Celebrity

"Celebrity" is one of Woody's best, and most under appreciated and also unjustly attacked films. The production is first rate, the characters diverse, and the acting -- from Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Melanie Griffith, Joe Mantegna -- as good as in any Allen film. It is a wonderful and highly observant film, that seems to offend many for reasons that no one seems able to really express, other than by resorting to vituperative adjectives and hand wringing.As far as I can tell, it offends some people because it is thought to be "more of the same" late "Manhattan" period Allen ensemble work -- pity Mozart if he had been cranking out symphonies for these complainers; it is thought to be annoying because Kenneth Branagh does what is, really, a wonderful Allen impression, Woody being too old by the time was made to play the lead in the story; because the characters are more fully developed, and so perhaps more subtle and less immediately amusing, versions of the classic Allen character types that, by the time the film was made, had become well known to audiences impatient for novelty and new amusements from Allen; because, perhaps, many solid middle American types have such an instinctive and deep seated hatred for the particular New York types that populate Allen films that this film evidently pushed the buttons of those audience members to extremes that mandated vicious opining in revenge; and, perhaps, last but not least, because Allen films tend to attract either comedy lovers who are put off by misanthropic elements, or misanthropes who are put off by overly human and flawed characters that don't live up to their notions of worthiness, or which make light of misanthropic virtues.There's a reason Woody made Stardust Memories, also one of his finest films. The raging disappointment expressed by some toward his more challenging films, and to some of his more phoned in and forgettable ones, points to the creative conflict, and conflicted audience reactions, highlighted in Stardust Memories. All that aside, "Celebrity" is a marvelous film, that surely deserves a better DVD transfer than it receives here. Hopefully, when the entire Allen catalog is given a much needed 16:9 remastering someday, "Celebrity" will re-emerge and be appreciated by new audiences.

Great!

Woody at his underrated best.

I like Woody Allen's movies but this one not as good as most. Kenneth Branagh's character acted too much like Woody does. It was nice to see various celebrities within their own little story line, connected with Branagh's character. All in all it was an okay movie but one has to be a big Woody Allen fan to enjoy it.

If you are a committed Woody Allen fan and determined to have a complete collection I suppose that is adequate excuse to buy Celebrity. If you are seeking complete collections of Kenneth Branagh or Judy Davis movies or movies by any number of the actors who appear, walk on or cameo in this movie then you have an excuse to buy Celebrity. If you're looking for an evening's entertainment do not read further, do not get this movie, do not rent this movie. It's just not worth it.Kenneth Branagh is a brilliant actor and more than capable director. One can almost see him eager to be an actor in a movie written and directed by Woody Allen. No doubt some of the other stars were looking for some Woody Allen magic and perhaps a chance to appear in a movie with each other. Speaking as a Woody Allen fan I can't think of any reason to condemn a general viewing audience to a showing of this movie.Somehow we're supposed to believe that Kenneth Branagh playing another one of the neurotic New York stuttering fumbling male comedic characters is a former star high school athlete recently divorced from another neurotic New York female Judy Davis/Annie Hall retread. About one third of this movie consists of these two characters being neurotic and inhibited and recently divorced from each other. The ex-husband Lee Simon is of course incompetent on a heroic scale and we are told is simply unlucky in love. The ex-wife Robin Simon goes almost directly from the marriage bed into the arms of a man who will not only loves her idiosyncrasies but turns them into what we are led to believe will be a successful television career.What saves this movie from a single star rating is that between being aggravated by an otherwise nothing new central plot device is a parade of clever to superior acting performances from people like Melanie Griffith, Winona Ryder, Leonardo DiCaprio and Babe Neuwirth.There is some yammering about a culture that's lost its values and people who are famous for being famous and so on. There is no new ground being broken here. Ultimately we have two caricatures we have seen too many times from Woody Allen. They've lost their charm and here they are quite aggravating. This is a movie with a few comedic moments some pretense of philosophy and I don't know a partridge in a pear tree or something. Other than its value to collectors I can not imagine who the intended audience might be. I cannot recommend this movie.

Bought as a gift.

I had read some reviews of Celebrity which were less then flattering so purchased this not sure what to expect. However my love of Woody Allen movies overcame my concerns. I think this film is way better than I had been lead to believe. The exposing of the inherent stupidity in the fascination so many people have with "celebrities", despite the feet of clay those "celebrities" exhibit, is really well developed and maintained and the sad failure of the principal character is beautifully realised. In this part Kenneth Branagh out Woodies Woody. Maybe he isn't quite as whiny as Woody Allen himself, but he is truly a great substitute Woody. Leonardo Di Caprio gives a priceless cameo performance as a foul mouthed and violent star who emerges from displaying his rottenness to the adulation of his adoring fans. Very telling. All of the players in this film are excellent and Winona Rider astounded me with how good she was as a less than loveable girl. I like Celebrity a lot and recommend it to you.

woody's movies are wonderful

ok

COLLECTION LEOpoursuite de ma collection Léonardo à petits prix mais les dvd sont de qualité avec amazon j'en suis toujours assurée.

