


Phillips’ competence regarding the film industry continues to show in the above video. Phillips’ desire for professionalism is evident in the Chicago Tribune‘s YouTube videos, where he debates aspects of film culture. In reference to contemporary film critics, “finding them and encouraging them isn’t easy” 4. Phillips regards professionalism within film criticism as extremely important. He currently works for the Chicago Tribune.

#Calibre press redlettermedia professional
Michael Phillips, like Kermode, is a professional film critic who has worked in print journalism. Kermode compares Chappie to earlier sci-fi films such as Robocop, once again having the ability to indicate a film’s thematic and aesthetic style. Kermode then describes Chappie‘s narrative, noting how the theme of innocence and societies’ use of artificial intelligence raises questions for its audience. Firstly Kermode discusses Neill Blomkamp’s ( Chappie‘s Director) previous work to indicate Chappie’s aesthetic and thematic style. Kermode continues to show his ability to recite detailed cinematic knowledge when discussing Chappie. Kermode is able to create an impression upon audiences regarding their expectations of Fifty Shades of Grey. Kermode continues to show his professionalism by using his extensive cinematic knowledge to compare and contrast, referring to the 1986 film 9 1/2 weeks to show how Fifty Shades of Grey can be seen as ‘mainstream, middle of the road, standard sexist anxiety about displays of male nudity’. Kermode’s ability to take a section of a character’s speech to emphasise his criticism of the dialogue makes audiences understand his opinion, reflecting Kermode’s professionalism. For example, Kermode criticises Anastasia’s tone of speech in relation to the dialogue that he describes as “parodically bad”. Kermode then describes Fifty Shades of Grey‘s narrative in a literal and subjective manner. Throughout Kermode’s review, he shows detailed knowledge of Fifty Shades of Grey‘s history to inform his audience what all the hype is about, a vital requirement for any film critic. Below is Kermode’s review of Fifty Shades of Grey: Kermode also regularly appears online on Simon Mayo’s BBC Radio Five program, where videos are posted on YouTube. Kermode recently became chief film critic for the British newspaper The Observer, reflecting his professional expertise and consolidating Kermode as a “passionate film enthusiast” 3. Mark Kermode has a long history in film criticism, beginning in print journalism and contributing to film magazines such as Sight & Sound. Does the professional film critic with their academic education and formal cinematic knowledge have the upper hand over the creative amateur? Professional Film Critics and Online Content Yet, it raises questions as to which film critics should be respected. This is unsurprising since social media sites like YouTube have over a billion users and is available in seventy-five countries 2, attracting far more range than any newspaper or cinema journal. As vast quantities of people browse online, film critics both professional and amateur engage with online content to attain large audiences. As Chuck Tryon recently stated 1 “changes that are taking place within the realm of media distribution and consumption, especially as we seek to make sense of an emerging on-demand culture”. The expansion of social media and other user-friendly online content means film criticism has moved away from written text in newspapers and cinema journals. Contemporary Film Criticism: A Decline in Standards?
