"I think that Elizabeth Fraser is such an amazing singer. Even though she’s not singing words, there’s so much emotion in her voice. The melodies are unbelievably strong, and when you combine that with Elizabeth's voice it conveys things that mere words can’t. “I also love the way that the instrumentation is almost the same for every song. With some artists, that might not work, but the Cocteau Twins manage to take you into their own sonic world. They’re totally captivating. This is one of my favorite records ever."

"Speaking of stylish, one of the reasons I’ve put this movie on my list is because I love the Scalamandre zebra-print wallpaper featured in it. But the film is wonderfully moving—and it has my favorite Gwyneth Paltrow performance ever; no one smokes more petulantly than she does—but it’s also a visual treat, from the aforementioned decor to Goop’s amazing polo dresses and ratty fur coat. In my experience, you either cannot stand Wes Anderson’s aesthetic or you want to move into it; I am the latter."

"My favorite of Ingmar Bergman’s many great films. Funny, romantic, and profound, it is the most perfect period costume dramedy. “Love is the perpetual juggling of three balls: heart, mind, and body,” says Eva Dahlbeck as the aptly named actress Desirée Armfeldt. Tell me about it! Gunnar Björnstrand is great as the unbearable lawyer Egerman, playing against the delightful trio of Swedish actresses Harriet Andersson (beyond cute), the aforementioned Dahlberg, and Ulla Jacobsson. A good entry into the world of Bergman for anyone who is expecting dark meditations on mortality."

"This beautiful high-def transfer has made me see the movie with fresh eyes. I’m now convinced that Ingrid Bergman’s performance is arguably the greatest female performance in the history of cinema. Cary Grant’s no slouch either. It’s my favorite Hitchcock. Leaving the highball glass on the chest (breast) of the passed-out party guest is on a par with putting the cigarette out in the jar of face cream in Rebecca. I must say, though, that the new transfer of The Lady Vanishes is pretty amazing as well."

"My remaining three I organized by directors because I was like, “OK, there are three directors that I adhere to like gospel,” and so I collected my favorite of each of theirs. The third one being The Big Lebowski by the Coen Brothers [Ethan and Joel], because I think that if you can’t enjoy that movie than I don’t think we could ever be friends. It’s like a rule in my life. There is no way I could ever be friends with someone who didn’t find that entertaining and funny."