Reviews

Punch-Drunk Love is one of those rare films that gets better with each viewing. I have now seen it twelve times. Every time I watch it, I pick up things I didn't notice the time before; the scene in which Barry gives the thugs his money reaches its peak as he explains to them that he is giving up a substantial chunk of money, only to end his explanation with a hopeful, "99 cents!", as he sees a deal at a restaurant across the street. I saw the film eleven times before I heard him say that. There are so many great scenes in Punch-Drunk Love. People often talk of scenes that they deem worthy of being put in a time capsule. The scene that stands out in my mind as being nearly perfect is the sequence in which Barry tries to track down Lena in Hawaii, with "He Needs Me" playing in the background. I was filled with such joy the first time I saw that. I now have a goofy smile on my face each time I watch that scene. That goes for the rest of the movie too.

The viewing public no longer judges Woody Allen films for what they are. There were posts badmouthing this flick before it ever came out, just because people don't like Woody. It was even worse with critics; very few of them judged Anything Else as its own entity. It didn't measure up to Annie Hall. Well, newsflash! Annie Hall is one of those gems that holds a place in Woody's top ten. He may never make a picture of that quality again...and that isn't a bad thing. I look forward to each year with the knowledge that a Woody Allen film will be released, and though he may not make a Purple Rose of Cairo-quality film every time, I know that a mediocre Woody Allen film is much better than most other films in theaters. Anything Else was not one of Woody's best, but I would rather sit through it one thousand times before I would watch a piece of garbage like Cold Creek Manor again.