some amazingly funny moments, but,...

Rating: 7/10 (22 March 2006)

I think the worst thing that ever happened to Woody Allen's career was the Oscar he won for Annie Hall. While it is a very funny in spots, it just encouraged him to make his movies more and more polished as well as more self-exploratory. I'm sorry, but I much prefer the earlier "stupid" films he did--where self-exploration was limited and they were just funny. Now, with Annie Hall and most of his subsequent films, he was trying to "say something". Yeah, maybe like "I'm finished with good films and now I'll make essentially the same film again and again and again because it's a great adjunct to all my psychoanalysis". I don't want to explore Woody's psyche, thank you very much--just entertain me and make me laugh.
Okay, to the film. Woody plays himself of sorts in the film. He goes to parties, meets famous people, has relationship problems and schmoozes. That's nice. About the only part of this film I loved was the scene where he and Diane Keaton are waiting in line to see a movie. During this wait, a pseudo-intellectual idiot keeps pontificating about the film and its symbolism. At which point, Woody begins talking to the camera--telling everyone what an idiot this guy is! Then, the blow-hard begins addressing the camera as well! Finally, Woody announces he has the author with him (standing behind a fake tree in the lobby). Then, the author tells the blow-hard that he is indeed stupid and totally misunderstood him! This is great--but there are not enough moments like this in the film. Considering how highly rated the film is, it looks like I am indeed in the minority.