Vicky Cristina Barcelona / Vicky Cristina Barcelona. ES/US (c) 2008 Gravier Productions / Mediapro. EX: Jaume Roures. CO-EX: Charles H. Joffe, Javier Méndez, Jack Rollins. P: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, Gareth Wiley. D+SC: Woody Allen. DP: Javier Aguirresarobe - color - 1,85:1. M: "Barcelona" performed by Giulia y los Tellarini. "Entre dos aguas" by Paco de Lucía. "Granada" by Isaac Albéniz, played on guitar by Emilio de Benito. "Asturias" (Leyenda) (fragment) by Isaac Albéniz, played on guitar by Juan Quesada, etc. PD: Alain Bainée. AD: Iñigo Navarro. COST: Sonia Grande. ED: Alisa Lepselter. LOC: Barcelona, Avilés, Oviedo (Catalonia). CAST: Rebecca Hall (Vicky), Scarlett Johansson (Cristina), Javier Bardem (Juan Antonio), Penélope Cruz (Maria Elena), Chris Messina (Doug), Patricia Clarkson (Judy Nash), Kevin Dunn (Mark Nash), Christopher Evan Welch (Narrator). 96 min. In English, partially in Catalan and Spanish. Released in Finland by Scanbox with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Timo Porri / Saliven Gustavsson. Viewed at Tennispalatsi 3, 31 Oct 2008.
Definition not first-rate, focus questions, sloppy digital intermediate? - Woody Allen's amazing quest continues, this time again without him as an actor or voice, although his gestures and speech rhythms are momentarily recognizable in Scarlett Johansson's performance. - I admire Woody Allen's great continuity since the 1960s to the present. His is a series of relationship studies that can be compared with Eric Rohmer. - This is an interesting and original study of "Americans abroad", recognizing stereotypes, but without succumbing to clichés. There are the obvious Catalonian attractions, and more. - Beneath the "small story" lurk big themes, such as how hard it is to learn to love. The strange roads of passion. - Vicky is the serious woman, Cristina is the wild woman. There is no simple answer to the great questions. Passion is living to the full but risking disaster. Settling for a life with a successful businessman gives security, but life can feel unfulfilled. - "You are a different person here". - Maybe for the first time in a Woody Allen film there is a significant and positive homosexual moment (Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz in the infrared darkroom). - Also maybe for the first time there is a serious new angle to the triangle situation: Juan Antonio and Maria Elena can only be happy and balanced when they are together with Cristina. - Woody Allen is still curious, still exciting.
Definition not first-rate, focus questions, sloppy digital intermediate? - Woody Allen's amazing quest continues, this time again without him as an actor or voice, although his gestures and speech rhythms are momentarily recognizable in Scarlett Johansson's performance. - I admire Woody Allen's great continuity since the 1960s to the present. His is a series of relationship studies that can be compared with Eric Rohmer. - This is an interesting and original study of "Americans abroad", recognizing stereotypes, but without succumbing to clichés. There are the obvious Catalonian attractions, and more. - Beneath the "small story" lurk big themes, such as how hard it is to learn to love. The strange roads of passion. - Vicky is the serious woman, Cristina is the wild woman. There is no simple answer to the great questions. Passion is living to the full but risking disaster. Settling for a life with a successful businessman gives security, but life can feel unfulfilled. - "You are a different person here". - Maybe for the first time in a Woody Allen film there is a significant and positive homosexual moment (Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz in the infrared darkroom). - Also maybe for the first time there is a serious new angle to the triangle situation: Juan Antonio and Maria Elena can only be happy and balanced when they are together with Cristina. - Woody Allen is still curious, still exciting.
