Joseph Kosinski

“L’avventura. Michelangelo Antonioni. You know, I think he shoots spaces and architecture in a very unique way. You definitely have to be in a mood to watch an Antonioni movie. But if you are, it can be hypnotic. This has a banger of a score by Fusco, I think his name is. It’s one of those tracks that, once you get it in your head, it’s hard to get out, so that will be pick number one.”

“Breathless. I’m sure it’s chosen a lot in this closet. The reason I’m choosing it is because there’s a section in this film that makes me a little homesick. Jean Seberg is from my hometown of Marshalltown, Iowa. So when she says “New York Herald Tribune” in this film, I think one of the few English lines in it, she says it with that very flat Midwest accent that I recognize because we’re from the same town. So, I’m going to put that one in my bag.”

“Next one: Le Samouraï. Alain Delon, one of the coolest guys ever on film. This is probably the one I’ve seen most recently at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, who run it every few years. Took my 15-year-old son to see it, and I’m happy to report that he enjoyed it as well. You’re never sure about that when you’re showing your kids something that you love, but incredible film. If you don’t know it, worth checking out. And huge influence, I think, on any director that’s making a thriller.”

“Okay, one of my all-time favorite directors, Alan J. Pakula, The Parallax View. This film was made in 1974, the year I was born. Alan J. Pakula had three incredible films in a row: Klute, this, and one of my top ten of all time, All the President’s Men. All shot with Gordon Willis. And just incredible compositions, incredible lighting. I have no notes. This is a great paranoid thriller and one of my favorites.”

“The Game by David Fincher. You know, I owe him a lot. He gave me my first kind of big job in Hollywood. When Zodiac was greenlit, he was unable to do a commercial that he had booked for a game called Gears of War. And he handed that job off to me. And it was my first big commercial and helped me kind of kick off my career. So I owe David a lot for that. And interestingly enough, the gaffer on this movie was one Claudio Miranda, who I’ve now made six films with.”

“I’m going to pick Elevator to the Gallows. The soundtrack for this was done live to picture by Miles Davis. I’m a huge jazz fan and the soundtrack to this is glorious, so that’s going to be my final pick.”