It always comes back to Ozu.

Another film-nerd chat with Morgan:

Morgan (11:05:37 AM): I watched SHADOW OF A DOUBT last night, AKA Hitch's favorite Hitch film, purportedly.
M (11:05:43 AM): It's not so good.
Ben (11:06:45 AM): you are on crack cocaine. I love that movie.
B (11:06:52 AM): a lot.
M (11:06:53 AM): Weak, dude.
M (11:06:58 AM): The script is preposterous.
M (11:07:00 AM): And boring.
B (11:07:02 AM): it's no phantom of the opera [2004]?
M (11:07:06 AM): Fucking die.
M (11:07:14 AM): The cam direction, editing and perfs are all good.
M (11:07:19 AM): But that script is so weak.
B (11:07:26 AM): I hate you.
M (11:07:34 AM): And I loved the first ten minutes, but it all went down hill fast.
M (11:08:09 AM): What's the fun of two hours of, "[Editor's note: this featured a curt summary of the film's plot. If you haven't seen the film, I don't want to ruin it. Let's just say Morgan found the whole thing a bit obvious.]"?
B (11:09:00 AM): well, when it's being directed by one of the finest directors the world has ever known, he makes it interesting. and fun. he can, you know, make it have mad flava.
M (11:09:26 AM): I'm not complaining about Hitch. I'm complaining about the script. Which sucked. Balls. Joseph Cotten was totally sweet, as was the camera direction. It's not like an abortion or anything.
M (11:11:12 AM): Dude, it was better than TOKYO STORY.