Te Quiero Barcelona

So over the weekend I saw Woody Allen's new film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, at The Angelika. To summarize, the film looks at various relationships as two best friends travel to Barcelona for the summer and meet someone who has a great impact on them.

I quite liked the story and the movie. The scenery was beautiful and made me long to go back to Barcelona to walk among Gaudi's architecture and drink fabulous sangria. The film was funny and yet I wouldn't exactly call it a romantic comedy. It was more certain instances or characteristics that were comical while the story was really just one of people, and as I said, relationships.

It also spurred a desire to try to be more creative, which I've been wanting to do but kind of stopped once I started working a full-time job. I love photography and just taking all kinds of pictures which I haven't done lately, but would really love to start up again.

Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz were really wonderful in this. I wasn't always a big Penelope Cruz fan, but I very much liked her in Volver and I thought the role of Maria Elena in this film was perfect for her. I imagine Javier Bardem enjoyed playing this role as he had three lovely ladies lusting after him.

Scarlett Johansson was her usual pretty self, but overall I find her acting skills rather unimpressive.

The film was narrated by an anonymous male which I found unnecessary, but comoical at times, especially when describing Cristina (played by Scar Jo).

Rebecca Hall played Vicky, who's character reminded me much more of myself, although not entirely in a good way. Vicky is the more logical of the two friends, while Cristina is the free spirit. Vicky is practical, which makes her come off less adventurous, while Cristina is more carefree (or careless?).

I myself have friends like this and who make me feel like a Vicky. It's not that I dislike her character, perhaps it's because I found things that I identified with and that therefore made me envy certain aspects of Cristina, and of those friends of mine. I'm the type of person who likes to have a plan and know where things are going. I like to travel and be adventurous in that way or try new things, new foods, etc. but I am not adventurous when it comes to the heart. On that front I am extremely guarded.

I envy those who have that sort of carefree attitude, of taking chances and risks and just being ok, going with the flow of things. I would love to just pick and leave for Europe as some friends have done and abandon all responsibility. Perhaps if I didn't have student loan bills piling up I would and could, but these things place certain restrictions...limitations on me I feel. What I identify with in Cristina, is her restlessness and dissatisfaction. Sometimes things (situations, people, places) just aren't enough. I don't mind change, in fact at times I prefer it because I get bored and tired of my situation more easily than others. Likewise, I find it difficult to answer when anyone asks me, "What do you want?" Like Cristina, I don't know what I want...I only know what I don't want.

Hmm...this "review" was kind of all over the place. Sorry about that, too many thoughts and too little time to write. Internet at the apartment has been terrible again, so I'll try to keep up when I can until I've moved and hopefully have a better connection.

Later!

-B