"Man Bites Dog is a Belgian film in 1992. It’s about a film crew that starts following a serial killer around, and he’s charming and disarming and delightful, and he kills people with this film crew never interceding. The first time you see it, you’re like, “Wait a minute,” and you laugh a few times, and the second time, you laugh the whole time. It’s a bleak, dark comedy, but my god, it’s so funny. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was before the onslaught of reality television, but it makes a perfect comment on it now. It had subtitles and I still loved it. I laughed so hard."

"My older sister and I watched this movie endlessly. We didn’t have a VCR so we had to rent one with the movie from the video store. My parents probably thought we were crazy for continuously renting the same movie…but thankfully they let us, and we loved it. Wonder, magic, fantasy, heroes, villains, and saving the day. That about sums up what I love most about movies. I love being transported to another place and living an adventure vicariously. Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and team were a wonder and a great gift to film and television. I’m sure this movie has helped foster creativity within me and a sense of wonder and possibility for greatness."

"Again, limiting myself to only one film per director, I went with Mon oncle to stand for Tati’s body of work. It was hard not to pick Playtime, but now that I’ve seen it a few times in 70 mm, I’m not sure I can ever bring myself to watch it on television (and I own the Criterion version). I had the opportunity to see M. Hulot’s Holiday a number of times as a teen and in college, but it never did much for me. Mon oncle was different. It was a revelation, so charming and brilliantly inventive, yet understated. It is a film I can watch again and again (and I have)."

"These are my three favorites for pure entertainment. I’ve lumped them together under “professional comedy.” And these are the best. Though, if you want to crack into journalism or daytime television after watching them, perhaps you should watch them again. Broadcast News and Tootsie make me put my hand to my heart, just thinking about them. I can’t think of a single thing I’ve ever written in any book that doesn’t aim to have that ideal blend of humor and heart, that pacing. Sweet Smell of Success is more of a perfect script than a perfect movie, but it’s phenomenal. “I’d hate to take a bite outta you. You’re a cookie full of arsenic.” Who says these things?"

"These are my three favorites for pure entertainment. I’ve lumped them together under “professional comedy.” And these are the best. Though, if you want to crack into journalism or daytime television after watching them, perhaps you should watch them again. Broadcast News and Tootsie make me put my hand to my heart, just thinking about them. I can’t think of a single thing I’ve ever written in any book that doesn’t aim to have that ideal blend of humor and heart, that pacing. Sweet Smell of Success is more of a perfect script than a perfect movie, but it’s phenomenal. “I’d hate to take a bite outta you. You’re a cookie full of arsenic.” Who says these things?"

"These are my three favorites for pure entertainment. I’ve lumped them together under “professional comedy.” And these are the best. Though, if you want to crack into journalism or daytime television after watching them, perhaps you should watch them again. Broadcast News and Tootsie make me put my hand to my heart, just thinking about them. I can’t think of a single thing I’ve ever written in any book that doesn’t aim to have that ideal blend of humor and heart, that pacing. Sweet Smell of Success is more of a perfect script than a perfect movie, but it’s phenomenal. “I’d hate to take a bite outta you. You’re a cookie full of arsenic.” Who says these things?"