Opiniones de usuarios

I find all of woody allen flicks interesting. Always an interesting subject no matter how good bad ugly great the movie is. This new one is no exception.

MITM is a totally pleasant whimsical delight... the actors are charming especially Emma Stone and Eileen Atkins as Colin Firth's aunt.

The humor is very light... whimsy is a good term... is it funny? For me NO... but it's also not unfunny. It's just this one long smile.

The scenery is gorgeous.

The story is smart hidden in a cute jacket.

The age difference between the two is maybe a tad much but the rom in this romcom is not the leading factor... at least for most of it. Maybe a Colin Firth from 15 years ago would have been a better lead but unless Woody has access to that time travel device in Midnight In Paris that was not an option.

As with some other Allen films there is a turn in direction at some point. Won't give anything away. Your enjoyment of the movie might hinge on how you feel after it goes after this point.

For me it may have lingered around too long towards the end.

Firth is good and likable but I did find some of his character's decisions to be too abrupt. But maybe that's just me. And some of his duologue felt a bit rushed and acted.

I wouldn't personally rank this as one of his recent greats like Paris, Jasmine, Match Point or VCB... but it's a fun summery concoction of scenery, whimsy and costumes.

Most viewers are taking this film as a conventional (and admittedly entirely predictable) romantic comedy which happens to be about a magician who debunks fake spirit mediums, and a beautiful young woman whom he believes is just that. But that's getting it *entirely backwards*. It is in fact a thought-provoking exploration of the extreme materialistic worldview -- the view that holds that modern science has eliminated the possibility of the existence of the soul, an afterlife, and God -- and an exploration of the psychological relationship between embracing that worldview, and being pessimistic and unhappy. As such, it is one of Allen's most personal and thought-provoking films in years.

And if that sounds "heavy," the miracle of the movie is its very lightness. Obviously, the themes enter in so effortlessly that many people are missing them entirely! You need to be interested in the tension between the materialist worldview and the conventional one that accommodates the spiritual and the mysterious, but if you are, you will be astonished at how delightful and entertaining an exploration of those deep themes can be.

The age discrepancy between Frith's and Stone's characters, which I am sure will bother many, is in fact completely necessary: he must be old enough to be set in his pessimistic ways, and she must be young and beautiful enough to challenge them at first sight.

Obviously there are happy atheists and there are miserable spiritual people, so the question that Allen is asking here is whether some unhappy atheists have embraced the soul- and God-denying position too vigorously, as a sort of defense mechanism to shield themselves from the fundamentally irrational possibility of falling in love. The way the movie knits together the materialist / spiritualist question, the possibility of love, and the metaphor of magic -- well, it's sheer magic itself.

This is far from Allen's funniest movie, and it's only a 7/10 as entertainment. But not only does it easily gain an extra point for its depth, it almost gains two. Admittedly, I am fascinated by the movie's themes, but I think that anyone who is interested in them may find themselves as charmed and, ultimately, as deeply moved as I was. 89/100.

Woody Allen's latest film Magic in the Moonlight, is a light and fluffy piece of movie confection set on the photogenic Cote d'Azur that delights the eye but hardly taxes the brain.

Set in the 1920's, Colin Firth plays Charlie Crawford, better known by his stage-name Wei Ling Soo: a magician who staggers his audience nightly by making elephants disappear and by teleporting across the stage.

As a quick aside, Firth's characters is almost certainly based on the American Chinese-styled magician Chung Ling Soo who amazed Victorian audiences with his magic and inscrutable attitude but died (messily) on stage at the Wood Green Empire in London when a bullet catching trick went wrong. Whilst never ever speaking English in public to maintain his mystique, his last words (in English) were "Oh my God. Something's happened. Lower the curtain.". Strange but true.

But I digress.

Crawford has an ego the size of one of his elephants, with a cynical and wholly scientific approach to life, devoid of passion, romance or any frivolity. Wholly unpleasant to all around him, he revels in the public and publicised debunking of fakery in the form of tricksters and mystics. As such, when his lifelong friend and fellow magician Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney, the archbishop from BBC TV's "Rev" ) confesses to being completely stumped as to how young and attractive mystic Sophie Baker (Emma Stone) is fooling her rich and gullible marks, Crawford can't resist the challenge. Leaving his fiancée, ice-queen Olivia (Catherine McCormack - "Braveheart", "28 Weeks Later"), in London, Crawford travels to the south of France - a man with a mission.

