Rating: 
Summary: Angst, Love, and Dysfunction
Review: An impressive movie by Woody Allen, which is more about a neurotic New York intellectual without any solid grounding in any particular morality or religion (How could you possibly think that Allen's character in this film and Allen are in any way similar?) than about Hannah and her sisters. Although Hannah and her sisters are also neither moral, nor religious fanatics. This is one of Allen's best dysfunction fests that brilliantly shows how people search for purpose and meaning in life, how they struggle for their happiness and how they lose and find each other in most unexpected ways. I definitley recommend this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Allen's Three Best Films
Review: Hannah and Her Sisters, like Manhattan, contains an implicit theme which gives it it's lasting value: in today's world, people are so preoccupied with trivial nonsense that they overlook the "finer fruits" of life, distracting themselves from facing the mysterious questions of the universe and existence. This basic idea is not new. In Walden, it was Thoreau's main topic. But the very intelligent, well-read Allen has taken these ideas and set them in modern America, with it's stupidity, short attention span and degenerating taste. He manages to highlight the lives of a few members of a New York family, while he remains the outsider who, unlike them (and mostly everyone else), cannot help but see through everything in life. By the end of the film, he's sorted it all out and offers a wonderful philosophy on life that's typical of his line of thinking. The previous few reviewers, who can't write or think for the life of them, completely missed the point of the film and instead narrowly focused on superficial issues of it. The ending, for example, did NOT make me "cry" at all and was not intended to do so. The end was on a happy note and that's all. Perhaps the last two reviewers should learn to think before attempting to write a review on something they obviously don't understand. It makes them sound like blithering buffoons.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Woody Allen Tale
Review: »Hannah And Her Sisters« is one of the very best Woody Allen films ever. It tells a New York story about the life and loves of three rather different sisters from a Jewish artist family. And it is beutifully done, in every detail! The acting is breathtakingly intense, the structure of the film is professionally carried through to perfection, and the threads just fit together in a beautiful symphony of life! It really is hard to describe something this well-done, so instead I will just recommend you to see this wonderful Woody Allen creation.
Rating:
Summary: A Holiday Classic
Review: Forget "It's a Wonderful Life." I think we've all seen it more than enough times. For me, "Hannah and Her Sisters" is perfect holiday (or anytime) viewing. Drawing on the humor of "Annie Hall" and the tangled family ties of "Interiors," Woody Allen produced a warm, funny and, at times, poignant look at the life of three sisters. I think what I like best about this movie is the way that it comes full circle in the end. Over the course of several years, most of the characters seem to wind up back where they started, yet with much greater wisdom and understanding. Allen may have produced funnier, prettier or more critically acclaimed movies than "Hannah" but none strikes me as truer than this heartfelt slice-of-life.
Rating:
Summary: A Woody Allen movie where you cry at the end. That's GOOD
Review: At the end of "Hannah and Her Sisters" the Woody Allen character summarizes the film. The delightful irony is that he is right, but not in the way you thought for most of the film. Of course, given the twists of fate that awaited Allen and Mia Farrow in the years following this film there are degrees of irony in viewing this film now, albeit not as profound as watching "Manhattan." What makes "Hannah and Her Sisters" Allen's best film is indeed the way things come together at the end in a surprising way. The truly sentimental conclusion is what puts it at the top of my personal Woody Allen list: you have to admit, you are stunned to find yourself weeping at the end of one of his movies. There are dramatic moments in this film-dramatic in terms of the consequences for the characters-that are the finest Allen has crafted. They are definitely superior to the forced effort in Allen's one "dramatic" effort, "Interiors." Being able to play in both ballparks, comedy and drama, has become something of a post-modern ideal, springing forth from television programs in the "dramedy" genre like "All in the Family" and "M*A*S*H." The non-Allen characters have more depth here than you usually find in his films, which is probably due as much to the consummate acting as the writing (since Allen often gives great improvisational leeway). Favorite small moments in this film: Allen's shopping bag of religious items and Max Von Sydow's riposte on the Nazis, not to mention the request for sperm and a special appearance by the Marx Brothers. On a personal note, there are scenes in this film that continue to stick out in my memory and the ending always brings a tear to my eyes, and I can not say similar things about "Platoon," which beat out this film for the Best Picture Oscar. I say this knowing full well that Allen was not going to win having already had success with "Annie Hall," but that was a period in time when the films I thought were deserving of the Oscar were getting beat by what I considered to be lesser works.
