Travis Simpkins

Anything Else (2003): Woody Allen, Christina Ricci and Jason Biggs

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Anything Else (2003) was the opening night selection at the Venice International Film Festival that year, had mixed reviews at the time, but has gradually found a receptive Cult audience. The comedic film centers on a young writer named Jerry, and his turbulent love affair with his high-maintenance girlfriend, Amanda. Woody Allen is fantastic as the older writer, giving sage advice to Jason Biggs (who also does a fine job). It is Christina Ricci, however, that steals the show with her role as the needy, unpredictable girlfriend. Jimmy Fallon, Stockard Channing and Danny DeVito co-star.

Anything Else. 2003. Woody Allen

Anything Else. 2003. Woody Allen: Christina Ricci

"Anything Else"- movie trailer

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972): Woody Allen

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972) was very loosely based on parts of the famous book by Dr. David Reuben. Slapstick and hilarious, the film features several different comedic vignettes, with such titles as: Do Aphrodisiacs Work?, What is Sodomy?, Why Do Some Women Have Trouble Reaching Orgasm?, Are Transvestites Homosexuals?, What are Sex Perverts?, Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate? and What Happens During Ejaculation?. The cast is great, including Woody Allen, Gene Wilder, Louise Lasser, John Carradine, Tony Randall, Lynn Redgrave, Regis Philbin and Burt Reynolds.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. 1972. Woody Allen

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. 1972. Woody Allen: Gene Wilder

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. 1972. Woody Allen

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. 1972. Woody Allen: Burt Reynolds

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. 1972. Woody Allen

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex*

(*But Were Afraid to Ask)-

movie trailer

Play It Again, Sam (1972): Woody Allen, Humphrey Bogart and Casablanca

Although Woody Allen wrote and starred in "Play It Again, Sam" (1972), he did not direct it. That job was given to Herbert Ross. It was an early stage in Allen's filmmaking career and his best known efforts at that time were slapstick in nature, so he was not fully trusted with complete artistic control. Nevertheless, the film stands out as the first in a series of Allen films in a similar vein... in which he is a hopeless romantic failure. It is the first pairing of Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, who formed a long lasting creative partnership. It also resonates as Woody Allen's remarkably beautiful homage to one of the greatest films ever made... Casablanca.

Woody Allen stars as Allen Felix, a writer for a film magazine, whose wife has just left him. Depressed, bewildered and befuddled, he is need of a new companion. Strangely enough, his most vocal wing man is the ghost of Humphrey Bogart, who gives him tips on how to score with the ladies...

Play it Again, Sam. 1972. Woody Allen

His married friends, Dick and Linda, also try to help by setting him up on a series of dates... all of which end in hilarious disaster...

Play it Again, Sam. 1972. Woody Allen

Through their friendship, Allen realizes that his true affections rest with Linda, his best friend's wife. More confusion occurs when it is discovered that Linda has feelings for him as well...