FAQ

What Makes you, Joe Holman, an outspoken atheist writer, qualified to be a movie critic?

Lots of things. First, I am an English Major. Second, I excel as a ghost/freelance writer and I pride myself on my ability to review and critique. Third, there’s my life’s journey. I learned a few things along the way. Life experience all by itself says a lot! Fourth, I once owned my own writing and editing company, so I know a thing or two about the vein of work I’m in! Fifth, I am a published author. These things more than qualify me for the work at hand.

Why waste your time with this? Does critiquing movies really matter, anyway?

I don’t believe I am wasting my time. And yes, critiquing movies does matter. I’m so damn tired of being disappointed by seeing the slop that passes for big screen entertainment these days. I’m fed up and want a change!

I decided to start this blog out of shear frustration. I am tired of seeing mind-numbing cinematic messes. I want to do something about it. I have long been a reader of movie reviews, and rarely have I seen good, balanced ones. So I decided to fill the niche!

How will you be grading the movies you critique?

On the oh-so-familiar A-F basis. An A- or + is a virtually perfect movie, the reflected equivalent of 4 stars. An F is…well…an F! The central components by which each movie will be judged (in no particular order of importance) are…

* Plot logistics and believability
* Character development
* Genre advancement and identity
* Factual accuracy
* Choreography
* Acting
* Flow and pace
* Dialogue

For more on how I will grade movies, click here.

Can we request a certain movie to be reviewed?

Um, sure! :-)

Are you recruiting writers for this blog?

No, not at this time. But that might very well change in the future. Check back.

Come on now! Isn’t this just your opinion?

No. Good movie critiques are objective, not personal. Just because I didn’t “like” a movie won’t necessarily have anything to do with its value as a movie. There are plenty of movies I don’t like merely because they don’t interest me in subject matter or movie type, but they may be good movies in and of themselves (i.e. animated kid’s movies). I will always judge a movie on its merits only.

What are your ideas of good and bad movies?

Good: The Game, Fight Club, The Illusionist, American Beauty, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 310 to Yuma, Unforgiven, Tommy Boy, The Matrix, The Bourne Identity series, Shawshank Redemption, Slingblade, Good Luck Chuck, and Step-brothers.

Bad: Shark Attack 1,2,3, Epic Movie, Fear.com, Beloved, Showgirls, Battlefield Earth, Manos: The Hands of Fate, Mission to Mars, and Sea of Fear.

Mediocre: Superman Returns, Untraceable

Good but under-appreciated: Unbreakable, V for Vendetta

What separates you from other movie reviewers?

Quite simply, my devotion and objectivity! More specifically, my emphasis as a critic is on the intellectual soundness of movies, as well as emphasis on scientific and factual soundness in the eyes of a more discerning and critical (skeptical) audience. My goal is to answer the question that should be answered by every movie critic: Does the film make it or break it in what it was set out to achieve? A comedy must be funny, a horror movie must be scary, a drama must be heartfelt, etc. What I am interested in determining is whether or not the movie succeeds or fails in its genre.

(JH)