Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris (2011)

[megladon8]

Agree with Irish here.

Cotillard is definitely not a recognizable name to the average movie-goer yet.

I wouldn't be surprised if that changes in the near future, with her being in the new Batman film as well as a few other high profile roles.

I don't think she's there yet, though.

You could, I'm sure, remind people of her by saying "Leo's crazy wife in Inception" or something, but just reciting her name isn't going to get a huge response.

[number8]

How dare you. Michael Sheen was in Twilight, and you say he's not bankable?

[[ETM]]

I seriously don't get what you're trying to do here, Irish. It's like you just love spilling out these way-out-there theories and defending them to death.

[[ETM]]

How dare you. Michael Sheen was in Twilight, and you say he's not bankable?

Sheen was in everything. I don't remember anyone covering such a wide variety of high-profile projects in such a short time, ever.

[Irish]

I seriously don't get what you're trying to do here, Irish. It's like you just love spilling out these way-out-there theories and defending them to death.

I'm doing what everyone does on a movie message board: Give my opinion on the subject at hand.

I don't think it's "way out" to describe actors like Owen Wilson and Adrian Brody, among others, as desperate for expsure, nor do I think it's "way out" to imply that Allen is on his last legs as a filmmaker of any note.

[number8]

Sheen was in everything. I don't remember anyone covering such a wide variety of high-profile projects in such a short time, ever.

Jude Law, at one point, though he never got a recurring role on 30 Rock.

[[ETM]]

I don't think it's "way out" to describe actors like Owen Wilson and Adrian Brody, among others, as desperate for expsure, nor do I think it's "way out" to imply that Allen is on his last legs as a filmmaker of any note.

What's problematic is the significance you attribute to those claims. Who cares if Allen is setting his films in places he'd like to get paid to have a prolonged paid vacation in? Who cares if he's got people who are not Brangelina in them? You're making it all sound so definite and apocalyptic.

[Irish]

What's problematic is the significance you attribute to those claims. Who cares if Allen is setting his films in places he'd like to get paid to have a prolonged paid vacation in? Who cares if he's got people who are not Brangelina in them? You're making it all sound so definite and apocalyptic.

Uh, I care? It's fun to speculate about this shit, in a gossipy sort of way. This is an "upcoming" section of the forum. Isn't this what people are supposed to do?

I never said anything about settings or paid vacations, so I don't know where you're getting that from.

My comment was really supposed to be more about Allen than those actors, because I think the billing he gets for his movies reflects how relevant he is.

[[ETM]]

Jude Law, at one point, though he never got a recurring role on 30 Rock.

Nah, he never had Sheen's range of roles.

[Raiders]

I just don't think that Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen and Marion Cotillard are any less "relevant" as actors than most of who Allen used over the years. Diana Keaton was not DIANE KEATON when she starred in thost 70s films... Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane. Heck, it's Allen himself who single-handedly continued Mia Farrow's career.

[[ETM]]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Melville]

You're calling Owen Wilson a quality actor and I'm on drugs? Tee hee.

Pretty sure you could find any number of people calling him a quality comedic actor going back to Bottle Rocket. He's just been in a lot of shitty movies. Anyway, that's a matter of taste, whereas you're making definitive claims that are factually wrong.

I don't think it's "way out" to describe actors like Owen Wilson and Adrian Brody, among others, as desperate for expsure, nor do I think it's "way out" to imply that Allen is on his last legs as a filmmaker of any note.

Owen Wilson has been in 8 movies in the last three years, three of which have each made over $200 million worldwide. It seems pretty 'way out' to infer desperate for exposure from that. Adrien Brody might be more desperate for work, but that's the only person on the list of names that hasn't been in a big hit and/or critically acclaimed movie lately (though Predators made back three times its budget).

I just don't think that Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen and Marion Cotillard are any less "relevant" as actors than most of who Allen used over the years. Diana Keaton was not DIANE KEATON when she starred in thost late 70s films... Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane. Heck, it's Allen himself who single-handedly continued Mia Farrow's career.

This. In what period of his career did Woody Allen pack every movie with bigger names than in his current films?

[Bosco B Thug]

^^^ Yeah to Melville's post. Is Irish just wrong here? (No offense, Irish, remember I was on your side during that one argument, that I can't recall right now...)

My not-in-the-know self would've readily and without much thought placed Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Rachel McAdams as completely A-list and bankable (and Cotillard and Sheen as at least A-list, if not bankable) before this spat broke out.

