Review of Magic in the Moonlight (2014) by Aaron F — 03 Aug 2014

For a man who has basically directed one film every year (with a few exceptions) since 1967, Woody Allen continues to impress as a filmmaker. Are some of his stories remarkably similar? Of course. Do they sometimes feel far too simple? Definitely. Still, Allen manages to create a wonderful mood and atmosphere with every film he directs.

The story of Magic in the Moonlight is predictably straightforward, but thanks to entertaining performances from Emma Stone and Colin Firth, the film does indeed have a good bit of magic. His cinematographer Darius Khondji creates a beautiful look for this picture, having worked with Allen on a few of his previous films including Midnight in Paris.

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with Magic in the Moonlight. It just doesn't shine as bright as some of Allen's other films, including his most recent Blue Jasmine.