Woody Allen

As I write this posting, I am watching Annie Hall. I had been wanting to see this film for a while, as I consider myself a somewhat semi-Woody Allen fan.

Minutes ago, about thirty-five minutes into the movie, I realized how good this movie is. It wasn't really a realization really, but more of an epiphanic onslaught. This epiphany wasn't anything life changing or anything I'd write in my autobiography, if I ever write one, or even something I'll remember beyond the next few days. Just the satiating thrill of Allen's quirky insightfulness into us, his audience, and how that makes me laugh.

There's too much in this movie to talk about in a single post, (and the film's not yet over) but I like one of the opening lines: "'Life is full of loneliness, misery, suffering, and unhappiness - and it's all over much too quickly'." That's just what I'm talking about. It's easy to watch a Woody Allen film for pure entertainment or laughter. But, a Woody Allen film also exposes the paranoia, neurosis, and fear of us all. It takes the small things and delightfully shows them for their simplicity, their humor, and their scornful pain. It's life, the funny and the absurd, combined with the horrible and miserable, as Alvy Singer tell Annie. Nobody reminds us of this more satisfyingly than Woody Allen.