Letterboxd — Your life in film

"We lived in utter loneliness, neither here nor there."

Badlands is totally a mesmerizing film. It's a minimalist thriller from director Terrence Malick, a film which gets by on mood, feeling, a sense of dejected atmosphere and inevitable foreboding that accompanies the on-screen actions.

In January, 1958, 19-year-old Charles Starkweather and 14-year-old Caril Ann Fugate went on a murder spree in Nebraska and Wyoming. Eleven innocent people died. Most, though not all, of the killings were random. Starkweather and Fugate's…

"You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it."

Mean Streets is a brilliant film. It really serves as Martin Scorsese's introduction to U.S. film and it's an extraordinary film.

The first time that John "Johnny Boy" Civello (Robert De Niro) appears up-close in Martin Scorsese's "Mean Streets" is to the tune of The Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Flash". It's from…

"When a man says no to champagne, he says no to life."

The Deer Hunter is about a lot of things: friendship, loyalty, male rite of passage, the effects of a war physically, spiritually, psychologically and communally. It's concerned with people in their inner workings and what motivates them, what makes them tick.

The film follows Staff Sergeant Michael Vronsky "Mike" (Robert De Niro), Corporal Nikanor Chevotarevich "Nick" (Christopher Walken) and Corporal Steven Pushkov (John Savage), who are three mill…

"Oh, Billy, I wish I could make it better for you."

Midnight Express is based on a true story. It's an excellent film that is well-written, well-acted and the music sets the tone of the film. Adding the suspense and fear to the viewer with the sound of the main character's heartbeat.

First off, I can understand any criticisms geared towards "Midnight Express". Some might say it has a sympathetic depiction of drug traffickers. Some might say it has pitiless…

"I don't have any friends."

The Driver is Walter Hills' directorial signature film: fast paced, lean and mean script, cool characters and superb car choreography. It's a solid film concentrating on the driving, not the driver.

Action specialist Walter Hill is in his element here with this tense, entertaining thriller that he both wrote and directed. The Driver (Ryan O'Neal) stars as a getaway driver for hire, who is hounded by offbeat The Detective (Bruce Dern). Bruce Dern is dying…

"It's very hard to talk to a dead person. I have nothing in common."

Mikey and Nicky is directed with confidence by Elaine May and it's an engaging, highly unusual drama about two childhood pals mixed up with the mob.

The story is about an antsy small-time bookie Nicky (John Cassavetes), who hides out in a hotel after he steals money from a local mobster. Nicky calls on his old chum Mikey (Peter Falk) to bail him out of the…

"You're the most perfect person I ever met."

3 Women is a fascinating psychological drama about 3 distinct women. It's about loneliness, manipulation, twins, dreams, love, motherhood, adoration, neediness, friendship and the female gaze.

This film takes place in the late '70s, in a remote California town. It revolves around three very different female characters and the effects that each of them has on each other's lives.

The performances by the "3 Women" are beautiful acted. Mildred "Millie" Lammoreaux (Shelley…

🎶I'm Easy...🎶

Nashville is one of the great films of the 1970s. Robert Altman was an iconoclastic, visionary director, whose style of filmmaking has never been duplicated. He created films that are closer to the reality that we live than any other. Nashville has brilliant performances, direction, editing, music and gives some views on some of the lessening of American culture, the embrace of ignorance, that has followed the 1970s film.

The opening shot of "Nashville" shows a van with…

"It's a fire, mister, and all fires are bad."

The Towering Inferno is a disaster film that's relevant even today, with its plot of greedy contractors substituting sub-standard building materials in this extreme high rise building, which ultimately led to the outbreak and spreading of the disastrous fire.

The film tells the story of the world's tallest building (The Glass Tower) in San Francisco having an electrical short that starts a huge fire (81st floor). The fire quickly spreads threatening…

"You took from me the only thing I ever loved in the whole world, my Linda."

The Poseidon Adventure is superb, with a fantastic ensemble cast, filled with great character moments, as well as a good survival story and great film overall.

The film is an adaption of Paul Gallico's novel, which was written in the 1930s, but it was updated to the present for the film. While on the luxury liner Poseidon as a New Year's Eve Party goes…

"There's such a difference between what you dream about and what's really there."

Opening Night is written and directed by John Cassavetes. It's an emotional film that will make an impact on you.

The story shows a human being during a period of deep emotional turmoil and professional confusion. Once again, an excellent performance from Myrtle Gordon (Gena Rowlands). As a strong actress with an ability to find, reveal and let us see the deep motivations that cloud our emotions,…

"All of a sudden, I miss everyone..."

A Woman Under the Influence is a masterpiece of human emotions. It's John Cassavetes groundbreaking style of direction, which makes everything about this film so real and honest. It feels like a home film or a documentary looking into the lives of some very real people.

A Woman Under the Influence is an emotionally packed film that's centered around a capricious, yet troubled housewife named Mabel Longhetti (Gena Rowlands). Mother to three young…