Do you like movies? Why or why not?
I love movies. I can't imagine my life without movies. I think art in general has the power to change your life but the medium of film speaks to me. There is something powerful in being able to visualize a story, that an entire village of people worked to put together.
Where do you usually watch movies?
I go to movie theaters at least once a week. I am a proud AMC A-list member. I do subscribe to numerous subscription services, some made for film lovers like Criterion Channel and MUBI, to watch films at home too.
What do you look for in a movie? Is there a specific genre?
I am pretty open to anything. I love a good 90 minute movie, just because I get tired easily. I love horror movies, and definitely tend to watch those. I am partial to the superhero genre also just as a fan of those characters, I do enjoy seeing them come to life in this medium. Overall, I like to watch a diverse set of films, most of my favorite movies in recent years come from the indie scene, most coming out of Sundance.
Is there an outside source (book, actor, recommendation) that usually informs your viewing? Do you have any actors that you tend to watch movies for?
Most films I discover via word of mouth, a friend or coworker watched it and it seems interesting, stuff like that. I do look on Letterboxd, see what's trending and what has good reviews. I have a few actors and filmmakers I like to follow. I think Adam Driver is one of the best actors working today and I'll definitely give anything he's in a try. I follow Noah Baumbach's career really closely, he's a writer/director whose voice really resonates with me. There are a few other actors that'll influence me to watch something, I think Seth Rogen has a fascinating career, Ethan Hawke is excellent, Kyle MacLachlan, Tom Cruise is the coolest person alive.
Do you have a favorite movie? If you can remember, what was it like watching it for the first time?
I bounce back and forth between a few, these days I say Twelve Angry Men (1957) or Nine Days (2020). I first saw Twelve Angry Men as a play at a local theater when I was 12 and I was blown away by the story, it was so simple yet so complex. When I learned there was a film I of course had to see it, unbeknownst to me it's widely regarded as one of the best films of all time. I distinctly remember watching it with a friend at his house for a sleepover. Two 12 year old boys absolutely entranced by this black and white 1957 legal drama.
Nine Days is a different story. I knew almost nothing about the film going into it, watching it on my laptop in bed through a screening link I bought from the Hamptons International Film Festival. I had decided on it because the general description sounded interesting and I liked the stars Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, and Benedict Wong. I was woefully unprepared for how the film would impact me. It was a confusing time in my life, and this beautiful story about how precious life is and what we have to do with the time we get shook me to my core. It would be months before I'd get to watch the film again, and luckily I loved it just the same. I told everyone I knew about it, hoping others could see the beauty in it that I did. It never really took off and didn't leave a cultural impact but it's something I think about on a daily basis and I think that's pretty priceless.
Nine Days is a different story. I knew almost nothing about the film going into it, watching it on my laptop in bed through a screening link I bought from the Hamptons International Film Festival. I had decided on it because the general description sounded interesting and I liked the stars Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, and Benedict Wong. I was woefully unprepared for how the film would impact me. It was a confusing time in my life, and this beautiful story about how precious life is and what we have to do with the time we get shook me to my core. It would be months before I'd get to watch the film again, and luckily I loved it just the same. I told everyone I knew about it, hoping others could see the beauty in it that I did. It never really took off and didn't leave a cultural impact but it's something I think about on a daily basis and I think that's pretty priceless.
If you can remember, what’s the first movie you remember seeing?
My first theatrical memory is seeing Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 in 2007. I'm sure I did go to the movies before this but I don't remember any. I have a distinct memory of seeing this film at AMC Shore 8 in Huntington, which stands out because we did not often go to that theater as a kid. This movie was monumental in my childhood, my love for Spider-Man and films can be tied back to this moment. In retrospect, this is not the greatest film but to a five year old it absolutely was.
Do you have a specific memory you have with a specific movie (not necessarily your favorite)?
A lot of my favorite memories are tied to films. Seeing Avengers: Endgame opening night with a sold out crowd and my three best friends, is something I'll never forget. Seeing an advanced screening of Twisters in 4DX while wearing a rain poncho and cowboy hat, surrounded by my friends was a life changing moment. Going to the movies is a unique experience, where all these people can share an experience and go on a journey together, there isn't really anywhere else you can do that.
What do you think is the best process in selecting a film to watch?
I think I do a combination of all. If it's an actor or director I like I'll watch. If it's got positive word of mouth I'll watch. Highly rated on Letterboxd I'll watch. Nothing really deters me unless someone I know has told me a film is not worth seeing.
Do you think your relationship with movies has changed since you started watching?
I think my taste has evolved for sure. As I've grown older and have focused a lot of my time and efforts on pursuing film as a career, I definitely view films differently. I take note of how things are shot, interesting sound design choices, differences in lighting, things like that. If anything, this has deepened my love for the art form.
Movie Memories:
All of my relationships have started by going on a movie date, I think that probably says more about me than anything else but... One of my favorite movie memories is seeing the first half hour of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse at NYCC in 2018, while it was still unfinished, 2 months before release was awesome. I remember not being able to fully explain to people how special this film was going to be.
Final Thoughts: Movies are the greatest thing man has ever done.