Another Sad Day

Today we mourn the death of film director Robert Altman at the age of 81. His most recent movie, A Prarie Home Companion, is nothing short of a masterpiece, one in a long series of them. His quick-talking ensemble pictures changed cinema: movies like Short Cuts, Nashville and The Player are all favorites of mine, and he even braved opera, collaborating with William Bolcom. We lose so many great future films by his passing, but his words from years ago continue to serve as personal inspiration: when asked if he was upset to not have been nominated for an Academy Award, he said (if memory serves): "I think we all should stop trying to win awards and start trying to make better films." This spirit is a loss indeed.