From: cc599@FreeNet.Carleton.CA   
      
   I think it's strange that Woody's most loyal supporters seem to have   
   thrown in the towel on him.  I really think that Anything Else was a very   
   good film.  Was it fantastic?  No.  The man is not making Manhattan   
   anymore.  But why should he have to?   
      
   First of all the film contained a lot of intellectual "meat" that was   
   absent from Hollywood Ending, Curse Of The Jade Scorpion and Small Time   
   Crooks.  Those films were fluffy.  Personally I didn't mind Curse Of The   
   Jade Scorpion.  I thought it was an interesting period piece and I was   
   willing to overlook the fact that a Helen Hunt type would fall for a Woody   
   Allen type.  But honestly, would a Diane Keaton type fall for a Woody   
   Allen type, even in his heyday?  When those black titles come across the   
   screen and we hear that jazz music, we're entering a Woody Allen universe.   
   Is it reality?  Of course not.  But what we have to accept is that it's a   
   fictional universe that we have the pleasure of visiting once a year.   
      
   And it's a great universe.  It's a place where people have wit, where   
   they're cultured, where their neurosis reflect our own.  Would a real   
   life twenty something be interested in Sartre and Diana Krall?  Of course   
   not!  But this is Woody's universe and it's consistent with his universe.   
   As the author he has the luxury of giving the characters the same great   
   tastes he himself has.  To quibble about such details, as some reviewers   
   have mercilessly done, is to miss the point entirely.   
      
   Woody Allen's films have always been extremely autobiographical while he   
   hides himself in plain view, as Roger Ebert said about Deconstructing   
   Harry.  Anything Else is no different.  This film is the Woody Allen of   
   today giving advice to the Woody Allen of ten years ago.  Think about it:   
   Woody was in a sexless relationship with Mia Farrow (Ricci).  He was being   
   screwed over by good friend (but probably well-intentioned) Jean Doumanian   
   financially (DeVito).  And he was relentlessly addicted to psychotherapy,   
   which wasn't helping him sort out any of the issues in his life.  His   
   character in Anything Else is a breath of fresh air, and it's just what   
   every Woody Allen character (read: Woody Allen himself) has needed for the   
   past 15 movies.   
      
   In the last few films Woody Allen the author has been absent.  He was   
   content to hide behind fluff.  I'm glad he's back and I like the new   
   message in his film.  Life is hard, life is scary, but you have to stand   
   on your own and stand up for yourself.  It's a hardened, cynical attitude,   
   but as someone who's been watching his films since childhood, I definately   
   see a maturity.  We've all changed so why can't Woody?   
      
   One complaint.  The film is an anti-romantic comedy.  It takes the   
   structure of Annie Hall but the tone of Husbands and Wives.  So we're   
   actively rooting for the couple to break up which isn't much fun, let   
   alone romantic.  But seriously....thank god for this movie.  It's the best   
   I've seen at a multiplex for years.   
      
   And for those decrying the death of intellectual American films, well   
   maybe you're just not looking.  Woody's influence is everywhere.  I saw it   
   last night at my local arthouse cinema when I went to see American   
   Splendor.  I see it in the films of Wes Anderson, Todd Solondz and Darren   
   Aaronovsky.  I'm Canadian, and I would highly recommend some Americans   
   check out Don McKellar's film Last Night, which is a film about the end of   
   the world without any explosions or asteroids.  Also check out my   
   countryman Atom Egoyan.   
      
   Culturally these aren't great times.  But just because you're being   
   governed by a complete imbecile doesn't mean your culture is dead.  (Maybe   
   just sleeping.)   
      
   Think about it   
      
   Tristan   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)