[Irish]

Diana Keaton was not DIANE KEATON when she starred in thost 70s films... Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane. Heck, it's Allen himself who single-handedly continued Mia Farrow's career.

You're conveniently leaving out the following 20 years. Check out the cast lists for movies like Husbands & Wives, Shadows & Fog, Everyone Says I Love You and Celebrity, among others. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.

People fought tooth and nail to land roles in those movies. You think anyone's fighting for Midnight in Paris?

[Irish]

My not-in-the-know self would've readily and without much thought placed Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Rachel McAdams as completely A-list and bankable (and Cotillard and Sheen as at least A-list, if not bankable) before this spat broke out.

I guess that depends on how broad your definition of "bankable" is. I don't think anyone would cast Wilson in a "Wedding Crashers" or "Shanghai Knights" now. I don't think he could carry any vehicle, not in the same way previous (and current) "quality comedic actors" can.

The same goes for the rest of that cast.

[soitgoes...]

You're conveniently leaving out the following 20 years. Check out the cast lists for movies like Husbands & Wives, Shadows & Fog, Everyone Says I Love You and Celebrity, among others. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.

People fought tooth and nail to land roles in those movies. You think anyone's fighting for Midnight in Paris?

The best film of those listed has the least cast, Husbands & Wives. Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Judy Davis, Sydney Pollack, Juliette Lewis and Liam Neeson. Which one is the A-list actor?

[elixir]

Who the fuck cares if they are A-listers or not? I really think you are ascribing an importance to this that just isn't there, and you aren't even correct anyways.

[Bosco B Thug]

Yeah, neither Woody or anyone in the cast is desperate for anything. Allen will cast carefully or "stuntly" as he sees fit, and those actors will pass on a Hollywood rom-com or animal movie to work with a still-respected filmmaker.

[Raiders]

You're conveniently leaving out the following 20 years. Check out the cast lists for movies like Husbands & Wives, Shadows & Fog, Everyone Says I Love You and Celebrity, among others. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.

People fought tooth and nail to land roles in those movies. You think anyone's fighting for Midnight in Paris?

I'm not conveniently leaving out anything. My point was about the quality and respect those late 70s films got/get and the cast that they had.

I'm also curious on your source for people fighting harder for those 80s roles.

[Irish]

The best film of those listed has the least cast, Husbands & Wives. Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Judy Davis, Sydney Pollack, Juliette Lewis and Liam Neeson. Which one is the A-list actor?

Juliette Lewis. She got insanely great reviews for Cape Fear. She was covered all over the place. People were raving about her in a kind of Julia Roberts way.

She could have done anything as a follow up. The fact that she chose Allen's picture says something about his pull at the time.

[soitgoes...]

I would go so far as to say that over Allen's first twenty years only Hannah and Her Sisters had multiple "A-List" actors, those whose careers were not bound previously to Allen. This idea where Allen fills his cast with tons of great actors seems like it's built on his 90's films, which also happens to be when his career started to slide.

Either way the idea is ridiculous. Woody Allen's success isn't bound to his actors, but to his scripts. As a point, he's led something like 15 different actors to an Oscar nom. A few of who the average filmgoer would be able to recognize.

[soitgoes...]

Juliette Lewis. She got insanely great reviews for Cape Fear. She was covered all over the place. People were raving about her in a kind of Julia Roberts way.

She could have done anything as a follow up. The fact that she chose Allen's picture says something about his pull at the time.

Wait, what? You accept Juliette Lewis, but not Marion Cotillard? No one in 1992 knew who Juliette Lewis was unless you explained that she was the daughter in Christmas Vacation or Cape Fear. She was in no way "big" like Julia Roberts. I was 15 when Pretty Woman came out, and I knew who she was by name. Juliette Lewis didn't become a known name to the public until Natural Born Killers, and even after that she's always skated on the outside of stardom.

[Lucky]

I can guarantee you that the average theater goer -- even the avid watcher of Allen's movies -- has no idea who she is.

I was with you until here. Anyone who follows movie news enough to know when a new Woody Allen film comes out these days is going to know who Marion Cotillard is.

To prove my point, which set of movies has received more press in the past:

A) You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Whatever Works, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Cassandra's Dream

B) Inception, Nine, Public Enemies, La Vie en Rose

[Ezee E]

I still think you underestimate Cotillard in America. She's the face of makeup lines, gets lead roles in summer movies. Girls love her because she presents elegance. Men love her cause she's damn good looking. Middle America doesn't like her because she's French and had some French callout on America back when she won her Oscar, and they'll never forget it.

[Watashi]

What the fuck is wrong with you, Irish?