Una delle pellicole più originali di Woody Allen come soggetto e sceneggiatura. Come ben si sa, Woody a più riprese si è portato a casa, se non altro, l'oscar per la sceneggiatura. Per questo "Celebrity" lo avrebbe giustamente meritato! Invece questo film passò abbastanza inosservato nella patria del regista, e pure da noi, non è piaciuto così tanto, come giustamente si meriterebbe. Sembra invece che al regista questa sua opera sia piaciuta e nel libro-intervista di Eric Lax, Allen insiste che col tempo il film ha le carte in regola per essere pienamente rivalutato (parola di regista). Volendo dare un mio personale apprezzamento del film, dirò che "Celebrity" mi è piaciuto molto sia per il cast sia per il modo in cui il soggetto è stato trattato: c'è una vicenda di rapporto di coppia rovinata in cui i due protagonisti si allontanano apparentemente l'uno dall'altro. Lei non tollera che lui si relazioni con donne che non meriterebbero la minima attenzione, e non si trattiene dal rinfacciargli questa cosa in pubblico. Il protagonista conosce una graziosa comparsa del cinema, interpretata da Winona Ryder di cui lui s'innamora mentre lei è irriducibilmente bisex e infedele. Si tratta di un film newyorkese nelle ambientazioni e nei personaggi, per cui nel tradizionale bianco e nero tipico di Allen. E da vedere, senz'altro.

Gelegentlich wundert es mich, warum einige wirklich geniale Filme nicht länger im Bewusstsein der Öffentlichkeit verbleiben. Aber zumindest im Beispiel von Woody Allens Celebrity liegt eine Erklärung sehr nahe. Zu sehr werden hier die Manierismen unserer Medienwelt karrikiert, zu hart ist das für alle, die Lifestylemagazine wie Exklusiv auf RTL lieben oder sogar selbst machen. Die schnöde Oberfläche verliert an Attraktivität, wenn man hinter die Fassaden sieht. Um am Ende bleibt dann nur Leere an Stelle des Glamours. Der Horror Vacui des 21. Jahrhunderts.Im Zentrum der Handlung steht wie so oft bei Woody Allen ein Alter Ego, der durch Kenneth Branagh gespielte, eher mäßig erfolgreiche Autor Lee. Dieser ist eine Randfigur der Mediengesellschaft, der Reichen, Schönen und Berühmten, die die Gazetten und Fernsehmagazine füllen. Lee hat eigentlich ein gutes Leben, aber er will mehr, er will dazu gehören. Und so verlässt er immer wieder bestehende Beziehungen und begibt sich auf die Suche nach einer anderen Welt, versucht eine Affaire mit einem Starmodell, versucht sich als Drehbuchautor in Hollywood und vor allem, er bewegt sich auf den richtigen Partys und in den richtigen Restaurants, um dort mit den richtigen Menschen die immer gleichen, hohlen Gespräche zu führen. Natürlich kann das nicht gut ausgehen.Einer der Höhepunkte des Films ist der Auftritt von Leonardo diCaprio, der einen drogen- und sexsüchtigen Jungfilmstar spielt - also sich selbst, möchte man meinen. Tatsächlich ist dieser Auftritt aber fast prophetisch, da er gedreht wurde, bevor Titanic in die Kinos kam und Leonardo zu dem Star wurde, den er hier bei Celebrity von Woody Allen nur spielen darf. Das zeigt ganz gut den Realitätsgehalt dieses Films. Dann gibt es noch einen großartigen Auftitt von Charlize Theron, die ein Supermodell spielt, dass sich als getriebener Mensch erweist, als es darum geht, einmal nur für einen Moment eine menschliche Seite zu zeigen.Der Höhepunkt des Films aber ist eine der Nebengeschichten. Denn der Erfolg, der dem Protagonisten versagt bleibt, fällt einem anderen Mitglied des Ensembles durch etwas Arbeit und eine gute Idee dann doch noch in den Schoß. Und das macht dann wohl die Niederlage des Helden am Ende komplett. So richtig böse ist eine Komödie erst dann, wenn die schlimmste aller Wendungen erreicht worden ist.Für mich zwischen den herausragenen "Hannah und ihre Schwestern" und "Matchpoint" der schönste Film von Woody Allen.

You cannot go wrong with Woody Allen films.