FAN FAVORITE : Annie Hall (1977) + Manhattan (1979) DOUBLE FEATURE

Manhattan

• Intro - When I was growing up, I had an idea of New York City in my head, that I think had a lot to do with Fantasia - and it's use of Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue'. When I saw Manhattan, and heard Woody Allen's monologue about how he pictured the city - it was like someone was putting into words exactly what I felt, only written ten years before I was born, and twenty years before I would realize it. The city pulses with a fever that exists nowhere else in America, possibly the world. The architecture creates this timeless glamour, paired with the jazz that continues to thrive in a world that refuses to grow up, but also has never aged. Funnily enough, I didn't see it until I had abandoned my city of dreams. 
• Music - Gershwin. Woody is a musician and always pays great mind to the music he's introducing you to and relating to your memories with this film. I think that Disney has primed us for soundtracks like this. And I mean classic Disney - Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White. Princesses and stuff. I'll get into this in a different post. Point is - Gershwin is already in my mind. 

Annie Hall

• I moved to LA after breaking up with New York City, like Annie. I thought it would be better for me, and although I didn't thrive like she does in the 1970s, I did think it fit me better at the time. I believe that New York is a place that will eat you alive if you don't know what you're trying to achieve - and I felt everything fall away from me there. I had my first great love break my heart twice when I mentioned I thought I wanted to move to California. I had my friends leave my side when I left college. I had my full time job that wasn't what I wanted to do, but I was succeeding at, only 20 years old. So I left NYC, and moved to LA to pursue - like so many others - film. Despite all these partial connections to the Annie storyline, I found myself relating to Alvy's line more. He just wanted to be accepted for the way he was, while pushing his ideas onto the people around him, refusing to bend to their opinions. I broke up with New York City because New York City broke up with me, and yet still find myself drawn to her. In this way, New York City is my Annie - and I'm Alvy, forced to move on, but also still see her pop up into my Facebook on a semi-regular basis. 

FAN FAVORITE : Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

It's hard to explain what makes a film your favorite film. You can get into the technicalities and the theory of what makes the film universally good, but it won't get someone to agree with you on the level you want them to. 

• Jim Carrey as a serious actor
• Unstructured narrative
• Indie supporting cast - David Cross, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkenson, Elijah Wood
• Creative cinematography - Jim Carrey having to appear in the same scene in the same take
• Open ended ending - the idea that they continue to do this forever, creates a 'happily ever after'