new goal in life #106

To never resemble any of the characters in Vicky Christina Barcelona.

Quite a good movie, though. Self-consciously plays up and not-so-gently mocks cliched characters and characterizations of Americans in Europe, the conceit of finding oneself in a new land (or another), and false constructs of love. Apart from his early movies, I prefer Woody Allen movies in which Woody Allen himself is not present, particularly if the film involves some nubile starlet. I am getting sick of the type of character Scarlet Johansson always seems to play, but I am quite enchanted by Rebecca Hall (who was underutilized in The Prestige). Javier Bardem is smokin', although I vow to never be swayed by his type, except mediated through film, in which case I am exonerated by the smoke and mirrors effect.

Penelop Cruz is pretty awesome, and I find myself growing in admiration of her versatility and talent, but maybe that's because I never saw that Vanilla Sky movie. Ah, we can forgive her for that, right?