For the Love of Movies

           For the Love of Movies by Gerald Peary is a must see film for anyone interested in film critiquing and has found themselves wondering how the profession came to be and exactly what film critiquing entails. Many famous film critics of the present and past are discussed in this movie. Some of today’s critics and those still alive from the past give interviews and excerpts, telling their own stories and offering advice.  This film covers the history of film critiquing in depth. We get to relive the 1920’s until the present through the eyes of some of the most popular film critics. Through this film we discover what has influenced film critiquing over the years and what influences it has had on the film industry, advertising, and society and the way they choose what movies to watch.

            This films main purpose is to give a glimpse inside the past and present film critiquing industry. It also lets the audience peek inside and see the interaction within the industry. This film is not meant to inspire or encourage future film critics. Many of the critics featured in the film say that they actually planned on pursuing other writing professions before they became a critic. Many of them do jokingly give advice to those who are contemplating this career by saying “try everything else first”.

This film also offers insight into what the future holds for the film critiquing industry. Some influential people in the film critiquing industry offer their views on how the industry is evolving and the role the internet is playing in this. They also discuss film critiques in the form of a blog or website. In this portion of the film they introduce some of today’s film critics that use the internet as their platform.

One thing that should be noted about this film is that it is imperative to give it your full attention, because it can be hard to follow. One minute it will be discussing the past and then there will be an excerpt with a present day film critic and then it will continue on with the past. Also, make a mental note of all the critic’s names when they are first introduced because they are not reintroduced and you could spend the rest of the film wondering who is who. This film does need a little spice to keep the audience’s attention. I found myself growing bored and restless but stuck it out because there was so much knowledge to obtain from this film. 

This film will educate you about on a profession that is not often discussed. You will learn the ins and outs of film critiquing from the actual critics themselves. It will also dispel rumors that the film critiquing industry is depleting when it is actually just evolving. Whether you are looking to make a career out of film critiquing or just enjoy blogging about the latest flicks, this film is a must see for any opinionated movie buff.