Is anyone looking forwards to Woody Allen's "Anything Else"? I haven't been too pleased with some of his recent films, and the trailer for this film doesn't seem very woody allenish (except for the neurotic people of course).
www.anythingelse-themovie.com
anyway, what do you guys think?
I'm pretty freakin' psyched about thissun'...
For one, it's got Christina Ricci in it, and I've had a crush on her since The Addams Family.
The premise also sounds interesting... doesn't seem too goofy, but just odd enough to make for a good come back from Woody.
One thing though: I don't like the trailer. Whoever designed the ad campeign for this film obviously has no faith that anybody would see this if they saw Woody in the trailer. He's nowhere to be found except at the end, where the words "from Woody Allen" show up. I mean, at least show us Danny DeVito in the trailer!
I can't wait. Woody's latest efforts haven't been THAT bad- Hollywood Ending had some moments, and Curse of the Jade Scorpion was kinda cute- but its not their not the type of quality films that we'd expect from the man who mad Manhattan. I read a synopsis for this movie and i was pleased, it sounds like Woody's doing one of his more "serious" comedies. Altough the trailer didn't do much for me, im still really excited about this movie.
I'm looking forward to it. It'll do horribly at the B.O. (you can't advertise something soley on Biggs and Ricci). I wonder what made him wanna do a teen comedy with 'pie fucker' Jason Biggs as the lead, but people couldn't get over why PTA wanted to do a Sandler film either.......
Hell yes you can advertise something solely on the basis of Christina Ricci. The shots of her in her underwear assured that I will see this movie.
But maybe that's just me.
It seems they're targeting a younger audience with this one, doesn't it? I question the effectiveness of this trailer too. Could Woody be stooping to a teen comedy now?
To be frank, I'm getting tired of Jason Biggs as the loser in all of these movies. Christina Ricci looks okay in this role, but nothing great. I guess I"m tired of these directors trying to get "the hot new talent" in their movies.
I was really disappointed in this movie. it wasn't very funny, enjoyable or good. biggs was okay, but he's just playing the same loser that he does in all of his movies. ricci's character was just annoying and un-interesting. devito is wasted and allen is just playing...woody allen (as always).
I enjoyed it in that it bore signs of the genius that marks Allen's best films. It was too long, and not funny enough for most of it, but it was pleasant. I think if Allen had chopped a few of his own scenes, particularly involving the rifle subplot, the film would have been a lot better. I enjoyed the stuff with Ricci and Biggs, though, and luckily that makes up most of the movie. It ekes by with a three out of four, on my scale.
For those of you who can't wait for Prozac Nation, this is the closest you'll get to seeing Ricci naked. That set must have been really cold.
So many people walked out of this one. Rather funny, since all the girlies and boysies expected Biggs a la American Pie since this wasn't marketed for the Allen fans, who were the only ones that stayed. I thought it was OK; I found Biggs and Ricci largely annoying, and it wasn't that their high class attitude did it in, but the weak execution that bordered on thinly stereotypical. It shined in some parts though. Allen does what he always does, which I always love.
Sal, the same thing happened to me. at about an hour and a half in to the movie, there must have been at least 7 people walk out. so it really did go on way too long.
Quote from: filmcriticTo be frank, I'm getting tired of Jason Biggs as the loser in all of these movies. Christina Ricci looks okay in this role, but nothing great. I guess I"m tired of these directors trying to get "the hot new talent" in their movies.
1. Ricci - acting since 1990. Done almost 40 films. Last notable role (indie films aside) - a small role where she dies in Bless the Child. Her last big movie was Sleepy Hollow, 4 years ago.
..Talk about a hot new talent, eh?
2. Biggs - Usually cast as a Jew down on his luck, so why should it be any different when WOODY ALLEN'S directing?
I liked it, imperfect as it was. Some of the gags were laugh out loud funny, others seemed recycled. Most reviews I've read have been pretty harsh. If some unknown had made this movie, it'd probably receive a lot more praise. Everybody knows what Allen is capable of, so when his latest product isn't a masterpiece a la Annie Hall critics are quick to spew vitriol. I don't know, maybe he should put out a movie every three years, taking more time to hone the material. Then again, maybe not. All I know is that I'd rather spend an hour and a half of my life watching a mediocre Woody Allen film than same amount of time with some over-hyped Hollywood bullshit. I like all the literary references he throws in, cinematic ones too. Who else making movies, with the exception of Wes Anderson, creates a universe where the characters can quote from the likes of Dostoyevsky and Camus?
i liked it. mono is good
Ricci and Biggs are the hot new talent in Hollywood's terms. They're both young and supposed to be talented. The number of movies is irrelevant. PBH has done dozens upon dozens of movies but still hasn't gotten hardly any recognition off of them. Ricci has done many movies, but not all of them were big or noteworthy roles. They've both become popular within recent years.
