Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, USA/Spain)

I pretty much stopped watching new Woody Allen movies after the one-two punch of Hollywood Ending and Curse of the Jade Scorpion, both of which are terrible. Match Point was the only exception, but he seemed on surer footing with a drama than a comedy, so despite the critical acclaim around Vicky Cristina Barcelona, it took me ages to get around to it. I was prepared for disappointment, but what I found was the lightest, most charming Allen film since Everyone Says I Love You, but with a stronger spine than the oddball musical. It’s deliriously romantic, but more than a little bittersweet, and every time you think Allen is pointing and laughing at one character, one set of mind, it turns out you’re wrong – there are no simple answers here, no expected outcomes. Whatever the reason – his relationship with “muse” Johansson, the freshness of his Spanish setting – I hope Allen is able to retain some of the spryness and delicacy of Barcelona.