Play It Again, Sam

Play It Again, Sam; A tale of two reactions. One, an appreciation for the clever turn of phrase inherent in the comedic writing. The other, a disgust for overblown pathetic attempts at physical comedy by the repulsive Allen, along with some jokes that have not aged well, thankfully. Skippable; D+

Annie Hall

Annie Hall; Allen’s direction and writing overshadow his acting, as clever antics in both form and pathos combine to create an all-time classic. Keaton is absolutely adorable, fashionable and funny and way out of Allen’s league. A love story for love lost and not learned; A

Everyone Says I Love You

Directed by:  Woody Allen
Starring:  Woody Allen, Julia Roberts, Edward Norton, Drew Barrymore
Running Time:  1h 37min

Woody once again surrounds himself with beautiful women and tries to make us believe that one of them (Roberts) will fall in love with him.  At least this time there's a funny explanation, as his daughter has knowledge of everything Roberts tells her shrink  Having the narration of his daughter is very effective and allows other characters to play in the film, without a direct connection to the irritating Woody.  The set pieces of singing and dancing are hilarious.  Classic spoofing of the musical genre, at its finest.  Allen knows exactly what's sweet and romantic about musicals, and what's just plain cheese and onions.  It's a fine parody film, and musical comedy in its own right.  Once again, Allen finds the perfect line to walk and executes again.

Grade:  B