Nashville

This movie is one of the most immersive movies I have ever seen. For an ensemble cast, I feel like I have a sense of every character. Part of of this is due to Altman's writing style. Many auteurs are known for being extremely detailed, directing actors exactly how to walk or what word to emphasize in a sentence. Altman is somewhat unique in that he is known for the exact opposite; being extremely collaborative. What you get as a result is a world in which every character has their own unique voice and cadence. It's the exact opposite of an Aaron Sorkin world in that way, but the world it creates feels just as unique. Each actor wrote or co-wrote their own songs in the movie, which is exceptional given that not all of them had strong musical backgrounds. Keith Carradine's I'm Easy is one of my favorite musical moments in film, as Lily Tomlin is frozen, captivated by what he is singing to her. There are many movies that try to give you what a sense of what America is really like, but few do it as effectively. Altman doesn't try to draw conclusions on what should be come or get righteous about what issues are the most important, he simply shows you a slice of life from 24 different people, all experiencing different, but overlapping problems. I went to bed last night feeling like I spent time with friends I hadn't seen in a while, rather than watching a movie. This is both a credit to the directing and the acting. It's an absolute joy to see one of his films.