Travis Simpkins: The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985): Woody Allen, Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels

Written and directed by Woody Allen, The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) ranks amongst the filmmaker's own favorites, and he considered it to be the closest translation from vision to film of all his works. Part of the affection Allen has for the film has to do with the theatre scenes, which were shot in the neighborhood movie theater where he spent much of his time as a youth. The story concerns an unloved waitress during the Great Depression, who watches the same film again and again, and is amazed when one of the actors exits the film into the real world and proclaims his love for her. The performances are great all around, including Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels and Danny Aiello.