Rating:
Summary: One of Allen's Best
Review: Several of Woody Allen's less famous films are actually his greatest. Everyone has seen and appreciated famous and wonderful films such as "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan." But "Hannah and Her Sisters" is in a group along with "Husbands and Wives" and "Crimes and Misdemeanors" that are not as universally known. This is a shame, for along with "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan," these films comprise what I consider to be the core of Allen's opus. Indeed, I feel that these five films are the "canon" by which all other contemporary films about relationships must be judged. I have long thought that "Crimes" is Allen's greatest film (a distinctly minority opinion, but a correct one nonetheless, I believe). But "Hannah" and "Husbands and Wives" are only right behind, along with "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan." All these movies are unparalled in their insightful brilliance. Viewing "Hannah," therefore, becomes crucial to a fuller appreciation and understanding of all of Allen's work. This is especially true in the film's direct consideration of existential motifs--a theme found throughout many of his films. Indeed, it remains Allen's greatest existential film, just as "Crimes" is Allen's greatest investigation into ethics and morality, moving as it does--in almost Shakespearean ways--into the heart of human motivation and passion, and into the heart of man's capacity for good and evil. "Hannah," along with "Crimes," is therefore a "must-see" for any serious student of the films of Woody Allen.
Rating:
Summary: A Sumptuous Feast for the Eyes and Ears
Review: Without a doubt, this is my most favorite of Allen's works. This film is an American classic, and it needs to be on the list of the 100 greatest American films. I, too, lament that it is no longer available--but thanks to the glorious Amazon.com, I was able, last month, to purchase this in an online auction. I now own this marvelous film whose themes range from love (what else? it's Woody Allen), to general despair and the search for God in an ostensibly godless and hostile universe, to infidelity (why not?), and infertility giving way to miraculous pregnancies (the last line of the film is, after all, uttered by Weis's character: "I'm pregnant" she tells a confused and then moved Allen); and, of course, there is that famous question students of Allen's must ask: "Do we have the right to think we deserve more or that we deserve to be happy?" I'll let the film answer that for you. A brilliantly comedic performance is given by Diane Weist who plays Holly, the most boisterous and fame-driven of Hannah's sisters, and who fights so comically with Carrie Fisher's April over architect David played keenly by Allen fixture Sam Waterston (see Waterston and Weis in Allen's "September"; they're breathtaking together). Mia Farrow is adequate as Hannah--mother, stage actress, and Thanksgiving hostess--and Barbara Hershey leaves us cold as the much sought-after Lee. Bergman icon and Allen hero Max von Sydow gives an obvious performance as the angst-ridden artist in the 20th century (this was the 80s...) Allen also gives a brilliant but by now familiar comedic performance as hypochondriac and god-searcher Mickey Sacks. And Michael Cain is superb as Hannah's wandering husband, Eliot. The film revolves liturgically around the seasons and around the most Protestant of holidays, Thanksgiving--the scenes were filmed in Farrow's real-life New York apartment (she talks about it in "What Falls Away," available from Amazon.com). Sophisticated jazz tunes fill the house from Hannah's father, played by Lloyd Nolan, and Farrow's real mother, Maureen O'Sullivan (remember her swim with Tarzan?) plays the reminiscent and libidinous mother--"just a boozy old flirt with a filthy mouth." These Thanksgiving scenes are designed splendidly--around the other seasons of the year--to show us each character's progression (or lack thereof). The soundtrack (which I also own on tape, not CD, unfortunately) is what makes this film so splendid. Melodies swell up from the true American composers and musicians--Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Count Basie. The film is haunted by two melodies serving as themes: "Isn't It Romantic?" and "Bewitched." These songs are woven seemlessly into scene after scene in moody and melancholy ways. This soundtrack is perfect for a rainy day. If you ever find a copy of this film, snatch it up and treasure it forever!
Rating:
Summary: A Joy of a Film, One of The Woodman's Best!
Review: Another gem of a movie from Woody Allen. A brilliant screenplay and an extremely talented cast that's hard to beat. A brilliant screenplay that offers many a laugh and squeezes many a tear. Barbara Hershey, Mia Farrow and especially Dianne Weist are great as the sisters. Michael Caine steals every scene he's in and is a joy to watch as the confused husband of Mia that is in love with Barbara, this creates some amusing situations that in the hands of Allen become unforgettable comic vignettes. Woody Allen directs with undeniable charm but also adds his usual dose of neurosis to the film. He also adds not really necessary comic relief, but it's more than welcome. A joyous film that will charm and move any viewer. Probably Allen's most successful 'serious film'. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!
Rating:
Summary: This film is Allen's Masterpiece
Review: I've seen alot of Woody Allen films,most of them are great,but this one's my favorite.The best line is when Mia Farrow tells Woody they can't have kids because he's always playing with himself.Woody says,"Your always putting down my hobbies."I love movies about NewYork,and trying to make it in the Big Apple.This film is like a soap opera,and it has a shocking, happy ending.Along with "Annie Hall," and "Take the money and run," "Hannah and her Sisters" is Woody Allens Best.
Rating:
Summary: This film needs to be on DVD
Review: I'm surprised to learn that this film is not on video,especially since an eight-film set of Allen films is about to be released on DVD. Let's hope it's released on DVD very soon. Hannah should have been best picture in 1984! If you haven't seen it and have a chance to (VHS copies were out there in the past), it's a must see!
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