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[jough]

I've started writing essays on films for my new web project, Cinema Review, and while I've done a LOT of writing in my life I've never really written in a structured way about film before, as much as I love watching them and studying about the history and making of them.

So I figured I'd start with a film that couldn't be summarised in 200 words, Spike Jonze's "Adaptation."

My article is over-long and probably spends too much time explaining the plot (and there are hella-spoilers in it for those that haven't seen the film).  

But I've learned a valuable life lesson: I still need to practice when writing in a new genre.  A lot.

And so I will be.  It's fun, though.

[AugustWest]

I like the site.  I enjoyed your review, especially since I just watched Adaptation for the first time on Saturday.

Very interesting movie, though I wouldn't classify it as great.  A little gimmicky, I suppose.  All kind of Gee Whiz, look how many levels I can operate on!  Also, why did everyone rave over Meryl Streep's performance herein?  Not bad, but not anything spectacular either.  Nothing compared to Cage or Columbus, both of whom were great.

[jough]

Oh, and I should also mention that the logo for said site was designed and rendered by our own Slink, who is a man of many talents.

[jough]

Serious Film Criticism for the Discerning Cinéaste.

That line just made me feel special all over to be viewing that thing.  Looks swell.

Thanks.  I spent about an hour working on different permentations of that line, and think all of those "s" sounds are sexy.  But the "for the" still doesn't sit right with me. But that's the tag line that'll be in the advertising and such.

I still have four more pieces I'm in the midst of working on, although I don't seem to be getting any better at this quickly (although I've been writing film commentary for about a week now, so I'm just being impatient, I'm sure).

Right now I'm just trying to find interested parties who will actually write something and turn it in to be published.  A month ago, two dozen people were interested but so far only one of them has actually submitted a finished piece.

Sigh.

[V-Adore]

Right now I'm just trying to find interested parties who will actually write something and turn it in to be published.  A month ago, two dozen people were interested but so far only one of them has actually submitted a finished piece.

Sigh.

Okay, I'll bite: what kind of things are you looking for?

I can ensure nothing, but I've always sort of wanted to write some criticism, and hey, if you need people...

[slink]

Well, I have done both music and computer game review work, and may be off use to you.
Again, depends on the kind of thing you want.
I could at least work on some stuff (although there's a possibility I may start working 60 hour weeks) and you could see what you think.

[jough]

I've been working feverishly for the past week to get something up that would be an example of what I was looking for, but the current review is much longer and too much of a "movie review" rather than just an essay about some aspect of a film so it's really not a good example.  Not that I'd turn away something like the above.

Anyway, I'm mostly looking for ideas and insights into some aspect of a film, or common threads between films, a look at a particular director's work, etc.

Length is not a problem, although to be listed on various movie link sites like IMDB and RottenTomatoes a review has to be at least 400 words long (my Adaptation review is 2500 words long).

Basically, any kind of serious writing about film that doesn't just rehash the plot and offer an opinion (like "I liked it because it featured race cars and I like race cars" - my favourite movie review of all time, for the movie Freejack, courtesy of some young girl on use(less)net.

I'd really like to only feature "positve" reviews - that is, I'd like for every director and film mentioned to be a recommendation.  I see the site as a collection of articles about movies and movie-makers that the writers feel deserve attention.

I'd especially like to see people writing about the qualities of films that were unfairly maligned, but not if they're going to be written in the style of contemporary French film essayists who will write about how brilliant a film like "Crossroads" is just so they can appear to be the only one who "gets it."

But for instance, I'm writing an essay about one of my favourite films of all time, "Top Gun."  And I also have half of a review of Renoir's "Les règles de jeu" done.  So it's a mix of the ridiculous and the sublime.

Like Achewood.

[V-Adore]

I'd really like to only feature "positve" reviews - that is, I'd like for every director and film mentioned to be a recommendation.  I see the site as a collection of articles about movies and movie-makers that the writers feel deserve attention.

I'd especially like to see people writing about the qualities of films that were unfairly maligned, but not if they're going to be written in the style of contemporary French film essayists who will write about how brilliant a film like "Crossroads" is just so they can appear to be the only one who "gets it."

See, this really tempts me to write or co-write an essay that's been lurking in my heads and in my cinephile conversations for some time -- a defense of "Manos: Hands of Fate" as film, if not precisely as high art. It'd probably be very op-ed, but it could work.

[slink]

Well, if that's the kind of thing you're after, I shall work on a review for a coupla things, and you can see what you make of 'em.
I shan't rush though! Since I can't.

[jough]

I would be interested in reading what many of you on here would have to say about a film.  I only ask that you re-view a film before writing about it, especially if it's one that I haven't seen and thus can't fact-check.

My current push for content is inspired by the several thousand people that will be visiting the site come 15 February, as I'll be hosting a "Top 100 DVD Releases of All Time" survey results list that's been answered by hundreds of people in the film industry and on various message boards.

I'm taking over the annual poll from the former runners of it, and while it is consuming far too much of my time it'll be nice to both host it on the new site and have some extra content for people to read while they're there, and hopefully enjoy the site enough to continue to read the new material.

So in like, 2 1/2 weeks I hope to have at least ten pieces up.

[AugustWest]

Hey, can I do Bloodsucking Freaks?

[jough]

Hey, can I do Bloodsucking Freaks?

If you can find something intelligent to say about it and make a point as to why anyone should watch it, let alone watch it more than once, then sure.

[CortJstr]

See, this really tempts me to write or co-write an essay that's been lurking in my heads and in my cinephile conversations for some time -- a defense of "Manos: Hands of Fate" as film, if not precisely as high art. It'd probably be very op-ed, but it could work.

It makes me sad that somebody else in VA already has TORGO plates on their car.

[V-Adore]

See, this really tempts me to write or co-write an essay that's been lurking in my heads and in my cinephile conversations for some time -- a defense of "Manos: Hands of Fate" as film, if not precisely as high art. It'd probably be very op-ed, but it could work.

It makes me sad that somebody else in VA already has TORGO plates on their car.

This is in fact a great tragedy. Sadness.

(And I bet "MASTER" is already gone, too...)

[AugustWest]

Hey, can I do Bloodsucking Freaks?

If you can find something intelligent to say about it and make a point as to why anyone should watch it, let alone watch it more than once, then sure.

Shouldn't be any tougher than Manos.