MORAL OF THE MOVIE

There’s no time like the present! Midnight in Paris is a literal nostalgia trip that shows us how it’s best to learn from the past but not let it overshadow our own impressions of the present. It’s often easy to reminisce about a past that you’re nostalgic about, but it’s always worth making the most of the present no matter how tragic or unsatisfying it may be. A wise turtle by the name of Oogway once said ”Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present”.

WHO I THINK WOULD MOST ENJOY THIS MOVIE

Ironically, I think Midnight in Paris will be best received by those who aren’t typically fans of movies but rather fans of literature, art, and history. If you like them all including movies, then you’ll really be in for a treat. Also, this movie will really appeal to fans of artsy Rom-Coms.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/COMMENTARY

This was actually the first Woody Allen film that I’ve ever seen and it has made me want to try to check out his classics such as Annie Hall, Manhattan, etc. It should be mentioned that Woody Allen has been accused of sexual abuse by a minor and is currently in a relationship with his ex-wife’s adopted daughter. I mention this because I think it’s important to recognize these sort of things when providing a critique. Although I try my best to separate the art from the artist, the art is often a reflection of the artist’s beliefs, morals, etc. So, does that mean we can’t learn anything from this movie given the troubled waters that it comes from? Of course not! It is my philosophy that we can learn from everything as long as we recognize the sources/context, think critically and don’t take anything for granted. Having said that, Midnight in Paris is a very enjoyable film with very clever situational humor that can only be fully experienced with prior knowledge of its real-life characters such as Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Luis Buñuel, etc. However, you don’t necessarily need to know them to enjoy the film; you might miss a joke or two but they’re pretty intuitive. Overall, the concept of the film is quite intriguing and its execution was very well done as it highlights the carpe diem philosophy that many lack nowadays as they get lost in the nostalgia of the past. Midnight in Paris will give you artsy folks a blast from the past but will also offer the rest of us a surprisingly enjoyable Rom-Com (in my opinion, it’s a little more Com than Rom).