Very well executed

To me, this movie is perfection.

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Available on Blu-ray Disc (Region B)USA 1990 English (Colour); Comedy/Romance/Fantasy (Orion); 106 minutes (15 certificate)Crew includes: Woody Allen (Director/Screenwriter); Robert Greenhut (Producer); Jack Rollins, Charles H. Joffe (Executive Producers); Carlo Di Palma (Cinematographer); Santo Loquasto (Production Designer); Susan E. Morse (Editor)Cast includes: Alec Baldwin (Eddie), Blythe Danner (Dorothy), Judy Davis (Vicki), Mia Farrow (Alice Tait), William Hurt (Doug Tait), Keye Luke (Dr Yang), Joe Mantegna (Joe Ruffalo), Bernadette Peters (Muse), Cybill Shepherd (Nancy Brill), Gwen Verdon (Alice's Mother)Academy Award nomination: Original Screenplay; Golden Globe nomination: Actress - Musical/Comedy (Farrow)"A younger man and a bolder woman."A neglected, unfulfilled housewife (Farrow) fantasises about having an affair with a divorced musician (Mantegna), when she is made to reappraise her life on visiting a Chinese acupuncturist (Luke, in his final film) for a bad back, and is instead prescribed magic herbs that allow her to lose her inhibitions, turn invisible, and communicate with a dead ex-boyfriend (Baldwin).Overfamiliar elements - Farrow (back then), jazz soundtrack (plus, in this case, subject matter), very Allen-esque dialogue (though without the man himself appearing) - combine with a gentle romance demonstrating a nice change of pace for normally tough-guy Mantegna.Important lesson - disregard trivialities in favour of what's important - emerges from this lightweight Allen.Blu-ray Extras: Trailer. * (2/10)

Review: This is another movie from the Woody Allen camp, about a woman whose in a troubled relationship and looks for comfort from another man. The only difference in this movie is that Mia Farrow seeks help from a Chinese healer who gives her different powers which sends her into a fantasy world. One of her powers is to disappear, which is when she catches her husband doing the dirty on her, so she decides to leave her wealthy husband for a man who she meets whilst picking up her kids from school. Some of the fantasy scenes go a bit too far, like when she's flying with Alec Baldwin in the sky, but the storyline isn't as bad as some of the movies that I have seen from Woody Allen lately. The main problem that I found with the film was Mia Farrow, who I find emotionless and quite dry. She really can't deliver wit or warmth to her roles and her constant whining spoilt the movie for me. Apart from that, the movie is watchable, with many twists and turns throughout. Watchable!Round-Up: I wonder if Woody Allen would have used Mia Farrow so much if he wasn't with her? For a writer and director who mostly makes comedies, she really would be the last actress who I would star in my movies. There are some good actors in this film, like William Hurt and Joe Mantegna, but it's mostly based around Farrow who was quite dull. I liked the moral of the story at the end, which was quite sweet, but the main character had to go through a hell of a journey to get there. Basically I have come to terms with the fact that a lot of Woody Allen movies would have been much better if he didn't cast Mia Farrow in the lead, but that's just my personal opinion.Budget: $12million Worldwide Gross: $7.3millionI recommend this movie to people who are into there Woody Allen movies about a woman in a troubled relationship and seeks help from a Chinese healer. 4/10

Woody Allen is a cockeyed genius. But he makes unique films. This is a fantasy, a fairy tale, a comedy,a drama, a social documentary. It is engaging and distinctive with Allen's creative fingerprints all over it. The banal chatter, the simple yet well plotted shots, the occasional flights of wild fantasy, the innate feel for New York City and its unique lifestyle of faux sophistication. These are all Woody Allen trademarks and when you're that good, you're entitled to some personality quirks. Nobody comes close to capturing New York the way Allen does. Mia Farrow excels as a naive, confused, inexperienced and (not so) innocent wife. But it's Allen's vision that makes the movie. A keeper!

I love a lot of Woody Allen's lesser-known works (Shadows and Fog, Stardust Memories) but being honest with myself, I can't find a lot to like in Alice. The one thing that kept me watching it the whole way through was Mia Farrow's phenomenal performance - she's really at her best here, and with no Woody around, she truly gets to shine. The script is also wonderful, as is almost everything Allen wrote (at least until the early 2000's). Unfortunately, the film is too uneven to really work. Farrow's one woman show controls most of it, but the rest of the cast can't keep up - especially the completely uncharismatic Joe Mantegna, who brings down every production he's in. Stylistically the film has some very interesting moments, but it, too, is too inconsistent and uneven. In particular, any scene of a supernatural nature comes off as indecisive and cynical. The film is probably worth it for devoted Woody Allen fans, some of them may like it, but I can't really recommend it for anybody else.