VIFF Review: For the Love of Movies

For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism

OPENING: 10/10/2009

STUDIO: AG Films

RUN TIME: 80 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Today, film criticism is a profession under siege.

Opening Statement
Once upon a time, film critics were an integral part of the movie industry. Back then, filmmakers heard critics’ opinions and studios valued the positive buzz generated by a respected voice. So too, newspapers treated their critics as legitimate columnists, granting them the opportunity to comment on culture and politics outside the realm of film. Now, media outlets see film critics as an unnecessary expense and studio executives could care less how they assess last weekend’s blockbuster. For the Love of Movies, the first documentary to look at the history of cinematic journalism, is a love letter to a profession that may have outlived its usefulness.

Facts of the Case
Written and directed by Gerald Peary, film critic for The Boston Phoenix, For the Love of Movies chronicles the history of movie reviewing and considers the future of the profession in light of the current state of newspaper publishing and the proliferation of internet critics. Chronologically structured according to key eras, the documentary charts the history of movie reviewing from trade papers running short synopses of silent films to attract studio advertising dollars, through today’s plethora of recognizable names and faces — Roger Ebert, Elvis Mitchell, A.O. Scott, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Harry Knowles, and Karina Longworth.

The Evidence
In an age where everyone’s a critic and any blogger can express his or her opinion to countless readers, does film criticism matter anymore? Does anyone care what Vincent Canby said about The Empire Strikes Back or what Stanley Kauffmann wrote about Psycho? What about you, dear reader? Does my reaction to this film make a difference to you? For the Love of Movies tells us the voice of the critic once mattered once, reinforcing my personal belief in the medium.

For the Love of Movies works by giving viewers a well-researched history of film criticism, supported by a plethora of archival newspaper excerpts and a surprising number of clips, a handful of which I had never seen before. This is a documentary meant for viewers who appreciate the voice of critics. If you are such a person, keep a pen handy for jotting down suggested readings and viewings mentioned throughout.

Putting a face (and voice) to these reviewers gives us a sense of the personalities behind their opinions. In one especially interesting and amusing segment, Andrew Sarris recalls his battle for critical superiority with Pauline Kael during the 1960s and ’70s, serving as a reminder that everyone views film in a different way. While I’ve never really been onboard with Kael’s viewpoint, gaining a better sense of where she was coming from is certainly valuable.

The recurring theme heard amongst today’s critics is that they write about what they love — film — making it easy for us to relate to them as fellow moviegoers. We also learn to appreciate that each writer comes to a film with his or her own experience that informs and influences his or her take on it. Director Gerald Peary is more concerned with his peers — that dying breed of newspaper critic — and doesn’t quite know what to make of the new generation of Internet reviewers. While he acknowledges their role in the evolution of mass media, he stops short of embracing them.

Unfortunately, For the Love of Movies lacks the polish of slicker theatrical documentaries. The consumer grade video footage and the simply animated graphics lend it a do-it-yourself feel. Transitioning between sections, the film’s pacing suffers from an overuse of the fade to black. The interviews date back as far as 2001, when Peary began interviewing his peers at film festivals. Organizing the historical material by time period works well enough, but some of the contemporary sound bites don’t quite fit in. These quibbles with the style of a first-time filmmaker do not significantly distract from the informative and entertainment value of the material itself. Listening to the interviews is like gabbing with fellow film nerds — albeit paid ones.

At the time of this review, For the Love of Movies does not have a distributor, so Peary is taking it to film festivals himself. Consumers will find it is also available for purchase on DVD through the film’s official site.

Closing Statement
I’d like to think readers still appreciate the opinions of writers who are knowledgeable about certain genres, willing to sample little-known and unusual works, can recognize when a movie is commenting on political and social issues, and willing to call something a stinker when they see it. If you’ve ever sought out a modest independent film, given an obscure foreign film a chance, or skipped a Michael Bay movie because of a review you read, For the Love of Movies is for you. The presentation may seem a little rough around the edges, but the information is valuable and serves as a reminder that quality film reviews do matter. The difference between professional critics and the judges who write for the Verdict family of sites is that they make a living from it, while we volunteer our efforts. What makes us the same is a love of movies, an ability to express that passion in writing, and open a dialogue with readers about it. I hope you feel what we do is a worthy endeavor and you’ll confirm that with your feedback and support.

The Verdict
8/10

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