La di da, la di da, la la, Annie Hall at Cinespia

Don't worry, I haven't abandoned you! After a little over a month of technical difficulties, the blog has resumed for all of your LA movie needs. And tonight things are bumpin'.

For the new post of the month, Annie Hall (winner of the Oscar for Best Picture, Director, Actress, Original Screenplay 1977) is playing at Cinespia! I have to admit, this is my favorite movie of all time, so I may be biased, but YOU HAVE TO GO SEE THIS MOVIE. Midnight in Paris may be the darling of 2011, but Annie Hall is a classic that never loses its touch. Woody Allen writes a love letter to psychoanalysis with this broken up, impulsive, totally self-aware tale of a relationship that just can't seem to work out.

In the opening scene, we see Woody Allen, the comedian and filmmaker speak directly to us across the camera lens, but then he suddenly becomes the fictional Alvy Singer, lamenting his break-up with Annie and bringing us into the world of the movie. From here on, we move backward and forward through time, and weave in and out of Singer's desires and shames.

It's a fantastically funny movie, a romantic comedy that anyone can enjoy, and watching it on a big screen with other Woody Allen fans is pure delight. Bring a blanket and some wine to 6000 Santa Monica Blvd at Gower, the gates open at 7:30 and the movie starts at 9. The suggested price is $10, parking is $10. Have fun!

Woody Allen in Person? I Want to Go to There

That's right, you're hearing it here first: Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band are bringing their tour through Los Angeles to at least one House of Blues location in November/December. Alright, alright, this is sparse information, but nothing is officially confirmed. This is straight from my insider source, so plan on becoming a fan of the clarinet and New Orleans-style jazz by winter so you won't miss a beat.

Allen has been playing the clarinet since a young age and has always had a passion for jazz. He went every week to Child's Paramount in New York and eventually asked clarinetist Gene Sedric to tutor him when he was seventeen, which he did (Eric Lax, Woody Allen: A Biography). Allen recorded the soundtrack for his film Sleeper with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and now he plays weekly at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan, occasionally touring with his band. I will be keeping you updated with more information until then, so follow the blog.