There he meets up with Sophie, her supportive mother (Marcia Gay Harden) and the rich Catledge family, who have fallen hook line and sinker for the young psychic's charms. This is particularly true of the younger son, the awful Ukulele-strumming crooner Brice (Hamish Linklater) who is already madly in love with her and intent on marriage. As a fully independent test, Crawford drives Sophie to visit his Aunt Vanessa (Eileen Atkins) in Provence and cannot believe what he sees and hears, becoming convinced - against all his normal instincts and beliefs - that Sophie is the 'real thing'.

Is Sophie actually the genuine article, and if not then how on earth is she tricking not one but two expert magicians? Can she possibly reject the millionaire Brice and walk off into the sunset with the spiky and unpleasant Crawford? All is revealed over a stress-free and untaxing 97 minutes.

After the joys of last year's "Blue Jasmine", Magic in the Moonlight is a much more back-pedalling sort of affair for Woody Allen. It comes across as extremely theatrical in nature, feeling more like it was written for the stage rather than the screen: you can almost hear the stage hands shifting props between some of the scenes.

I'm a fan of Colin Firth, but I'm afraid he rather over-eggs the acting pudding in this. The particularly obnoxious Charlie of the first half of the film is about 20% over-cooked for me, and a long way from his Oscar-winning performance in "The King's Speech", although the performance improves towards the end as his character thaws a bit into more 'Firth-friendly' territory.

Emma Stone is, as always, delightful. A wise woman (my wife!) commented that in 20 years Stone will "be the new Meryl Streep", and I would agree. A quality actress with a wide range that feels like it hasn't been fully tapped yet.

But the performance of the film for me was Aileen Atkins as Aunt Vanessa, who is just marvellous in every scene she appears in, particularly the two-hander with Firth in the final reel. An actress with 50 years of hard-won experience in TV acting behind her and every hour of that experience up on the screen. I doubt she'd get it, but it would be lovely to see a Best Supporting Actress nod for her for this role.

The scenery is stunningly photographed by Darius Khondji, although one scene really puzzled me: at the first meeting of Charlie and Sophie the shot is almost directly into the sun, with a character's parasol sometimes (but not always) blocking the sun out and delivering more lens flare, albeit genuine lens flare, than a JJ Abrams movie. I'm not sure why this was done this way, but it just came across as amateurish and irritating.

The soundtrack is taken from jaunty jazz staples of the era which work well for most of the time but are at times jarring and ill-suited.

In summary, not a classic Woody Allen but a very pleasant and lightly humorous film that older audiences in particular will enjoy. If you liked "The 100 Foot Journey", you'll probably enjoy this too.

(If you enjoyed this review please see my archive of other reviews at bob-the-movie-man.com. Thanks).

Sophie , challenges his rationality while bringing out the romantic side of him without his own awareness. The twists and turns are extremely logical and pleasant to watch as designed by Woody Allen's script and unbelievably delivered by these two great actors. It is almost like a suspense story and we are sucked in right from the beginning to follow the cast and explore together. Emma Stone shines with her charming eyes and smiles while Colin Firth reminds us of a young and babbling Woody Allen.

As Sophie, Stanley and even Woody Allen make a living creating illusions, perhaps we are all living in a self-inflicted reality to help us get through life. But what's wrong with it if it enhances our senses, making us appreciate life and be happy?

Maybe we do not really need to be so rational all the time. Let our body tell us what is happening (Stanley's tossing around at night). Just go with the flow and enjoy the ride that life throws at us.

Despite some bad reviews I read, this is an enjoyable Romantic Comedy.

The premise is rather simple. There is a twist but you may guess it from the beginning of the film.

The movie has a nice, pleasant cinematography and a good soundtrack to go with it.

The script is very good with a clear theatrical tone (this movie could well be a play) and the performances of some veteran actors are beyond criticism.

Colin Firth is the one who holds the movie on his shoulders though. It's not for an Oscar nomination but I could not think of another leading man to deliver a certain degree of cynicism and arrogance but still be likable and maybe even gallant.

Emma Stone is OK but another leading lady could be more suitable.

I'm not a big Woody Allen fan but this is more enjoyable than, let's say, Midnight in Paris. Less original, but more enjoyable.

Overall: Good enough to check it out especially if you are a female, or with a female company.

A romantic comedy about an Englishman brought in to the help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.

