Criticism is an Art.

A collection of 32 posts

On Movies & Media

The most revolting movie commercial I've seen.

"Bones" is a TV show I rather enjoy for the clever banter, the amusing actors, the slick effects, and the humor, But last night's episode was sickening. It was one big commercial for Avatar. The characters discussed their excitement about the movie incessantly. They stood around

On Movies & Media

Reconsidering Basterds, and Catching Up with Rightwing Film Geek

Is it wise for me to tell you that my opinion of Inglourious Basterds has changed dramatically over the past few weeks? I don't have a review yet to back up that claim. I keep starting to write one, and then my thoughts and feelings continue to evolve.

Criticism is an Art.

"Snob!"

Been called a snob lately? Roger Ebert has. I feel for him. I've been called a "snob" many times for giving "ho-hum" or "don't bother" reviews to popular movies. And I've been described as a "snob"

On Movies & Media

"Snob!"

Been called a snob lately? Roger Ebert has. I feel for him. I've been called a "snob" many times for giving "ho-hum" or "don't bother" reviews to popular movies. And I've been described as a "snob"

On Movies & Media

An Enemy of Serious Film Criticism?

Here's Brett McCracken on Movieguide's ongoing campaigns of preposterous "film criticism." Earlier, Mark Moring's post at CT... in which the comments became lively, especially when Movieguide's Tom Snyder showed up to call Moring's post "a silly article&

On Movies & Media

Strange Critical Behaviors, Case 120809a

Whenever I ask a question about the strange behaviors of critics and their tendency to write things that exalt their own discernment, I point that shotgun right at myself. But I'm becoming increasingly aware that there's a difference between making useful observations about art and making

Criticism is an Art.

Have You Done Your Critic Exercises Today?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMlioyKsaQg

C.S. Lewis

Don't Tell Me How to Feel. Make Me Want to See.

My pal Ron Reed posted this quote over at ArtsandFaith.com. I'd read it before in one of my favorite C.S. Lewis volumes, Letters to Children, but it's always a good reminder for writers, whether they're beginners or not... In writing, don’t

On Movies & Media

"Why do you have to analyze everything? Why can't you just enjoy it?"

Recently, I encountered someone who was clearly disgruntled by the mixed reviews of the movie Fireproof. He responded to the critics' observations by declaring that reviews aren't really important... that "the success and value of the film" would ultimately be determined by "ordinary people&

On Movies & Media

10 Ways to Be a Better Film Critic

Evan Derrick's "10 Ways To Be a Better Film Critic": Part One and Part Two. This is quite a read, and I like a lot of what Derick's said here. And hey! He even praises my friend Greg Wright! Think about your favorite film

On Movies & Media

Statler and Waldorf - Heroes for Critics Everywhere

Were these the most influential role models of my childhood? Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for discovering this.

On Movies & Media

Michael Leary's Film-think; "No Country" Re-examined

Nobody I know takes the question "What is Christian film criticism?" more seriously than Michael Leary. And so I'm thrilled to find him starting up a new site ... film-think where he's posting his thoughts on movies. Check out recent posts on * Paranoid Park * The

On Books & Writing

On Criticism

My good friend, Mike Demokowicz, a photographer and educator who has taught me a great deal, sent along this quote in an email today. It made me think of Anton Ego's speech in Ratatouille... only it's richer and more complete. It's Bill Jay, from

On Movies & Media

Are Movies Increasing Your "Capacity to See"?

At Long Pauses, Darren Hughes has posted a quote that I want to share with you here. (Thank you, Darren.) -- Michael Snow, speaking to Scott MacDonald, A Critical Cinema, Vol. 2 That's beautiful. It expresses potently the very thing I spent a whole chapter trying to capture

On Movies & Media

Have We Lost Our Minds?

If you've been reading the CT Feedback page and reading this blog, you've seen a lot of recent criticism, and read a lot of accusations, regarding the philosophy of CT Movies reviewers. Well, my blog post describing our "philosophy" inspired an invitation to share

On Movies & Media

Should Christians Give Christian Movies Rave Reviews?

If you've been reading this blog recently, you know that Christian film critics sometimes get blasted for pointing out weaknesses in Christian films. I thought I'd ask the thoughtful, eloquent crowd of Christians over at ArtsandFaith.com what they think about this question: How should a

On Movies & Media

Are Christianity Today's Movie Reviews Written With an "Anti-Evangelical Agenda"?

As you may already know, this week a radio talk-show host accused Christianity Today Movies' film reviewers of misrepresenting the magazine's foundation of evangelical conviction. And a Christian filmmaker responded to one of those reviews by declaring that one of CT's most prolific and respected

Through a Screen Darkly

Eugene Peterson's "Eat This Book" ... and Moviegoing

I am finding Eugene Peterson's Eat This Book to be a particularly inspiring meditation on our need to read, taste, chew, and digest the Bible.And along the way, I am thunderstruck by how often the points Peterson is making about how we should read scripture run parallel

On Movies & Media

Film Critic Pet Peeves: "The Fountain" Edition

Just ranting about another film criticism pet peeve... Don't you hate it when a critic makes a statement that says, "If you don't agree with me, well, you're just not enlightened like I am"...? When I was a much younger reviewer, I

Film Forum

Tomorrow's Film Forum May Catch Angry CT Movies Readers By Surprise.

Some Christianity Today Movies readers have sent in some very angry mail in response to Josh Hurst's review of Facing the Giants. They're saying things like (and I quote...) Shame, shame, shame on you for giving Facing the Giants a bad review! I've heard

On Movies & Media

Why My Faith is Not "FoxFaith," and Great Art is Not Necessarily "Christian art"

When I saw a promotional video for the arrival of FoxFaith, a special library of movies that "Christians and families can enjoy," I had a flashback. As I perused the titles of films being included in that label, I felt the walls closing in, trapping me in a

On Movies & Media

Looking Closer Classic: "Mystery and Message"

Not much to blog about today, as I've been sitting at home and at a top-secret Seattle coffee house all day working at condensing all of my thoughts about the wonder of movies into a book. As I wrote, I kept recalling things that I learned from one

On Movies & Media

"Don't Come Knocking" - full of "Christian content"?

By the way, one of the films I recently really enjoyed -- Don't Come Knocking -- contains the following content, listed for your convenience by the "Christian reviewer" * at Movieguide: Content: * Very strong humanist, anti-biblical worldview with immoral characters who are driven by their broken souls

On Movies & Media

A Movieguide Survivor Responds to the Previous Post

This comment was added to my previous post, and I'm grateful to Sean Gaffney for his input and perspective. I had the interesting experience of writing freelance reviews for Movie Guide years ago (way too far down the food chain to even meet the founder). On one hand,

On Movies & Media

Jonathan Rosenbaum on "Crash" and How He Rates Movies

Today, Jonathan Rosenbaum zeroes in on what drove me crazy about Crash. (Warning: Spoilers!!) Short Cuts MagnoliaCrash He goes on, then to explain how he arrives at a 3-out-of-4 star rating for the film, in what must be the best piece of film writing I've read all week: