Woody Allen!

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Writer/director of some of the funniest films ever made, and then began probing the serious side of life. A true one-of-a-kind American original.


Ranked from favorite to least favorite.

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  DrStrangeblog's Rating My Rating
1
Bananas (1971,  PG-13)
2
Manhattan (1979,  R)
3
Take the Money and Run (1969,  PG)
4
Sleeper (1973,  PG)
Sleeper
Some side-splitting gags, for me Allen's early '70s comedies were his best films. More physical comedy in this one than you usually see.
5
Annie Hall (1977,  PG)
Annie Hall
Not my favorite Woody for being his most highly regarded among critics-at-large, but stlll highly enjoyable, erudite entertainment with some of his best directorial touches (subtitles of characters' thoughts, animation, talking to camera.)
6
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993,  PG)
7
Mighty Aphrodite (1995,  R)
8
Bullets Over Broadway (1994,  PG)
9
Don't Drink the Water (1994,  Unrated)
10
Play It Again, Sam (1972,  PG)
11
Love and Death (1975,  PG)
Love and Death
"The wheat! Fields full of wheat!"
12
Everyone Says I Love You (1996,  R)
13
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985,  PG)
14
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989,  PG-13)
15
The Front (1976,  PG)
16
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986,  PG-13)
17
Broadway Danny Rose (1984,  PG)
18
Melinda and Melinda (2005,  PG-13)
Melinda and Melinda
I assume the premise of the movie came to Woody Allen because that's exactly the duality of how he sees the world: is human existence a comedy or a tragedy? He offers that there are both sides to every story in 'Melinda and Melinda.'

Uncharacteristically, I am more taken with Woody's drama tale this time, with Radha Mitchell in excellent form as a deeply troubled former Park Avenue society wife now trying to get her anxiety-riddled life back on track. On the lighter half, Will Farrell comes off as a rather feeble Woody Allen substitute, filled with the same neuroses and stammerings that defined the director's onscreen image. But then Woody could not fill that role at the age of 70 in this context, so he was wise to seek another actor but the casting just didn't work. There are other problems with casting in one of Woody's lightest-weighted ensembles.

There are still some good laughs from a few sharp lines and some heart-tugging developments. Am very glad I watched it and worth a look particularly for Radha Mitchell's efforts in a double role, but there are many Woody films that you need to watch more urgently.
19
Zelig (1983,  PG)
20
Radio Days (1987,  PG)
21
What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966,  PG)
22
Shadows and Fog (1992,  PG-13)
23
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, But Were Afraid to Ask (1972,  R)

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