"We need some delusions to keep us going."

"And the people who successfully delude themselves seem happier than the people who can’t."

despite what some feel are questionable choices in his personal life, woody allen remains one of my heroes. a couple of weeks ago i had what felt like the quintessential new york experience: watching allen's manhattan on a big outdoor screen in central park with about 200 other new yorkers. sitting on the lawn, eating cold fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies, watching isaac davis tromp around to places in the city that have become familiar to me (including the now-gutted metro theatre, just a few blocks from my home.)

we've been on a kick lately: manhattan, purple rose of cairo, bananas, hannah and her sisters. somehow, over time, i forget how great some of them are (especially hannah and cairo.)

allen's newest, you will meet a tall dark stranger, opens next wednesday. in today's times, he talks with dave itzkoff about the film, the concept of faith, and the aging process – "i'm against it."