Rating: 
Summary: These are some annoying characters.
Review: Near the end of Anything Else, Woody Allen's character tells his comedy writing partner, played by Jason Biggs, if he has to steal material, make sure he steals from the best. Allen has taken this to heart as he has basically rewritten Jane Austin's Emma. Not only has he given himself the role of Emma, but also given himself the best and funniest lines and made himself the least annoying character in the entire film. There are some of the best one liners Allen has come up with in years here and he even gives a couple to Christina Ricci, but the characters are so contemptuous and obtuse that you want to throttle them all. This is probably Allen's plan so not only do you want to root for his newly discovered comedy writing partner, Jerry Falk (Biggs), to get out of every relationship he's in, but you are begging to have Allen back on the scene for a couple more laughs. Purposely done? Probably; however, Allen is the master of the neurotic and he knows how to get under the skin of one especially Falk's girlfriend, Amanda (Ricci). Of course, Ricci knows how to play a sociopath. Just look at The Opposite Of Sex. But even this can't make anything else of Anything Else except an uncomfortable character study with a few good laughs.
Rating: 
Summary: Woody Allens, "Woody Allen XXVI"
Review: As in most of his movies, Woody Allen tapped into the most sacred thing he could find for inspiration - himself. It was a fairly typical Woody Allen movie, composed of Woody Allen himelf, characters that were Woody Allen in essence, a sprinkling of poignant racism, and the females that Woody Allen really wants to sleep with, but never really could, and makes up for in his own private fantasies. Despite the fact that the actors and actresses had big names, the acting was horrible, because not everyone is Woody Allen and/or meant to act EXACTLY like him. Again, like most Woody Allen films, he focused on his expert "advice," along with a few completely meaningless jokes, simply added to show how "funny" he really is. I would have to say, however, that this film would be loved by any Woody Allen fan, as it is pretty much the same, give or take a few big names and scenes, as all of his other films. I can understand and almost sympathize with some people for finding enjoyment in Woody Allens intense vocabulary and interesting tastes, and even some who are infatuated with the same sort of hopeless sexual fantasies that he drums up; but two stuttering, insecure "meeks" who have plans to "inherit the Earth" where just a bit too much for me to stomach for all 38 hours of this 1 hour and 45 minute long movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Gen-Y pair can't fit in Allen film
Review: In "Anything Else," Woody Allen stars as David Dobel, a much older mentor to a young and impressionable Jerry Falk, played by Jason Biggs. As the lights dim, the audience is ushered into the latest Allen production by the sound of retro music. Also typical of the writer and director's films, the movie is set in Manhattan. Much of the film is comprised of Allen staples. In fact, the only two things that seem to be out of place are the main characters, Biggs as Falk and Christina Ricci as Amanda. It is as if the casting agent blindly picked out two of the most popular teenybopper actors of today and threw them into the movie without regard for subject matter, dialogue or context. Amanda and Jerry live in the latter's apartment, which is inexplicably inhabited by old furnishings, better suited for a lower middle class grandmother. The audience is never told why the young couple's abode is decorated in such a manner, nor does it add anything to the script. Ikea, many a poor, post-graduate's favorite interior designer, would have provided a more believable and far less distracting setting, if the target audience is the latest crop of boy band chasers. This kind of uneasy dichotomy seems to run through the whole movie. The young stars seem to have been picked to draw in a younger audience. Yet, everything else is old. Allen is old, the furniture is old, and the music is old. Even Amanda and Falk's tastes are old by today's Gen-Y standards. In a scene set in the Village Vanguard, the couple discuss Humphrey Bogart, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. As Diana Krall ends a song, Amanda remarks that, "She is so moving." Later, Jerry tries to woo Amanda in a music store by offering to purchase her a vinyl album of Cole Porter music. Allen's script is wholly mismatched for Biggs and Ricci. The work is better suited for more mature actors and audiences. It's what one would expect of an Allen love-child with the producers of "Dawson's Creek" except there aren't any compelling and contrived dramas. The film plods along with several different plotlines running and never quite meeting or making a solid point. It's almost like watching a disjointed reality television show about a random guy's life without having all the boring parts edited out. Even the normally seductive and conniving Ricci is reduced to being a neurotic and body obsessed female with a gratingly whiny voice. To Allen's credit, he does provide a few laughs with his writing. True to form, much of the movie is comprised of quick banter between the characters. Lines like "There was something compelling about your apathy," and "Don't be so middle class," are gems only Allen himself could dream up. However, these highlights may not compel audiences to choose this film. If you overhear someone saying that he wants to see "anything else," don't be surprised if he actually means he want to see anything --other than the movie of the same name.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Movie, terrible audio!
