Posted by Julia Mahony
In recent years, Woody Allen's films have focused on grand European cities, such as Paris and Rome. These films have been surreal and enchanting, but with his newest film, "Blue Jasmine," Allen has shifted gears to stark American reality.
Theatrical chameleon Cate Blanchett easily delivers one of the best performances of the year in the titular role of Jasmine, a modern Manhattan socialite who has recently fallen from grace. She flawlessly embodies the aging diva in all of her vodka swigging, Xanax popping glory.
The film jumps between the current state of Jasmine's existence of disgrace and her glamorous life of the past, allowing the viewers to experience the gaudiness and grotesquery of her and her husband Hal's (Alec Baldwin) privileged world. Jasmine maintains conviction in her self-entitlement, whether she is in the comfort of luxury, or in the less than elegant world of her sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins). Ginger lives in a seemingly typical apartment in San Francisco, which initially shocks Jasmine in its obvious ordinariness. .
This weekend the Saratoga Film Forum will be showing "Blue Jasmine" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday the 10th, Friday the 11th, and Sunday the 13th. In addition, on Saturday the 12th at 7:30 p.m., "Rising From Ashes" will be playing. It is an inspirational film about genocide survivors in Rwanda, striving towards their dream of a national cycling team. Afterward there will be a panel discussion. Tickets are $5 with valid Skidmore ID.