What books have you read that has changed or expanded the way you look at film?

These are just some of my recommendations but I'm interested in reading what others have to say.

Making Movies by Sidney Lumet.

Sidney Lumet is one of the great American filmmakers of the 20th century. Network, 12 Angry Men, The Verdict, Serpico, and my personal favorite of his, Dog Day Afternoon are a few among his extensive body of work. I can't really come up with a better-written glowing recommendation like Roger Ebert so I'll just use his.

"I am sometimes asked if there is one book a filmgoer could read to learn more about how movies are made and what to look for while watching them. This is the book."

Rebel Without A Crew by Robert Rodriguez

This is probably some of the most badass filmmaking literature I've ever read. I used to view Kevin Smith as sort of a hero to the indie filmmaking scene and he still is, but after reading this, I have to say Robert Rodrigeuz is a more positive role model. Part diary, and part how-to guide, Rebel Without A Crew outlines how Rodriguez was able to make El Mariachi with 7000 dollars and become where he is today. It's also a lot of fun to read.

Poetics by Aristotle.

This one is a bit different. It's obviously not about movies but in terms of looking at how the characters and narrative are written, I'd consider this one of the most important texts to read. Maybe this one is more for aspiring writers but I always considered it important to know how something works so you can really get inside the writers' heads beyond the story content and thematical elements. To quote Aaron Sorkin "if you find that your story isn't working, it's probably because you've broken one of Aristotle's rules."

Great Movies by Roger Ebert

This one really needs no explanation. You can find his Great Movies articles on his website and it goes without saying that anyone who loves movies should read at least a few of them.

Nobody's Perfect by Anthony Lane

And with the yin, must come the yang. Arguably one of the greatest film critics, Anthony Lane takes a more sardonic approach to writing as opposed to Roger Ebert's more passionate. You look up an Ebert quote, you get inspired. You look up a Lane quote, you laugh then you get sad. Lane's insights nevertheless are eye-opening and always entertaining to read, making him my all-time favorite film critic.