"There are no good and bad movies, only good and bad directors."-Francois Truffaut
Robert Altman, the great American auteur, died today at the age of 81.
If you've never seen a Robert Altman movie, queue these up on your Netflix. These are my personal favorites:
1. Nashville: Nashville is not only my favorite Altman film, but one of my overall favorite movies. To see a great American movie about America by a great American director, rent Nashville immediately! Plus, "I'm Easy" is such a fabulous song and you will melt when Keith Carradine sings it to Lily Tomlin.
2. McCabe and Mrs. Miller: Leonard Cohen soundtrack, Julie Christie and 1970's Warren Beatty. Are you convinced?
3. The Player: This is one of the greatest "Hollywood on Hollywood" films ever. The jokes still hold true.
4. Short Cuts: Read the Raymond Carver stories and then rent the DVD. I was amazed how Altman actually brought the stories to life with emotion and complexity.
5. Gosford Park: Altman channels Jean Renoir.
I just watched A prairie Home Companion a couple of weeks ago and while it was not one of my favorite Altman films (but a very good one,) I realized today that this is a film about death and it was appropriate to be Altman's bittersweet last movie.
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