Magic in the Moonlight is a film directed by Woody Allen and stars Emma Stone and Colin Firth. It is obviously a romance. I'm not entirely convinced by woody Allen since there are years he'll hit you with movies like Match Point or Midnight in Paris and then, years when you'll get You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger or Scoop. Nonetheless, this movie throw two very talented actors, in the middle of a quite boring story. In fact there is no tension until ten minutes left of the movie. As usual there are moments where the writing is very clever and seems fresh but they don't overcome the cliché moments though. this film fits perfectly the build of standard romantic comedy structure: guy meets girl, they do not get along very well at first as they're opposing, then they start to like each other and suddenly problems happen. In this case nothing really happens, I mean nothing really unpredictable. Colin Firth is very good as this very rude, very mean and hard to live with character. Plus, Emma Stone is really charming, lovely and beautiful; she is also very good.

Overall Magic in the Moonlight as whole is watchable but very conventional; that I could see where the film was headed from the beginning. I am a little bit disappointed because everybody know that Woody Allen is a really talented writer.

I guess everyone of us had that moment in life when we realized that life isn't as magical as we had pictured it. That sometimes you can't talk yourself into believing something supernatural, something magical, but deep down you want to believe. What if you were finally convinced that there is more to the world than meets the eye? That is what happens to another at heart typical Woody Allen character Stanley, this time played by Colin Firth and he brings his English cynicism into the role. Known as debunker of myths and psychics he is enlisted by an friend to the French Riviera to prove a woman, that everyone is believing is a clairvoyant, to be fraud. As more time he spends with this woman Stanley starts to believe that she might be the real deal. and with that he is also turning into a nice person all of a sudden. Now that he's got something to believe in.

Colin Firth is as usual cool as a cucumber but this he is actually likable and quite funny thanks to the always funny dialogue penned by Allen. Emma Stone is cute and funny as always. But what is real beautiful is the scenery of the French Riviera and the cinematography of Darius Khondji who has managed to capture the essence of Paris, Rome and now the south of France.

The usual Wody Allen themes are quite prominent but still wrapped in this pleasant summer fare. Allen does get to tackle religion, belief, magic, the vast size of the universe and of course the unpredictability of love. Woody Allen is of the opinion that most of his films aren't perfect, that he never got to make the film he wanted. He has stated that only three of his films are as he envisioned them. In my opinion most of his films are perfect and flawless.

"A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies. And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark." - Alvy Singer

A gorgeous, sumptuous movie: wonderful cinematography, great, Jazz Age music (as well as Beethoven), the Cote d'Azur, Eileen Atkins, Colin Firth in full Mr. Darcy mode, Emma Stone… what could possibly be amiss? Well, it seems in the midst of all the prettiness and lovely fixtures, Woody forgot to include some energy. The result is a film which, while sporadically quite enjoyable, and even funny, feels curiously airless. Falls into the category of Woody's oeuvre which includes "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy", "Radio Days", "Melinda and Melinda", and "Scoop": movies which are not at all bad, but are almost instantly forgettable.

I saw another Woody Allen film, "Wonder Wheel" just the other day. I was overwhelmed by Kate Winslet's performance even if the film is not one of Allen's best, Kate Winslet makes it a must so I started searching for other Woody Allen films that I may have missed. Magic in the Moonlight (2014) I didn't even know this movie existed and it has Colin Firth in the lead. Colin Firth has been a favorite actor of mine since Apartment Zero (1988) and Emma Stone won the Oscar last year. I organized my evening to enjoy every minute of this unexpected treat. Well. the film looks wonderful and it has Eileen Atkins in it but the romantic aspect of the tale left me completely cold. Emma Stone projects discomfort more than anything else and Colin Firth performs as if he was on a stage. Every line is recited and their chemistry is also acted. By not believing in them the entire film felt like a plodding attempt at something that never materializes. Maybe next time.

