The Mission Statement

I'll be honest, I have been reluctant to start a blog in the past. In a generation that trumpets its own self-importance and is obsessed with instant gratification, the idea of expressing opinion and discourse in a text medium seemed unnecessary. This impulse ultimately has stifled creativity and left the soul un-quenched. So in an attempt to rekindle my own passion I would like to express some insight about the form of art and entertainment I know and love best, film.

This is not a movie review blog in the usual sense. I rarely make it out to the theatre as I can barely afford food. This blog instead aims to bring "lesser" known movies to the forefront for contemporary audiences. Lesser known doesn't just include niche movies or independent cinema; older classics and even blockbusters from decades before I include as modern audiences probably haven't seen, for example Steve McQueen's Bullitt. Basically I'm shilling for the titles you have seen at the videostore but haven't seen because you simply haven't heard much about them. I'm not reviewing the Transformer movies or Star Wars since everyone and their mothers have seen them.

I will attempt to limit the effect of my opinion. By "effect of my opinion" I mean of a particular genre of movies or personal opinions of actors and directors. I see movies as an experience, the problem with that is everyone seems to experience movies differently, as with anything. That being said, there will be clearly defined standards so that even if you disagree with my assessments you can still find this blog useful. I will be grading movies on five factors:

(Keep in mind I'm not a film major so don't chop my head off if you think I'm 100% wrong)


1. Writing: The characters should be well defined, the dialogue should be engrossing, it should have little to no plot holes and it must challenge the mind for me to absolutely love it. if it lacks all these criteria, I'll hate it, it's that simple.

2. Directing: There are no original stories, just original ways of telling them. I will consider things like originality, atmosphere and cinematography.


3. Acting: This category is a little harder to describe. I'm under the impression that anyone can act so long as they are given the proper training and apply their strengths. Some actors are just great to watch because they can disappear into their characters, others are merely passable. The best way I can describe my standards can be explained through an example: Take Vin Diesel in "The Fast and the Furious". By no means was he great but he fit the role and did what was asked.

4. Bankability: This is a little more straightforward, the more the film conforms to convention or the more bankable stars in it, the more appealing it becomes to some. Does that mean movies that break the mold or have no stars are bad? far from the truth, a lot of my favorite movies are lacking in those categories. Still it's a big deal to some who want to watch something enjoyable and are suddenly turned off by slower pacing, unrecognizable faces or antiquated film methods so I'll indulge this inclination.

5. The ALL Factor: Every once in a while a film comes along that works on all levels. Great acting, directing and writing while at the same time it makes you feel a host of emotions like fear, sadness, laughter and joy. These merry few flicks will stick with you for days, weeks or even years and transcends art and entertainment.

So now that you know the standards I will be instilling, I hope you read and enjoy my reviews. And remember, though I may be a lover of films I haven't seen everything out there so if you have suggestions, and they meet my standards, I would love to see them.