R.I.P. Robert Altman

I have just learned that Robert Altman has passed away. This news genuinely saddens me as both a person and a cinephile. He was a brilliant director and a passionate artist. His films remain some of the finest and most influential of the last few decades. These include M*A*S*H, Nashville, The Player, and Short Cuts among others. Altman recently directed A Prairie Home Companion, which I recommended just last month when it was released on DVD. It’s a fine film and a beautiful swan song for this very special man.