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I recently pulled out my old copy of True Confessions and watched it again. The thing that struck me the most was the incredible display of extraordinary acting by so many of the actors. DeNiro and Duvall are simply mesmerizing. The supporting cast - Burgess Meredith, Cyril Cusack and Rose Gregorio - are as good as any supporting cast in any movie. The film has mood and texture, and evokes the Los Angeles of the late 1940's in brilliant detail.

John Gregory Dunne has used the real life Black Dahlia murder of 1947 to weave a complex story of corruption in the Catholic Church and the LAPD. A very underrated film.

Dead By Dawn is a neat little thriller. Shannon Tweed, the queen of B-movies, has probably never given a better performance than she does in this story of a basically good man duped into an insurance scheme and murder by his old high school buddy. This film has surprisingly excellent acting, including strong performances by Jodie Fisher and Cassandra Gava. There is loads of atmosphere and suspense and unlike most straight to video Shannon Tweed movies, Dead By Dawn is really a complex, tightly written thriller.

Mitchum has never been better. This is an absolute gem of a film, very underrated and very under appreciated. Peter Boyle is also excellent and the direction superb. I think this film captures Boston and the lives of small time mobsters better than any other film.

Elmore Leonard called the novel upon which the movie is based the best crime novel ever written. The movie does it justice.