Stanley (Colin Firth) is a famous magician in the Roaring Twenties Europe. He performs in a Chinese costume, the rage at the time. Yes, he is great. But, he is a little dictator to the rest of his crew, spewing out orders right and left. One day, an old friend, Howard (Simon McBurney), also a magician but not quite as well known, comes for a visit. Its more than a friendly chat. Howard brings word about a young medium named Sophie (Emma Stone) who he, Howard, believes is hoodwinking a wealthy family who lives in the south of France. However, Howard has seen her in action and CANNOT discover her secret. Could Stanley come and investigate? Ho ho, indeed he can, for in addition to magical tricks, our Stanley loves unmasking frauds who claim to have paranormal powers when everyone KNOWS there is no such thing. There is no spirit world, no afterlife, no ghosts, etc. That's what Stanley firmly believes and he has ripped off the disguise of many a huckster. So, to France the two go. Yet, Stanley is about to face a formidable foe. He finds Sophie beautiful, intelligent, and gifted. In addition, after seeing her in action, Stanley is aghast to discover that he can't understand her talents either, especially after she tells him some of Stanley's family secrets. This man runs to the home of his nearby aunt (Eileen Atkins) and plots how to further the cast. Will Sophie be found to be, gulp, the genuine item? Is there a paranormal world? This lovely film has it all, my view. It has a great story, with many a memorable line. Allen is surely the best screenwriter of all eternity. Then, the actors are terrific. Firth and Stone are dazzling stars while McBurney, Marcia Gay Harden, Atkins, Jackie Weaver, and all of the rest give terrific support. Next, the scenery is the kind to put your eyes out while the costumes, cinematography, and lively direction make for a most enjoyable film. My only criticism is that Firth and Stone are too far apart in age to really be a romantic couple, especially with Stone made to look as young as possible. Nevermind, because its not really important. What's important is that YOU go see these magical film before the next moon rises.

It's a simple yet endearing story, both hilarious and thought-provoking. The premise, of an acclaimed magician out to prove that a particular young psychic is a phony, may seem too simple or familiar, but the period setting, the acting, and the dialogues make the movie quite delightful. This well-written debate between atheism and the existence of a higher power, rational vs irrational thinking, and the mindset and level of happiness of a person in each of those cases, was fascinating and enjoyable to witness. The mystery is maintained quite well. Then, it goes on to discuss one form of magic which truly exists among us (I don't want to spoil it), which was quite heartwarming.

The acting by everyone involved is commendable, especially Colin Firth; it's good to see him in a proper comedy after so long. I love the scene where he reacts in a certain way after the young psychic Sophie reveals few things about his aunt's past; it was rib-tickling and heartwarming at the same time. Emma Stone is charming as always.

From afar, it might seem like a simple comedy, but if you take a closer look, the themes it explores are actually quite deep and intriguing; those things govern the life and mindset of most people around the world.

Beginning to end, I wasn't bored for a second. I had a smile on my face all the way through. If one is able to grasp the meaning behind this comedy's themes, they just can't deny Woody Allen's genius. He rarely fails to amaze me.

I would have loved to love this film, considering the director and the very talented Colin Firth. But alas! It is very boring, much too talkative, with lines so long- though empty -, to deliver by the actors, with hardly any camera movements. Very much like a play being filmed while the director is taking a nap or died on the way. Almost always frontal camera, not getting closer to the actors from time to time, as if the camera was stuck on the 5th row of the theater. The love story is very lame, and poor Colin Firth not credible one second. What about the message? You don't have to quote Nietszche (not sure about the spelling...) extensively to suggest that rationality in life is not everything and that you need some magic and emotions to enjoy it. Woody Allen should retire. He becomes an embarrassment.

Quickie Review:

Stanley a.k.a. Wei Ling Soo (Colin Firth), is a renowned stage magician and a charlatan mystic debunker. He goes on to meet Sophie (Emma Stone) who claims to be a legitimate mystic. As a skeptic Stanley feels the need to unmask Sophie as a fraud, but in this process both of them build an unexpected romance. This is a movie that has lot of the Woody Allen whimsy we have come to love. A charming romantic comedy that is delightful to spend an afternoon on but ultimately lacks the impact to make it an instant Woody Allen classic.

Full Review:

Magic in the Moonlight has been largely unnoticed by majority of the general movie-going audience. Yet from the trailers it peeked my interest enough to get me to watch it in the cinema. I expected it to be a good time pass and it was exactly that. I left satisfied but I have the feeling that in time I will not remember much about this movie.

It's no surprise that Colin Firth and Emma Stone were the highlight. They have proved themselves time and time again that they are excellent actors, and they continue to be so in their roles. I especially liked the character Stanley, he is rude, obnoxious, narcissistic, basically everything that would make you hate the person in real life, and yet as Sophie puts it "it's not entirely unappealing." The character Sophie has all the opposite traits, which makes for some great banter between the two. Their chemistry together sprinkled with some light quirky comedic moments is what makes the movie work. Also I must say the use of the wonderful backdrop of 60s southern France is enchanting.

