All things Woody Allen – a fansite, news and reviews
Some history. I started this website just over two years ago. Shortly after we were flooded with photos and info about this film Allen was making in San Francisco. I followed the Blue Jasmine‘s every move, every tip, every rumour and more. That this film still managed to surprise and delight me is a testament […]
The last Allen American film for many years, Melinda And Melinda presents an interesting premise – can the same story be told as a drama or a comedy? And which has more value? Unfortunately, no answer comes along, and the film plods along and goes almost nowhere. An intellectual experiment, with little heart, it doesn’t […]
Anything Else is a film that should work. It’s modern day New York, it’s modern day love with interesting and flawed characters. There is plenty of pretty great one liners, and the performances go from pretty great to ok. But it doesn’t work – and it’s because everything in show here has been done better. […]
Hollywood Ending, and this period of Woody Allen’s career, is widely regarded as a low point. Another light comedy, Allen returns to Hollywood’s abuse of art as a victim of his barbed wit. Unfortunately it’s a joke that drags on for too long, although it’s peppered with many good moments. Woody Allen stars as Val […]
So lightweight at times it threatens to blow away, The Curse Of the Jade Scorpion continues the run of disposable comedies Allen pumped out in the 00s. A bright, edgeless cartoon, it has many fun moments but the style and grace of the man who brought us Manhattan is nowhere to be found. Woody Allen […]
Woody Allen returns to contemporary New York for Small Time Crooks, one of those tales that could be by no one else. A pleasant light hearted comedy with broad cartoonish characters, it’s a bit of silliness that might not mean much, but Allen does so well. Woody Allen stars as Ray, a small time crook […]
The arc of Woody Allen’s career has taken many side roads, but Sweet And Lowdown could be the most un-Woody Allen of all of Woody Allen’s films. A fictional biopic period drama about a struggling jazz guitarist, it’s far from New York, it’s far from one liners and it’s far from Woody Allen. But the […]
Coming straight after Deconstructing Harry, Celebrity is another harsh, angry film. Shot in stark black and white and with a biting, sour message, it is at times hard to swallow. It has its moments but its an angry yell that lacks heart. Kenneth Branagh stars as Lee Simon, a journalist with aspirations of higher writing. […]
Deconstructing Harry is one of Allen’s harshest films. Prostitution, kidnapping, infidelity, betrayal. Ironically, this is his first film after his deal with the cutting edge Miramax. There’s even casual use of the word cunt. But that harsh surface obscures some pretty astute comedy. But that comedy also covers up a by the numbers story. Woody […]
Woody Allen makes another crowd pleaser – one that taps into the unbridled joy of MGM musicals, mixed with his modern New York. With a huge ensemble cast, a rush of small stories, and a beautiful European detour – it hints at the kind of escapist romantic films that Allen would make in Europe. But […]
Coming off two really great comedies, Mighty Aphrodite brings Allen back to contemporary New York for more fun. This time it’s ‘Pygmalion‘ set in the Woody Allen world. It’s a fun, light hearted comedy that doesn’t have much to say. But it’s anchored by plenty of jokes and one amazing performance. Woody Allen stars as […]
Woody Allen said in Manhattan that art is what living is for. But is it worth killing for? That’s the big question at the heart of this delightful film. Full of humour and crazy characters, but also deeply resonate and with big ideas. It has a style and substance that is part of all his […]
Don’t Drink The Water is sometimes left off some lists of Woody Allen films because of one reason – it was made for TV. And in many ways it looks like it, with a clearly reduced budget. It’s also not a new script – it’s a Woody Allen play from 1966 newly adapted for the […]
After his longest run (yet) of intense dramas, Allen returns to something that is brightly comedic with Mahattan Murder Mystery. It’s a much needed breath of fresh air, coming from all the tabloid dramas that surrounded Husbands And Wives. And in a crowd pleasing move, it reunited Allen with Diane Keaton for the first time […]
This is one of Allen’s best films. It’s his 21st film as a writer/director, and it shows him at his most energetic, creative and vital, even though the subject matter is extremely bleak. The film, the examination of modern marriage, was released at the same time his relationship with Farrow ended, and it’s tough to […]
Shadows And Fog is one of the strangest films in Woody Allen’s canon. It’s a 90 minute, black and white allegorical play about death and religion. Lucky for Woody Allen that by this point, it had been decades since he had to pitch a film to anyone. Woody Allen stars as Kleinman, returning to being […]
Alice is a lovely film, and highly under-rated. It has all the hallmarks of a great Woody Allen film – heart, fun, movie-magic – and a great cast anchored by Mia Farrow‘s best performance. It really deserves to be more acclaimed. Mia Farrow stars as the titular Alice Tate. An upper class New York kept […]
Paris Manhattan is a romantic comedy about a Woody Allen obsessed woman, and her adventures in finding love. It’s light hearted, and is never deeper than a fun distraction. But it’s nice fun, with lots of in jokes for Woody Allen fans. Alice Taglioni stars as Alice Ovitz. A 30s something pharmacist who’s still single, […]
Crimes And Misdemeanors is the best Woody Allen drama. It is one of his meat-iest works, and having played around with drama and morality before. But here Allen goes for it, and pulls off a masterful – and very disturbing – work. Woody Allen stars as Cliff Stern, and Martin Landau stars as Judah Rosenthal. […]
Another Woman is another serious drama, only his third drama by this point. He would become a lot better at it, but this film suffers from a truly sleepy, almost boring pace. A lackluster film, with an interesting premise, but ultimately Allen’s least lovely film to this point. Gena Rowland stars as Marion Post. A […]