Hannah and Her Sisters
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Movie Reviews of Hannah and Her Sisters
Movie Review: A Fantastic Woody Allen Film
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my fourth favorite Woody film. It is very dramatic and funny. I recommend it to anyone who likes romantic comedies or Woody Allen.Movie Review: Home For The Holidays
Summary: 4 Stars
Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" is one of my personal favorite films. Than again, many people see it as one of Allen's best films.I think that along with "Crimes & Misdemeanors" this is one of Allen's best comedy\drama's and one of his best ensemble cast.
When I first saw this film, I didn't like it. All the characters story-lines tied up together, it just didn't seem interesting. Then one day I decided to watch the WHOLE film this time. As I watched it, I thought it was great. The acting was wonderful, infact to this day I can't understand why Barbara Hershey didn't win the Oscar over Diane Wiest instead. I think Hershey had the better role.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" tells the story of one very large family as marriages break up,people find new loves, and others carry around secret crushes. Without spoiling anything here's a somewhat brief out-line. Elliot (Michael Cane) is married to Hannah (Mia Farrow) but, Elliot has a crush on Lee (Barbara Hershey). Now, Lee on the other hand is living with a much older man, whom is more like a mentor now than a lover, the reclusive Frederick (Max von Sydow). There is also another sister, Holly (Diane Wiest). Holly is seen as the "wild" one and is the youngest of the three. A fraction of the story is about the bond these sisters have with each other.
Now, Hannah was married once before to Mickey (Allen) a once famous and respected tv producer now caught with a flop on his hands.
Meanwhile, Hannah, who is seen as the "center" of the family must keep her parents from driving each other crazy. They are played by Farrow's real life mother Maureen O' Sullivan and Lloyd Nolan.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" has such a bittersweet tone to it. Allen really displays a wonderful talent of being able to pull off these ensemble pieces. He is able to make each character seem exciting, and devotes enough time to each character where we get a sense of knowing them. Not to mention the way Allen throws in his style of humor when dealing with sometimes serious subjects. One character through-out the film is trying to find out the meaning of life (I'll leave it up to you to figure out who it is).
Some of my personal favorite moments in the film include a scene where Allen goes out on a date with Holly (Diane Wiest). She is the complete opposite of him. After a while Allen takes her to the Cafe Caryle to hear Bobby Short. Another favorite scene has to do with Elliot (Caine) and Lee (Hershey) going to a bookstore and finally Allen watching "Duck Soup" near the end of the film.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" won three Oscars; "Best Supporting Actor" (Caine), "Best Supporting Actress (Wiest) and "Best Original Screenplay" (Allen)
Keep your eyes open for Tony Roberts and Sam Waterson both appear unbilled. Carrie Fisher, J.T. Walsh,Julie Kaver, Daniel Stern, & Julia Louis-Dreyfus have minor roles.
Bottom-line: One of Woody Allen's best films. A modern classic. A movie that shows Allen's ability to combine comedy and drama so well. Sets a great pace and has a wonderful "feel" to it.
Movie Review: The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants
Summary: 4 Stars
Eerily paralleling Woody Allen's defense of the indefensible (his relationship with Soon-Yi), his alter ego in this movie whispers into the neck of Dianne Wiest, "The heart is a resilient, little muscle." He says this while nuzzling Holly, the Wiest character, his brand-new bride who was once upon a time his sister-in-law. Yes, Mickey (the Allen character) is a man who is celebrating his good fortune for having married twice into the sprawling, entertaining, extremely attractive family of Hannah, Holly, and Lee.When I saw this film originally in a Manhattan movie theater on the East Side of New York, I was physically right in the middle of Woody's world. I was quite young, just into my 20s, and I recall literally floating on air when this film was over. I even believe that the whole audience of jaded, sophisticated New Yorkers broke into spontaneous applause as the credits rolled. It was that kind of film.