I'm trying to think of the negatives but I honestly can't think of any in particular. Then you may ask, why am I not giving this the perfect score? Well frankly put, I've seen it done better, not only in this genre but also from Woody Allen, for example the award-winning Midnight in Paris. So despite it being entertaining I think for the general audience they might find the movie quite forgettable. Even the die-hard Woody Allen fans will admit that this movie is quite light on the director's style.

So when it comes down to it would I recommend it to watch it in the cinemas? Only if you like Woody Allen movies. For everyone else I'd definitely recommend to give it a chance once it's released on DVD/Blu- ray or streaming services. It's worthwhile your time when you are aimlessly browsing the Netflix library.

Check out more on my movie review blog The Stub Collector: http://thestubcollector.wordpress.com/

In 1928, the smalltime magician Howard Burkan (Simon McBurney) seeks out the successful magician Wei Ling Soo, a.k.a. Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth), in Berlin. They are friends since their childhood and Howard invites Stanley to travel to the south of France to expose the American clairvoyant Sophie Baker (Emma Stone) that has convinced the matriarch of the wealthy Catledge family and her son Brice Catledge (Hamish Linklater) that she is legitimate. Brice has inclusive proposed her to get married. The Englishman Stanley is an arrogant, rational and bitter man and he leaves his fiancée Olivia (Catherine McCormack) in England and travels to France to visit his Aunt Vanessa (Eileen Atkins) and to meet Sophie and disclose her swindle.

When Stanley meets Sophie, he is spellbound by her smile and the big eyes. Stanley also learns that Sophie comes from a very poor family and now has the chance to marry a millionaire. He uses Howard to help him to find her trick but soon he is convinced that Sophie is really a real medium, shaking up his principles of rationality and belief. Further, he falls in love with her. He decides to summon a press conference to tell the truth about Sophie. But what is the truth?

"Magic in the Moonlight" is a delightful and simple romantic comedy by Woody Allen. The environment of the late 20's associated to the music score is wonderful. The predictable plot entertains and Colin Firth and Emma Stone show great chemistry. But Eileen Atkins steals the movie in the role of the wise Aunt Vanessa. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Magia ao Luar" ("Magic in the Moonlight")

Greetings again from the darkness. One of the most prolific writer/directors since the end of the studio era, Woody Allen cranks a new script and film out every year. A few are great, while the others fall somewhere between highly entertaining and watchable. None would be considered a true dud. His latest is a bit fluffy and falls comfortably into the watchable category ... with nary a glint of anything more ambitious.

The line of actors maneuvering for a role in Mr. Allen's films stretches around the proverbial casting couch. The lineup here is again quite impressive: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Eileen Atkins, Simon McBurney, Catherine McCormack and Hamish Linklater. They each perform admirably, but aren't enough to elevate the somewhat lackluster script. Ms. Stone and Ms. Atkins are especially enjoyable here.

Woody mixes his love of magic with his cynical religious views, and blends those with his too frequent older man/younger woman sub-plot. The scenes with Firth and Stone are fine, but their on screen banter would have been better served as Uncle and Niece than awkward rom-com aspirants. Despite this flaw, there remain some excellent lines and moments, plus a hand full of staggering shots from the south of France locale. The wardrobe and cars are stunning ... the film is set in 1928.

Screwball comedies are clearly a favorite of Allen's to write, but his direction leans more towards a leisurely pace found in more traditional rom-coms. The mixed genres don't always fit together, even when stacked with a superior cast. Still, it must be noted that even at his least brilliant, Mr. Allen delivers films that are pleasant and watchable. We can live with that as we await his next masterpiece.

This is a GREAT FILM. I read some of the tepid reviews, went anyway, LOVED it. Woody, as always, deals with big subjects lightly, the question here: is there magic in the world? Is there more to life than meets the eye? I don't know what you believe, but Woody says there is. I went right along with him.

As far as movie-making is concerned, Woody shows he hasn't lost a step. Clues are deftly scattered, parallels emerge, the expected happens in unexpected ways, it's delightful. Woody speaks to our hearts and minds simultaneously.

