annie hall

Annie Hall... One of my absolute favorite movies. It's witty, eclectic and intelligent. I'm no movie expert, but it seems that they rarely make romantic comedies like this anymore. The dialogue is thoughtful and hilarious. You get to know the characters in depth. And the ending is atypical of most romantic comedies.

For those who are unfamiliar, this is the story of comedian Alvy Singer's (Woody Allen) on-again, off-again relationship with the eccentric Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). It chronicles all the ups and downs of their tumultuous yet endearing courtship. The movie is really quite charming. Extremely well-written and entertaining. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend renting it. Heck, rent it even if you have seen it!

Some of my fave quotes...

Alvy Singer: "If I get too mellow, I ripen and then rot."

Alvy: "Oh stop it, you're having an affair with your college professor, that jerk who teaches that incredible crap course. Contemporary Crisis in Western Man..."

Annie: "Existential motifs in Russian Literature. You're really close."

Alvy: "What's the difference? It's all mental masturbation."

Annie: "Oh well, now we're finally getting to a subject you know something about."

Annie Hall made Diane Keaton a style icon. She made menswear and thrift store finds fashionably chic. Imagine... baggy chinos, mens waistcoats and ties, bowler hat... whodathunk it'd look so good on her?!

Here's how Woody Allen remembers Diane Keaton on Annie Hall...

"She came in,and the costume lady [Nancy McArdle] on ‘Annie Hall’ said, ‘Tell her not wear that. She can’t wear that. It’s so crazy.’ And I said “Leave her. She’s a genius. Let’s just leave her alone and let her wear what she wants.”

Above, some cool, Annie-inspired artwork by Mike Oncley.

Happy Weekend, my darlings!!!

i want to see this

I'm a big Sofia Coppola fan. Her films often seem to convey a quiet and deep thoughtfulness -- stories told through a subtle yet profound perspective. But I'm no movie critic. I just know what I like. Lost In Translation, Marie Antoinette, and my favorite, The Virgin Suicides. I love it all. Which is why I'm so looking forward to seeing this movie. It's called Somewhere, and it stars the underrated Stephen Dorff and the charming Elle Fanning (yes, Dakota's sister). Check out the trailer above. Looks interesting, right? The film was released in late December, but I didn't get wind of it till I read about it on one of my fave blogs. I'm hoping I can find it playing somewhere local.

P.S. Totally digging the song on the trailer. It's called I'll Try Anything Once by The Strokes.

I Heart Joseph Gordon-Levitt

I know "500 Days of Summer" has been around a while now, but I couldn't resist blogging about it. I just rented the DVD and watched it again this last weekend. For those of you who have not seen it, the plot is about a lovesick young man who falls for a girl who doesn't believe true love exists. But the story is told from a very clever, almost musical perspective. Meaning yes, there's a song-and-dance number and a super cool soundtrack. Besides it being a great story, I couldn't help but think how utterly swoon-worthy Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in this movie. He plays the hopeless romantic underdog quite well, don't ya think? And just in case you needed another reason to love him, click on the clip below. Utterly charming and adorable.

Update: 500 Days of Summer is now on HBO. I should know. I watched it almost every night while on vacation. Yes, I love it that much.