WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR -- CINEMATICALLY SPEAKING

First off, and it goes without saying, I'm most thankful for my incredible, smart, beautiful, funny, and totally awesome wife; I could never imagine life without you.  I've been blessed with a terrific and talented sister who also knows how to cook up a storm, and parents who have never, ever missed a beat in anything they've done for us or themselves.  And much love and thanks for my incredible, ridiculous, crazy-ass cat, Gus Gorman (yes, he's named after Richard Pryor in Superman III), who has brought nothing but joy to our lives.

I am thankful that for some unknown reason, Terry Malick has decided to work on MULTIPLE projects at the same time, and will have a few years in a row with at least one theatrical release.

I am thankful for the fact that Werner Herzog, our most important documentarian, continues to get funding for anything that tickles his fancy.

I am thankful for Chris Nolan doing what he did to the Batman franchise, and that next summer will bring his final chapter, The Dark Knight Rises.

I'm thankful for the brilliant efforts of Steven Soderbergh, who movie after movie, continues to demonstrate that he's one of our most skilled and versatile filmmakers.

I'm thankful that HBO HD keeps showing The Informant! 

I'm thankful that we still live in a climate where a movie like The Muppets could get made in the way that it did, and that Jason Segel took his money and clout and put it where his heart is.

I'm thankful for having seen a new Tarsem movie (Immortals), even if that means that his next movie (Mirror, Mirror) looks like dogshit.  Come back to me, Tarsem...come back...take the cash you just got and make a sequel to The Fall...

I'm thankful that Zack Snyder is getting the chance to reboot Superman, even if Michael Bay is still the best guy for the job (at least it's not Brett Ratner or Len Wiseman!)

I'm thankful for the fact that the Coen brothers have a new movie coming out next year.

I'm thankful for the fact that Jessica Chastain is here to stay.

I'm thankful for the fact that Jeff Nicols is reuniting for a third time with Michael Shannon.

I'm thanful for the fact that Nicolas Refn and Ryan Gosling are apparent butt-buddies and plan on making one movie after another with each other. 

I'm thankful for the fact that Michael Bay has apparently gotten the Transformers franchise out of his system and that he's now free to explore some new stuff to blow up real fucking good.

I'm thankful for the fact that Ridley Scott has a quasi-prequel to Alien coming out called Prometheus, and apparently, there will be some sort of "creation-of-the-universe" sequence.

I'm thankful that HBO has teamed up with Michael Mann and David Milch on a new crime/horseracing show called Luck, which looks like it's going to totally own everyone's ass.

I'm extremely thankful that Roger Ebert continues to review movies in print on a weekly basis.

I'm thankful for the fact that Joss Whedon is going to bring out my inner 7 year old next summer with The Avengers.

I'm thankful for getting a chance to see amazing work from guys like Emmanuel Lubezeki, Robert Richardson, Robert Elswit, Roger Deakins, Tom Sigel, and Matthew Libatique (just to name a few...)

I am thankful that Oliver Stone's next movie is an R-rated crime drama.

I am thankful that all of Tony Scott's next potential directing efforts all sound like four out of four, five out of five star masterpieces.

I'm thankful that Tom Cruise is still doing his Tom Cruise thing -- best movie star of all time (except for maybe Humphrey Bogart)

Even though I haven't seen it, I'm thankful that a movie like The Artist has gotten made; now let's just hope people go out and see it...

I'm thankful that Sony hired David Fincher and Steven Zaillian for their Girl with the Dragon Tattoo remake, because you know with those two in charge, there won't be any wimping out with the material...

I'm thankful that 2012 will bring Kathryn Bigelow's "Kill Bin Laden" project.

I'm thankful that John Logan's paws are all over a half-dozen scripts that have either been shot, are about to be shot, or are nearing pre-production.

I'm thankful for the fact that my wife and I paid to see Warrior in the theater (2011's most underrated and ignored movie).

I'm thankful that despite Warrior tanking at the box office, both Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton will be all over movie screens over the next few years.

I'm thankful that Tony Gilroy got the job on the Bourne series.

I'm thankful for the works of Cliff Martinez -- the guy is brilliant.

And lastly, I'm thankful that the Rave Motion Pictures group has decided to make all 1st showings $6 at the stadium-digital theater located 1 mile from my house.  I've got it pretty good.