Easy Riders, Raging Bulls
By Peter Biskind

This is a look back at American cinema in the '70s, which was this huge shift from the big movie studios to the Scorseses of the world. For me, three things stand out: its great insight into that period of cinema, the brilliance of visionary directors like Scorsese and Lucas and Spielberg, and also the drug-fueled, raging madness of it all. It's about creative filmmaking and brave, fresh writing, and breaking away from a formulaic system.

A last word: It's certainly a must-read for anyone in the movie business or interested in cinema. It gets you clued in to where we are and how we got here.