Love Letters

Love Letters

By Christy Clark & Natalie Howarth

Dear Letterboxd,

It doesn’t seem a long while since watching a film was to reckon with the battle, somewhere down the line, have I seen this before? The advent of Letterboxd didn’t just solve this problem decidedly, it created a collaborative social network where love, hate, and indifference toward film can be discussed on a global scale. No matter the niche-ness of your opinion, there’s a good chance someone, somewhere, shares it; there’s also a good chance you’ll run into a few hot takes you might never have considered.

Whether discussing the latest blockbuster with your friends, looking at the Global Film Rankings, or reading a review from a user across the globe, Letterboxd has widened the scope of film, fostering many a community in doing so.

Dear Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy,

The cobblestone streets of Vienna, the autumnal breeze of Paris and the sunkissed scenes of southern Greece seen in Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013) have taken me on a cinematic journey that I will never forget. Exploring the reality of love in the modern and postmodern age, you have taught me the complexities of relationships during our time, with each film loosely representing the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, that transcends relationships. Mr Linklater, this trilogy of films will be my Roman Empire forever.

Love in the modern age is an overcomplicated matter in reality and when brought onto the screen, feelings are exaggerated and hyperbolised. Your characters are romantic at heart and you prioritise minimalism in the plot, favouring dialogue of conversations that explore notions of time, the sense of self, life and death and love. You characterise Celine and Jesse in a way that makes them so irresistible and loveable: the romantic and the romantic disguised as a cynic who drops his act in front of the camera. Reflecting on the beauty of the narrative odyssey of the Before trilogy, the chemistry between the serendipitous lovers from the beginning that sparks an instant connection through their tender dialogue is bittersweet: you have woven a tapestry that speaks to the very essence of existence which me is love. Celine and Jesse’s love story is transcendental and awe-inspiring, something I wish to experience at least once: as two souls on a train bond and wander through the streets of Vienna at night, engaging in beautifully scripted conversations.

Moving to Before Sunset, filmed nine years after Before Sunrise, the two reunite when Jesse is on a book release tour in France and Celine drops by and the pair embark on a wander around Paris before Jesse has a flight to catch, discussing what their lives have been like without seeing each other for almost a decade.

It is a celebration of film in its entirety – mainstream, indie, box-office bomb, critical darling – an invitation to converse with a community of like-minded people no matter what your favourite film is. Users are even tasked with the excruciating task of picking their four favourite films. Hint: it’s near-impossible and never, ever, set in stone.

The platform’s surge in popularity over COVID – it now boasts over 10 million registered accounts – is a testament to the film industry’s continued popularity in the modern day. In an era where film is changing drastically, Letterboxd is proof that people still love film enough to download an app and log the films they watch – or even spend many an hour reading about the passions of others.

Whatever is next for film, Letterboxd will be right at the heart of it. For all the communities it has brought together, the reviews written, comments left, and the overwhelming passion for film that seeps through it, Letterboxd, you are a revelation.

Love and thanks, Christy Clark

This film indicates the natural chemistry your characters have and how organically they work together as a pair: this film is arguably the best of your trilogy of films as it feels like a deeper work of art, dealing with the complexities of adult life and the nuances in communication. The shift from a romanticised to a realist view of their relationship is stark here as both of them fail to meet in Vienna when they promised to – this leads to Celine’s absolutely heart-breaking monologue in the taxi: “for me, it’s better I don’t romanticise things as much anymore. I was suffering so much all the time.” A mature but hard thing to hear as a Celine myself.

Moving onto your final chronicle Before Midnight, this one broke my heart. Since rekindling their relationship, Celine and Jesse are on a holiday in Greece with their two children. The film feels reminiscent of an Eric Rohmer film, unlike the first two, as they reflect on the tribulations of life and love, expressing how they view their weakening relationship, resulting in Celine telling Jesse she no longer loves him. In the final film, they reconcile.

The Before trilogy will forever have a place in my heart as it is an honest work of modern, realist cinema that really does make you believe love exists. Thank you.

Love from, Natalie Howarth