S. John Ross (15 May 2012)

Kenneth Branagh plays the role Woody would have . . .

Just as John Cusack did in Bullets Over Broadway, Ken Branagh plays theneurotic writer that Woody himself probably would have played had this filmbeen made a decade or so ago. And what a difference to see Branagh this way!Some good character performances and funny scenes. Definitely worth alook.

jinscoe (15 May 2012)

overlooked gem

One of Woody's overlooked gems. It's held up remarkably well. Stillvery entertaining, funny, and all too timely. And what else hadCharlize Theron done at this point? She's a revelation. KennethBranaugh is spot-on as Woody himself (even better than John Cusack wasin that role in "Bullets Over Broadway." Judy Davis gives one her alltime great neurotic performances. Why wasn't she Oscar-nominated forthis?! This movie offers among the best testimonials as to why so manyactors want to be in a Woody Allen film. He raises the bar for nearlyall of them, even while skewering their neuroses, egos, and the warpedworld they must thrive in. Party scenes topped only by back-stage chaosat TV talk show.

valadas (06 May 2012)

Witty as always

This is one more of Woody Allen's intelligent (but not toointellectual) and witty movies, slightly ridiculing the world of movieand TV celebrities. However the first part is much more brilliant thanthe second one. The latter loses a bit of the brightness and clevernessof the former. Kenneth Branagh who replaces Allen as a talking machinegun analyzing everything and most often undecided, does a splendidrole. The sequence with Leonardo DiCaprio is particularly funny in itscrazy development seasoned with a pinch of nonsense which makes itdelicious. The problems of marriage and divorce are once again presentand as usually treated in a humorous way. Not the best of Allen'smovies but one of the best indeed.

dhahn (05 May 2012)

It simply works...

I left the cinema happy, with a big grin on my face.I don't know many Woody Allen films, so I'm not into the usual comparisons,but the man is certainly still a master of his art.The film simply works: It's sharp, witty, funny, and never boring. (And evenLeo DiCaprio managed to pull something off... you have to imaginethat)

Nick Garcia (01 May 2012)

Representative of Woody Allen? Yes. Great? No.

Woody Allen has an appreciation for great films. We saw him try histake at 8 1/2 with Stardust Memories. Now, probably more obvious, ishis version of La Dolce Vita. It's the story of a celebrity journalistthat dabbles in the lives of celebrities. That alone will most likelyprovide little interest to anyone. Jokes at the expense of shallowlifestyles among celebrities are what drive the film, though. Andthat's where all the laughs are. When I first saw this film, I thoughtthat the cast was too distracting. Part of what I found memorable inthe scenes had more to do with who uttered the lines than what thelines actually were. But as time has gone on, I believe that it's grownpast this.It's amusing to see Kenneth Branaugh play "the Woody Allen part" inthis movie. I think anyone would agree that it's a more memorable"Woody Allen part" than that of Jason Biggs some years later.

van (01 May 2012)

This would have been great in 1968

This would have been considered a sleeper in 1968, but trite and cliche in1998. Branagh appears to be trying to "do" Woody, who apparently allowedthis travesty. This Manhattan murder was no mystery. Although thecharacter's conflict were Catholic guilt/sex and neurosis, Branaghdesperately imitates a classic neurotic Jewish writer, even doing Woody'sstammers and stutters. What were they thinking? It was death without love. Ifound only one or two slight grins in the interiors of this psycho-comedy,the largest was when I went to the restroom knowing I wouldn't missanything. The second when I fantasized Branagh saying "TB are not TB(cough, cough)that is the congestion" from "Everything You Wanted toKnow..."I hate to be deconstructing Woody, I weep for his past genius. He is eitherbananas or he decided to take the money and run. Now he is remakingManhattan/Annie Hall hoping they won't be seen hiding under a new title. Ifyou ever watched an old friend tell the same tired story over and overhoping someone will cheer it again, you'll cry for Celebrity. Don't play itagain, Woody. You're no longer the champ and you will never be again. Itis better to stand on your laurels, than soil your Depends.With all of the real celebrities you'd think this movie would have beentouted from all of the NY/LA roof tops, but I imagined the Celebs, paid notto be associated with this sick flick. Maybe young film makers will look atthis and say, "When my day in the sun is over, just shoot me, don't let memake a movie like Celebrity."

