MovieChat Forums > Celebrity (1998) Discussion > Underratted!!!!

Underratted!!!!

posted 18 years ago by Shooterlover
12 replies | jump to latest

Woody Allen was definitely not getting lazy when he wrote and directed Celebrity. It is probably one of his better films. The movie is filmed in a beautiful black and white, and has a wonderful script. The movie, in actuality, is very sad, and very cathardic. We live in a world, where we celebrate the actions of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and this movie is satire on that, and even delves into why we celebrate them. Everyone complains about how Branagh is doing an impression of Woody, but it was his interpetation of the role, and I thought he did very well. It has all the same elements of a woody film, but he puts them together in a fresh and inoovative way like he does with a lot of his films. Woody even pokes fun at himself. Genius!

[–] populus5 18 years ago

Celebrity is one of the best films about stardom ever made. Witty, acid, and finally a nihilistic cry. So much gold and diamonds but the shining has always a twisted meaning. Allen has wisdom but nobody seems to care about his points of view about society. He just started where Jerry Lewis left his print and right now nobody has the talent to take Allen's place. Wes Anderson may be interested in the throne but he lacks of soul, he is only a sad boy filmimg sad puppets. About Sven Nykvist extraordinary work with black and white, its has the achievement of make evidence the emptinees of the images he is shooting. An aesthetic triumph that links Celebrity with methaphysical horror films. Phantoms in New York. (By de way, George Clooney's horrendous Good Night... tries similar subjects but collapses because the emptiness is in his ideas). Celebrity is by far a film the must be revisited.

[–] clockwork_orange2001 18 years ago

I love Woody Allen, and have watched and own about 90% of his work. But I must say that this was one of his worst films. It's not quite as bad as Anything Else, but it isn't a whole lot better. The only thing that saves this film [aside from a few occasional funny scenes] was Judy Davis, who was terrific in her role.

Kenneth Branagh is a good actor, but his Allenesque character was very tiresome. Maybe I'm just too used to Woody, but I kept thinking to myself how much better this film would be if Woody starred in it.

"I think that silent films got a lot more things right than talkies." --Stanley Kubrick

[–] davidgoesboating 17 years ago

It was a bit of a novelty to see Branagh in a non-Shakespearian role, and I think he pulled it off well. It was pretty obvious that he was trying to be the "Woody Allen" character, but he certainly achieved that goal. Whether that is a good thing or not is up to conjecture, but I liked it. Compared to other Allen films that Allen himself doesn't act in, this worked a lot better - for example, I think John Cusack didn't really fit into Bullets Over Broadway.

Very underrated movie indeed, less humour than some other Allen films, although there were some very funny scenes (especially the line about the "wanker who makes black and white films" if I remember correctly).

[–] kenichiku 17 years ago

Altogether entertaining and yes very underrated. The mood and longing in 'Celebrity' channels some of the best moments since 'Manhattan' (the black and white helps too). The actresses: Ryder, Theron, Moll, Neuwirth, Jannsen, Griffith, Davis, et al., all gorgeous, all perfect and lovingly 'flattered' by the lens of Nykvist. I always manage to watch this and Branangh's 'Peter's Friends' once every couple of years if nothing for its nostalgia. They're two reasons that I still keep my old Pioneer laserdisc player spinning.

[–] rtcnz 17 years ago

I was surprised to see such a low imdb rating! I got this dvd out, expecting it to be terrible (but I'm on a Woody Allen rampage) and it was fantastic! Judy Davis was wonderful, and the scene with the bananas was possibly the funniest moment in any Woody Allen film. It was excellent.

[–] jare 17 years ago

Adding my voice here, the movie is excellent. I don't know why it has such a low imdb rating (even if we know ratings here are skewed by popularity)

[–] the_negotiator-1 17 years ago

agreed, just seen it, its a great film...to be point of it actually being scary!

[–] akeshishian17969 17 years ago

It's a wonderful film - there are perhaps some sequences that should have been re-shot, but overall it's brilliant and incredibly atmospheric.

[–] bobdicks 17 years ago

"It is probably one of his better films."

that's going way too far. it's a very uneven film... it drags unnecessarily and rehashes a lot of themes in a very boring way.

definitely some great one-off jokes, and judy davis is excellent (honestly, when i watch it, i feel like i'm watching a good woodie allen movie when she's onscreen, and a subpar one when she's not). pretty much every scene focusing on kenneth branagh (whose woody impersonation is great; it's not too caricatured, not *too* spot on, but with just enough woody suggestions) drags... and i think this is because the character is just too dull. branagh is a great actor, but watching him play the umpteenth incarnation of woody allen's central neurotic character... with no individual characteristics whatsoever... and the bottom of the barrel (in relation to other woody allen films) wit... it just doesn't work.

it's not a bad movie. it has several redeeming facets... but i could name 10 better woody allen movies off the top of my head if pressed at a dinner party (if i were invited to dinner parties).

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 13tongimp 17 years ago

I'm watching it now on IFC. I've seen most of his work and this was forgettable when it came out and now it seems even more poignant. There are some absolutely terrific scenes and sure, some fall flat as well but the majority of the movie is really absorbing. I feel extremely connected to the characters because the reality of their various situations. Even the absurd bits have an air of sincerity.

http://www.13tongimp.com/