Radio Days Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Radio Days comes at an interesting time within the Woody Allen canon. That output that follows it (excepting Crimes and Misdemeanors) for the next several years is generally regarded as a series of high-concept, well-intentioned misfires. Preceding Radio Days, of course, were Hannah and Her Sisters, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Broadway […]
A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) With more than 40 titles on his resume, Woody Allen‘s career has rarely been static. He wouldn’t be working today if he made the same movie every year. While Woody Allen movies most certainly can be defined reflexively, his style is much more a matter of applying a precise tone to an […]
2014 Cannes Lineup Predictions
The recent (bizarre) series of announcements that led to Grace of Monaco being named the opening night film of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, as well as the selection of Jane Campion to head the 2014 Cannes jury, caused my mind to drift toward the Croisette. It hasn’t left since, and it won’t until Cannes […]
Blue Jasmine Review
RATING: (3 STARS) In 1988, Pedro Almodóvar directed Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. In 2013, Woody Allen directed Blue Jasmine, a.k.a. “Woman on the Verge of Another Nervous Breakdown (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Stoli Martinis with a Twist of Lemon)”. Blue Jasmine is a far cry from […]
Woody Allen Movies
Woody Allen movies, perhaps more so than those of any other director working today, are easily identifiable. And that isn’t to say Woody Allen movies repeat themselves. On the contrary, though there has been a Woody Allen movie almost every year since the early 1970s, he’s explored themes as wide-ranging as falling in love, falling […]
Projecting the Cannes 2013 Lineup
Now that the 66th annual Cannes International Film Festival (May 15-May 26, 2013) has its jury president (Lincoln director Steven Spielberg), speculation over what films will compete for the 2013 Palme d’Or has intensified. I’ve identified 30 titles that seem like plausible Cannes selections. It’s impossible to say whether any or all will be ready […]
To Rome with Love Review
RATING: (2 STARS) After lighting up the City of Lights after dark in Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen takes his talents to Rome for another ensemble comedy—To Rome with Love. Though it’s packed with talented actors and actresses (and features Allen’s return to acting for the first time since 2006’s Scoop), it’s sloppily constructed and […]
Interiors Review
RATING: (3 STARS) After directing the Best Picture-winning Annie Hall, Woody Allen was essentially given the keys to the castle, and with them, he made Interiors, his first foray into pure drama—a genre he’d later perfect with Crimes and Misdemeanors and Match Point. Watching him go serious for the first time, however, is an interesting, […]
Manhattan Murder Mystery Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Few would dispute that Woody Allen’s most fertile period was the late 1970s. Annie Hall and Manhattan are two of cinema’s most valued treasures, and for good reason. They are transcendent films, full of several magical moments. Allen’s 1980s pictures are also (mostly) exceptional. Crimes and Misdemeanors might be my favorite Allen […]
Midnight in Paris Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Filming Midnight in Paris was probably the most fun Woody Allen’s ever had. His joy is evident from the moment the film begins to the moment it ends, and the film is so quintessentially him that I can’t believe it took this long for him to make it. He’s clearly been inspired […]
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Review
RATING: (1.5 STARS) There’s nothing worse than a film that feels like a total waste of time. Even the worst films I’ve seen recently (like Somewhere, from last year) have some redeeming qualities. Woody Allen’s latest, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, is not only pointless, but also the worst Allen film I’ve ever […]
Annie Hall Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “Annie Hall†was the beginning of Woody Allen as most know him. It marked the beginning of a career transition that moved him from pure comedy to the realistic romantic dramedy – the genre he’s most closely associated with. Part of the reason he is so well-known for it is because of […]
Whatever Works Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Perhaps a more apt title for Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works†would have simply been “Whatever,†because that’s exactly what I felt about the film when it finished. It was whatever. I didn’t dislike it, but almost nothing about it was original, and while it was clever in parts, it didn’t measure up […]
Manhattan Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Manhattan is Woody Allen’s love letter to New York. It’s also a complex and realistic love story. It’s beautifully filmed, well-acted, and wonderfully written. Most importantly, it’s well-worth two hours of your time. This might be the beloved director’s finest hour. The film tells the story of Isaac Davis (Allen), a neurotic, […]