LitHiUm-7 (26 April 2012)

Branagh's acting by itself makes this movie worth watching

It is a witty, funny black film in which Kenneth B. plays the best "woodyallen" of all times. The direction of photography is traditional comparedwith his last films.An excellent satire of celebrities with more believable less neuroticcharacters than I expect from a woody allen movie. The subtle critics tocatholics (instead of jews) are good for a change.I would recommend this modern classic not only to woody's fans but toanyonewho likes independent films.Besides, the rabbis and skinheads being accidentally put together in awaiting room (and getting along) is something you won't see in anywhereelse.

pooch-8 (26 April 2012)

Decent Allen film not his best, but still worth a look

Judged against other movies, Celebrity rates higher than it does when judgedagainst Woody Allen movies. In other words, the director's consistent paceand huge body of work virtually begs for critics to keep ranking each ofAllen's films against past efforts and so on. Celebrity is not as good asDeconstructing Harry or Everyone Says I Love You (to cite just two ofAllen's recent pictures), but it still bears the hallmarks of Allen'ssuccess: great ensemble work, witty and intelligent writing, amusingset-pieces, and excellent photography. Kenneth Branagh fills in as theWoody character, and channels Allen's vocal tics and mannerisms to the pointof perfection or distraction, depending on one's point of view. Judy Davis,a welcome sight in any movie, captures Branagh's ex-wife perfectly. Theremainder of the cast aids in Allen's dissection of modern media celebrity,and does what it can with this good, but not great, material.

yave (24 April 2012)

Debility (dvd)

Well, one of my last "1" rating was another Allen movie so he reallycollects mine.Here, he offers a dull movie with no plot (it's just a collage ofmeetings)and totally drowned under streams of babbles. By chance, Allenis to movies what men magazines are to publishing: as he got money, hecan always cast sexy actress: for this one he chose a young Charlizeand it was good to see again Ms. Onatop.Beyond making a movie about movie stars is as pointless and void as theconcept of celebrities. It's the same thing when TV makes shows aboutTV. It's cultural cannibalism or artistic myopia. My opinion is thatartists and celebrities are two different breeds. The first bringemotion and inspiration through art, the former had just their poor andmaterial life to offer to the audience. One delivers a message, theother runs after money.Let's make the difference and skip this movie for example!

Peter Juul Rasmussen (23 April 2012)

Allan does Altmania...

Nice to know he's there. Woody Allan does it again. It's funny. It's great.It's real. Actors act. Kenneth Branagh does a great Woody Allan. It's alovestory with a twist. Big issues rounded up in the circle of celebrity. Howdowe choose our idols? Why do we worship them? And how can we becomecelebrity? It's all done with Altmania, but it's everything Prêt-à-Porterisn't. If you're a Woody Allan fan and you haven't seen this one yet thereis something to look forward to...

johngorlewski (23 April 2012)

Bad Woody Allen impersonations

I generally like Woody Allen's movies. I couldn't get half way throughthisone. Robin Simon's and Doug McGrath's Woody Allen impersonations were veryirritating. Can you say overdone? Why would a good director like WoodyAllendirect his stars to do bad impersonations of himself?Most of Allen's movies have a throwaway scene or two that degenerate intohis nervous stream of consiousness, but this film's main two charactersjustrambled on like 2 mental patients. Sweet 'n Lowdown and Bullets OverBroadway had those moments that reeked of leftover standup material. Theydetracted from the flow of the movies but were over quickly. All ofCelebrity is made up of one 2-hour long such moment.I didn't even see Leonardo DiCaprio to criticize him. Halfway through, Icaught myself realizing that the two neurotic victims would just get backtogether in the end, and I was simply waiting for that to happen. Ibailed.Maybe this film could use some quality kills. And a couple of flesh-eatingzombies.Sad.

cormac-3 (23 April 2012)

POLYMORPHOUSLY PERVERSE AGAIN?

1. How can you cast Kenneth Branagh and then have him do an impression ofyourself?2. How many times can ask Judy Davis to play a vicious, scornedwoman?3. Why does she keep accepting?4. How is it that your character, a bumbling, ineffectual schlub,continuesto not only land gorgeous, young, intelligent women but break their heartsas well?5. Why do actors continue to prostrate themselves before you for smallpartsin progressively worse films?6. After making fun of fans who longed for you to make another funny filmisn't it embarrassing to try and fail?7. Did you forget that you used "polymorphously perverse"before?8. Are you ever going to make another funny film again?

jediknight82 (17 April 2012)

It was missing something...

