Ask Goody: Open up the floodgates!

You’re a questionable lot. Wait, I didn’t word that right. What I meant to say is that you are a questioning bunch. When we revived the “Ask Goody” feature, in which you ask questions about movies (and occasionally television) and I attempt to answer them, the response was surprisingly strong. Lots of people want to know lots of things about film. Great! Sort of! That means setting about answering all of these questions. We’ll continue to roll out answers every couple of weeks, but since people were eager (and sometimes impatient) to have their questions answered, this week we’ll answer a few. Question: How difficult are the interviews with the actors/directors you write about? Some of these celebrities must be downright taciturn. Who has been your favorite to interview?

Answer: Before I answer, there’s something important to note: These interviews are a business transaction, nothing more. Some are friendlier than others, but the actor or director is promoting a film, and I’m doing it to help sell papers (or online subscriptions).

That said, it’s fun and interesting, most of the time. I love talking to Jake Gyllenhaal; he’ll play along with whatever direction you want to take things. Matt Damon is a terrific guy to talk to; the first time I talked to him he called me himself, without a publicist as a go-between. Cameron Crowe was so nice to me the first time I talked to him I assumed he thought I was someone else (turns out he’s just a nice guy). Brad Pitt, who I in-

terviewed in a Toronto hotel room, was surprisingly candid and down-to-earth. So, eventually, was Emma Watson. Anne Hathaway is always fun to talk to. I was supposed to talk to Denzel Washington for 15 minutes. We talked for 45. Dustin Hoffman told me if he ever came to Phoenix he’d love to have a beer with me.

Sometimes it goes the other way. I loved the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman as an actor, but when I met with him in Toronto, he didn’t seem particularly happy about the occasion. He answered my questions, but not with any particular enthusiasm. It didn’t affect my evaluation of his talent or his films, but it wasn’t very comfortable.

Q: I’m curious about the process you follow that leads to your writing a review. For example, do you research the movie before you see it? Do you see it more than once (my guess is no due to time constraints)? How do you take notes while watching the movie? I also assume that you’re watching the movie with other critics during special screenings. Do you ever discuss a movie you’ve just seen with others before writing the review? A:

That’s a lot of questions. Some quick answers: Typically I try to avoid trailers and I don’t seek out a lot of information about a movie before seeing it. I think trailers are misleading and I like to be surprised (one way or the other). I only see a movie once, yes, because of a crowded schedule. Sometimes I take more notes than others — I try to concentrate on the film and not my notebook. I love to talk about the movies I see, but often can’t because no one else has seen them yet. Luckily, I get to write about them in the meantime.

Q: How do you handle folks that text during the movie or even talk on their phone?

A:

Frankly, it doesn’t happen very often. I typically see movies either by myself or with a few other critics — or, if it’s a blockbuster, with a crowd of people who have won a contest or been invited or something. It’s a controlled audience, in other words. Times that I’ve gone to a movie just to go — it doesn’t happen much, since I see a lot of movies for work, but sometimes — I’ve been surprised and alarmed at how rude and inconsiderate some folks can be with their phones and their chatter. If it’s really bothering me I’ll ask them to stop. That usually takes care of it.