Smile Politely. Speak Directly. Champaign-Urbana's Alternative Daily

Since 1998, the American Film Institute has been issuing lists touting a wide variety of “great” features present in homegrown movies. Not content to rest on its laurels with its 100 best American movies, the 100 greatest movie stars, the 100 best comedies, the 100 best thrillers, the 100 best romances, these rosters have often focused on such minutiae as the 100 best quotes and songs, while revisiting its first list of 100 best movies in order to revise it.

While the AFI continues to make a mockery of itself acting like nothing more than Blockbuster Video’s government sponsor, as promotions for the movies on these lists are prominently featured at the chain’s stores, the British Film Institute has quietly embarked on an ambitious, long term project that will ensure the preservation of key films in world cinema. Known as the 360 Classic Feature Films project, this massive undertaking began in 1982 the brainchild of BFI film archivist David Meeker.

NARRATOR: Vicky sat with Cristina and Juan in a romantic Spanish restaurant drinking red wine. Juan had randomly approached and convinced both Vicky and Cristina to travel with him to his vacation home for the weekend. Vicky, who is more conservative than Cristina, doesn’t appreciate Juan’s aggressive Spanish sensuality. So, with her second or third drink, she speaks her mind.

VICKY: When I drink, I become frank…

While this is not an exact replication of an excerpt from the Vicky Cristina Barcelona script, it is the outline of a scene that well-encompasses the objective for Woody Allen’s most recent story of love.

Barcelona is a slightly drunk drama, by nature, that capitalizes on both Allen’s storytelling creativity along with its unsettling frankness.