1998, 1hr 51 min., Rated R for language, sex and some drug use. Dir: Woody Allen. Cast: Kenneth Branagh (Lee Simon), Judy Davis (Robin Simon), Leonardo DiCaprio, Winona Ryder, Joe Mantagna (Tony), Bebe Neuwirth (Hooker), Famke Janssen (Bonnie), Melanie Griffith (Nicole), Charlize Theiron.

So it took me until now to see a Woody Allen film, this his 28th. I just didn't care to see a movie of his, mainly because the previews never perked my interest. But I've grown and in order to be a true movie buff, I have to watch a little of everything; not just see blockbusters.

Maybe I should see Annie Hall first, because Celebrity didn't do anything for me. It's got a good cast who deliver some great lines, but overall it's dull. I wasn't anticipating what would happen next, because I didn't care what happened next.

The story involves Lee Simon (Branagh), a writer for a travel magazine and would-be novelist, having a mid-life crisis, divorcing Robin (Davis)--including sleeping with her friends-- and seeking out the big-life of beautiful celebrities and cool cars by interviewing them, trying to sleep with them and trying to sell his screenplay to them. Davis has a lengthy breakdown, especially whenever she runs into Branagh. Of course, you can predict the ending where people get their due, and happiness is not gained throught fame and fortune.

If you are 15 years old and a female who reads "Teen Beat", don't see Celebrity for Leonardo DiCaprio's 10 minutes on-screen. He does have fun trashing his hotel room, and comes very close to harsh sex, but he's gone quicker than you can say "One-movie-wonder". He tries his hardest to destroy any of these pre-teen girls' notions of his pretty-boy yummy goodness.

Branagh is really annoying imitating Allen's neurotic schtick the entire movie. Allen is annoying enough, but watching someone mimick it is worse. It's great for 10 minutes at a party or Roast but to play it out as part of the movie role is absurd.

Davis is a fine actress and convincing in her breakdowns, as a literature teacher-turned-TV producer. Even though as a person in the TV news business I don't buy her in the reporter bit. But Allen may have had her embarrass herself one to many times with the first movie screening, the banana lesson and the wedding to name a few. Of course, the oral sex talk with Bebe Neuwirth (playing a professional call-girl) was a funny scene, and at first makes every guy cringe.

Mantagna provides ample balance in a supporting role, delivering the best lines in the movie while he and Davis are at a film screening: "See that guy. He's working on an adaptation of a remake of a sequel....That director is one of those pretentious bastards who only makes movies in black-and-white." Mantagna is also a TV Executive for a show obviously based on "The Jerry Springer Show", where Rabbis and skinheads and black lawyers and the KKK interact. "The skinheads eat all the bagels already?" asks a rabbi in the green room where they all chat before the taping.

The supporting cast is an all-star lineup worthy of praise. Melanie Griffith looks sexier than she has in a long time, DiCaprio is fun to watch as the self-absorbed young actor, Winona Ryder as the self-absorbed and bitchy small-time actress, and Allen showed us three up-and-coming actresses to watch: Gretchen Mol (Rounders), Famke Janssen (Goldeneye) and Charlize Theiron (in Decembers' Mighty Joe Young).