When I saw the coverbox for Celebrity, I thought that this would be anexcellent movie due to the all-star ensemble cast and the fact that WoodyAllen wrote and directed it. In reality, this movie did have it's goodparts, but to be honest, I was disappointed. First, the movie was in blackand white, which has worked for other movies (Clerks for example), but itwas not right for this film. You need to see the bright lights and gaudyjewelry that is present in Hollywood today. Second, I am a fan of KennethBranagh, but his performance left something to be desired. It was thoughhewas a puppet and Allen was the ventriloquist. If you watch one of Allen'smovies that he also stars in and then watch Celebrity, you will see thatBranagh is not acting as he normally would. He was acting just like Allen,and if I wanted to see Allen, I would have picked up one of his moviesinstead.

eye3 (16 April 2012)

Too Much is Not Enough

Without the celebrities in the cast this movie couldn't hope for box officeappeal. Kenneth Branagh plays Woody Allen's screen persona well enough (ifa bit goyish); that he plays it at all illustrates my point. Woody Allenrelies on celebrity to sell his movies instead of writing interestingstories. If that's one of his "subtext" themes it doesn't wash with me;he's been using this celebrity-casting crutch throughout the'90s.Cute gags and interesting scenes (those who've seen it know what I mean!) donot a good movie make. Sitting in my seat I kept thinking, "there isn't acharacter or place in this flick I'd want to know in real-life." It takes30 minutes longer than it needs to make its unsurprising end. In some ofhis recent pix Woody tries to be clever by letting us know that he hears ourcomments about his writing and directing style; like a joke we've heardbefore it just gets old.About the only thing I can say in its favor is Kenneth Branagh shows he canplay Americans.

bear-81 (15 April 2012)

TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE!!!!!

God!!! What an awful film!!!! Sad thing about it is that I LOVE WoodyAllenmovies.......what the heck was he thinking when he made this stiff??? IdidNOT laugh, chuckle or even smile at any given point throughout this overlylong anoying piece of garbage. If there was a point to all thismess.....itlost me early on. I got soooooooo sick of seeing Kenneth Branaugh do acheap impersonation of Woody.......why......why.....WHY?!?!?Woody himself should have done his own schtick without involving someonedoing an awful job imitating himself.I have had more exhilarating root canals done in my mouth than what Iwitnessed with this flick.Please....Woody......no more of this!!!

Austin (14 April 2012)

great movie. very well done.

god, this movie was fantastic. it was brilliantly photographed in black andwhite and leonardo dicaprio had an award-winning performance as thedysfunctional movie star. i would definitely see it again.

Hitchcoc (12 April 2012)

You Gotta Like the People!

I think that most of what I would have said has been said. I think whatbothers me is that Branagh is playing Woody Allen (so why didn't he do ithimself--it would have been visually more fun). At no time to I care aniota whether this cad gets anywhere in life. When his great novel isdestroyed, he has it coming. He acts with nothing but contempt towardeveryone in his life; abandons them, and then is left unhappy. His effortsto promote himself find him in bed with equally callous and uncaring jerks(like Leonardo DiCaprio), and he finds himself on the wastepile of life. Sowhat. Had it been the witty Allen, I would have empathized just a bit. There are some wonderful acting performances here, but where is theheart?

Polaris_DiB (12 April 2012)

Lesser known Allen aims for Fellini, hits Allen.

So, basically, this is Woody Allen remaking La Dolce Vita. The moviestarts out with Woody Allen ('scuse me, "Lee Simon", which is KennethBranaugh basically proving what I previously thought impossible -- thatsomebody who was not Woody Allen could pull off Woody Allen) at thehighest in his life, getting beautiful women, enjoying the company ofthe famous elite, getting anxious over nothing... and his wife RobinSimon (Judy Davis), who is at her lowest point, being dumped by Lee andconsidering plastic surgery. Over the course of a year, their liveswill completely reverse course, as misfortune hits Lee and fortunepicks up Robin, and in the meantime no end to silliness andcelebrity-related nonsense keep things chaotic, moving, and Allen-stylefunny.It's a pretty good movie but it's rather exhausting. At least thismovie makes Allen's womanizing seem a bit more understandable, asBranaugh is much more charismatic. One of Leonardo DiCaprio's bestroles is in here as a coked out screen star. Judy Davis does an amusingimpression of Blanche from A Streetcar Named Desire, and then laterperforms fellatio on a banana. It certainly will entertain you, ifyou're the type to handle Allen's neurotic approach to humor. I for oneam a friend.The point? Apparently, love, celebrity, all those things that peoplewant just strips down to luck. Of course, whence in it, it all becomesso solipsistic, but this comedy of errors shows that the mostsolipsistic ones are the most blind to the precariousness of theirposition.--PolarisDiB

Robert D. Ruplenas (08 April 2012)

good effort from the Woodster

I enjoyed this film a lot more than I expected from what I had heard aboutit. Woody Allen is a very insightful and acerbic social critic when he wantsto be, and his intelligently witty sendups of the pretensions and vapidityof the trendy, cutting edge social set are always dead-on, and this movie isa fine vehicle for them. There many, many very funny moments and situations,and the characters are an amusing bunch, portrayed by an excellent cast. Anunderrated movie well worth seeing.

Rob Gonsalves (08 April 2012)

Celebrity is about the tiny planets revolving around Hollywood's many suns, trying to absorb some heat. It's a cold universe nonetheless.