Nicole Holofcener
SELECTED BY DIRECTOR
CONRACK (1974)
One of many movies about racism that broke my heart. Saw it as a teenager so it affected me a great deal. The young girl who starred in it was outside the theatre when I came out and I sobbed to her.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)
So brilliantly directed and acted. I never fail to weep and it usually takes me a couple of days to get over it.
WAVES (2019)
Exquisite and moving.
MOONLIGHT (2016)
Exquisite and moving.
SOPHIE’S CHOICE (1982)
Pretty devastating. When she has to make the ‘choice’, it’s unbearable. I know someone who worked on the movie and was there for that scene. Spoiler alert — every time they took that little girl away (take after take), she screamed and cried the same each time. I bet she’s traumatised. Meryl Streep’s performance is kind of unfathomable.
Left to right: Jon Voight plays a hustler in Midnight Cowboy; The classic It’s A Wonderful Life; You’ve got a friend in me –
Toy Story’s Andy; Whoopi Goldberg as Celie in The Color Purple.
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST (1975)
One of the most perfect movies.
I can watch it over and over and yeah, I always cry.
ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980)
Like everyone says, that cold mother (Mary Tyler Moore) and that heartbroken son (Timothy Hutton). The movie was so original and human.
HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971)
Saw this pretty young. When I was 17 I was at a Hollywood party, and I recognised Bud Cort [Harold] sitting at a table with some others.
I went to him and told him how much the movie meant to me, and then he said, “Oh, well, this is Hal Ashby, the director, and here is Colin Higgins, the writer.” My face fell on the floor. One of my best (and most embarrassing) moments. I think I slammed my hand on the table and said, “YOU’RE HAL ASHBY???!!!”
TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (1983)
Now that I have kids I don’t think I could see the last third ever again. I often (I’m not joking) think of that scene where she says, “I know you love me,” to her son. I can’t imagine anything worse. The movie is so funny and tragic and bittersweet. Jack Nicholson as the astronaut just kills me.
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)
So many elements make this movie perfect. The writing, the directing, the music, the images. It is so original and speaks to me in a way that’s very special. I think everyone feels that way about this one. If only we could erase our pain. It’s just SO SAD.