I rented it recently on DVD to recapture that sheer exuberance and cozy familiarity that I have always associated with this flick. The DVD doesn't offer much enhancements; it relies totally on the film and its script to justify the purchase. However, watching it now, nearly 16 years later, I was still bedazzled by the acting, the film score, the way the movie seems to unwind like a great novel rather than a 90-minute film. It was as great an ensemble piece as I recalled, but with a few disturbing elements.
There is an underlying immorality to the whole interconnections of husbands, wives, sisters, brothers-in-law, etc. The fact that the film does end on a happy, uplifting note doesn't erase for me now the infidelities, deceptions, and carnal betrayals the sisters and their men perpetrate against one another.
Because all of the cast members are so polished, so civilized, so professional, their assaults of the conscience come across as mere affairs of the heart. However, if you sit down and think about the marital bed swapping going on here, it rivals "Bob & Carol, Ted & Alice," a hedonistic comedy of errors.
I have to admit that I am still a sucker for the romantic standards that play in the background, the visual valentine to the Manhattan of my youth, but I am disturbed that the seeds of Allen's real-life amorality seem to be sown here, right before Mia Farrow's and the public's eyes.
Additionally, there are slaps against the Catholic faith--really just to elicit belly laughs and guffaws--and this antagonism against people of the papal persuasion pops up all too frequently in Allen's films over the past 15 years.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" must be a great work of cinema because I would watch it this very moment if it were popped into the DVD player. However, as a caveat to any new viewer or returning watcher, just ask yourself: "If the cast wasn't so amazingly sophisticated and charmingly neurotic, would their behaviors be benignly accepted? Would this be a sweet-natured testament to the folly of love if it played out in a trailer park? Or would it be a typical installment of JERRY SPRINGER."
Watch with this viewpoint and see how differently the movie unspools.
Movie Review: "Great. That means I'll have to sit through the Ice Capades again."
Summary: 4 Stars
It is impossible to truly describe the plot of this film because there are so many separate but interrelated stories going on at once. The primary story consists of sisters Leigh (Barbara Hershey) and Hannah (Mia Farrow) who share a common bond besides blood; Hannah's husband (Michael Cane) is in love with Leigh. It begins innocently enough with a casual flirtation over common interest and escalates into a full-on affair. There is chaos in the family too. Third sister Holly (Dianne Weist) is a recovering cocaine addict and struggling actress whose problems cause frequent rifts in the family. Finally, Hannah's ex-husband (Woody Allen) is a neurotic hypochondriac who believes he is dying of a brain tumor.
As this is my first exposure to Allen, I was surprised to find myself enjoying his character the most. The media paints a negative portrait of him because of his eccentricities, his praise from film buffs, and his marriage to his adopted daughter. However, this film proves that he is an astute film-maker, and an effective actor. His scene in the movie theater watching The Marx Brothers perform is the most memorable and heartwarming scene in the film.
There are other little surprises for film fans. Hannah and Her Sisters teams mother and daughter actresses Maureen O'Sullivan and Farrow together as mother and daughter. Their scenes are interesting, and O'Sullivan is highly entertaining along fellow classic film star Lloyd Nolan who plays her husband.
Movie Review: Good film ONCE YOU EXCUSE WOODY
Summary: 4 Stars
I am NOT a fan of Woody's.
This is the ONLY film of his I have ever seen. Keeping in mind a "Star Wars" fan & collector has NOT gotten over "Annie Hall" beating "A New Hope Episode 4" at the 1978 "Academy Awards".
Saw this in the 1980's because I am a fan of Carrie's.
It is a good film. Oscar winner.
It is NOT the best film ever made, but it is interesting.
NO extras but a trailer. Booklet inside is NOT good, just about Woody NOTHING about the other actors even after 2 of them won Oscars for the film.
Just good to see the film wide screen.
Once you get past Woody's Mickey characters just ignore that one & follow the stories of the other characters.