Rating: Summary: The American public is just plain stupid. Review: This is the best Woody Allen movie in years. Plain and simple. That is a tall order considering that "Hollywood Ending" and "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" were great films. This one is simply a "Annie Hall" for the modern era. Of course, this will all be overlooked by the special effects numbed American movie going populace (and, for the looks of it, the similarly affected critics). The acting is great and the dialog is witty and very funny. Of course, you have to have a sense of humor and some degree of intelligence to enjoy this film, so that lets out about 99.5% of the people that go to movies. This "dumbing down" of the public is what is wrong with many things these days, and, as has been true in the past, Woody Allen acts as a barometer. The long and the short of it, ignore most of the comments you read and do something daring: Form your own opinion.
Rating: Summary: Not as good Review: Anything else id not as good as Allen's other. The neurotic character is more in Biggs character, than in Allen's. Biggs is like a young Allen, and it's not that great. Besides that the movie is pretty funny, not rolling on the floor funny, but funny.
Rating: Summary: Vengeful Woody Review: I haven't enjoyed a Woody Allen film this much since Deconstructing Harry. There was ample humor with an all-star cast integrated into a wonderful story. It doesn't make sense why this movie got mediocre reviews unless the Christian right had something to do with it.
It felt good to see Woody Allen standing up for himself, and standing up for his sidekick. Christina's part was so well written and well acted that it was painful to watch. She was very convincing as a manipulative termagant.
I reccomend this to anyone who enjoys Woody Allen films, and isn't dependant on explosions and sex to enjoy a movie.
Aaron
Rating: Summary: Basically an awful Annie Hall remake Review: Woody Allen has slowly declined in excellence. This has to be the worst of his movies. Jason Biggs can't act his way out of a paper bag. I think if they would've picked a different actor for the lead like maybe Owen Wilson maybe this could've worked. Ricci is also pretty terrible in this movie. Allen has some choice lines but he is a sidekick which sort of hurts this movie. I suggest you watch any other woody allen film but this one.
Rating: Summary: Invest time in this one Review: I agree its not Woody's best but fans would do well to invest their time in this one, and invite others to watch it with you, even if they are not familiar with the comic master's work. Highlights:
-Woody is not the star, but a much different, more powerful character (who drives a Porsche and vandalises other vehicles!).
- It is well structured in its narrative
- young stars are fresh
- quite funny
- would appeal to young and old audiences
Rating: Summary: Woody Allen only gets better with age. Review: This is one of the most underrated movies on amazon. When I first watched it, having recieved the 2000's Woody Allen pack for my birthday, I couldn't believe that such a funny, extremely insightful and deeply enticing story about the uncertainties of life could only have a 3 star average rating. In my opinion the more recent Woody Allen movies are better than his earlier work and not the other way around - if anything deserves a low rating its features like "everything you ever wanted to know about sex or bananas" - don't listen to many of the other reviews they seem to recommand extremely hardcore WA movies which are not suitable for viewers not familiar with WA's style. Anything else is a film which in my opinion is accessable to just about anyone, and is as good as any to start the Woody Allen experience.
Rating: Summary: Meh. Review: If it wasn't for Jimmy Fallon this movie would have sucked majorly and I would have not gone to see it. It was SO BORING.
-- Heather WWW.LUVTHEFALLON.NET ---> Your #1 Source for Jimmy on the Net!
Rating: Summary: Ogling Christina Review: Woody did the right thing in yielding the romantic lead to an age-appropriate actor, even if the result was less than electric. But I had the feeling that he was seeking some compensation in treating us all to an overly generous visual exploitation of Christina Ricci's very nubile body. Allen's films have always featured sexy women but, heretofore, with subtly and style. It is not that ogling Miss Ricci by any means ruined my day, but it was not the kind of sophisticated fun that I am always hoping for from Woody. In fact, it had a desperate quality to it...the artless addition of something that ~always~ sells. Not a terrible movie, though.
Rating: Summary: Good...but not good enough Review: If you are privy to the latest Woody Allen films, I don't need to remind you that he's in a slump. The likes of Hollywood Ending and Celebrity completely sunk Allen into the league of self-parody, which is never a good place to be unless you really, really wanted to be there. So naturally, I held out on seeing Anything Else mainly because I was tired of Woody Allen stinking up his wonderful artistic reputation.
Well, I broke down recently and watched it. And it wasn't that bad, considering his recent track record. That's not to say that Anything Else is exceptional or excellent: it merely doesn't stink. So take that as you will.
The plot is another twisted romantic comedy with cryptic messages and an ambiguous ending (sound familiar?). Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci easily fall in love with each other but find it hard to hold together in their modern hectic lives. Upon taking a step back, it almost looks like another oblique movie about nothing. Perhaps I'm not far off...
Ricci and Biggs are able to add some life to what would ordinarily be considered unappealing characters. However, it would be nice if Allen did not direct his leading men to stammer his lines like he does all of the time. By this point in his career, the novelty has gone limp.
And like lots of other latter-day Allen films, this one overstays its welcome a tad, but not by much. The loose ends tie up just as you are thinking "break up with her and move out already!"
So in comparison to Woody Allen's latest work, this movie is okay. Compared to Woody's work in general, it ain't that special. But hey, if this is a trend, we may see an excellent movie from Allen in the 21st century! It will just take a while.
Rating: Summary: Nothing new Review: In his latest film, Anything Else,Woody Allen takes elements from a couple of his other films and rearranges them. The result is a bore.
In Mighty Aphrodite, he used a real Greek chorus to comment on the proceedings. It was entertaining and cute. In Anything Else, Allen himself, a bitter aging schooteacher, becomes the Greek chorus, advising the young man (supposedly his younger self) about life and love, giving himself all the funny lines in the movie, but failing to be either cute or particularly entertaining in the process.
From Annie Hall, we have the plot: two narcissistic, neurotic New Yorkers trying to have a go at a relationship, although the Jewish guy/ shiksa element, which gave their ultimate breakup credibility, has been reinvented as Allen's post 9/11 rantings about Anti-Semitism. Well, it's nice to know he's evolved from his days of stealing Jewish National Fund boxes.
Diane Keaton's cabaret singer side has been transferred to a new character, the girlfriend's mother, played by Stockard Channing who sings pretty well, as anyone who saw Grease can attest to, but otherwise the character is loathsome.
The chemistry between Allen and Diane Keaton that made Annie Hall a classic is missing here entirely. Jason Briggs and Christina Ricci are way out of their depth as a stuck in the mud comedy writer and his depressed apiring actress girlfriend. The fluid onslaught of verbiage and neuroses that comes so naturally to Woody Allen and his usual troupe is too challenging for these younger actors, although they try hard.
But even good performances couldn't redeem this weak, dated story. She is supposed to be overwhelmed by his voracious sexual demands and he snowed under by the avalanche of her emotional needs. He acts out by doing nothing but complaining - endlessly -to anyone who will listen, including his psychiatrist, who never responds. She acts out by binge eating, having anxiety attacks, popping pills, fighting with her mother and flirting with other men. Yawn.
The couple eventually separate, without gaining any self-awareness in the process. I didn't care care what happens to either of them. Kind of a metaphor for my feelings about Woody Allen
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