I'll have what she's having? How about I'll have the title changed to "Woody Allen" instead of "Annie Hall" because it's pretty much Woody Allen. Yes, that's right. The same "Woody Allen", sorry, the same "Annie Hall" (1977) that robbed "Star Wars" (1977) of the title of Best Picture at the 1978 Oscars. Well where to begin? Maybe we should start with how Woody Allen plays the same neurotic awkward middle-aged Jewish man that's afraid of everything, in each of his films. Every single one. Ever since I first learned that "Star Wars" was nominated for Best Picture, I'd wondered in my youth why it did not win Best Picture.
Well, back then I didn't know too much about cinema or what made films great or critically acclaimed. Back then it was the entertainment that I felt was a determinant of what made a great film. I've stuck by my opinion that "Star Wars" was robbed for nearly a decade now, but I went into this screening with a mind willing to be changed. That was not the case. In terms of Woody Allen's work, this was generic. In terms of cinematic breakthrough, "Annie Hall" was weighed, measured, and found wanting. In terms of making a statement, it was Woody Allen's pessimistic and whiny view of the world. (I'll make a quick side-note that on www.imdb.com "Star Wars" stands at 8.8 out of 10 while Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" stands at 8.2. On www.rottentomatoes.com "Star Wars" gets a 94% rating on their "Tomatometer" while "Annie Hall" receives a 98% rating.)
"Star Wars" as a film represents such a breakthrough in cinema. This black sheep of the nominees for Best Picture was truly something unique. Yes, it was something unique. It was and is still an imaginative piece of work that went unrecognized. "Annie Hall" proves that at least the Academy of the day was more willing to acclaim something generic rather than something that was different and not the typical genre seen at the Oscars. The Academy of the 21st century has begun appreciating more variety.
The only part in "Annie Hall" that allowed the inklings of a smile and a chuckle to appear on my strained and pained face during the entirety of those 93 minutes was the brief appearance of Jeff Goldblum in the role of Lacey Party Guest. The whining was simply unfunny and grating like nails on a chalkboard. "Annie Hall" managed to amaze me by being worse than I thought. I guess I fooled myself into thinking that I'd be proven wrong about it. Quite frankly, it was all a slap in the face.
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