Report Card---"Cafe Society"

This is the morning of Inauguration Day, which I intend to completely boycott and ignore.
Which no one needs care about or judge me on, it's just to explain why I'm writing a movie review at this moment.  I'm just trying to keep myself occupied.
"Cafe Society" is your typical Woody Allen movie of late.
He makes 'em , I go see 'em, and I'm usually disappointed.
There have been some really good ones since "Radio Days", "Anything Else", and "Blue Jasmine".
But many have been letdowns.
Nothing terrible, just less than the an incredibly high standard he once set for himself.
"Café Society" is just not all that funny and there is no other element to replace it.

On to the scoring:   

Is it interesting?

Mildly.
B-..

Compelling even?

Never.
C-.

Is it controversial?

Not at all.
C.

Is it a story worth telling?

I feel like I've been there before.
C.

Is it good storytelling?

Not bad.
B.

Is it well written?

The man still knows how to write.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?

Jesse Eisenberg is doing the part that Woody knows he's now too old to play himself.
He pales in comparison.
C.

Well shot?

Extremely.  It takes place in the 1930s with exquisite attention to detail.
A+.

Did the director put such a personal stamp on it so that no one else could have made it?

Always.  Particularly his  great use of music.
A+.

How long does it take to establish the film's locale and time period?

Immediately.
A.

Is it too long? Too short?

No problem.
A.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Somewhat, and somewhat.
B-.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Nothing surprised me much here.
C.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Not at all.
C.

Is it funny?

Here and there.  Mostly there.
C.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

No, even though I would have
C..

Is it impressive?

With a better script, it would have been.
B-.

Overall grade: B-.

Woody, don't just keep makin' em just to make 'em.  Wait until you're sure you have a good one.
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My books, "Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
They are all compilations of blog entries that have since been removed from the blog.
So this is the only way you can find them.
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not e-books.
But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@comcast.net
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

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