ANTZ

(October 1998, U.S.)

We have, here, an interesting case of one Woody Allen film following another...sort of. But I suppose if you're going to make a computer animated film about a nervous, anxious, neurotic, socially unacceptable insect with no self-confidence, who better to voice it than Woody Allen to play the protaganist, Z?

I actually saw ANTZ by accident. During most of the 1990's I did a lot of "movie-hopping" at any multiplex where security was a joke. Sometimes I could get in four movies in one day if the start times worked out (talk about saving a LOT of money during an entire decade!). So anyway, ANTZ turned out to be the unexpected second feature after RUSH HOUR at a theater in Hampton Bays, Long Island. To date, I had only seen TOY STORY on cable. This was my first movie of its kind on screen, and I have to say I was blown away by its graphics and its comedy. The eccentric voice styles of Woody Allen, Christopher Walken, Sylvester Stallone and Gene Hackman are more than enough to carry a movie like this. Mind you, I have not developed a more humane attitude toward ants in general since this movie. If I see them, I still take great pleasure in killing them! Now, of course, ANTZ is part of my little boy's movie collection, but it's one of the fun family films we can enjoy together that doesn't involve musical numbers.

By the way, I met and talked with one of the writers of ANTZ, Chris Weitz, at a Hollywood pitch festival back in 2000. He hasn't stop calling me since (just kidding).

Favorite line or dialogue:

Z: "I think everything must go back to the fact that I had a very anxious childhood. My mother NEVER had time for me. You know, when you're the middle child in a family of five million, you don't get any attention."