Each month, Look Who’s Talking features voices from across BWH answering the same question. If you would like to add your voice to the conversation, please submit a comment at the bottom of the page. Since it’s movie award season, this month we are asking: “What is your favorite movie and why?”

“I love movies and have many, many favorites but ‘On the Waterfront,’ ‘The Godfather II’ and ‘Love Story’ all stand out. The first two are brilliant, and ‘Love Story’ breaks me up every time.”

-Jeffrey N. Katz, MD, MSc, Director, Orthopedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research

“I recently saw ‘My Cousin Vinny,’ which underscores how rarely I go to movies. I love Marisa Tomei’s character, Mona Lisa Vito, who, in the key scene of the murder trial, upstages a courtroom full of men with her detailed and extensive automotive knowledge, which nobody expects from her. Plus, this movie made my whole family laugh out loud.”

-Alexandra Golby, MD, Neurosurgeon; Co-Director, AMIGO; Director, Image-Guided Neurosurgery

“I love wartime movies, particularly about World War II. Recently I saw ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ and enjoyed the bravery of the conscientious objector who still went to battle to save lives rather than carry a weapon.”

-E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Neurosurgery; Co-Director, Institute for the Neurosciences

“My favorite movie is ‘Cinema Paradiso.’ It’s a sentimental and moving story about friendship, courage and the importance of pursuing your dreams. The soundtrack is incredibly beautiful as well. It also has a special place in my heart because it’s the movie I saw with my now-husband on our first ‘official’ date (and he chose it!).”

-Mallika Mendu, MD, Attending Physician, Division of Renal Medicine; Assistant Medical Director, Department of Quality and Safety

“My favorite movies are probably the ‘Harry Potter’ series – as an engineer in the hospital, oftentimes I hope that I have the wizardry to use in my research to allow me to make biomaterials and invent biotechnologies that can be used for solving problems in biomedicine instantaneously, just like magic.”

-Y. Shrike Zhang, PhD, Associate Bioengineer, Department of Medicine

“‘Anne of Green Gables’ was my favorite movie growing up. I resonated with Anne’s whimsy, tenaciousness, precociousness and love of nature.”

-Hanni Stoklosa, MD, MPH, Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine

“‘Cinema Paradiso’ is one of the most beautiful and meaningful movies I’ve seen. I watched this film a few times, and each time I was moved and deeply touched. It may seem like such a simple story, but it actually touches the deepest aspects of our lives, such as happiness, hope, loss, family, friendship and love. It’s about people’s journey in life and its meaning. A masterpiece!”

-Ronen Rozenblum, PhD, MPH, Director, Unit for Innovative Healthcare Practice & Technology; Director of Business Development, Center for Patient Safety Research and Practice