Review: This is great movie, but come on, Dolby Digital Mono? The only other movie I have ever watched in Mono is The Shinning. Why would a movie made in 2003 be in Mono ????????????????????????????????
Rating:
Summary: Not the Wood Man's best...
Review: There is good news and bad news about Woody Allen's Anything Else. The bad news is that it definitely isn't the Wood Man's best - even though a bad Woody Allen film is better than most other people's "good" films. It feels oddly long for some reason, even though it's about an hour and fifty minutes long. On the bright side, Woody has returned to writing about young people. I am a big Jason Biggs fan so I am glad to see him cast in the role of the young Woody Allen. (Remember when John Cusack played the young Woody Allen and then HE got too old?) He and Christina Ricci are very good in their roles. So is Woody Allen, for that matter, in the role of the old Woody Allen. Even though the movie, as a whole, is uneven, there are still a few good Woody laughs along the way. As always, New York never looks better and there is a great Billie Holiday soundtrack.
Rating:
Summary: Hold the Mayo!
Review: The main problem with "Anything Else," Woody Allen's new film is that Allen is now too old to play the protagonist and Cristina Ricci's (as Amanda) love interest and instead has chosen American Pie-Boy, Jason Biggs to stand in for him. The problem with Biggs (as Jerry) is that he is the direct opposite of Allen (as Dobel): he's a Valley-Boy to Allen's NYC nebbish, he's suburban to Allen's Urban, he's quasi- cool to Allen's genuine geek, his line deliveries are flat, nasal and more importantly of all, Biggs is way too eager to please. In many ways Allen almost ruins his own film by his very presence on screen, because it only serves to emphasize Biggs shortcomings as Allen's stand-in.
The basic story of "Anything Else" is structured in normal Allen style with Jerry recalling his love affair with Amanda. There are a lot of funny moments mostly coming from Allen, playing Jerry's crazy friend (the scene in the Army surplus store is funny) and fellow writer, and Ricci who has grown up to be a stunningly talented and beautiful woman.
Hopefully, "Anything Else" will prove to be Allen's breakthrough, second coming, second wind artistically speaking because frankly his last several films have been mostly awful with very little to recommend them. Dump Biggs and replace him with someone with real NYC-style, hire Ricci, Drew Barrymore, Diane Keaton or Angelica Huston again, keep the writing at this or a higher level and Allen will undoubtedly reclaim his position as America's premier comedic writer/director.
Rating:
Summary: Not Like His "Earlier, Funnier Movies"
Review: Woody Allen has never failed to amuse - until now. This story seems like a rehashed Allen film with a new actor portraying the neurotic Woody. Jason Biggs just doesn't fit the part. He's awkward in the wrong way. Ricci survives slightly more, but still has trouble delivering that Woody Allen female lead brashness that is so vital in most of his films. Even the story is hackneyed and there are very few surprises. Devito puts in his usual manic performance and gives a rather funny performance in a restaurant feigning a heart attack, but that's about it. Suddenly, I am finding I don't want his "earlier, funnier movies". One can only be sure that his next film has to be better.
