3) Manhattan (Woody Allen)
Though like Roman Polanski he’s now mired in controversy, Woody Allen has still made plenty of standout movies as actor-writer-director in his time; probably more than anyone else, in fact.
Allen’s always been his own writer on movies he’s directed of course, and from 1969 to 2003 he was often the star as well. As such, singling out one of Allen’s as actor-writer-director is difficult when there are literally dozens to choose from.
Some would say Annie Hall is Allen’s greatest work, or that one of his “early, funny ones” like Sleeper takes the prize. However, it’s Manhattan, a film which Allen himself hated and which he wanted buried by the studio, that looks more and more like his defining work.
If nothing else, it’s certainly his finest love letter to the city he adored; a gentle, sometimes sad comedy-drama in which every shot looks like it belongs on a New York City postcard.