I know that many of you are new to the site. You may have found us from a fellow film fan, Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc. I wanted to give you a little insight into why I started Reel Talk Inc. and why it’s so important that I be the best critic I can be for you – the readers.
Ray Bradbury said, “Love what you do and do what you love. Don’t listen to anyone else who tells you not to do it. You do what you want, what you love.” This quote phrases exactly why I became a film critic. I am a film critic because I love movies and I love writing about them. When you find something you love doing, you don’t let it go. My passion for film, its history, and filmmaking drives everything I write about and allows me to share with film fans and casual moviegoers through this site and through our Reel Chronicles podcast.
As far back as I remember, I’ve always loved movies. Growing up as an only child, movies were comforting, exciting, and educational for me. It didn’t matter if I watched a classic like Casablanca on cable or one of my favorites, Batman, on VHS; to me, each film was as important as the next. The excitement I got from going to the movies and watching it on a big screen remained the same as when my mom would bring home a new film for me to watch. Going to Blockbuster was a treat, especially when I got old enough to go by myself. For many years, Blockbuster was my library until I got to build my own DVDs and Blu-rays collection.
A few years later, taking cinema studies classes in college (Rutgers University), I adopted a formal education on film history, writing, and filmmaking. This allowed me a foundation to start writing film criticism. Graduating into a recession at the time, I took on other full-time jobs while pursuing my writing passion. In 2015, I created the Reel Talk Inc. Instagram to start publishing my reviews. In July 2016, I founded ReelTalkInc.com, where I continued writing reviews, in addition to film/TV news, trailers, features, and more, all while managing a small staff. In March 2017, I started Reel Chronicles, our weekly podcast devoted to film and television covering timely news and themed topics.
As a critic, I cover all movies – excellent, good, mediocre, and bad. There’s no film I don’t have an opinion about and if you’ve heard the podcast, you know that. Informing my readers and listeners on what they should watch or not is fundamental to me. Through the site and our social media, I’ve been able to debate and recommend to film fans and casual moviegoers alike. I’ve found that turning casual moviegoers into passioned fans has been one of my favorite things as a result of being a film critic. Connecting with film fans and sharing our passion has been another.
For me being a critic is 24/7. It’s my job to inform you of what’s coming out and why it has value or doesn’t. As a critic, in my reviews, it’s just as crucial to educate on filmmaking aspects and write about film history, especially to younger generations. The importance of a vast knowledge of what came before us is a significant need for properly critiquing film, one that I take pride in consistently showing within the contents of my reviews. The only way to honestly critique and appreciate films of today and tomorrow is to understand both source material and history. Being knowledgeable with different directors and their styles, paying close attention to aesthetic differences in art direction, cinematography, plot development, and musical scores (one of my favorites) is crucial as a critic. The more you know about film, the more effectively you’ll be able to compare and contrast the works of different artists.
When I begin reviewing a film, I start with initial notes before I watch a movie. Throughout the viewing process, I write down key aspects I want to note in my writing as I discover them through the first watch. After a film, I write down a few more of my reactions and start formulating my outline. As I begin writing, I make special note of any topics I may need to dig deeper into, and what technical details I want to cover or film comparisons I need to make. My first review is never the one you see. It goes on to two or more drafts before the final is published to ensure a more distinctive style.
As a critic, I am always learning, and I continue my professional development through writing courses, film research, following industry events, reading and watching fellow critics online, and delving into awards season – my favorite time of year. Following the industry during this time is electric, and I cover extensively on my site and podcast. I see it similar to sports, with each show culminating in the big grand finale of film tradition and vital recognition for any artist – the Oscars. I’ve even developed my own formula for predictions, and in the years I’ve been writing about film, I’ve been able to perfect it. This year, I was 21/24, and I’m so happy Parasite won.
I love to hear from you all so please reach out at david@reeltalkinc.com or on our social channels.
Thank you for your support.
