I'm watching all of Woody Allen's films in chronological order. After his previous films, it's hard to see why anyone would let Woody Allen make another comedy. I'm glad they did! "Bananas" is the first truly funny Woody Allen film. Right from the start it contains gags which - amazingly - make you laugh. A departure from his earlier films! The jokes come at an even pace, a good mix of satire, slapstick, surrealism, and sight gags. The semi-improvised dialogue has a "stand-up" feel to…
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I'm watching all of Woody Allen's films in chronological order. Take The Money And Run has a promising start. A faux documentary with some excellent gags. But it leaps around the story with no real regard for the viewer. It's possibly the first "mockumentary" and, as such, is a trail-blazing piece. But as with his earlier films the gags are few and far between. Once the jokes hit, they're often substandard and fall flat. You can buy Take The Money And Run from Amazon. …
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I'm watching all of Woody Allen's films in chronological order. Set in Paris, a struggling writer on the brink of a loveless marriage seeks solace in the city's many nocturnal delights. Featuring a suicidal young woman, a cameo by Toulouse-Lautrec, and some delightful shots of Paris and its surrounding countryside. Is this Woody Allen's "Midnight In Paris"? No, it's his 1965 film "What's New Pussycat". It is a film of its time - a bawdy sex comedy set in the swinging sixties - so it seems…
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I'm watching all of Woody Allen's films in chronological order. I'll confess, I tried watching What's Up Tiger Lilly a few years ago. I didn't get more than 40 minutes into it before switching it off in a mixture of boredom and disgust. I'm not sure who first came up with the idea of revoicing a movie - making snarky comments about the action on screen - but this is one of the most influential and successful. How it became so successful is entirely a mystery to me. For a comedy film, it is…
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As I watched Woody Allen's latest film - Midnight in Paris - I realised that there are so many films of his that I haven't seen. So, I have a brand new resolution for 2012. Watch every single film Woody Allen has made. In chronological order. Posting reviews on this blog. Woody has made over 40 films - so I'll be aiming to watch one per week over the next year. I'll be watching all the films he has directed and - where possible - those he has written. Let's go! …
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