Why I Love The Movies

By Christian Eltell

Written on February 27, 2019

The movies are an artistic form of expression. Whether films are based on real-life stories or fantasies (i.e. superheroes), filmmakers have innovated spectators with characters and narratives that make us feel pumped-up, emotional, scared, fearless, powerful, etc. I am a lover of the crime dramas, the westerns, and gangster pictures because I enjoy watching tough guys, good and evil, conflicted and motivated, going at it and fighting for their own cause. I’ve also appreciated the power of women and people of diverse backgrounds so that we view their perspectives in powerful stories. When I rank what I consider the best films of all time, or my favorite picks of each year, I determine my top lists based on the power of the characters and the stories being told and written by talented storytellers.

I am one of those film lovers who enjoys watching award shows, particularly the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. My favorite films won’t always coincide with the award winners and nominees, but the joy of watching these shows is to see which of our favorite actors and filmmakers will win. While I enjoy the Oscars and the Golden Globes, I was disappointed at times with the lack of diversity in the acting and directing categories. Just to be clear, all the nominees that give powerful, impactful performances, and bring great characters and stories to life, are very much worthy, regardless of race, color, and background, but it is important to recognize diverse talents in film, whether they’re in big budget movies, prestige pictures, indie films, smaller budget pictures, etc. I also believe that the Golden Globes and the Oscars should each increase the number of nominees in each category, especially the acting and directing categories, similar to how the Oscars was able to increase the number of best picture nominees after The Dark Knight was noticeably snubbed in 2009. Five is just not enough. Why not six to eight nominees? The Critics Choice Awards has about seven nominees in the directing and acting categories, and more than five best picture nominees. Directing nominees should also be seven or eight so that deserving female, African American, and other filmmakers of diverse cultures and backgrounds can be recognized come awards season. If there are worthy actors and filmmakers that gain recognition for their work, there shouldn’t be a limit to the number of nominees in these award shows.

However, nominated or not, all films should be acknowledged for their craft and form of expression. I hope to be a film critic who can provide insightful arguments toward films that spectators either love or hate, because film is a powerful viewing experience that makes all of us think about real issues, as well as imaginary fantasies we’ve never dreamed of before. Ever since 2010, I have focused on film criticism due to the inspiring reviews of film critics like Roger Ebert, Gene Siskel, Richard Roeper, Peter Travers, and James Berardinelli, to name a few. IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes are also effective websites for reading various insights (even when some of my favorite films are bashed). Ebert’s reviews especially caught my eye because he had the ability to dissect a film based on what it accomplished in its message, or the problems it had due to a lack of focus or plot contrivances. Ebert and these movie reviewers have made film criticism a personal and professional goal for me because I love the power of films and what they are trying to say about the world we live in, or to explore new heights and dimensions.