5 Films by Woody Allen One Must Watch

Popular filmmaker, comedian and actor Woody Allen is celebrating his 84th birthday. The artist, whose career has spanned over six decades in the industry, began his work as a comedy writer in the 1950s. He wrote jokes and scripts for television and publishing several books of short humour pieces.

By 1960s, Allen had started specializing in slapstick comedies before moving into dramatic material influenced by European art cinema and eventually went to alter between comedies and dramas. Allen has received many awards throughout his career, including four Academy Awards: three for Best Original Screenplay and one for Best Director. He also garnered nine British Academy Film Awards.

He’s regarded as one of the best directors in Hollywood of all time. On his birthday, let’s take a look at 5 must-watch films by him:

Manhattan

Directed and acted in the lead role by Allen, this film is about a frustrated divorced TV writer, who falls in love with a teenage girl. However, things get further complicated when he falls for his best friend’s mistress. In 2001, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally significant" and it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Annie Hall

Another Allen directorial, this romantic comedy was awarded the Oscars for Best Picture. Allen also received his only best director Oscar for this film. For his work, the Guardian called it "Allen's most closely focused and daring film to date."

Hannah and Her Sisters

This comedy-drama film tells the stories of an extended family over two years that begins and ends with a family Thanksgiving dinner. The film was written and directed by Woody Allen and with critics praised its writing and ensemble cast.

Crimes and Misdemeanours

This Woody Allen directorial was a box office flop. However, the film was met with critical acclaim and received three Oscar nominations. In fact in several publications, ‘Crimes and Misdemeanors’ has been ranked as one of Allen's greatest films.

Love and Death

Directed by Allen, this film was a satire on Russian literature. At the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975, the film won the Silver Bear for outstanding artistic contribution.

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