Rating:
Summary: "Anything Else" Reminds Us Of Everything Else Woody Has Made
Review: I look forward to seeing Woody Allen's movies every year. I can't wait to see them on opening day. I still keep the annual ritual. I, unlike most people enjoy Woody's lastest films. I admit, sometimes after hearing about the plots, I became worried thinking, "What the heck is this?". "I wasn't too sure about "Sweet and Lowdown", but, when I saw it, I thought it was a very good movie. I enjoyed "Small Time Crooks" and "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion". I thought they were light little diversions that didn't need to be treated so harshly from the public. But when I heard about "Anything Else" I began to have those reservations again. It's not that the plot didn't sound good, but, I didn't like the cast. I'm not a big Danny DeVito and Stockard Channing fan. I couldn't understand why Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci were chosen. The cast didn't seem "correct" for a Woody Allen movie. As I sat in the theatre I didn't quite know what to make of the movie. In the beginning moments I started thinking one of the main problems with "Anything Else" is that it reminds us of everything else Woody Allen has made. If you've seen all of Allen's films like I have then you'll have no problem recalling movies like "Hannah & Her Sisters", or "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan". The movie had the elements that make a great Woody Allen film. And it has what the public has been complaining has been missing in his recent films. There's the wonderful jazz score. The movie opens with Billie Holiday singing Cole Porter's "Easy to Love". It has the characters talking about the performing arts and name dropping people like Humphrey Bogart, Billie Holiday, Cole Porter, and even Diana Krall. It has the wonderful location shots of New York. The neurotic characters shifting through relationships. Yes, all the key ingredients are here, but, the movie never really seemed to take off to me. There was a certain Woody Allen spark that was missing. And I honestly think my first reaction was right. There was something wrong with the cast. There was just something that wasn't quite getting across. "Anything Else" tells the story of Jerry Falk (Jason Biggs). A young comedy writer trying to make it big. But, we find out very early on in the picture, that Jerry is just too nice of a guy. He lets his manager Harvey (Danny DeVito) actually take 25% of his cut. He lets woman walk all over him claiming he can never dump the girl. They must dump him. And, now in his new relationship, he lets his new girlfriend Amanda (Christina Ricci) drive him up the wall. He trys so hard to make her happy, just to find out, that something completely else will make her happy. And then of course there's David Dobel (Allen himself) he is really Jerry's only friend. David trys to give Jerry valuable lessons in life. But we can soon see David may be in more trouble then Jerry. If I said I walked out of "Anything Else" really enjoying it, I'd be lying. I actually had a better time watching "Hollywood Ending", "Small Time Crooks", and "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion". "Anything Else" left me slightly disappointed. And for me, that is very unusual. The last Woody Allen I saw that I didn't enjoy was "Alice" made in 1990! I had a hard time coming up with a rating for this movie. My feelings are somewhere in the middle. Around the 2.5 stars or 3. Dreamworks has been marketing the movie as anything but a Woody Allen. They have removed Allen from the trailers and have not mentioned him as director of the movie. If there idea was to get younger audiences to see this movie than those younger teens will be disappointed. As I said the characters in this movie talked about jazz music, old movies, and literature. Most younger people will not have a clue as to what these characters are talking about. But, Woody did try and write a screenplay that seems more geared to younger crowds. In fact think of this movie as "Annie Hall" for the kids. I could never say a Woody Allen movie is awful or bad. I could never think of one of his films as a waste of time. In an age when comedies are so gross. And the younger generation seems to be controlling what type of movies should be made it's a nice breathe of fresh air to see a Woody Allen movie every year. His movies are actually about adults(!). But I don't think "Anything Else" will connect with most of its audiences. Woody will not be making any new fans with this movie. And older fans will, as I said, will think to themself hey, haven't we seen this before in movies like "Annie Hall, "Manhattan", "Broadway Danny Rose", "Hannah & Her Sisters", and maybe even "Husbands & Wives". Bottom-line: Not a "top of the line" Woody Allen comedy. Has all the right elements to make a great Allen film but the cast doesn't pull it off. Has its share of funny bits but we just end up thinking of Allen's past films.