Colin Firth is terrific; spot-on, serious and hilariously dry by turns. His character reminded me a little of Professor Higgins in "My Fair Lady." A man confident in his own superior knowledge - until he encounters real magic - the kind of magic all of us have the possibility of experiencing.

Emma Stone is revealed as an actress of easy and convincing grace. Of course, she's beautiful, too, which is never a disadvantage. Both Miss Stone's and Mr. Firth's characters are so well drawn you can't imagine anyone doing it better.

If you're old enough to have lived a little, this film will appeal to you. If you are currently loving Ninja Turtles, this piece of inspiring magic will sail over your head.

Bravo to Woody and his tremendous cast. Well done, ladies and gentlemen.

I wish Woody Allen was more consistent. I feel like I love every-other-film of his. Case in point, I loved Blue Jasmine, but not To Rome With Love, but I loved Midnight In Paris. I should love his next film then, because I didn't care for Magic In The Moonlight.

A lot of my not caring for the film lies with Emma Stone. I absolutely love Emma Stone, and was excited to see what Woody Allen would do with her. He's stripped her of everything that makes her likable, and forced her to speak his dialogue word-for-word, and it's actually painful to watch. She doesn't speak like Woody, and she struggles to figure out how to say every phrase he's given her. It's like watching someone who can't act for an hour and a half, but it's worse here, because I loved Emma Stone in The Help, Easy A, and Zombieland. I've also heard she's good in Birdman. Woody Allen and Emma Stone don't go together.

More importantly because of this, Stone is never comfortable in her role. She never connects to her character, and never forms a connection with Colin Firth (who actually isn't bad in his role). But the film hinges on these two having chemistry, and they don't. It's a miscast of epic proportions, because it brings the whole film down. I enjoyed parts of the film, but they were mostly the parts that Emma Stone wasn't on screen. Eileen Atkins is a standout in her role.

The concept actually isn't bad. A magician is brought in to prove that a girl is faking that she has psychic powers. She's so good at what she does, she ends up convincing him, and he falls in love with her. She ends up falling for him. It should have been a good movie, but it was ruined, and Allen seemed to not notice.

I wonder if Woody is happy with the finished product, or if he realized halfway through that he'd made a mistake, and just finished the film as best he could. I probably would have just told Emma Stone to start ad-libbing, and hoping that she'd fall into the character if she was speaking her own words. Woody is too proud of a writer/director to do that. But sometimes, you get it wrong, and you can either put your foot down and freight train through the wreckage, or you can try and fix what's happened. Woody just drove straight through the wreckage.

There are worse films this year, and a charming script tries so hard to make up for the shortcomings of the finished product. It's a frustrating film, because I can directly pinpoint where it went wrong, and I have a feeling that a simple recast could have changed the entire movie. Sure, it's not as deep as Blue Jasmine was, but it could have been a little piece of magic over the summer when we often get so little. Disappointing, to say the least.

The basic story line/plot was the solid foundation for a very entertaining combination of very well-written dialog, a well-defined believable group of characters, fabulous interior and exterior period (1928) scenery, exquisite period costuming and music, and a terrific cast that brought it all to life.

Of particular note was the role of the aunt, so charmingly underplayed by a truly delightful veteran English actress. Her affected portrayal left me wanting more of her character (she'd be a welcome as-is walk-on for Downton Abbey).

The philosophic question regarding happiness that the story line raises had just the right subtle amplitude to leave one pondering, the humor fit the time period and the characters, and the whole tone and content of the movie had a lightness that elevated it's entertainment value.

A terrific and not often seen example of well-paced and entertaining story telling.

As the Grim Reaper starts to raise its ugly head, our approach to life evolves somewhere between skepticism and faith, whatever happens (or doesn't happen) after death occupies the most of our thoughts. Some people grow with a bitter and more disillusioned taste of life, there's no benevolent paternalistic figure or a great scheme of things to justify the many injustices in the world, and for the others, the universe is too infinite and life too mysterious to pretend they divulged the most of their secrets.

Now, the question is: where does Woody Allen stand between these two schools of thoughts? Being an Allen aficionado, I'm pretty certain he's not a believer, I'm not sure I would use the A-word but his view on his Jewish background has rarely spread to the practice area, except if it could serve as vehicles for gags or colorful details about his childhood memories. But one can't look at Allen's body of work and see only rationality and cynicism, the most prolific screenwriter of all time used his creative talent to question the value of intellect over the kind of stuff that is "invisible to the eyes" as Saint-Exupéry would say. There's not one single Allen film where the human condition isn't put in equation, and in "Magic in the Moonlight", Allen grows a complete plot out of it, four decades after his hilarious "Love and Death".

