rather torpid films in England, Allen finally has found a European location that seems to lift his 72-year-old spirits.
Threesome
The story centers on uptight, soon-to-be-married Vicky (Hall) and freewheeling Cristina (Johansson), best friends spending the summer together in Barcelona. They both get romantically involved with smooth-talking Spanish artist Juan Antonio (Bardem), who has a love-hate relationship with his volatile ex-wife Maria Elena (Cruz).
After Maria Elena attempts suicide, she ends up moving in with Juan Antonio and Cristina, who shack up after he has a fling with Vicky. Various pairings ensue, and at one point the threesome ends up in bed together. Alas, the unorthodox household breaks up and everyone goes their own way.
Allen uses Christopher Evan Welch's grating narration as a crutch to move from scene to scene, but the commentary rarely adds anything important and sometimes stops the movie dead in its tracks.
``Vicky Cristina Barcelona,'' from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, opens today across the U.S. Rating: ***
`Fly Me to the Moon'
At the end of this animated 3-D film about three flies that catch a ride on the first manned moon-landing mission, astronaut Buzz Aldrin appears on screen to assure us that it's all make- believe.
The problem with ``Fly Me to the Moon'' isn't believability; it's boredom. While children may enjoy the fanciful tale about Apollo 11's journey to the moon in 1969, the pedestrian special effects and simple-minded story will make it hard for adults to stay awake.
Christopher Lloyd, Kelly Ripa, Ed Begley Jr. and Nicollette Sheridan provide celebrity voices, and Aldrin adds the prestige of a real-life space hero. All that's missing is a fly swatter.
``Fly Me to the Moon,'' from Summit Entertainment, opens today across the U.S. Rating: *
`Star Wars: The Clone Wars'
``Star Wars: The Clone Wars,'' a mind-numbing animated feature about George Lucas's favorite fantasy world, reminds me of those TV infomercials for products and services you never realized you needed. There's obviously a market for them, but I can't figure out why.
Do we really need another ``Star Wars'' film, especially one that's a blatant promotion for an animated TV series that shares the movie's title and debuts Oct. 3 on the Cartoon Network? Also, one that's not even directed by Lucas?
I think not. I'd rather buy one of those abdominal crunchers or magic spot removers.
``Star Wars: The Clone Wars,'' from Warner Bros. Pictures, opens today across the U.S. Rating: (No stars)
What the Stars Mean:
**** Excellent
*** Good
** Average
* Poor
(No stars) Worthless
(Rick Warner is the movie critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)
For related news: Top arts and lifestyle stories: MUSE <GO> More film reviews: NI FILMREV <GO> More reviews by Rick Warner: NI WARNER <GO>
Along with a menage a trois involving Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz, there's a smoldering darkroom liaison between Johansson and Cruz, and separate couplings of Bardem with Johansson and Rebecca Hall.
No, Allen hasn't suddenly turned into Hugh Hefner. He's still more interested in the mind games and conflicting emotions behind sex than the act itself. Compared with his past movies, though, ``Vicky Cristina Barcelona'' is practically ``Last Tango in Paris.''
Despite an annoying and needless narration, it's also Allen's best work in years -- a gorgeous-looking movie featuring fine acting, a casually intriguing story and a scenic tour of the architectural and cultural wonders of Barcelona. After making three rather torpid films in England, Allen finally has found a European location that seems to lift his 72-year-old spirits.
Threesome
The story centers on uptight, soon-to-be-married Vicky (Hall) and freewheeling Cristina (Johansson), best friends spending the summer together in Barcelona. They both get romantically involved with smooth-talking Spanish artist Juan Antonio (Bardem), who has a love-hate relationship with his volatile ex-wife Maria Elena (Cruz).
After Maria Elena attempts suicide, she ends up moving in with Juan Antonio and Cristina, who shack up after he has a fling with Vicky. Various pairings ensue, and at one point the threesome ends up in bed together. Alas, the unorthodox household breaks up and everyone goes their own way.
Allen uses Christopher Evan Welch's grating narration as a crutch to move from scene to scene, but the commentary rarely adds anything important and sometimes stops the movie dead in its tracks.
``Vicky Cristina Barcelona,'' from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, opens today across the U.S. Rating: ***
`Fly Me to the Moon'
At the end of this animated 3-D film about three flies that catch a ride on the first manned moon-landing mission, astronaut Buzz Aldrin appears on screen to assure us that it's all make- believe.
The problem with ``Fly Me to the Moon'' isn't believability; it's boredom. While children may enjoy the fanciful tale about Apollo 11's journey to the moon in 1969, the pedestrian special effects and simple-minded story will make it hard for adults to stay awake.
Christopher Lloyd, Kelly Ripa, Ed Begley Jr. and Nicollette Sheridan provide celebrity voices, and Aldrin adds the prestige of a real-life space hero. All that's missing is a fly swatter.
``Fly Me to the Moon,'' from Summit Entertainment, opens today across the U.S. Rating: *
`Star Wars: The Clone Wars'
``Star Wars: The Clone Wars,'' a mind-numbing animated feature about George Lucas's favorite fantasy world, reminds me of those TV infomercials for products and services you never realized you needed. There's obviously a market for them, but I can't figure out why.
Do we really need another ``Star Wars'' film, especially one that's a blatant promotion for an animated TV series that shares the movie's title and debuts Oct. 3 on the Cartoon Network? Also, one that's not even directed by Lucas?
I think not. I'd rather buy one of those abdominal crunchers or magic spot removers.
``Star Wars: The Clone Wars,'' from Warner Bros. Pictures, opens today across the U.S. Rating: (No stars)
What the Stars Mean:
**** Excellent
*** Good
** Average
* Poor
(No stars) Worthless
(Rick Warner is the movie critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)
For related news: Top arts and lifestyle stories: MUSE <GO> More film reviews: NI FILMREV <GO> More reviews by Rick Warner: NI WARNER <GO>
