Comedian (rewatch) - It's weird that I have a copy of this when I only rated it a 7 the first time, but I've resolved to watch everything I own that I haven't seen for a while, so here goes. I won't be keeping this one, but it was kinda fun to watch Jerry again. I'd love to see his show, but he doesn't come to Portland that much. And how about that Orny Adams? Wow, that guy is a tool. I remember them saying on the DVD commentary that they didn't intend to make him look bad, but he sure ends up looking bad. It sort of sucks that the movie drops his storyline in the last half hour without any sense of where he's heading, but Jerry's the real show here. Rating: Good
Zelig (rewatch) - Incredibly inventive idea for a film, and the technical achievement is quite impressive. The footage matches perfectly, there are very few instances where the illusion falters. Not as wall-to-wall funny as Allen's other comedies, but there are some howlingly good jokes in it. And the film touches on issues like conformity and the cult of personality in clever ways. At times, however, it just feels like an excuse for Allen to try on different disguises. I don't have quite the same fondness for it as I do for Love and Death or Sleeper or a number of other Allen movies, but I enjoyed revisiting it, more than I expected to. Rating: Very Good
Take the Money and Run (rewatch) - This was my favorite Woody when I was a young fella. I guess the rapid succession of quick little gags appealed to me. Now I'm less amused by it (perhaps partly due to overexposure) but there are some great bits. The whole "gub" thing is really inspired, and the chain gang scene, and some of the small throwaway jokes like the "disguises" Virgil's parents wear. Others fall kinda flat, but there's nothing truly awful in the entire movie. Although not one of the greats, it's generally a fun time. Rating: Good
Deconstructing Harry (rewatch) - Allen's homage to (and send-up of) Wild Strawberries has its pluses and minuses. It's interesting, and in a way refreshing, to see him being so blatantly crass. It's one of his darkest movies, and maybe his most cynical comedy. Some of it is riotously funny, like the confrontation with Kirstie Alley in the middle of a patient's therapy session, or his version of Hell (with Billy Crystal in one of his most enjoyable roles). But with all the little sub-stories going on, it comes off like a clearinghouse for unfinished ideas. Also, the fragmented, jerky editing (because he's being "deconstructed," get it?) is an annoying quirk that adds little. Still, there's a lots of laughs to be had and it's an interesting bit of self-deprecation combined with self-admiration. Rating: Good