But "Magic in the Moonlight" doesn't compete with "Love and Death", so don't let this lengthy pompous intro fool you, as deep and solemn as the theme is, the film belongs to the minor Allen category, and many of his minor stuff is still more entertaining and insightful than some others' big stuff. Still, it is minor because once you get the basis of the film, you can see most of the plot coming, quite a shame when you have unpredictability as one of Allen's strongest suits. The movie opens with Colin Firth as Wei Ling Soo, a magician who executes many banal acts until the highlight of the show, which I won't reveal a word about it, because it's the movie's McGuffin. Of course, Wei Ling Soo is only a stage name, in real life, his name is Stanley, and he's no more Chinese than Woodyy Allen is Swedish, which establishes very well his status as the Master of Illusions, much more one who's capable to spot any trick and any quack.

When a friend and fellow member named Howard Burkan, played by Simon McBurney asks him to postpone his travel to the Galapagos Islands because he just found that special someone, a girl with amazing psychic skills, able to guess anything and communicate with the dead, Stanley's curiosity is tickled so he says goodbye to his beautiful fiancée and travels to the South of France to meet this little wonder, and it's an opportunity to visit his dear Aunt Vanessa (Eileen Atkins). When he gets there, he's like in occupied territory, Sophie has already conquered the hearts of the Catledge, the rich widow eager to communicate with her husband and her son who's so blinded by love he thinks it's a good idea to court her with an ukulele. Later he adopts a wiser strategy by dangling premises of living a rich life, rich in every meaning of the word.

Emma stone is Sophie and she's like a beautiful sunflower blossoming in the middle of the Mediterranean fields, she smiles, she gently wanders in the garden like a little girl and she never overreacts nor to Brice's boring enamored tirades, nor to Stanley's obnoxious remarks. And progressively, her skills have an effect on him, and a very disturbing one. So after the first act where we had the rational man trying to unmask the charlatan, we know the roles will be reversed, because a man with such monolithic rationality only deserve to have his certitudes totally shattered. And we can all predict a romantic scenario for one simple reason: they're both promised to marry other people who are the 'right choices'. This is where Allen's talent shows.

Allen knows everyone expects a romance but what he smartly uses the romance to provide answers to the film's main theme: why can't a rational mind admit that many things that structure the world, defy reason? And maybe, and I'm being very cautious, this is more than Woody Allen the mystical, but Woody Allen the man whose reputation has been tarnished by his former wife, who admits that his current romance had inner elements that could be perceived as wrong at first stance but who can really judge? There's one of Allen's most brilliant moments consisting on a simple verbal ping pong between a preoccupied Stanley and his laconic aunt playing solitaire. Stanley is surprised by his feelings because they have no rational basis, yet they exist very much. Does that ring a bell?

And perhaps this is the message Allen tries to convey in "Magic in the Moonlight", magic is everywhere and if one wants to see physical laws while stargazing, others have perceptions that transcend the seen and the known. There might be a trick for everything, even to explain the universe but who can explain how the alchemy of love, especially love-at-first-sight work? As long as such mysteries prevail, there'll never be positive answers about anything. Four decades after "Love and Death", maybe Allen came full circle with his metaphysical worries, using a serious yet lighthearted tone.

So there had to be a happy ending, but my only regret is that the greatest screenwriter of all time indulged to such a cliché conclusion, form-wise, the last twenty seconds were unnecessary. For a film that based the entire plot on mysterious presences, it came the closest to have one of the most original and interesting endings of any Allen's film. But I guess we all mistakes, even the great Stanley, even the great Allen.

I kind of knew what I was getting into with a Woody Allen flick, but this movie was shockingly boring. I was actually startled by it. The actors totally phoned it in. Can't blame them, since the writing was so bad. After the King's Speech, not to mention Woody Allen's recent various exploits, I can only imagine that Colin Firth was offered an embarrassingly large pile of money to play this part. The central idea of the movie was shallow, lazily conceived and poorly explored. The dialogue meant to convey that idea was wooden and utterly unconvincing. These were some of the least engaging characters in a movie that I can think of. I absolutely did not care about them, what happened to them, or whether they would get together in the end. Just awful.