Vicky Cristina Barcelona

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Woody Allen's Ode to Barcelona

In Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which I will refer to from now on as VCB, Woody Allen repeats a formula he used in "Manhattan" whereby he tells a story against the backdrop of a beautiful city and the film is actually an ode to that city as much as anything. The music, the scenery, the mood, all work together to function as a very effective travel brochure. My son said he had no desire to vacation in Spain till he saw this movie, but it changed his mind.

The story is charming, and the characters are funny and interesting, but the star of the film is the gorgeous city of Barcelona itself. And as always Woody chooses fantastic music to integrate into the story that sets the scenes in an auditory way along with the visual. I was tempted to watch it again immediately just for the scenery and the music.

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Why I Love It

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

I have to confess that any film Woody Allen directs and does not act in is a great Woody Allen film to me. I love his writing and direction, but just cannot stand watching him on screen. In the past few years he has thankfully stayed behind the camera.

In this movie, his latest showcase of Scarlett Johansson, Woody tells a simple charming story of 2 vacationing friends in Barcelona and what happens when they meet a local playboy and their different reactions to him. In his last few movies Woody has showcased Scarlett's talents which he has rhapsodised over in print and on camera.

Of course he has a long history of falling in love with an actress (not necessarily literally-just as a filmmaker) and featuring her in several movies. Scarlett joins the illustrious list along with Diane Keaton, Mia Farrow, Diane Wiest, and Louise Lassiter. If Woody likes your work, you get to work in his movies. But now that I write that, I realize that he lived with Diane for 5 years, with Mia for 12 years, and was married to Louise, so maybe Scarlett should be careful.(Just kidding) She was luminous as usual; the camera loves her face.

Anyway, the main reason I love it besides enjoying the beautiful sights of Barcelona, is watching Penelope Cruz. She is funny and amazing. My husband and I were in stiches watching her act like a hot tempered half lunatic. Too funny. No wonder she won the academy award.
And my God...her face. What a gorgeous actress!

Woody is obviously in love with her too, so he uses Javier as his alter-ego... the movie is a fantasy that he is filming starring Javier as himself. My reaction is "thank God, at least he was kind enough to spare us from having to watch him in this melodrama."

But he is so crafty. He seduces you with gorgeous scenery and wonderful music, and while he alludes to the x-rated part of the fantasy, he doesn't show it. In fact he distracts you with the sights and sounds of Barcelona so much that you wonder why he is spending so much time on this story. And then it hits you. He's giving us one of his fantasies as if it is a "slice of life" story. He weaves all this in with so many nuances it is hard to describe.

As always his cinematography is soft focus and beautiful, just right for the story he tells and the soundtrack is breathtaking. Since he's a musician he always showcases beautiful music that fits the mood he is conveying. I have to buy the movie for the soundtrack. To me this film is storytelling at its finest.

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Vicky Cristina Barcelona Credits

Vicky Cristina Barcelona Review

Genre: Drama/Comedy

Director: Woody Allen

Actors:

Scarlett Johansson
Javier Bardem
Penelope Cruz
Rebecca Hall

If You Collect Films, This One Is A Keeper

Vicky Cristina Barcelona Review

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Soundtrack Credits

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Barcelona
Artist: Giulia y Los Tellarini

Gorrion
Artist: Juan Serrano

Entre Dos Aguas
Artist: Paco de Lucia

El Noi De La Mare
Artist: Muriel Anderson & Jean-Felix Lalanne

Granada
Artist: Emilio de Benito

La Ley Del Retiro
Artist: Giulia y Los Tellarini

When I Was A Boy
Artist: Biel Ballester Trio, Graci Pedro, Leo Hipaucha

Big Brother
Artist: The Stephane Wrembel Trio

Asturias
Artist: Juan Quesada

Your Shining Eyes
Artist: Biel Ballester Trio, Graci Pedro, Leo Hipaucha

Entre Olas
Artist: Juan Serrano

The Awesome Soundtrack

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

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What They're Saying

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

WE BOUGHT A ZOO Comes to Blu-Ray and DVD, 4/3
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) and starring Matt Damon (Contagion, True Grit), Scarlett Johansson (Iron Man 2, Vicky Cristina Barcelona) and Thomas Haden Church (Easy A, Sideways), WE BOUGHT A ZOO comes to ...
Sir Tom Stoppard's Parade's End: first picture
The picture shows the drama's two leads, rising stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, War Horse) and Sir Peter Hall's daughter Rebecca (Vicky Cristina Barcelona). They play the troubled married couple Christopher and Sylvia Tietjens who are at the ...
The Fiver | The culmination of a seven-year bluff | Jacob Steinberg
See what you can do with Johannson, Cruz, Pique, Ibrahamovic and Barcelona" - Neil Bage [Gerard Pique and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have both been to the cinema to see Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz's over-rated film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona?
Penelope Cruz to Present at the Oscars
Cruz, the winner of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (2008), will join the artists who will participate in the gala, a group that includes Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry and Cameron ...

Who Was Your Favorite?

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

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Woody Allen, Director

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Some Funny Woody Quotes

Vicky Cristina Barcelona Director

"Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons."

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve it by not dying."

"You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be one hundred."

If Jesus Christ were to come back today and see all the atrocities that have been committed in His name, He would never stop throwing up."

If Barcelona, Spain was not on your destinations list before you watched this movie, it will be after you see it!

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Vicky Cristina Barcelona

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