#62 Annie Hall - Oh Woody Allen, you're such a whiner!

#62 Annie Hall: I was a lot more attractive when the evening began.
1977. dir. Woody Allen, starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton.

Seen it before? Yes.

The first time I saw this I fell asleep halfway through. The second time I watched this I also fell asleep. While Sam was writing his blog post I tuned back in to the last part I remembered being awake for and finished the movie. I've only seen three Woody Allen movies and two in which he acts in the film...but I wonder if he's really acting or if he's playing himself....a neurotic New Yorker with verbal diarrhea...okay fine, the last part was a bit over the top since he doesn't actually swear a lot when he's playing himself...but I stand firm on my neurotic New Yorker comment.

Alvy is whiny. Whiny. Whiny. Whiny. But Annie isn't any different at first. And the problem Alvy gets himself into is really that he tells Annie to take some courses to better herself and she does and starts to grow from her newfound experiences whereas Alvy stays the same neurotic guy. Those who don't grow together drift apart eh?

I did like Diane Keaton in this movie. She was refreshing if not annoying. Her fashion choices were interesting. I'm sure if I was around in the 70s I would have wanted to wear what I saw her wearing but in 2010 I have to say "No Thank You!"

Would I see it again? Eh
Would I own it? No
Favorite movie scene - any of Diane Keaton's driving scenes.

#62 Annie Hall: I was a lot more attractive when the evening began.

1977. dir. Woody Allen, starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton.

Seen it before? Yes.

Marge Simpson: Did anyone see the new Woodsy Allen movie?
Ned Flanders: You know, I like his films except for that nervous fellow that's always in 'em.

The Simpsons, A Milhouse Divided

Woody Allen plays Alvy Singer, the most neurotic movie character ever. He constantly whines about everything. Seriously, this guy, you just want to punch him in the face. The movie consists of him, at length and from many perspectives, analyzing his failed relationship with the titular Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). The movie uses a lot of creative storytelling devices:

• Alvy steps into the past to explore his formative experiences. The funniest of these scenes is when he goes back to elementary school.
• Alvy and Annie have a conversation, with subtitles revealing the subtext of what they're saying.
• Split screens, where the two halves are ironic counterparts to each other.
• Alvy is irritated with a loudmouth talkinga bout Marshall MacLuhan, so he shuts him up by having Marshall MacLuhan refute him.
• Annie is bored during sex, and her spirit gets up and walks away while her body remains.
• Alvy strikes up conversations with total strangers, who are all weirdly honest with him.

It's a very clever movie, and it's as much about Alvy's relationship with New York and his struggles within himself as it is about his relationship with Annie. It's funny, but there are a lot of references to late 70's pop culture that don't really fly anymore. Also what the hell was up with Diane Keaton's wardrobe in this movie? I read that this caused a fashion sensation back in '77; what were people thinking? She looks like a mental patient.

Position on the list: 132
Hey! It's that guy!: A lot of them... Paul Simon, Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Goldblum, Truman Capote, among others.