Small Time Mystery

Here's the recipe for Woody Allen's new flick, "Scoop": Add the Woodman's hamboning from "Small Time Crooks" mixed with the fumbling detective story from "Manhattan Murder Mystery" with a pinch of the hocus-pocus from "Alice." This is one of those movies in which I enjoyed watching the flick, but afterwards, I felt half-satisfied. The film is light, and Woody recycles some storylines and one-liners. Seeing this movie with a New York audience who laughs liberally at the Woodman's neuroses helped to lift the experience to another level. If you have a problem seeing Woody looking old and playing up his shtick big time, you may want to skip this one.