Review – The Truman Show (1998) directed by Peter Weir.

Rewatched on November 25th, 2023
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Had to pick something special for my 1000th diary entry on Letterboxd! One of my favorites, will always love this movie. Those last 15 minutes are unrivaled in every way. 

I remember first getting Letterboxd back in 2018. A friend of mine told me that his friends from a film camp (I think) introduced him to this app that allowed you to track and rate the movies you watched and add things to a watchlist as well! I downloaded it, had a bit of fun for a while, but didn't use it much. I didn't even know about the diary feature and how you could log movies you watch with a date, creating a timeline of your film experiences. I then discovered the feature in late 2019, right at the cusp of my journey towards becoming passionate in film like I am today. It all started in October when I went and saw Joker in theaters with that same friend. Say what you will about the movie (and I'm keen to rewatch it with a whole new perspective 4 years later), but that truly was the movie that started it all for me, opening my eyes towards seeing film as an art form (and my first diary entry on Letterboxd)! That and a few other movies I watched in theaters around the start of me using Letterboxd regularly were incredibly influential in creating my love for film: Jojo Rabbit, Parasite, Blade Runner (a special experience seeing that in a theater for the first time, 1917, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire. These movies along with many other movies I watched at home were the first films I watched with a keen interest in watching film for more than just entertainment. The technical elements of cinema and how they all come together to create such a viscerally real and emotional impact became so apparent and fascinating to me. And from there, I hit the ground running, eager to watch as many things as I could, feeling I needed to catch up on all of the classic movies I had never seen before. It started with a simple project of watching the 2019-2020 Oscar-nominated films (involving some late night watches past midnight in my room in the dark on school nights). Then came COVID-19; while wholly terrible and awful, it provided me with the time and space to dive into the world of film freely and with little limitation. I watched a new movie almost everyday in the months of March, April, May of 2020, and all of that summer too. There I discovered The Before Trilogy, David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, Citizen Kane, Stanley Kubrick, The Florida Project, Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone, Spike Lee starting with Do the Right Thing (still one of the most powerful experiences I've ever had with film, watching this just two weeks after the murder of George Floyd), Memories of Murder, Alien, Quentin Tarantino, Charlie Kaufman, and that's just the beginning. That list was only the start leading me down a path towards learning more about film and film history, broadening my horizons towards watching more international cinema as well as women filmmakers and more unknown movies (because as you can see, that list is just scratching the surface of cinema which is incredibly diverse and enriching), as well as being introduced to some of my favorite movies that I would have never seen before had I not fallen in love with the art form.

And it's safe to say that I probably wouldn't have fallen in love as fast had I not had Letterboxd. I love film regardless, but this app most definitely contributed towards my film journey. Through following others, seeing user-generated lists, and the freedom to browse and explore so many different categories, I was exposed to and learned about so many movies simply by using the app. And as someone who loves things that are neat and organized, the diary feature and everything else about this app clicked like magic with me. I felt excited to watch movies both because of my eager interest in film, as well as my more particular enjoyment in using this app. While I've certainly had my own personal journey with the app having been a bit of a "Letterboxd fiend" and letting it dominate the way I used to watch movies sometimes, I now find a balance and use the app to cater towards and fulfill my love, not as a crutch or the only reason why. And I couldn't be happier. I'd be lying if I said Letterboxd wasn't at least part of the reason why I love film. And I'm ever-so grateful for it. 

And so, as I log my 1000th diary entry, I pick one of my favorite films. One that I loved even before I truly fell in love with cinema. And one that I'll always hold close to me. Thanks for tuning into my love letter to Letterboxd, and in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night :)

Here's to the next 1000 diary entries!

Check out the original review posted on Letterboxd here.