Tag Archives: Badlands

“I have trouble working off things that are too preconceived, like storyboards.” — Terrence Malick

“When people express what is most important to them, it often comes out in cliches. That doesn’t make them laughable — it’s something tender about them. As though in struggling to reach what’s most personal about them they could only … Continue reading

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Year in Review: Shooting My Mouth Off in 2019

Thanks, everyone, who hangs out here, who likes what I do, whether you’re an Elvis fan, a Supernatural fan, a general cinephile, a book-lover, or just someone who’s been checking in periodically for 17 years – WHAT? – I appreciate … Continue reading

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For Criterion: “Love is Strange”: The Hot-Blooded Love Cry at the Cold Heart of Badlands

For Criterion’s “Songbook” column: I wrote about the use of Mickey & Sylvia’s “Love is Strange” in Terrence Malick’s Badlands: The Hot-Blooded Love Cry at the Cold Heart of Badlands.

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February 2019 Viewing Diary

St. Agatha (2019; d. Darren Lynn Bousman) I reviewed this nunsploitation horror film which I resisted at first for some reason, but then I got into the spirit of it. It’s fun. It’s what it needs to be. It also … Continue reading

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Great Movie Posters

A meme has been going around Facebook to post your favorite movie poster of “a great film.” It’s been a lot of fun to see all the different artwork posted by people. Figured I’d share some of them. First, I … Continue reading

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“I don’t think any of us on the crew really knew what the fuck we were doing.”

Speaking of Malick-mania (my review of ToL here), and in line with my current banner, not to mention my own varied associations with the film, you absolutely must check out: GQ’s extraordinary oral history of the making of Badlands. Great … Continue reading

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Psychopaths and morality: Jeremy Renner and Sissy Spacek

Fascinating article called Psychopaths and Rational Morality: The Frontal Cortex, with an even better conversation going on in the comments. Go read the whole thing, it’s very interesting. It is one of my obsessions: psychopaths, antisocial personalities, whatever name you … Continue reading

Posted in Actors | Tagged , , , , | 42 Comments

Sissy Spacek in Badlands: An Analysis

Roger Ebert writes in his review of Terrence Malick’s great film Badlands: She claimed she was kidnapped and forced to go along with Starkweather. When they first were captured, he asked the deputies to leave her alone: “She didn’t do … Continue reading

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A performance I love …

… by an actress I love … … in a movie I love even more.

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Movie Poster: Badlands

One of my favorite posters of all time. Definitely in my top five.

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments