the leading man is my tpye

A Disappointing Continuation

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

One of the best movies by Woody Allen even if he himself did neither write it nor directed it nor starred in it, or, for that matter, has no direct role in making the movie whatsoever (as far as I know).I love almost all movies by Woody Allen and I love this imitation simply because it is not only an excellent imitation but also an excellent movie on its own.I wonder if there was a secret collaboration between Allen and David Frankel. I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case and what we are facing is an insider joke.Maybe in 1995 Allen was not yet ready to move his movies away from New York, and this is the product,

Thin, but enjoyable romp involving a young, unmarried Jewish woman and her married family and friends--all of whom seem to be miserable and cheating on each other. Ersatz Woody Allen, as it aspires to be, but not quite on the level of, say, "Hannah and Her Sisters". Odd to see Mia Farrow here (playing Sarah Jessica Parker's mother), as this is basically a retread of the work she was doing with Allen earlier in the decade. Parker is infectious, rattling off the sometimes-precious lines with professional aplomb, supporting cast is quite colorful, yet this tale doesn't have much of a point, and as a film it has no motivation beyond aping Allen. **1/2 from ****

Gwyn and Matt have finally gotten engaged and it looks like she will get what she wanted - a happy marriage just like the rest of her family. However as she looks around with clear eyes she realises that all her family are involved in bad marriages and affairs. As a result she begins to get cold feet, worried the same will happen to her.From the style and music of the opening credits right through to the to-camera conclusion that mirrors the `need the eggs', this film is like a tropical version of Annie Hall with a female playing the Woody Allen role! Even if it is not a total mirror, it is impossible to watch this film without seeing Allen's influence all over it. So immediately large sections of the audience will want to turn off, however I love Allen so am happy to give this a shot on that basis alone. As a film, it's plot is just a collection of messy relationship through which Carrie, sorry, Gwyn learns lessons. It isn't substance rich but that's the point - instead it is quick and rather witty, never sitting still for very long but being quite fun with it.The cast also helps as they do some very fun turns despite some weaknesses. Parker is good and her New York personae certainly seems to fit the material. Bellows is rather bland for the role but there are some great little bits from Banderas, Farrow and Mazursky. It's always good to see Pollack and Piven but Campbell demonstrates why she hasn't moved into a successful film career by reading her lines with all the emotion of iron (although she looked great in the beach-shoot scene).Overall this is a fun little film that is quite slick if you are a fan of Woody Allen's relationship neurosis films. If you're not then you'll probably do well to avoid this film.

Hmmm...Sometimes I watch this movie with the mute on. I just enjoy seeing all the scenes from my former hometown. I have to say that Kevin Pollack gives an absolutely fantastic performance as the philandering heartless husband. However, his paring with the mythically-sized Naomi Campbell is about as unlikely as a marriage between Howard Stern and Dr. Laura.Watch it if there's nothing else on...especially if you live up North and it's winter. Seeing palm trees and sun, even on TV, can greatly reducing the symptons associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Don't forget the mute button!