“What we have here is…failure to communicate.”

“Deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it.”

“Well I’ll be! That is specific.”

Cool Hand Luke.

Unforgiven.

The Assasination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford.

Ever since I could remember Hollywood has shaped my imagination with its images, characters and words. But after MICA and its professors opened up the world of cinema for me, I converted into a New Wave acolyte, a worshipper of obscure names, of black and white images. Film became more about Movements, technique and directors.

But by the time I left, I was more humbled than informed. I realized I knew close to nothing about something I loved so dearly. And that all my pretensions of being a critic, of being an authority, fell miserably short of making sense of this…lifeblood.

And now, I cannot stop thinking about the three films I have sat in stunned silence through. They are each mainstream Hollywood, each part of pop culture, each with massive stars leading them. But that has only helped them leave me completely at a loss for words, restless and completely overwhelmed.

And these are just three of the recent ones. Time and again, Hollywood has established to me, that despite massive profit-motives, despite a million temptations to do otherwise, despite quite a few films which seem determined to prove otherwise, it is committed to making the greatest films in the world. And that this commitment has been around for a long time.

Clint Eastwood: When you direct a film, it sears through the most disillusioned and amoral recesses of my mind.

Brad Pitt: What can I say. You are a man with a thousand faces, each one fascinating and everlasting. 

Andew Dominik and all the producers of “The Assasination…”: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Paul Newman: Thinking about your death brings tears to my eyes. Keep smiling.