To Rome with love (2012)

Director: Woody Allen

Woody Allen has shown his love to Europe cities many times before and in a very good manner ( like Midnight in Paris) but this one is kinda messy. Until the last minute of the film I could not figure out what was the key idea that connected all the stories.

In short, there is a young American girl who falls in love with Italian and wants to marry him but not before her parents come to evaluate her fiancé and his parents. Than there is also newlyweds who have come to Rome for a honeymoon but eventually do not have time to spend with each other. Another story is about a simple office worker who has become a national star in one day and everyone wants to know what he is doing now and then. And the last but not least is the part which belongs to a young boy whose girlfriend's friends comes to visit them to overcome her heartbreak.

Everything seems fine and even funny many times during the film, actors are good, even excellent but the lack of connection between different stories and Alec Baldwin's mystical role are two things that hold me back from giving 5 stars to this film. 

I really suggest seeing this film for those who love traveling (all the beautiful places of Rome are shown again and again) and for those who love romance, funny and ambiguous situations and of course Woody's talent of making fun of himself and laughing about serious things.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Director and writer: Woody Allen

What can you expect before watching one of the Woody's films? Of course nothing boring, more like something unbelievable. This film is not an exception. In the first minutes of it I felt the Parisian atmosphere and charm. I was already interested before the story actually began.

The main character Gil (Owen Wilson), not very successful writer (the new novel is about Paris in 1920s), and his wife Inez (Rachel McAdams) have traveled to Paris to relax before the wedding. There they meet their friends (Paul and Carol) who are also Americans and decide to spent the free time together.

It's self-evident that Inez and Gil aren't born to be together. They are so different and have different thoughts of a perfect life. He loves Paris, specially in the rain, and feels that it's the right place to live and write a great novel, she - wants to return to USA. Oh... Who wouldn't love to live in Paris, at least for a while?

No wonder Gil wants to spend his time alone, apart from everyone, especially Paul, who thinks he knows everything about anything. (It seems he is more suitable for Inez.)

One day after an exhausting party Gil walks home alone and in the midnight suddenly a solid 20s car crosses his way and the passengers welcome him "on the board". And now the unbelievable things start to happen. Day after day Gil meets famous painters, writers and other great artists of the 1920s (what an amazing coincidence), including Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali etc. He is taken back to the "golden ages" and that leads Gil to developing his writing skills and revaluing the current life.

Woody Allen is a consummate master of his craft. Ho knows what he is doing. "Midnight in Paris" is like a cherry on the top of the cake. (Now I really must go to Paris in the near future) The film is so unbelievable that in the end you start thinking that it actually can happen (nothing is impossible) and what would you do in that case.

I highly recommend watching this film everyone who wants to get to know something more about life in the 20s and Paris by itself.  Oh and don't be scared, it's not a serious drama, I perceive it more like a comedy (we all know how Woody loves to joke) with a little shadow of nostalgia. Alluring!

J'aime Paris!