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5.21.2012

Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris
here
Before a big trip, I love to immerse myself in books, movies, and music referencing the place I'm going. Last weekend, The Boy and I watched Midnight in Paris after our marathon planning session. We were both a little weary, since Woody Allen movies can either be huge hits or big misses. But we were pleasantly surprised!  

Midnight in Paris
the unraveling couple.. here
Owen Wilson plays Gil, a slightly less neurotic version of the director himself, Rachel McAdams is his tart, acerbic fiancee, and Marion Cotillard plays the mysterious love interest, Adriana-- who inconveniently lives in Paris in the 1920s. One night Gil, drunk and lost, steps into a vintage car and finds himself in the roaring '20s, hobnobbing with artists and ex-pats including Hemingway, Picasso and Gertrude Stein
Midnight in Paris
Adrienne Brody as Dali...here
Through a series of interesting glimpses into the lives of the famous and fabulous from Parisian history (apparently, Gil's world is only inhabited by historical figures and celebrities), our hero begins to learn that by romanticizing times gone by, he's been ignoring hard facts about his own life.  And everyone, whether they live in modern times, wear adorable flapper dresses in the 1920s or (spoiler!) paint ballerinas in the Golden Era of Paris, believes their life would be better if only they lived in another time or place. 
Scene from A Midnight in Paris. A Must-see!
Time-travelling love...here
In fact, I came away from this movie with the same message I got from Lord of the Rings (nerd alert!) As Gandalf once said: "All we can do is make the best of the time that is given to us." Or something close to that. 

gandalf
here
So watch it. Promise, this Woody Allen movie won't make you want to scratch your eyes out (I can't say the same for Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex - consider yourself warned.)

Now, I'm looking to you for recommendations about other books or movies I need to experience before my trip - input please!

6 comments:

  1. I'm not usually a Woody Allen fan but this sounds interesting. Some of my favorite films about Paris are Audrey Hepburn films - Charade, Funny Face and How to Steal a Million. Each film is charming and funny and full of Paris and, of course, Givenchy fashions.
    As far as books, Julia Childs autobiography, My Life in France, is like a love letter to the entire country.

    Heh, Rachel McAdams is his tart. That is seriously how I read that line :)

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    1. I know, his movies can be pretty strange but this is super cute. I LOVE those Hepburn movies. I also love Gigi. Gonna have to get those on dvd before we leave... I'll have to try the Julia Child book - I loved the story in Julie and Julia so I'm sure her autobiography would be great too!

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  2. I loved the film Julie & Julia and promptly read both books. My Life is France is lovely. The book Julie & Julia is irritating and depressing. I much preferred Amy Adams' sanitized Julie to the real thing.

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  3. loved this movie so much! didnt want it to end - and an exceptionally good moral for a person who idolizes the past, such as myself...

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  4. Haven't seen this movie but want to. Thanks for the suggestion!

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