Early Woody Allen Geniusosity

I love Woody Allen.
This is not a particularly popular opinion these days, but the man is one of my all time cinematic heros. "Manhattan" and "Annie Hall" rank among my ten favorite movies of all time, and a very high percentage of his 10,000 or so films are nearly as good. His recent output has not been quite as inspiring (though I did love "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona,") but his body of work is undeniably amazing. "Take the Money and Run," "Bananas," "Sleeper," "Love and Death," "Annie Hall," "Manhattan," "Hannah and her Sisters," "The Purple Rose of Cairo," "Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Husbands and Wives," "Bullets Over Broadway," "Manhattan Murder Mystery," "Everyone Says I Love You," "Deconstructing Harry," "Sweet and Lowdown," and now "Vicky Cristina," are all films any writer or director would be proud to have on their filmography, yet somehow Woody doesn't get much respect or attention these days.
The problem many people have with the Woodster is twofold... some people find his persona more than a little annoying (I don't, but I am a neurotic and sometimes whiny Jew myself, so I can relate,) but more commonly, people find the person Woody Allen to be reprehensible. We all know what happened in the early 90s... Woody married his adopted daughter. Yes, it's gross, and can't really be justified (though their seemingly dysfunctional relationship has endured since it first caused a media scandal, bizarrely enough.) But the public's discomfort with the man himself should not make them stay away from his work... I don't want to get into one of those "you have to separate the art from the artist" things, but... well, you really do. And this is one artist who is an American film and humor genius, and has been doing his thing with pretty astounding consistency for about four decades now.
This whole post has been a long winded way of setting up this gem of an interview I discovered (on comedy genius duo Bob and David's site, actually,) from early in Woody's film career when he was making straight forward comedies. Some people who like Woody say that his "early, funny pictures" are his best, which I disagree with as his films got richer and more rewarding over the next decade... but this is proof that nobody can deliver a dry one liner that mixes highbrow wit with goofy, silly, and nonsensical humor quite like Woody. Anyway, it's a long form interview in four parts, but it's worth watching the whole thing... I was laughing out loud, alone in my apartment, causing my dog to give me some strange looks.

"In New York you can't be Puerto Rican unless you have to pass a written examination and an eye test. And those who pass the eye test are allowed to be Purto Rican."
Enjoy.

This Is A Good Start, But...

...there are so many more moments that could have been included in this compilation of scenes from what might be the worst movie ever released by a major studio.

"What? No!"
-Mark Wahlberg in "The Happening."

Holy Obama, Batman!

This is too perfect. I thought "The Dark Knight" was the best Batman stuff ever put on film, then I saw this prescient debate scene. I always thought Penguin was more like Cheney than McCain, but this makes sense.

I'm voting Batman 08.

Tina Fey FTW

This weekend's SNL season premiere got huge ratings, but was mostly a bust verging on disaster. Michael Phelps may be an amazing athlete and American hero, but actor he is not. Phelps was squinting at the cue cards all night and misspoke often, and his joke delivery was wooden. None of this is really a slam on Phelps... he's not supposed to be funny. That's not his job. But SNL really needs to stop booking athlete guest hosts... other than the funny and charismatic Peyton Manning.
But the season premiere did have one highlight... Tina Fey's much buzzed about return in which she played lookalike/ Republican VP nominee/ joke Sarah Palin. And, as a bonus, the incredible Amy Poehler joined her as Hillary Clinton. It's great, and the type of sharp political stuff SNL needs to be doing right now. Hopefully Fey (who has her hands very full starring in, producing, writing, and writing the amazing, Emmy winning "30 Rock,) will return a few more times to perform her excellent and hilarious Palin impression.