Synopsis
Friends Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Christina (Scarlett Johansson) spend the summer in Barcelona, Spain, becoming involved with artist Juan (Javier Bardem) and his estranged, emotional ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz).
Synopsis
Recent college graduate Annie Braddock (Scarlett Johansson) isn’t sure what sort of career to pursue and ends up as an overworked nanny to Mrs. X (Laura Linney), taking care of young son Grayer.
Synopsis
Snarky high school graduates Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) find humor in the oddballs and weirdos that surround them, namely record collector Seymour (Steve Buscemi) and wacky art teacher Roberta (Illena Douglas). Based on a graphic novel by Dan Clowes.
Match Point is the Woody Allen film I’ve waited years for. Not his best since Annie Hall, but since Crimes and Misdemeanors his films were largely screwball romantic comedies and crime capers (Mighty Aphrodite, Curse of the Jade Scorpion, Manhattan Murder Mystery) that while decent on their own, are ultimately replaceable and muddled with one another, peopled by interchangeable characters, situations, and dialogue. Allen’s career has been a long struggle between comedy and tragedy — he’s fascinated by both many of his films alternate between the two (Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Melinda and Melinda), almost self-consciously afraid that a too-somber film will scare people away, and a too-funny one will bring the wrong people back for more. So with Match Point, it’s refreshing to see Allen do away with much of the comedic meandering and give drama to us straight.
I’ve seen Lost In Translation twice, in the theater and again on DVD after a first trip to Japan. Oddly enough, it moved much more quickly the second time.