I saw another Woody Allen film, "Wonder Wheel" just the other day. I was overwhelmed by Kate Winslet's performance even if the film is not one of Allen's best, Kate Winslet makes it a must so I started searching for other Woody Allen films that I may have missed. Magic in the Moonlight (2014) I didn't even know this movie existed and it has Colin Firth in the lead. Colin Firth has been a favorite actor of mine since Apartment Zero (1988) and Emma Stone won the Oscar last year. I organized my evening to enjoy every minute of this unexpected treat. Well. the film looks wonderful and it has Eileen Atkins in it but the romantic aspect of the tale left me completely cold. Emma Stone projects discomfort more than anything else and Colin Firth performs as if he was on a stage. Every line is recited and their chemistry is also acted. By not believing in them the entire film felt like a plodding attempt at something that never materializes. Maybe next time.

Magic In The Moonlight(2014) Starring: Emma Stone, Colin Firth, Hamish Linklater, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Erica Leerhsen, Eileen Atkins, Simon McBurney, and Catherine McCormack Directed By: Woody Allen Review Hello Kiddies your pal the Cupid Critic here, with a magical romantic comedy from Alvy himself Woody Allen with my future wife Emma Stone and Colin Firth. Chinese conjure Wei Ling Soo is the most celebrated magician of his age, but few know that he is the persona of Stanley Crawford(Colin Firth) a grouchy and arrogant Englishmen with a sky-high opinion of himself and an aversion to phony spiritualists' claims. Persuaded by his friend Howard Burkan(Simon McBurney) Stanley goes on a mission to the Cote D' Azur mansion of the Cateledge family: mother Grace(Jackie Weaver) son Brice(Hamish Linklater) and daughter Caroline((Erica Leershin). He presents himself as a businessman named Stanley Taplinger in order to debunk young clairvoyant Sophie Baker(Emma Stone) who is staying there with her mother(Marica Gay Harden). Sophie arrived ate Cateledge villa invitation of Grace, who is conceived that Sophie can contact her late husband, and once there, attracted the attention of Brice, who has fallen head over heels for her. The film was that of a novelty I like the way it is, the way it feels, I would just be listening to Colin Firth and think to myself I hope he doesn't debunk her. It would go on with many scenes with him and stone and when they were on screen I adored it. It's goal here is to supply that the world is a mystery and I believe it is. In the opening of the picture you see Stanley's Wei Ling Soo performance which he believes is all a set of trickery, he believes in science and prefers to analyze and Debunk those worship God and see's life as cruel, short and un-meaningful. The direction from Woody Allen is taking with that same approach he took with Blue Jasmine where he tried to direct a picture about a sad and non pessimistic character who views life as one tragedy after another and I hope he keeps making films with characters like those I sometimes feel life is that way. Magic in The Moonlight doesn't have that magical touch as some of Mr. Allen's other pictures it brings in an interesting story of wit and charm with the ordains of sadness in life, I give Magic in The Moonlight a three out of five.

Most Woody Allen films tend to be an extension of Woody Allen personality -or should I say the way he would like his personality to be- and this one is not an exception: you do actually are not watching Colin Firth playing the role of a magician but Woody Allen's alter ego playing Colin Firth playing a magician, so anything new under the sun. The best thing about this movie are its locations, music and general wrapping overall. The rest is always the same so you will enjoy it if you like Allen's movies and you will dislike it if you don't. I think mr. Firth was wrong by choosing this film. He appears not only miscast (although we plays his role properly) but also insipid and bland.

Mediocre.Written and directed by Woody Allen. A magician/illusionist, Stanley (played by Colin Firth), is invited by a fellow magician to travel to the South of France. The reason for the trip is to investigate, and hopefully expose as a fraud, a woman, Sophie (played by Emma Stone), who is apparently psychic. He is fervently of the belief that psychics, clairvoyants etc can't exist - he's a man of science and rationality. Once he meets her, however, things get complicated...Started well. There is the usual Woody Allen lightness, warmth and offbeat humour. However, it is not exactly laugh-a-minute stuff. There is also an air of mystery about the whole thing - how does she know so much about people, could she really be psychic?However, the movie pretty quickly runs out of steam. The mystery disappears quite quickly and there are dull periods. Moreover, the movie becomes a romantic drama, and an overly schmaltzy, contrived and implausible one too. The implausibility is heightened by the age gap between the two characters.Not anywhere near Woody Allen's best.