I don't want to produce anymore small or independent movies because it's just too hard these days. John Cusack on movies
I was never into the popular school or clique or anything. Then I started doing movies when I was in high school, so then I got popular. Then the girls paid attention to you who didn't before. John Cusack on movies
My dad had a commercial film company, so he had a videotape player before anyone. So he got Mel Brooks movies or Citizen Kane or some classic old movies. And every summer the revival house in Evanston would show the great films from the '50s and '60s and '70s. John Cusack on movies
I think being self-referential is really narcissistic. Who's to say anybody's even thinking of you that much? But some of these movies that I've done, people still recite lines to me, even 20 years later. John Cusack on movies
It's like those high-school yearbook photos that everyone would rather not see: Oh my God, look at that mullet hair. I have those photos too, but for me, they're, like, entire movies. And they show them on cable. John Cusack on movies
Most movies, once the action starts there's no more characters. You say a couple of dumb lines and then there's just explosions until the end. John Cusack on movies
Do I listen to pop music because I'm miserable or am I miserable because listen to pop music? John Cusack on music
I have a bit of a rebellious nature. John Cusack on nature
It's something we, guys, have all done. Made tapes for girls, trying to impress them, to meet them on a shared plane of aesthetics. Read them someone else's poetry because they do poetry better than you could do it, because you're too awkward to do it. John Cusack on poetry
When applied to politics and taken to its extreme, kitsch is the mask of death. Fascism was all aesthetics. There was no core principle to it. There was no truth to it. John Cusack on politics
But no, I don't really like romantic comedies, so I don't really care. I never go see 'em. John Cusack on romantic
Acting can be pretty challenging. I can't say making a romantic comedy is challenging, but to do anything well, you have to put yourself into it. John Cusack on romantic
I feel close to Lloyd in 'Say Anything'. He was like a super-interesting version of me. Only I'm not as good as him. Whatever part of me is romantic and optimistic, I reached into that to play Lloyd. John Cusack on romantic
The film is not a success until it makes money. It's only good when there's a dollar figure attached to the box office. John Cusack on success
I was a teen star. That's disgusting enough. John Cusack on teen
I force people to have coffee with me, just because I don't trust that a friendship can be maintained without any other senses besides a computer or cellphone screen. John Cusack on trust
With acting, you wanna see if you can get into trouble without knowing how you're gonna get out of it. It's like the exact opposite of war, where you need an exit strategy. When you're acting, you should get all the way into trouble with no exit strategy, and have the cameras rolling. John Cusack on war
I remember the '80s being about the Cold War and Reagan and the homeless problem and AIDS. To me, it was kind of a dark, depressing time. John Cusack on war
Texas women have an amazing sense of purpose when they lose it. They're the best girls in the world - they're loyal and fun, but when they get mad, they'll try to kill you. John Cusack on women