Woody Allen's Next Film "Midnight in Paris" (2011)

I just read on CNN's website that Woody Allen has become unprecedentedly talkative about his newest film, which is now in pre-production (looks like EW broke it yesterday).  I don't think I've ever heard the title to one of his films before production, which he's notorious to keep undisclosed until the last minute.  Hopefully this is a sign of a new Woody for the '10s.  His You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (which makes Midnight in Paris sound like the best movie title ever conceived!) starring Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, and Freida Pinto will play at Cannes and then get released in the US on September 23rd.

Owen Gleiberman Ranks Woody Allen's Films

In this past week's Entertainment Weekly, Owen Gleiberman ranked Woody Allen's 40 films, including the newest, Whatever Works. The full list of Gleiberman's Woody rankings was posted online.

I made such a list (41 films, including telefilm Don't Drink the Water) after re-watching all of Woody Allen's movies at the time of about Small Time Crooks, and I've added the new films as I saw them. (Many of my rankings actually coincide with the EXACT placement of OG's!)

I offer MY LIST below, plus commentary underneath.

Ranking Woody Allen's Directorial Features

TOP TEN:
1. Annie Hall— 1977
2. Manhattan— 1979
3. Hannah and Her Sisters— 1986
4. Husbands and Wives— 1992
5. Broadway Danny Rose— 1984
6. Interiors— 1978
7. Another Woman— 1988
8. Bananas— 1971
9. Sleeper— 1973
10. Radio Days— 1987

THE REST:
11. Crimes and Misdemeanors— 1989
12. Zelig— 1983
13. Take the Money and Run— 1969
14. Deconstructing Harry— 1997
15. Match Point— 2005
16. Bullets Over Broadway— 1994
17. Love and Death— 1975
18. New York Stories (seq.)— 1989
19. Mighty Aphrodite— 1995
20. The Purple Rose of Cairo— 1985
21. Manhattan Murder Mystery— 1993
22. Alice— 1990
23. Vicky Cristina Barcelona— 2008
24. Stardust Memories— 1980
25. A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy— 1982
26. Sweet and Lowdown— 1999
27. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion— 2001
28. Don’t Drink the Water (TV)— 1994
29. What’s Up Tiger Lily?— 1966
30. Everything You Always Wanted…—1972
31. Everyone Says I Love You— 1996
32. Scoop— 2006
33. Hollywood Ending— 2002
34. Whatever Works— 2009
35. Small Time Crooks— 2000
36. Shadows and Fog— 1992
37. Celebrity— 1998
38. Cassandra’s Dream— 2008
39. Melinda and Melinda— 2005
40. September— 1987
41. Anything Else— 2003

Just in case the Gleiberman list gets pulled someday, here it is below for reference:
1. Manhattan (1979)_2. Annie Hall (1977)_3. Bananas (1971)_4. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)_5. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)_6. Match Point (2005)_7. What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)_8. Zelig (1983)_9. Sleeper (1973)_10. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)_11. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)_12. Love and Death (1975)_13. Take the Money and Run (1969)_14. Stardust Memories (1980)_15. Small Time Crooks (2000)_16. Deconstructing Harry (1997)_17. Bullets Over Broadway (1994)_18. Sweet and Lowdown (1999)_19. Mighty Aphrodite (1995)_20. Cassandra’s Dream (2007)_21. Husbands and Wives (1992)_22. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)_23. Interiors (1978)_24. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)_25. Oedipus Wrecks from New York Stories (1989)_26. A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy (1982)_27. Radio Days (1987)_28. Whatever Works (2009)_29. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)_30. Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)_31. Scoop (2006)_32. Alice (1990)_33. The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)_34. Another Woman (1988)_35. Melinda and Melinda (2004)_36. Shadows and Fog (1991)_37. Hollywood Ending (2002)_38. Celebrity (1998)_39. Anything Else (2003)_40. September (1987)

