"Gone With the Wind, and The Wizard of Oz, were two movies that I grew up with and had a lasting effect on me. Scarlett O’Hara was a huge influence, unfortunately [laughs], and I had to break myself out of the habit of the sort of “fiddle-dee-dee” kind of thing. As I’ve gotten older and watched the movie, I love the cinematography; it was just such a groundbreaking movie. It’s interesting now to see, in looking back, how we approached race in Hollywood, and how it’s changed so much. It was just epic and romantic and sweeping at that time in my life — usually I pick the movies because of the time I watched them in my life and what they meant to me then. I saw Gone With the Wind when I was about 13, which is a dangerous time to show it to a young lady. [laughs] I was obsessed with it. It was so romantic: the gowns, the drama, the war? and I loved American history, as well; it was my favorite subject. I was a freak on Gone With the Wind."

"Well, you know, it’s interesting because my favorite films are ones that I keep watching. I just don’t think there have been many great science fiction films made. I mean, 2001 is genius, there’s no question it’s a masterpiece, but I’ve already picked a Kubrick film. I find Dr. Strangelove a more user-friendly and enjoyable film to look at and watch repeatedly. I can watch it endlessly. Blade Runner is a masterpiece, but I don’t know that I would put it in my top 5 at this stage. Maybe at some other point in my life, I would’ve. I picked a Hitchcock film. Kubrick, Hitchcock, and Tarkovsky are my absolute Holy Trinity, you know? I’ve picked one from each person now. Oh! Okay, here’s a curveball. Um, no, I don’t want to say that one… I was going to say The Wizard of Oz, which I really like, but I don’t know that I’d put it in my top five, but in my top twenty. [Long pause] Godfather, I’d say. Just a flawless film, something that’s so beautifully crafted and so perfectly structured and designed, that I can watch it endlessly and enjoy it every single time."

"Another favorite movie of mine is The Wizard of Oz. It’s just a beautiful movie all the way around. It would get a little dark and scary for me as a kid when those flying monkeys came out. Hoo-Hoo! Yeah, the flying monkeys kind of threw me off. I’d start watching the movie at three o’clock, by five o’clock the movie’s about to end, and I’m scared and dinner’s ready — I’m giving you too much info. When Dorothy first lands and the house falls on the shoes and the feet curl up, and then she goes walking and finds all these different characters — all of that was beautiful — gorgeous. Matter of fact, it was straight-up genius and it hasn’t been matched… It was too incredible. Who ever penned that was genius. And the director was genius. And the Lion was genius. And the Tin Man was genius — everything about it. I love all the characters but Dorothy was the best character. She was everything. She was a great singer. She was a great actress. She was kind. She wanted to take everybody with her."