Quote from: filmcriticRicci and Biggs are the hot new talent in Hollywood's terms.
In "Hollywood's terms," Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley are the hot new talent.
Anyway it didn't work:
Woody Allen's box-office slump continued as his romantic comedy "Anything Else" opened well out of the top 10 with $1.7 million, the weakest debut among his four films for distributor DreamWorks.
"Anything Else," starring Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci, capped a course of diminishing returns for Allen at DreamWorks. His "Small Time Crooks" debuted with $3.9 million in 2000, "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" opened with $2.5 million in 2001, and last year's "Hollywood Ending" premiered with $2 million.
Hmm, so Woody gets involved with you-know-who's company, and he makes his worst movies yet. He should make up with Jean Doumanian (sp?) so he can get back to good films.
I mean, when Woody's trying to promote his new films, you KNOW there's something wrong. Ah well, I still think he's brilliant...
ehh. seemed like woody was just trying to prove that he wasn't dead by making a movie co-starring young people. It had no heart and was a re-hash of his earlier films--the opening joke was already told in Crimes and Misdemeanors (and a comedian character opening and closing his film with jokes and monologues kinda reminded me of a certain other Woody film don't you think?) and there were parts that just didn't work at all.
I think I actually got to like Ricci's character for a little bit though it was so obvious where everything was going to go. That falling in love sequence was nice, but then she just became a real drag to watch.
Jason Biggs wasn't very good. He wasn't very good in playing an entertaining neurotic character. His schtick composed mainly of stuttering as a substitute for "disbelief." Every scene was the Ricci/ Allen characters revealing different facts about themselves then the rest was watching Biggs standing there stuttering in disbelief.
Also, I think these two young kids are characters that Woody used to mock in his other movies--impressionable youths always trying to quote academic writers to sound smart. Woody used to scoff at that and now all his heroes are doing it.
Overall, there was one sweet moment, several funny moments but the whole movie was pointless.
Quote from: petebut the whole movie was pointless.
:( That's not true.
I enjoyed this movie thoroughly. I felt the gun subplot was VERY funny.. Ricci is hearing all this intellectual stuff about Dobel, which would perk my interest to meet him. She walks in and here's Dobel prodding him to learn how to use a rifle. And then the gun is brought up again later by Biggs, giving off one of the biggest laughs of the film. It's way too depressing finding out that this movie made less than the other 3, since this is arguably superior to all of them.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.fortunecity.com%2Fthemodernage%2Fanythingelse.jpg&hash=24c97f31ba7fc28de6f54f3ca544bc669375394f)
Universal Home Video have released the artwork for the region one release of Anything Else which stars Jason Biggs, Christina Ricci and Woody Allen. The disc will be available to own from the 23rd December this year and should set you back somewhere in the region of $26.99.
shit! that was a quick turnaround, guess it doesnt matter much i didnt get a chance to see it, since it'll be on dvd before the end of the year. that is a THREE MONTH turnaround from the day it premiered in theatres to the day of its dvd. now THATS gotta be a record.
Didnt From Justin to Kelly turnaround that fast also?
and i know that there were a few this year with 3 months turnarounds also, but i cant remember them.
What's the point of even seeing it in theaters if you'll be able to get it on video a few months later... unlike George Lucas, who makes us wait years and years before his movies hit video/dvd. I guess its because they already knew it would bomb in the theater, so they want to make their money back very quickly on the dvd end.
Quote from: EEz28Didnt From Justin to Kelly turnaround that fast also?
and i know that there were a few this year with 3 months turnarounds also, but i cant remember them.
you're right FJTK, (as all the cool kids are calling it) was TWO months from the day of release to the day it hit video. so i guess that is the all-time champ. but, this is pretty bad. its like, "c'mon, have a little self respect, atleast pretend we care and make us wait 4 months or so."