What is Screen Criticism in the 21st Century?

What is Screen Criticism in the 21^st Century?

By: Jenna De Bono

 Screen criticism has changed extensively over time and could be described and understood in many different ways, however screen criticism is fundamentally an individual’s opinion on a film.  Usually the author (the critic) will engage in a discussion as to qualify their opinion and perhaps offering some interesting observations on a film.  Aspects of film that are critiqued include acting, make-up, lighting, cinematography, screenplay, direction and so on.  However as previously mentioned, screen criticism has changed over time and it is interesting to explore some of the fundamental reasons for this change.  The evolution of the Internet has drastically changed and shaped the way screen criticism is created, approached and received.  Before the Internet, screen criticism was a highbrow form of writing belonging to the world of film academics, journalists and filmmakers.  These articles were featured in film magazines such as “Cahiers du Cinéma and Sight and Sound” and writers would offer criticism about film as a cultural phenomenon.  Screen critics would argue what aspects of films were satisfying or disappointing. While these early screen criticisms essentially expressed writer’s opinions about films the criticism was a discussion of why they thought a film had merit or otherwise.  Their discussion was richly enveloped in knowledge of film fundamentals, knowledge about the director’s style and an analysis of its filmic qualities.

The invention of the Internet has made films, articles and other writings abundantly accessible.  The general public are able to watch a film, create a web page and express opinions on a film.  This method of creating and accessing screen criticism has given birth to websites such as Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, Wikipedia, YouTube and Facebook, which are all popular avenues for reading screen critiques.  Growing up with this Internet technology means that screen criticism is largely written by individuals expressing their opinions on what they think of a particular film or television show.  The development of technology has also brought changes to the type of language used in screen criticism.  For me, the use of colloquial language is one of the fundamental changes that I have observed.  In a way, this type of writing style is more welcoming and reaches a larger audience than the more intellectual and academic screen criticism that was previously seen.

 Another observable shift with the introduction of the Internet and street press is the unchecked harshness that artists can be subjected to.  About 3 years ago I remember I was sitting in a café in Brunswick Street in Fitzroy reading the free street magazine “Beat” enclosed was a music criticism of one of my favorite artists, Katie Noonan, lastest record,.  This particular record was a cover of Beatles songs.  The author of this article wrote that Katie Noonan clearly that run out of ideas and was all washed up.  Noonan’s only option was to make a cover album. (I am paraphrasing here).  While this was a critic of music not a film, it does demonstrate my point that the intention of a critic has changed, perhaps to be negitively critical rather than to critique.  There was no mention of the quality of the recording, the use of jazz instrumentation or the use of live recording.  This music critic was simply saying in the words of Jay Sherman, (film critic from The Simpsons), “It stinks!”  Perhaps this shift in screen criticism is not necessarily a negative turn for screen criticism.  The changes we see in screen criticism reflects something of the way that contemporary society functions.  We live in a society where we can speak more freely and say what we believe and think.  The shift of unfettered screen criticism is an example of this freedom we have. 

So screen criticism can be an article that explores a range of cinematic traditions written by an academic or an intellectual or it can be written by a 16 year old with a laptop and access to the Internet. or Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratten on At the Movies.  All are legitimate forms of screen criticism and all have their place in the contemporary conversation about culture.