Rating: 
Summary: Kenneth as Woody.
Review: While the movie itself was pretty uneventful and seemed to drag, the absolute magnificence of Kenneth Branagh's performance made it worth watching. I think what a couple of previous reviewers may have missed is that the male lead was written by Woody for Woody. He, thankfully, had the wisdom to know he would not be able to believably play that role--with Charlize and Winona falling all over him. So, he got someone else to play him for him. Kenneth does a remarkable Woody Allen. The argument in the park is a prime example. So to the reviewer who said that leading men in Woody Allen films should stop trying to be Woody, please realize that sometimes that is the whole intent, and realizing that can make the whole film richer.
Rating: 
Summary: watch it again-you'll like it
Review: Why do people keep expecting everything from Woody Allen to be "funny"? Like "Stardust Memories" or any number of his other movies, I would consider "Celebrity" more of a drama than a comedy. Yes, there are funny scenes, but there's more to it, I think. I didn't love the movie on first viewing, but I enjoy it more each time I see it. If you give it a chance and listen to what the director tells Melanie Griffith at the beginning about the "human condition", and how that relates to Kenneth Branagh (who I did NOT find annoying) at the end; and look deeper than Leonardo DiCaprio's small part, I think you'll find more than just jokes (or the absence thereof).
Rating: 
Summary: Minor Woody Allen
Review: Woody Allen has been directing movies for well over thirty years. He has also been in psychoanalysis for perhaps as long, and for several years, I have suspected that the quality of his movies depends on where his angst and his neuroses are at at the time. His films are often autobiographical in nature. We have seen the same themes evolve over the years. This is often fascinating, because we see his views of these subjects change as he grows older.Celebrity is not a major work by Allen. It is if he is in some emotional crossroads and can not pick a suitable path for the story, which makes the movie choppy. Some scenes have flashes of brilliance, while others work for Allen, but not for the audience. The acting is much less subtle than usual, which may be because the celebrity world it is set in is not known for subtlety. Lee Simon [Kenneth Branagh] is a journalist who longs for a better life. He has had a couple of novels published. Critics trashed them both, and now Joe is convinced that the screenplay he is working on is the answer. He decides to dump his wife, Judy [Judy Davis] so that he can pursue his dreams. She falls apart, but, in a classic Allen theme, she regroups and becomes a better, happier person, while Lee continues to flounder. Within the rather slim plot, there are vignettes about various kinds of celebrities, and these are the parts of the movie that often work best. Charlize Theron portrays a supermodel who is the walking definition of shallow. Melanie Griffin is a demented star. Leonardo Di Caprio gives a startling performance as Brandon, a self-centered brat who is America's heartthrob of the moment. As in almost every Allen opus, the main character falls for much younger women. A new twist here is Lee's adventures with Brandon. He is no match for the recklessness, wildness and stamina of a much younger man. True to the older man / younger woman theme, Lee learnes nothing from this encounter. People who are not familiar with the director's work will probably be turned off by Celebrity, if only because it is black and white. Those who do not like Allen will find their distaste reaffirmed. Allen fans will be diverted, but will hope that his next project will prove more on target. There is a good chance that it will be, as the director has always been hit and miss. What do you expect from an admitted neurotic? My list of the best Woody Allen movies is as follows [in descending order]: Hannah and Her Sisters, Annie Hall, Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Love and Death, Husbands and Wives, Zelig, Bullets Over Broadway, Manhattan Murder Mystery.
Rating: 
Summary: Woody Allen at his worst
Review: Woody needs to rethink the formula. And someone needs to tell Kenneth Branagh that imitating Woody is the most awful thing he can do for his appeal. It was a weak story line, lousy acting, annoying cinematography, pure drivel. How so many stars can participate in a project without any of them noticing what a piece of garbage it is frightens me. Do not buy - especially if you liked any of Woody's earlier stuff. I am so disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Not Much To Celebrate
Review: __________________ Branagh's portrayal of Woody Allen's role wasn't exactly annoying, but it wasn't particularly endearing either. This movie was not too enjoyable, although Leonardo DeCaprio was a bright spot. This one seemed to be a little slapdash, not to the point of "Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy", but clearly it isn't one of his best. Bottom of the midrange. Had he made this one in the 1970s it might have gone down as a classic. Not anymore.
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