Why so much hype?

Pretty Good

Dreadfully Boring

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

After watching this I can't help but wonder what a fantasy horror film written and directed by Woody Allen would look like.

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

With a poll being held on IMDb's Classic Film board for the best titles of 1990,I decided to take a look at Woody Allen's IMDb page.Discovering that Allen had made a film which appears to have become almost forgotten about,I decided that it would be a good time to find out if Alice did live here anymore.The plot:Taking her kids to school, socialite Alice Tate runs into a handsome man dropping his kid off at the school.With having been married to Doug for 16 years,Alice's life has become one that is focused on material possessions,partly related to the spark in her marriage having burnt out long ago.Talking to her friends about feeling attracted to someone other than Doug,Alice's friends advise her to a herbalist doctor called Yang.Meeting Yang,Alice starts to tell Yang about the sudden feeling that are developing.After getting Alice to reveal her inner feeling via hypnosis,Yang gives Alice a packet of herbs,which he claims will make her act on her impulsive feelings.Taking all the herbs,Alice soon enters a new & exciting wonderland.View on the film:Staying behind the camera,writer/director Woody Allen and cinematographer Carlo Di Palma use superbly-handled tracking shots to show all of the material possessions being at a distance from the "real" Alice.Sliding the movie into wonderful flights of fantasy,Allen dips into Alice's mind by startling infer red flashbacks,and a visit from a Ghost of Christmas Past-style character.Despite filming not being the easiest experience, (with Allen checking himself into hospital,shortly after finishing the films multiple re-shoots) the screenplay by Allen expertly cracks the shell of Alice's high-end,shallow life,thanks to Allen showing the riches to have drained any excitement from Alice's life.Enchanting Alice (and the audience) with the appearance of Dr.Yang,Allen reveals a real joy in taking advantage of the fantasy opportunity,as Allen uses Yang's herbs to take Alice from being invisible,to flying across a vast city.Made just before he passed away, Keye Luke gives a splendid performance as Yang,with Luke giving Yang a real sense of excitement,over helping Alice to peel away to her true self.Whilst her performance does contain some hints of being twee,Mia Farrow does very well at keeping Alice largely on the charming side,with Farrow giving Alice an excellent nervous energy,as Alice starts to turn away from her closed-in life,and begins to look into the looking glass.