“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” -
Scarlett Johannsson, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Rebecca Hall, Patricia Clarkson

I have to confess that I do enjoy Woody Allen and he has gotten mellower but more sexually overt in his advanced film making. He is also (possibly forced) using overseas settings a lot more often since he created such a debacle in his personal life some years ago. This has a very unique cast, rather like Scarlett is his new Mia and Rebecca his new Diane. I couldn’t take my eyes off Bardem. The last movie I saw him in was No Country for Old Men and he was just as riveting but in grotesque and frightening way, this time I simply wanted his clothes off! HOT.

Two best friends on opposite sides of life and love spend a summer in Barcelona both falling for the same man who is in turn hopelessly and virtually fatalistically captivated by his ex-wife Penelope Cruz. Their relationship only works when a third is in it. This gives new meaning to ménage a trois and the delight it can bring.

Of course it wouldn’t be Woody Allen without poignancy and tragedy to balance the comedic moments. Patricia Clarkson does a brilliant job as the trapped housewife, no longer in love, but too terrified of life and herself to leave her husband. One of those, glad-I-haven’t-yet-married moments for this viewer. The ending sort of fizzled, predictable and not terribly original, felt like Woody got bored and left.

“No Country for Old Men” -
Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson

This was more like no movie for the audience. And this won Oscars? The Coen Brothers have found their new ghoulish muse in Bardem, he is like a Vampirish version of Bandera, and needs a new hair cut badly. Jones has seen better days, he isn’t aging gracefully and as much as I’ve always enjoyed his talent, it is now painful to see him on the screen. Brolin still can’t carry a movie and they seem to keep expecting him to. I know they are saying he is truly hitting his stride, unless that is his stride off the screen, I don’t see it. Harrelson was the light point in this. He always delivers unexpected performances and this was no exception even for a cameo. I grant you that the plains of Texas, windswept, littered with bodies, lawless in a world of drug smuggling and lies is No Country for Old Men, but clearly it isn’t a country for young men or women either as evidenced by the demise of Brolin and his screen wife. This was dark, bleak, and not entertaining in the least. Fargo is still their best and most creative, at least they gave Bardem a nail gun instead of a gun through half of this as an original weapon of choice.