‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ (2008) is sumptuously Spanish
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Allen’s tropes smoothly translate to Spain in this romance yarn featuring a standout Javier Bardem.
Oscars
‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ (2008) is sumptuously Spanish
At 50, Roundtree’s ‘Shaft’ (1971) is still a cool cat
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Beyond “Shaft’s” music and stylish look, its main value is historical rather than entertainment.
Besson’s ‘Fifth Element’ (1997) an art-design paradise
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Deliciously designed with a funny and adventurous story, this remains writer-director Luc Besson’s standout film.
In ‘Blue Jasmine’ (2013), there are no shortcuts
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Cate Blanchett steals the show from a stellar ensemble in one of Allen’s best straight dramas.
Allen loves another city in ‘Midnight in Paris’ (2011)
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Allen has shown the beauty of New York in several films. Here, he makes Paris magical.
Bay’s ‘The Rock’ (1996) is deliciously dumb fun
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Here’s a 25th anniversary look back at an all-time great collection of muscular one-liners and explosions.
‘Contact’ (1997, 1985) makes science accessible, lovely
Throwback Thursday (Movie, book reviews): In the late-1990s gamut of space-visitor movies, “Contact” is the mainstream one – in a good way.
‘Radio Days’ (1987) a trip back to medium’s heyday
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Understated yet deftly crafted, Allen’s film gives us a good grounding in the ubiquity of radio in the 1930s and ’40s.
‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968) is as cold as space itself
Throwback Thursday (Movie, book reviews): “2001: A Space Odyssey” influenced later works such as “Contact,” “Event Horizon” and “Ad Astra.”
Daniels shines in sweet ‘Purple Rose of Cairo’ (1985)
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Featuring a nice early Jeff Daniels turn, the fantastical “Purple Rose of Cairo” demonstrates Woody Allen’s love for cinema.