Annie Hall

Year: 1977
Directed By: Woody Allen
Written By: Woody Allen

RYAN’S REVIEW

I have been a lover of movies my whole life, in many ways they have taught me how to live.  My dad was a movie theater manager when I was born and for years I grew up with those big giant screens for babysitters.  At five years old I was watching Tim Burton’s Batman  by myself as my dad worked.  It was always like this until my dad changed careers and by that time I worked two jobs, one at a video rental store and another as a movie builder at the theater (yeah, like Tyler Durden in Fight Club).  My point here is that I have always had heavy exposure to many films, I have always studied them, learned from them.  Despite this, it wasn’t until I was 22 that I saw this movie, or any Woody Allen movie for that matter.  Personally, I attribute this fact to my southern heritage, the south does not like Woody Allen.  He is a yankee through and through, he might as well have New Yorker stamped on his forehead, and then there was that thing with his step daughter.  I like to think of Woody Allen as a mathmatical equation that equals “hated by south.” However I did love this movie the first time I saw it and I still think it is hilarious today.

Woody Allen is without doubt very eccentric, and I can completely understand why he is the kind of film maker that people either love or hate.  I don’t love him by any means, he has made 47 films and this one is still the only one I have seen, and I was actually required to watch it for a film class.  His style is very unique and that is what I appreciate about this movie so much.  This has long been hated as the movie that robbed Star Wars of the Academy Award for best picture in 1977 but that was a justified win.  This movie is smart, it’s clever, and it’s witty.  This movie isn’t for everyone because Woody Allen isn’t for everyone, but if you have the opportunity to see it give it a chance, it may surprise you. If nothing else, see this to catch sight of a much younger Christopher Walken, playing Diane Keaton’s brother Duane.

AMBER’S REVIEW

I remember the first time Ryan told me that he wanted to watch this. All I knew of it was that Woody Allen was the voice of the main ant in the movie Ants. I really enjoy this film. It is set in the point of view of a guy that is nothing like myself, so I find this story very interesting. I also find him completely whinny and complaining all the time. I also think the cinematography in this film is really nice. The cameras follow the characters walking down the street and captures in such a realistic way. The way the extras are nonchalantly walking the streets not paying attention to Allen at all. It is very nicely done.  The best part about this film is Diane Keaton. She is so young a vivacious in this film. Years after watching Annie Hall for the first time, I was watching an episode of That 70s Show where Foreman goes on a date with his mom to see Annie Hall. He admits on the way home that he couldn’t stop looking at Keaton’s breasts, which can be pretty embarrassing for a teenager and his mom. Later that episode, they do a spoof of it where Topher Grace plays Woody Allen and Laura Prepon plays Diane Keaton. It is hilarious and unfortunaltely, everytime this movie is mentioned, my mind goes directly to that 70s show first. Allen’s character is someone that all men need to learn from. What not to in a relationship and “what never to say to a woman.”

If you like movies more than the average joe , then this is one that you need to see as it definitely holds it’s place in movie history.

NEXT MOVIE: Antitrust (2001)