Saturday, August 12, 2006
ANNIE HALL II
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Woody Allen's
It is his second 'serious' film after Annie Hall and is one of his best.
The story takes place against a background of 'all' the NYC locations you ever thought of; or didn't. Beautifully done.
The music behind it is all Gershwin.
The ending with Allen, the actor, is one of the most affecting.
Yes, the jokes are there. The same kind of narcissism. The people drift in a sea of dissatisfaction.
It all comes together beautifully.
I loved it then and I loved it now.
A 5 out of Netflix 5.
Not enough is said about Allens cinematic choices.
The first and foremost are his choices for cinematographer.
This film absolutely depends on the loving photography of Manhattan settings.
There are wonderful night shots of the skyline; intimate closeups taking places in favorite stores; museum walks; long, long tracking shots of couples walking and talking (around corners and into doorways; there are doorways and walls and apartments. All of this is beautifully composed, lit and shot.
This time it is all by Gordon Willis who worked on many Allen films.
All of Allen's movies are full bore filmsand can be watched over and over.
I forgot to say that this has a lot of bit parts of well known people.
It is the film where Wally Shawn comes on as an ex-husband and Woody refers to him as the homunculus.
If nothing else, Allen's films can send us to the dictionary.