My commentary. First off, I love Manhattan (1979), however, I can't deny that Annie Hall is Woody Allen's masterpiece, even if Manhattan would be the "cooler" choice for the #1 slot. Bananas is a VERY funny movie, but even I think I've over ranked it at #8... but OG has it at #3! Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex... as a production, is Woody's most ambitious-- but its wildly uneven and decidedly not "top ten." Match Point is EASILY Woody's best 00s effort, although I doubt it ranks in the top ten (there is just too much competition)-- but I respect making room for one of the later ones by OG. What's Up Tiger Lily? is fun and was probably a riot in it's day, but I find it a weird choice to go out on a limb for by OG. Woody Allen has sometimes cited The Purple Rose of Cairo as his favorite and Woodyphiles would almost all put it in his top ten. I'm just not the biggest fan of it (I didn't think it lived up to it's premise, i.e. the way it ends). I admit I'm in the minority on Purple Rose. Almost everyone would agree that Stardust Memories at #24 on my list is more accurate than at #14, I think OG is bucking the general consensus there. If you've seen the movie, it has one of the funniest things I ever heard in a Woody film however, when the "aliens" tell him: "You're not the Peace Corps type. You want to help humanity? Tell funnier jokes." Small Time Crooks seems to divide people. According to Gleiberman it's Woody's second best film from the 00s. Although it's certainly not his worse from the 00s, that's not saying much. Cassandra's Dream was trumped by Sidney Lumet's similar Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, but as time passes, it might move up the ranks. Husbands and Wives I consider a masterpiece, and I think this is the single film whose placement I most disagree with on OG's list. Broadway Danny Rose is a personal favorite, and yes, perhaps I just couldn't resist putting it so high on my list. Interiors and Another Woman have a checkered reception. Most people would agree with OG and NOT with my high rankings-- but I'm standing by them. I'm not going to give it a RINGING endorsement, but, unlike almost everyone I know, I was amused by The Curse of the Jade Scorpion-- and it ACTUALLY has a realistic plot-driven excuse why any pretty younger woman would be attracted to Woody. Finally, I too never thought Woody Allen would make a movie WORSE than September-- but he DID with Anything Else...

"Whatever Works" Trailer

The Whatever Works trailer has been released... and yes it looks like a bit of a trainwreck. Maybe I'm looking forward to it despite all because I know one of these days there will be no new Woody Allen. Still, it's just kind of funny to have Woody's words come out of Larry David's mouth. You decide (but don't tell me what you think!-- I'm afraid I already know).

Link to Whatever Works trailer.

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Edges Out "Match Point"; "Whatever Works" Picked Up By Sony

Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona has finally outgrossed his Match Point, making it the biggest Allen-grosser since Hannah and Her Sisters. See box office mojo report. I've been watching the numbers on this one since it opened big (August blog entry): it'll be worth a few more years of creative control for Woody.







In other news, now we know why there has yet to be a release date for the new Woody Allen film (starring Larry David), as noted in this Variety article.

I'll be happy if it's a spring release because I can't wait, however there is something about the Fall that warrents a new Woody Allen.

Brilliant Woody Allen "Diary" of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Woody Allen has a big hit on his hands with Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Now he's written one of his funniest things in print in years, capitalizing on his cast's star power. The humor is still a little old fashioned, like his other recent writing, but it works (even if there is a tinge of old man creepiness here and there).

Link to New York Times Vicky Cristina Barcelona "Diary."

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Poised to be Woody Allen Hit

Vicky Cristina Barcelona has grossed over $1 million in its first day of release. What makes this all the more remarkable is that Woody Allen's last movie Cassandra's Dream grossed a total of $973,018, or, less in its entire run, that Vicky Cristina Barcelona did in one day. Oh what a kiss between Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz will do for your box office!

I'll be following the numbers on this Woody Allen release to see where it ends up, but it certainly will make his top ten of all-time.

Title for New Woody Allen Movie Revealed— "Whatever Works"

According to this blog, the new Woody Allen film, starring Evan Rachel Wood and Larry David (photo, left) is called Whatever Works— the last likely Allen effort for this decade. The blog has a funny interview with Woody too. Link to imdb, that still lists Untitled Woody Allen Project (2009).

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, one of Woody's only films of late that has garnered Oscar-buzz, opens this month— can't wait!

Woody Allen is Back in New York City-- and With Larry David

After another flop with CASSANDRA'S DREAM (critically panned AND his worst commercial disaster since SEPTEMBER— it hasn't even grossed $1 million domestic [SHADOWS AND FOG managed $2.7 million in 1992, to give a little perspective]), Woody Allen somehow has a bright future. 72-year-old Allen has another film coming out this year, just signed a three-picture deal (financed in Spain), and, in between, he'll return to native New York City. That's what I'm most excited about, especially since his New York film will star Larry David. This is a possible match made in movie heaven. At the very least it will get some attention. And maybe Woody will ramp things up and not lazy-out with his stilted all-in-medium-shot technique of non-directing. Yes, I've been frustrated with the Allen output for some time. Just one good film in the last ten years (the terrific MATCH POINT). The Larry David-starrer shoots in the Spring and also features Evan Rachel Wood. Fingers crossed.

Writers Guild Strike 2007, Week Four

Negotiations have re-opened this week but picketing continued at the studios in Los Angeles: CBS Radford Studios, CBS Television City, Disney Studios, Fox Studios, NBC Burbank, Prospect Studios, Paramount Studios/Raleigh Studios Hollywood, Sony Pictures Studios, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. Studios (photo, above).

Several feature films seem to be proceeding despite the fact that their screenplays were not complete, such as Transformers 2, presumably in hopes that the strike will end in time for the scripts to be polished.

Woody Allen is the latest celeb slated for the "Speechless Without Writers" shorts (by director George Hickenlooper), dubbed pretentious by some posters (who are actually sympathetic to the cause— see, for example, comments under Harvey Keitel short). The short with Woody Allen will show him silently sipping tea while a laugh track plays.