On Ebert...and Movies by A. Gates

I was thinking last night about the joy of film and how my understanding of this love is in constant transition. I lost some of my fervor for the art of film spending a semester in Los Angeles. It's not a fault of the city, of its people, or the program I studied in. I was just intimately aware of the difficulty in making a worthwhile film and, above all, the fact that movie making is a business. From the independent film industry to "Hollywood", they want to make a profit. It's discouraging when all you want to do is read a good script or watch a great storyteller at work and people keep incessantly (and perhaps rightly) asking, "Will it sell?"
Oscar season is here, and it's a time of discouragement for some. Still, I am increasingly excited by Hollywood's Big Dance. I root for my favorite films, filmmakers, and performers, (and let's certainly not forget the writers) as though they were my beloved Packers in the the Super Bowl. I cringe at the ornamental ceremony and awkward speeches, but thrive when something or someone I admire, whose works MATTERS to me, is given the highest recognition they can receive. Sure, it's kind of a popularity contest and much is considered by voters other than the actual work itself, but it means something to those that receive an Oscar and it means something to me. If nothing else, awards season buzz gives me a list of movies I want to see. As the Academy leans more toward "independent" fare over the Hollywood epics of old (and lose TV ratings along the way), they align themselves with my tastes.
I thought about critics. They tell us what is good and bad. They frame a film by their standards and are both praised and maligned for it. I will say this. A critic whom you trust, one that can say what they mean and back it up intelligently (and whom you believe), is worth his or her weight in gold. It's hard to say if I have a favorite critic. I start and end my search with Roger Ebert. If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, he (or his first TV co-host Gene Siskel) is probably the first critic you had ever heard of even before you knew what a critic was. As the years have passed, he has become like a trusted advisor to me. His passion for movies, even after all the horrible movies he has been forced to sit through, remains untarnished. "Two Thumbs Up" was the first recommendation for a film I can remember hearing, but I now look toward his written reviews for his wit, intelligent analysis, and standards. I want to know what he thinks.
I'll add this: everyone's a critic...and should be. I'll read Ebert's reviews for a starting point on deciding whether or not I want to see a movie, but sometimes I have to decide on my own. Sometimes I disagree with the man (such as on his review of The Usual Suspects), but I trust that he has reasons for what he's saying. Like a friend, I look to him for advice, not answers. Again, we should all do this. If you're having a chat with a pal and they begin talking about an awesome movie that you also think is awesome, pick their brain a while. Are your tastes aligned? If so, ask for recommendations. The best thing a fan of a film can do is tell someone else it is good and why. And like Ebert, you can look toward this person for advice, decide whether or not to see a movie, and come up with your own answer as to whether a movie is worthwhile.
If you love a movie, you have to share it. You could wacth a DVD in your living room painted in team colors or wearing a costume like the most rabid of sports fans (and many do), but remember that a good movie is a terrible thing to keep to yourself. And those who can't do, critique. That's okay, as long as they do it very well.