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This blog is dedicated to the discussion of film, cinema, video, etc., etc. It is my belief that much of today’s film criticism has become stale and almost irrelevant due to widespread practices of succumbing to studio influence and a failure to find new approaches toward the discussion of cinema.

Much of today’s film writing has completely strayed from the practice of filmmaking, existing as a totally independent entity designed to persuade audiences to see some films and avoid others. In this style of film writing, prevalent in major media across the world, writers fail to shed new light on their subject nor to even come close to interacting with the films they write about. Instead, film critics talk AT their audience ABOUT films instead of ENGAGING both the film and the readers.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are the film academics who disdain a general readership and often seem to hold little to no respect for the act of filmmaking and for the emotional discussion of film spectatorship. Instead, many film academics prefer the elitist terminology of their studies which serve to alienate serious discussion of cinema from the vast majority of those who do not hold a degree in FIlm Studies.

What I hope to achieve with this blog, in some small way, is a new style of film discussion which treats cinema and those who wish to discuss cinema seriously. I would like to develop a method of film writing which relies equally on over a hundred years of film theory and analysis and emotional responses elicited through film spectatorship. I would also like my film writing to be in tune with the process of filmmaking and distribution, existing as a valid component of film culture and not some sideshow designed to fill seats in the theaters. My goal is to write about film culture as a whole, not just individual films.

I believe that how we remember films is equally as valid as how films actually are, as this helps us to understand our emotional response to cinema. I also believe that films must be approaced and analyzed as cultural and economic products. With this in mind, I hope to develop a loose style of film writing which is underlined by a political and social awareness of cinematic products.

I feel that all films are equally valid in discussion, but I wish to pay particular attention to the concept of “counter cinema,” that is, a cinema which stands in opposition to commercial cinema due to its methods of production, distribution, subject matter, and form. However, I realize that commercial cinema is by far the most popular form of entertainment in the world, so I do not wish to ignore it. Rather, I wish to engage it with as much consideration as would be given to “serious” films.

What all of this boils down to is that I want to write about films through a fresh perspective. I want to incorporate the theories of film academia, emotional responses, observation, discussion, political and social analysis, and pure love of cinema into a loose, easily accessible style of film writing. I am not going to follow any rules in my writing, I just want to offer something different. If you have read this far, then maybe you will like this blog.

Welcome to “C is for Cinema.”

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