Woody Allen

krestofre

krestofre

Knight of the Holy Order
Sweet and Lowdown was brought up in the Minority Report thread and that got me thinking, I don't think I've ever seen a discussion about Woody Allen films here. What's the general consensus in the community?

Personally I've always been a big Woody Allen fan. I find his films to be creative and refreashing. My wife hates his films so I hardly get to see them anymore. Annie Hall, naturally, ranks amoung his best. Sweet and Lowdown was amazing. Samantha Morton was brilliant in it and it was fun to see Sean Penn in such a strange roll. Love and Death was always a favorite of mine too.

Allen's recent stuff is getting a little contrived, but it still makes me laugh.

So ... thoughts?

Chris
 
I always find him to be very shallow and neurotic, self-obsessed, narcissistic(sp?) and pretentious. Loved Bananas though!
 
Yas Kassana said:
I always find him to be very shallow and neurotic, self-obsessed, narcissistic(sp?) and pretentious. Loved Bananas though!
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you describing his films or his characters?
 
I love woody allen...... Hes such an A$$hole its great..... its sort ofthesame reason i like Vince vaughn......
 
I think Woody Allen can be really funny, but I've always found the characters he portrays to be just a bit flat. It's as if he carries one persona throughout each and every film.

I guess you could say that Richard Dreyfuss is the same way?

I'm not a huge fan of Allen's films from a technical standpoint - I've never watched one and been impressed in the visuals. He seems to use good art directors and nicely-suited locations, but everything is so... flat.

I can't even get myself excited thinking about this thread about Woody Allen. Maybe it's too early.

e
 
I like almost everything Woody Allen does. Some films I like less than others, but even the films I don't like as much (such as the Jason Biggs/Christana Ricci flick whose title I can't remember at the momet) still have moments that make them more interesting that much of what I see from Hollywood. I really liked Melinda and Melinda. And Sweet and Lowdown is fantastic.

But I tend to like dialogue-driven films, so I may be in the minority on this board.
 
I loved Sweet and Lowdown was very good, but my favorite Woody movie, post Annie Hall, is The Purple Rose of Cairo. Jeff Daniels is great in it, the concept is very cool and it looked great, (one of my favorite photographed films, Gordon Willis rocks!).
 
Woody Allen is a living comedy legend. He's matured as a director, but young Woody was a standup and a comedy writer.

Some of my favorite Woody Allen movies:
Annie Hall (beat Star Wars for best picture Oscar in 1977 -- classic date movie)
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex (But We're Afraid to Ask)
Celebrity
Deconstructing Harry
Everyone Says I Love You
Sweet & Lowdown ("I wonder if Jango ever hustled some suckers?")

And here's the trailer for his new movie, which wasn't filmed in Manhattan and looks very unlike his recent films:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/match_point/
 
If anything, the man is prolific. Hasn't he made a film every year since who knows when? I personally am a fan. I can't remember saying a Woody Allen film was ever bad. Like others said, every one has its moments. Every once in a while we get a gem like Sweet and Lowdown. Man I LOVE that movie. Sean Penn is hilarioius. So, I'll watch each film he puts out hoping for greatness. Every so often, I am pleasantly surprised.
 
well overlandfilms said he didn't force too many digital effects in his films.
he is cool and funny, but some of his characters are a bit flat too.
but at all I love the ends of his films.
 
I can take or leave Woody. Don't hate nor love. I haven't seen EVERY FREAKIN FILM he has done but have a seen a few of them (Annie Hall, Midsummers Night and Mighty Aphrodite.)

Here is my overall perception:

I find his films and his portrayals in each one to be "Exactly the same character and premise' in each one. How many times can we make the same film? (Of course I'm exagerrating somewhat but come on!) it's just that the described "neurotic and self-absorbed, cosmopolitan yet insecure, with a self-deprecating sense of humor" get's old after 40 films

It's always 'Loser get's girl' it seems while his characters mumble on and on about he universe and the meaning of life.

I have a feeling if you like European Cinema you probally like Woody Allen.
 
I worship Woody Allen. The greatest director today stillmaking movies (Bergman's retired, I think).

Just take a look at his filmography. VERY few director's in the history of cinema have made as many masterpeices as this guy (Bergman, Fellini, Kurasawa, Scorsese, Spielberg).

What I love the most is the varierty in which he works.

I love his slapstick period with Bananas, Love and Death, Sleeper (among his funniest film).

My favorite early Allen film is Play it Again, Sam. He wrote and starred.

Then he matures somewhat and does some of his best work in a matter of a few years: Annie Hall, Manhattan, and the undderated masterpeice, Stardust Memories, (very Fellini/Bergman-esque).

Then we start into his "Mia period", which brought a few other masterpeices, consisting of The Pruple Rose of Cairo and Hannah and Her Sisters.

Follows that up wityh, arguably his best work to date, Crimes and Misdemeanors. And lets not forget the other great Drama's he did in the late 80's, early 90's, including September, Alice, and Another Woman.

His 90's work has been far from bad. Films like Everyone Says I love you, Deconstructing Harry, and Bullets over Broadway cement his place as the finest director in America.

Melinda and Melinda was great, and I hear his new film, Match Point, is considered his greatest achievement. Seriously.

Heres the link http://www.matchpoint.dreamworks.com//

Sorry for the long post. I could go film by film. I know I left a whole lot out.

Granted, he is not for everyone, nor should he be. An aquired taste, to say the least.
 
I never understood the term 'Aquired Taste'. I always likened it up to more an excuse people use to sound 'Uppity' (Not you Super Trooper) Maybe like Cavier; some people like it and some people do not. But the people that like it chalk it up to it being an 'Aquired Taste." when really it just taste like **** to the other people.

You keep making reference to the films being 'Masterpeices'. To whom? (I'm not baiting ST. I'm curious)

MATCHPOINT does look really good. (Greatest Achievment? It look's good but not like OMFG). I always find the subject of infidelity in films an intense experience whether it be Fatal Attraction (The best one) or the recent Closer

It's something I would NEVER do to my wife and would just fall apart if she did it to me. I'd like to see this film.

---

Again, I've only seen a few films of his (although I'm familiar with his body of work fro cinemas sake) but I kind of liken him to Coppolla. Copollas last good work was in the 70's. I know Woody got mad acclaim with Annie Hall (which I enjoyed) but he hasn't really seemed to do too much since then (Cinematically speaking).

He has been nominated a gazillion times however; I guess that has to stand for something
 
Maybe for me it all comes back to self-depreciating humor. It has always struck me as funny, and far too often a coping mechanism.

Wow ... that sounds like there's many hours of psychological therapy in my future. :(

See, there I go again. :cheesy:

Chris
 
John_Hudson said:
I never understood the term 'Aquired Taste'.
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I mean that you have to watch a whole lot of Woody Allen movies to really 'get him'. I remember watching Annie Hall and thinking it was an ok movie, and then after watching a bunch of other WA films, I found I could appreciate it more. You just get used to his kind of humor and his unique oeuvre.

John_Hudson said:
You keep making reference to the films being 'Masterpeices'. To whom?
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Both personal opinion and from critical essays. Granted, a critics view nowadays is a dime a dozen, but such films have been deemed 'masterpeices' by a great deal of respected critics.

John_Hudson said:
MATCHPOINT does look really good. (Greatest Achievment? It look's good but not like OMFG).
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Agreed. I was merely paraphrazing another critic. Forgot who.

John_Hudson said:
Again, I've only seen a few films of his (although I'm familiar with his body of work fro cinemas sake) but I kind of liken him to Coppolla. Copollas last good work was in the 70's.
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I can see your point. Most people have a similar view. The 70's were not only his greatest decade of filmmaking, but arguably, many filmmakers.

Damn shame what happened to Coppola. The man burnt out way too soon, but, what a way to burn out. At least he has a talented daughter, who happens to be eccentricly hot.:thumbsup:

Sofiac.jpg
 
I find Sophia exceptionally hot. The fact that after sex you could sit there and discuss the finer points of filmmaking is damn cool.

I like these threads; I might have to go on a Woody Allen tear over the next month or so and take it all in objectively (tonight it is Amityville Horrror and Close Encounters of the Thrid Kind).

I see your points Trooper; 13 Academy Award nominations for the man; wow. That Match Point does'nt seem like stuff he has done before. Am I right or....? And why is it called Match Point? Like in Tennis?
 
I have a feeling if you like European Cinema you probally like Woody Allen.
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Good point, John. I like Woody Allen. I like European cinema. I also like some of the big-budget action flicks such as X-Men or Batman Begins, but overall I generally prefer smaller dialogue-driven films; particulalry comedies. To cross threads, I liked both Sweet & Lowdown and Minority Report, but I'm more inclined to watch Sweet & Lowdown again. It's just more my kind of movie. I wouldn't criticize anyone for having a different opinion, however.
 
John_Hudson said:
I find Sophia exceptionally hot. The fact that after sex you could sit there and discuss the finer points of filmmaking is damn cool.
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There you go... what was that bit about your wife? :evil: :evil: :evil:
 
Today...

Today...

...is my 'pick on John Hudson' day :beer:

Just ignore me - I felt like totally hijacking this thread. What else is new? :shocked:
 
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