Rating:
Summary: Insert audible sigh here
Review: Let's be honest and upfront about this. I love Woody Allen movies and always have, right up through his last truly great film, Bullets Over Broadway. Since then, it's been scattershot. Mighty Aphrodite and Everyone Says I Love You were okay. Hollywood Ending wasn't that bad. Deconstructing Harry was an interesting change of pace. Other than that, I can't say that I've enjoyed any of his more recent films. Celebrity, Small Time Crooks, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - nearly unwatchable. It almost seems like he's phoning it in. So turning to Anything Else, it appears that he might have learned some lessons from his previous efforts by removing himself as the romantic lead. Thankfully - who wants to see Woody wooing Christina Ricci? And also thankfully, he gave himself a part that is actually the best one in the film. His wisecracking Dobel generates most of the genuine laugh moments in the plot alongside an under-used Danny DeVito. Unfortunately, since Woody is not playing the main "Woody" character, it's left to Jason Biggs to more or less assume the persona which gave me some qualms, especially remembering Kenneth Branagh's Woody impersonation in Celebrity. Surprisingly, Biggs pulls it off without lapsing into caricature but it's hard to digest that a twenty-something man would just happen to possess all of the neuroses and cultural tastes of Woody Allen as we have come to know him. The same goes for Christina Ricci. She doesn't do anything horrible in the film but her character becomes very tiresome very quickly and while it enhances the comedy elements surrounding Biggs's character, it's probably not the best idea for a romantic comedy to make one half of the loving pair so annoying. Stockard Channing is also a wonderful actress with an interesting character who doesn't get enough screen time. I know that a lot of actors make sacrifices just for the sake of being in a Woody Allen movie, but some deserve more when they achieve something. I mentioned Danny DeVito earlier - his scene in the restaurant and Stockard Channing's when she plays the piano are gems. Fortunately for the film, Jason Biggs can do subtle comedy and his character generates a lot of empathy. Hopefully Woody has found a new niche for himself in his films as a major supporting character. Dobel allows Woody to lapse back into some of his early career schtick without crossing the line that made most of us cringe at some of his more recent work. Just in looking at the advertising and PR for this film, one would never know that it was a Woody Allen movie and it's a shame that it's come to the point where his name might be construed as a negative.
Rating:
Summary: Woody: The Exterminating Angel
Review: Woody Allen's films have been gifts, balms, salves in my life -
when every other thing that happens around me seems to be
a knock on Camus' door of unhappiness. His films may appear
to be more and more flawed - but not to me. Robert Motherwell said, " All of my life I've been working the work...Each picture is only an approximation of what you want...you can never
make the absolute statement, but the desire to do so as an approximation keeps you going. " Think about Woody Allen's career as a film maker - and perhaps this movie will not stand
out, but there are qualities in it that do. Imagine a retrospective of the best moments of Woody's films, like
the coda-retrospectives in some of them ( Annie Hall ) - it would
be an amazing collage of scenes and lines that we remember
and quote and are reminded of every day. It is hard to like Anything Else. Christina Ricci's character, no matter how well-played, no matter how agreeable she is to look at, is unbearable.
I rented the movie, and had to turn it off now and then, because I
couldn't understand why Jason Biggs didn't hand her her hat or
strangle her. Were it not for Woody's character, I may have cancelled the movie.
Dobel ( Allen ) is so nimble-minded, clever in scathing thought
( I'll quote his comment about vomiting in Carnegie Hall to my
college art students ) that I would have been satisfied by the scenes
of Jason and Woody alone. They both stammer. Woody, like Jimmy Stewart, has made stammering
an art. If you have a problem with one actor stammering, get ready.
Jerry Falk ( Biggs ) can't get through a thought without an eraser. The music is perfect. The sly references will please those who grasp
them, and alienate those who don't. Some are just slivers: a couple
exit a movie house and we hear the man say something about why didn't the dinner guests just get up and leave? Woody is honoring
Luis Bunuel's The Exterminating Angel, and sending a little Valentine to those in the audience who know it. There are no special effects, eviscerations, frontal nudity, car
chases --- just people talking with people about what ( some )
people talk about. These are my favorites movies. Anything Else
won't get high mention in Woody's obituary - but I dare you not
to be amused every time Jason appears in his therapist's office - or
not to add Dobel to the list of nuanced visionaries and nutcakes
that Woody has created and given to us.
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