Being a Movie Critic The one thing that has stuck with me in life about occupations I pursue is that I have to love it in order to be successful at it. Being a movie critic allows me to comment on how I see the world through the films I watch. There are those around me currently who say that pursuing a career as a film critic limits my options for how I can be successful in life. I think for decades people have focused on success because it is how people in the United States comprehend that they have achieved something. I have achieved a great many things in my short life so far and most of them are everyday skills people don’t think about or possibly take for granted but, those small achievements keep me whole. Because I am disabled people perceive me differently and as a result I in turn perceive success differently. It is that perception that drew me to film criticism. Audiences sometimes believe a film can only do so much for them because of a film’s premise or the characters acting out personality traits on screen. I believe films can do so much more than that. Films for me, are a running continuous commentary on how human beings live our daily lives. Movies can talk about things we feel, places we’ve been, people we know, or how we process emotions. Film is a media that attempts to evolve as we do and being successful at writing about such an evolution is not what endears me to my occupation, it’s the ability to have the experience and feel that I can identify or relate to a film’s subject matter. During the depression era, films were used as a form of escapism from the harsh reality because an overwhelming percentage of the population of the United States was poor. People went to theater to laugh and be entertained. In latter years film would be used to inform us about the world outside of our country. Films always serve as constant source of commentary for how human beings live their lives. Being a film critic allows me the opportunity to voice my opinion on how movies effect me and whether they are valuable to the people deciding to see them. Film Criticism may not make me financially successful but it does give me a chance to voice my opinion about something I love. People often say the pen is mightier than the sword. I believe I am living proof of that saying. I have used my words to foster my understanding of people and the world around me. Film is one of those rare art forms that allows me to see the world in many different ways. I love going to the movies and reacting to how a director or writer comments on society and its norms. I’m passionate about storytelling and nothing gives me more joy than being able to say I was affected by the story in a movie. Movies are not the soundtrack of my life but I sure do love watching them. My name is Chike Coleman. Want to provide suggestions of movies you would like me to review? Have questions or comments about the site? Email me. Chikec8@gmail.com
