Listings for Friday, November 14, through Thursday, November 20, 2008

Annie Hall

Capsule by Dave Kehr

From the Chicago Reader

Woody Allen strode into his ambitious period by finally acknowledging his own attractiveness to women--by reversing the humor of sexual embarrassment that defined the early comedies and substituting the pain of romantic longing. Though this 1977 film is snobbish about fads, its own attitudes often seem narrowly fashionable: the characters yearn for commitment but spend most of their energy on what once was known as "self-actualization." Visually and structurally it's a mess, but many of the situations are genuinely clever, and there are plenty of memorable gags. The perpetual problem is that Allen isn't nearly the thinker he thinks he is. With Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, and Shelley Duvall. PG, 94 min.

This movie is currently playing at: Univ. of Chicago Doc Films

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