3:10 to Yuma and The Cinematic Cliffhanger
The Friday Recap No. 01
Happy Letterboxd Friday!
What is Letterboxd Fridays?
“Letterboxd Fridays” is a fun weekly tradition where film fans share the last four movies they’ve watched on Letterboxd. It’s a casual way to show off your recent viewing habits and connect with others over shared favorites or surprising picks.
Well guess what, this week’s been a drag mentally/emotionally + time wise, so my last four might not appear be as vibrant as usual.
3:10 to Yuma - was an educational/special features watch, vs. a regular watch. This is one of my favorite Westerns after all.
Did you know: during the filming of the final train shootout scene, it unexpectedly snowed over their entire shooting location. The team was then forced to bring in a few tons of dirt in order to build out Contention on top of the snow! Brilliant work, and strategic thinking!
The costume department also had to have 3-5 copies and/or variations of costumes for each actor—major, supporting, or extra—totaling nearly 5000 costumes!
As stated in one of my other Notes, I’m working my way through the previous installments of the Mission Impossible franchise before catching The Final Reckoning next week.
The only reason Dead Reckoning was given 4 ½ stars is because I hate it when a movie leaves you on a cliffhanger, forcing vs enticing you to watch the next installment to finish (or continue) the story—as compelling and satisfying as it may or may not be.
It’s hard to explain at times but think of it like this… “That was a great movie! I wonder what they’ll think of next. They can’t possibly top that.” Vs. “That was a great movie! I wonder what happens next. I have to know how it ends.”
It’s personal gripe I suppose (tell me if you feel the same). But knowing how fickle Hollywood can be at times—where we may, or may not, get a sequel or conclusion to a story for years—I like my films/plots to be as self contained as possible. Even if they are part of a larger story arc: I want to feel the peace of mind that I could take any franchise or series, jump into any single film, and walk away with working sense of what the hell is going on. 😂
I could go on and on about this, with countless examples, but I want to hear from you first!
Oh and if you love cinema and want to take your movie loving to next level, download Letterboxd—the social network for cinephiles—come find and follow me! I’ll write more about the app in a follow up post. Here’s a link to my profile. Come say hi. 👋🏼
Observations on ‘Before Sunrise’
“You couldn’t possibly know why a night like this is so important to my life right now, but it is.” - Celine, Before Sunrise, 1995
Have you seen the beauty, and masterpiece that is Before Sunrise, written (along with Kim Krizan) and directed by Richard Linklater?
I’ve always loved the subtle distinction between the lines “…important to my life right now...”, and not “…important to me right now…”.
In a cosmic way, it always felt like Celine was referring to her entire existence, but captured within that brief moment, much like a canon/nexus event (Marvel reference), or core memory. Think, the death of Uncle Ben/Aunt May to Peter Parker and the birth of Spider-Man.
That versus, important to her then and there alone. A fun, and memorable experience in the moment, but she could just as easily find someone, or something, more important in time and forget all about Jesse…
Am I the only one? 😅
Pen, Paper, & Heart: Legacy
LOVE AND COMMUNION
Working on themselves day and
night,
young people use “love” and
every kind of communion
to gather themselves,
yet barely enough.
So often they are impatient.
In all their messiness, disorder,
and bewilderment,
their very nature takes hold of
love,
and scatters them.👉Discover more found poems like this one, and more, here.👈
The ‘Gravity’ of ‘A Little Princess’
I don’t remember the last time I watched Gravity, but I do remember the rating I gave it back then: 3.5 stars.
Solid. Impressive. But something was missing.
Today, though—revisiting it in the quiet of my own space, with my two-disc DVD copy in hand—I experienced something completely different. And now? It’s a 5-star film for me, without question.
Part of that shift is due to time. Part of it is my growing familiarity with Alfonso Cuarón’s work. The more I explore his filmography, the more I realize how deeply his style resonates with me. He’s becoming a staple in both my physical film library and my mental roundtable of mentors—those filmmakers I turn to for inspiration, insight, and self-study.
Side note: After doing a little more research on Cuaron’s work, I discovered he also directed on of my all time favorite movies as a kid, A Little Princess! Ugh, I’m tearing up even watching the trailer again. Yes, I need to study this genius more in depth. Let’s continue! 🤫
But the film itself?
Gravity is a beautifully crafted story. Every breath. Every heartbeat. Every moment of tension and release—felt. It’s an immersive emotional journey, and this time, I allowed myself to really sit in it, let it dig deep, a touch me at the core. Plus, did you know 90% of it is CGI! 🤯
This DVD set also includes over three hours of bonus content, and I’m genuinely excited to dive deeper. As part of my self-taught film education, pieces like this are priceless. They don’t just show you the finished product: they show you the process, the purpose, and the craft behind it.
If you haven’t revisited Gravity in a while, I highly recommend watching it again—on your own terms, in your own space. It might surprise you the way it just surprised me. Don’t forget to check out the trailer for A Little Princess below. 👇🏼
“Not My Process, Not Yours Either”
Creative Leadership for All
As you all know, I recently share two posts on how I’ve incorporated AI into my creative workflow over the past two years; along with a snapshot of what I’ve been able to accomplish with it, both professionally and personally. But… just because I share how I create doesn’t mean I expect you to copy it. In fact, I hope you don’t. Because the goal isn’t replication—it’s remix.
As creatives, we learn by observing others. But somewhere along the way, we start thinking we need to be them to succeed. That their methods are magic. That their process is the only right one.
But the best systems aren’t handed down, they’re designed from within:
Use what resonates. Ditch what doesn’t. Take pieces of other processes and make them your own. Or don’t!
Experiment until it fits. The first version of your workflow is just that—a first draft.
Your voice deserves a system that speaks your language. In many ways I’ve finally found a system that speaks mine.
Steal like an artist? Sure. But make sure what you’re building still sounds like you.
Try This Today:
Find one creative routine or system that inspires you.
Apply one element of it to your process—but rewrite the rest in your voice, your rhythm, your terms.
Want to Build a System That Fits You?
The LEVELS Framework helps creators design personalized workflows, reduce overwhelm, and own their process with confidence. Remix your growth here:
