"This documentary is about the Leonard Bernstein-conducted recording of the score in the 80s, with Kiri Te Kanawa and José Carreras. That soundtrack was a staple at home when I was growing up – we had this glossy, massive four-cassette tape box of it. Bernstein is such an interesting person: temperamental, feisty, impatient, funny, smoking cigarettes in his red polo neck. And to see him conduct his music – this incredible, ambitious, interesting, crazy, heartbreaking music, which is never schmaltzy, but crunchy and angsty, and then with these moments of release – is really amazing."

"We’ll start with the cheese. [laughs] I’ve seen Dirty Dancing about a million times in my life. Always a good one. Just because, you know, I watched it as a teenager and your hormones are going crazy at that point and you’re like, oh my god, “Nobody puts baby in the corner!” I dreamed about being a dancer. And Patrick Swayze was so sexy in that film; a guy who can dance is always so attractive. It was just like a dream being swept off your feet — one of those fantasy films."

"I just re-read Ask the Dust by John Fante. It’s semiautobiographical about a guy who’s trying to be a writer in Los Angeles, and it takes place during the Great Depression. It was one of my favorite books in college. It was crazy to re-read it in my 30s, as well as to live vicariously through some of the places that I haven’t seen in almost two months. I’m also trying to keep things light so I’ve been reading Fifty Great Short Stories by Milton Crane."

"I just re-read Ask the Dust by John Fante. It’s semiautobiographical about a guy who’s trying to be a writer in Los Angeles, and it takes place during the Great Depression. It was one of my favorite books in college. It was crazy to re-read it in my 30s, as well as to live vicariously through some of the places that I haven’t seen in almost two months. I’m also trying to keep things light so I’ve been reading Fifty Great Short Stories by Milton Crane."

"I think this one speaks for itself. I saw this after I saw Poetry. I wish more of Lee Chang-dong’s films were on Criterion. Song Kang-ho in Secret Sunshine is not the central performance, but he’s just so honest and raw and true. He’s this man who wants to be loved so badly. It’s heartbreaking. Director Lee really turns a mirror on you. I was raised very Christian, and somehow this film echoes the things buzzing in the back of my head. It’s nice to have someone make you not feel crazy."

"This is one of my absolute favorite albums! Biggie is one of the best MC’s there ever was and for me he really inspired me to think deeper about how far you can take concepts of songs and where they can take you. He had a way of being lyrical, witty and emotional and that is a lethal combination. Honestly my favorite Biggie song on this album is 'Me and My Bitch'—I know it sounds crazy but this song about love in the life of a hustler, really painted a vivid picture for me."