Blue Jasmine

[VoR]

I liked it a lot, but it only really clicked with me towards the end. It felt like it would have worked better as a play than a movie, I never especially believed in the characters - it felt more allegorical than true to life.

Blanchett was completely astonishing, pretty much sold it to me. In lesser hands I imagine I might have hated it.

I know Woody has denied the connection, but it's such a TOTAL re-write of A Streetcar Named Desire...

 

[Funky]

aren't there already lots of films about poor little rich girls forced into reality? Not just Streetcar...

 

[VoR]

The plots run way closer than that though

Spoiler: Entire plot contained herein

* Wealthy, high-strung middle aged woman with alcohol problem arrives in town, stays with more down to earth sister and her working class husband after her adulterous husband's suicide left her penniless.

* Blanche/Jasmine's idea of 'a good (wealthy, cultured) man clashing with pure sexual chemistry exhibited by Stella/Ginger and Stanley/Chili.

* Extremely antagonistic clashes between Blanche/Jasmine and Stanley/Chili

* Blanche/Jasmine retreating increasingly into a fantasy world into which reality must eventually violently intrude.

* End scene of Blanche/Jasmine completely broken and unhinged.

It's practically scene for scene!

 

[Dark Carnival]

I REALLY liked it! Cate and the whole cast were great.

 

[Sharla]

Marvellous. Really quite wonderful, career highs for the amazing Cate and the often awful Sally Hawkins, and I did have an empathy for Jasmine, despite her being awfulness. I'd be curious to see what mental health organisations make of Jasmine's plight and Woody's depiction of it.

Did anyone else think about poor Rachey when Jasmine decried working as a dental receptionist as "too menial". The line about the dental anaesthetic got the loudest laugh in the cinema.

After hearing about the Streetcar comparisons and the way the trailer was edited, I was hugely relieved that

Spoiler: Intimacy

Jasmine didn't get raped by Bobby Cannavale, or the dentist for that matter.

 

[Ellie]

Hell hath frozen over. Jivafox and I have given a film the same score!

 

[jivafox]

oh my god

and who'd have thought it would be a new Woody Allen that would do it

 

[Jonfessions]

The line about the dental anaesthetic got the loudest laugh in the cinema.

my screening was full of really loud laughers. It was almost a bit disconcerting. It's not a competition

 

[Sharla]

I went to a lunchtime screening, and I'd say I was the only person under 65. Lots of female pairings taking advantage of Orange Wednesdays, and forgetting they were in a cinema and therefore should try whispering when they wanted to chat to each other.

I didn't notice anyone turning their phone on to check the time or to text, which is often the sign of a good film.

 

[cwej]

Hell hath frozen over. Jivafox and I have given a film the same score!

Hell hath frozen over this is your second ten in as many months.

 

[Loufoque]

This was wonderful. Cate needs the Oscar.

 

[ameraal]

absolutely loved this. i thought cate was fantastic and the same can be said about hawkins - she was that person. the men weren't as good and it was a bit weird seeing louie in there.

i thought the subject matter was fascinating and as someone who tends to think of whether or not to settle often i have to say i saw a lot of myself in both jasmine and ginger. it was an interesting point of view and despite the final scene he wasn't trying to force which is right on the audience. at least it didn't feel like it for me.

i hadn't read anything about this and was pretty surprised it was a drama but it had a lot of the hallmarks of an allen movie and yes, what a complete delight.

cate's a shoe-in for an oscar and i imagine sally should have a very good chance at one too.

 

[Funky]

Add me to the list of fans of this film, and moreover the jaw dropping, gob-smacking, Sandra-Judi-and-Meryl-need-to-pack-up-now-as-the-Oscar-is-in-the-bag, performance of Miss Cate Blanchette. If there's any justice she'll sweep the entire awards circuit.

 

[Ryan]

Add me to the fanclub; this was fantastic! And, as so many of you have said, Cate was just incredible. I cannot remember ever seeing a performance from her which has truly stood out for me and so this was quite the surprise. She really is amazing in this.

 

[Eileen]

Sally Hawkins deserves more praise, she's such a brilliant actress.

She has now overtaken Jodie Foster as my favourite actress ever. Get this bitch an Oscar!

 

[Eileen]

This is somewhere between an 8 and a 9 for me but I've gone for an 8. I thought it was very good as a character study but it just wasn't especially FUNNY. But then again it's very rare I laugh at a film. The only film I can remember finding hysterical was Borat.

 

[Funky]

This is somewhere between an 8 and a 9 for me but I've gone for an 8. I thought it was very good as a character study but it just wasn't especially FUNNY. But then again it's very rare I laugh at a film. The only film I can remember finding hysterical was Borat.

No wonder you didn't find this funny bbz...

 

[Eileen]

No wonder you didn't find this funny bbz...

Not a Borat fan? I just don't find American humour particularly funny. There were some witty lines but it's no Annie Hall.

 

[cwej]

I'm not sure it was supposed to be that funny? It had funny moments but it was definitely more of a drama...

 

[ameraal]

i didn't really like schindler's list cause it only made me chuckle once

 

[Eileen]

Well it WAS billed as a comedy-drama. Anyway, I'm not dissing it, I gave it an 8 after all. It just ain't a 9.

 

[Eileen]

i didn't really like schindler's list cause it only made me chuckle once

Plovdiv

 

[Peekaboo]

I saw this today and really enjoyed it. It's more of an 8 really because as VoR pointed out it's just a rewrite of an older classic and some of it is slightly stilted and clichéd, but the two main leads are EVERYTHING and it has a lot of what's good about Woody Allen films and hardly any of his annoying habits. I wish there was a bit more of comedy Cate because she is a truly underrated comedy actress but the brilliant scene nannying the kids while nursing a scotch will do

 

[Peekaboo]

Also, the credits informed me that all cardigans Cate wears in the film were made especially for her by Chanel. She looked jaw-droppingly beautiful.

 

[Ellie]

The scene with her nephews, still talking to them in the same tone as adults, "the song Moon Rver was playing, you know the song Moon River" *blank stares*

 

[Sharla]

A £10 bet on Cate to win best actress would make you £2.50 profit, that's how much of a favourite she is considered at the moment.

Meanwhile if you're feeling lucky, a £10 bet on Naomi Watts in Diana would make you £500.

 

[VoR]

Pre Blue Jasmine, but this is a wonderful interview with Cate if you have a spare hour.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/x1pIfJvtBQ4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[loomer]

Finally saw this and was rather disappointed. Although the casting and acting was terrific, it was just kinda boring. Some are saying this is vintage Woody but a lot said it was just OK as well, still expected better though based on the hype.

Jasmine was a great character though, just stuck in a mediocre film. I loved the little bits of Blanche DuBois which peaked through.

 

[VoR]

Rewatched this tonight in anticipation of Blanchett possibly picking up another Oscar soon. I’d probably mark it down to a 7 now - she remains superb but everything around her felt a bit CREAKY. Hawkins does her best with a seriously under-written role as the sister.

Maybe I just have less tolerance for Woody Allen these days. Louis fucking CK showing up certainly didn’t help (Though he is well cast as a TOTAL SLEAZE, but like Hawkins the part is barely a sketch).

 

[Cerro de Casa]

One of my favourite films of all time