MovieChat Forums > Woody Allen Discussion > Top 3 Films? (Controversy aside)

Top 3 Films? (Controversy aside)


Annie Hall
Manhattan
The Purple Rose of Cairo

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This is an impossible task. He's made many, many great films, and there's no real way to select three that somehow stand above the rest. I think a more realistic approach might be to try to create lists of his very best, his near-classics, and his still-better-than-most-films.

My list of his "very best" is below, in no order.

Broadway Danny Rose
Manhattan
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
Annie Hall
Take the Money and Run
Mighty Aphrodite
Bullets Over Broadway
Manhattan Murder Mystery
Crimes and Misdemeanors
The Purple Rose of Cairo

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So happy to see some Bullets Over Broadway love. Such a hilarious film...

"No, no, don't speak. Don't speak. Please don't speak. Please don't speak. No. No. No. Go. Go, gentle Scorpio, go. Your Pisces wishes you every happy return. Don't speak."

LOL

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Can't do pare it down to just three. You just have to say what are his master works.

Surely (1) Annie Hall, (2) Manhattan, (3) Match Point ... but many more ...

I am also partial to:
(4) Whatever Works,
(5) Love and Death,
(6) Interiors,
(7) A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy,
(8) Hannah and Her Sisters,
(9) September,
(10) Another Woman,
(11) Crimes and Misdemeanors,
(12) Husbands and Wives,
(13) Deconstructing Harry,
(14) Anything Else,
(15) Vickie Cristina Barcelona,
(16) Blue Jasmin, and
(17) Sleeper

Not necessarily in that order.

Who else has made so many good movies? How can you limit
that down to three?

I find it so revolting that Mia Farrow would have disgraced and
removed Woody from the public and kept so many great works
from us over her vindictive rage about something that is extremely
doubtful.

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Honorable Mentions:
-Annie Hall (1977)
-Whatever Works (2009)
-Small Time Crooks (2000)
-Everyone Says I Love You (1996)
-Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
-Take the Money and Run (1969)
-Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

Finalists:
3. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
2. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
1. Midnight in Paris (2011)

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Annie Hall
Radio Days
Hannah and Her Sisters

Honorable mentions:
Blue Jasmine
Bullets over Broadway

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Annie Hall
Another Woman
Alice
Purple Rose of Cairo
Midnight in Paris

(it’s five, not three, but I just can’t help it- and there are soooo many others that are fantastic- and a few that are so underrated
Casandra’s Dream
A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy
Curse of the Jade Scorpion
Hollywood Ending
Irrational Man

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I agree, it’s hard to choose just three. So many great movies.

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Yup. I've never seen a Woody Allen film I didn't at least modestly enjoy. My least favourite (to date) is The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, but it's still got some crackling one liners and a GREAT premise.

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Hannah and Her Sisters
Annie Hall
Manhattan Murder Mystery


do I have to stop at just three... Bullets over Broadway is one that I saw long ago and it's on my list of "must buy" DVDs.

Crimes and Misdemeanors...I can't stop.

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Manhattan Murder Mystery is underrated. It's so good. What a wonderful thing, to see Woody and Diane back in action together. I also love that it keeps you guessing about whether or not anything actually went down; that reminded me of Rear Window a lot, wondering if there's really something going down or if the lead is just paranoid.

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I found his Bananas quite amusing... I won't bother to rank the rest.

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Manhattan
Radio Days
Broadway Danny Rose

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I've only seen Vicky Cristina Barcelona but I'd be thoroughly suprised and impressed if he's made a better movie.

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Check out some of the others people are listing here. While Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a gem, and it won't be quite like a lot of his other works, I'm sure you'll find some great stuff.

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Crimes and Misdemeanors
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Stardust Memories

I haven't seen The Front mentioned, he was great in that even though he didn't write or direct it.

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