Melissa Miller Costanzo got her start in the art department, working on Oscar-winning films such as Precious, The Fighter, and If Beale Street Could Talk. "I think production design is the hardest thing to detect in a film," she says. "You can't point to it and say, 'That! I like that!' like you can with a shot, or lighting, or acting. When done well, it literally fades away into the background."
"At the same time, it creates a world," she continues. "I think many filmmakers underestimate the power of design and need to consider it as much as a tool as costumes and camera."
Miller Costanzo made her directorial debut with 2018's coming-of-age drama, All These Small Moments. Her follow-up, The List, is part romantic comedy, part sex comedy: When Abby discovers her fiancé slept with a celebrity on his "free pass" list, she sets out to find a celebrity from her own list to bed.
"My favorite space is more towards the dramedy world — I love bringing levity to serious issues with humor that leans dry. Filmmakers like Kenneth Lonergan and Tamara Jenkins really speak to me," says the director. "There was something about The List, though, that felt grounded enough for me to want to be a part of it. The sense of humor also spoke to my sensibilities. The humor didn't come from gross-outs or jokes at other people's expenses. Some of it was physical but not, like, banana peel physical. At the end of the day, it was a buddy comedy, and that was something I could get down with."
Below, Miller Costanzo shares with A.frame five of her favorite films.
Directed by: Curtis Hanson | Written by: Steve Kloves
To me, perfection is Michael Douglas in a pink terry cloth robe. This movie speaks to me on so many levels. It feels so lived in — I feel like I could just fall into this small town, academic world. Tobey Maguire is at his awkward best, and Robert Downey Jr. is inspired. I love Curtis Hanson as a filmmaker, because he doesn't announce himself. It feels like the shots all happen organically, and he never puts himself first. I also love [novelist] Michael Chabon as a writer, so this is definitely a double whammy for me. I think Curtis Hanson taught me to not let the filmmaking get in the way of the story.
Written and Directed by: Kenneth Lonergan
I always pride myself on 'discovering' Mark Ruffalo when I saw him in Kenneth Lonergan's play, This Is Our Youth, and then subsequently in You Can Count on Me, also by Kenneth Lonergan. I think you'll see a trend here. It's another movie that just feels real and lived in. I felt like Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney were my siblings, and that I was going through the emotions with them. Everything felt like the truth to me, and I didn't sense a false move throughout any of the filmmaking. I think this movie gave me the courage to write something personal.
Written and Directed by: Anthony Minghella
Oh, this movie! Oh, Italy! For me, it's the performances on this one. I love how everything is just so heightened. I loved Matt Damon's subtle performance, Philip Seymour Hoffman's spot-on portrayal of a rich snob, and of course, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law. Even though it's a movie with a hook, I still absolutely love watching everything unravel and go awry. It's the type of movie where I discover something new each time. And the costumes, and the locations! It made me want to run out and get a vespa. This movie is all about attention to detail and controlling the narrative. I always thought Anthony Minghella had the steady hands of a surgeon when he directed this one.
Directed by: Martin Scorsese | Written by: Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese
Sharon Stone and her fur coats! That scene where she's begging to be let back into her house and just grabs everything she can! She plays the character with such desperation and commitment. Her performance is larger than life. The movie is an event. It is definitely my favorite Scorsese movie. Yes, I said it!
Those other movies, I feel like I can crawl into. This one is just so beyond my own reality that it's sexy to me. Nothing is too big or over-the-top; it is pure, stylized wall-to-wall joy. I love the use of music in this. I mean, of course! That's Scorsese's specialty, but I think it nails using music as a tool to tell a story. And sometimes it can be the main event in a scene. Talking about it is making me want to go watch it right now!
Directed by: Carl Reiner | Written by: Jeff Franklin
Here is where I go out on a limb. I'm not sure many people know this movie, but those who know it, know it. Mark Harmon eating peanut butter out of a jar with his fingers and sharing it with his dog! Kirstie Alley! Come on, people! This is the perfect '80s movie in all its glory.
There is a scene where Mark Harmon, who got forced into teaching summer school, is combining favors he promised the kids in exchange for learning. So, he's giving a few boys a ride to school but also giving another student driving lessons, and she's an awful driver. She finally parallel parks, and they put their hands in the air and say, 'We lived!' To this day, I still say that line whenever I touch down in a plane on the runway. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years! This movie never lets me down. Not sure what this movie taught me, but I know every line and it makes me feel good. And sometimes that's enough!
