Woody Allen

I've fallen into a Woody Allen phase lately as I watched three films in two days. The first of which, "Small Time Crooks," was a funny romp about a trying and unsuccessful crook played by Allen who eventually becomes a millionaire when his front for a bank robbery actually brings in the dough.

His wife runs the cookie shop upstairs while Allen and his dysfunctional buddies try to tunnel to a nearby bank downstairs. The cookies become enormously popular and they eventually turn into a large corporation.

The movie is pretty funny, but definitely not my favorite Woody film. It seemed to lack the humor and flow of most of his other movies.

Next, I popped in "Annie Hall," a movie that I should have seen a long time ago but never did. Let me tell you, this movie is definitely worth all of the hype. It won four oscars including Best Picture in 1977.

The thing I love about Allen movies is that they stand the test of time. You can watch Annie Hall and not even know it was from the 70's. The subject material and filmmaking seem ahead of its time.

The free flow of conversation is incredible in all of Allen's movies but especially in Annie Hall. Each shot is something like 17 seconds long, which is truly amazing. Allen uses long takes to give the movie a stronger realism and to make the editing process take less time. This way he can easily make at least one movie a year, which he does these days.

Annie Hall is a great look at life and relationships. This movie particularly makes me want to move to New York City and grow old. This is one of the most realistic movies I have seen. You just feel each conversation isn't staged or scripted, but rather something that was caught on film accidentally.

Coincidentally, many have claimed that this movie is sort of autobiographical about Allen and his real-life relationship with Diane Keaton. I can see it and I believe it.

Next, I turned to "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion," a 2001 movie about two people in 1940 that become hypnotized to steal jewels for a hypnotist. It was pretty good and may be the best of Allen's films this decade. Funny and smart all the way through.

One thing I love about Allen's movies is his incredible casts. "Small Time Crooks" featured Hugh Grant and Jon Lovitz. "Annie Hall" featured Diane Keaton, Christopher Walken, Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Goldblum in what can be considered for all a start to their careers: this was their first big movie. "The Curse of Jade Scorpion" featured Helen Hunt, Charlize Theron and Dan Aykroyd.

The thing that is most amazing about these casts is that Allen's movies are low budget films that no one ever sees or hears about. Most common people have no idea such movies exist. I just think it is amazing to host such casts and hardly anyone knows about it. When I say anyone, I refer to the massive mainstream audience.

This guy really is amazing. He churns out new screenplays every year that are always original and terrific. Sometimes his movies seem underdeveloped and rushed, but that's OK. I applaud a new movie every year.

He does receive a great recognition from critics and the Academy especially. He has been nominated for 14, yes fourteen, Academy Awards for best original screenplay winning the award twice and another for Best Director.

He is phenomenal and it truly is amazing the screenplays he continues to write even as he ages.

One thing I do not necessarily enjoy is the fact that he casts himself in all his movies in the role of the main character that always gets the girl. That has gotten a little annoying. The fact that some old man gets the young, hot girl is not very realistic and eventually he will see that. Don't get me wrong, I think he is a great actor and I do enjoy watching him on screen, but the young romances have to stop.

Anyway, other than that and his life off screen (including the marrying of his girlfriend's adopted daughter), I totally respect Allen and his screenplays and movies.

A list of those I have seen starting with most recent release date:
"Scoop" - Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman - pretty good romantic comedy
"Match Point" - Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers - Allen claims this is his best film
"Melinda and Melinda" - Will Ferrell, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor - really good and incredibly original
"Hollywood Ending" - Tea Leoni and Debra Messing - didn't like this one too much
"The Curse of Jade Scorpion" - Helen Hunt and Charlize Theron - good, one of his best goofy movies.
"Small Time Crooks" - Hugh Grant and Jon Lovitz - pretty funny, but turned weak toward the middle of the movie.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" - Michael Caine and Mia Farrow - my favorite Allen film and probably his best work. Won for best screenplay.
"Annie Hall" - Diane Keaton, Christopher Walken - great and an award winner


On the queue:
"Anything Else"
"Sweet and Lowdown"
"Manhattan Murder Mystery"
"Manhattan"
"Interiors"
"Sleeper"
"Bananas"