American Movie Critics: An Anthology From the Silents Until Now

American Movie Critics assembles writings from over a century of film criticism, featuring work from the silent era through modern times. The anthology includes pieces from renowned critics like James Agee, Pauline Kael, and Roger Ebert, along with contributions from writers not primarily known for film criticism such as Carl Sandburg and John Ashbery. The book presents the selections chronologically, allowing readers to trace the evolution of both cinema and critical approaches across different decades. Each critic's section opens with biographical context and commentary from editor Phillip Lopate, providing background on their careers and significance to the field. The collection spans multiple styles of criticism - from academic analysis to more journalistic reviews - and covers mainstream Hollywood films, international cinema, and experimental works. Critics engage with topics ranging from technical innovations in filmmaking to broader cultural discussions about the role of movies in society. This anthology highlights how film criticism has served as both a mirror and shaper of American cultural thought, capturing changing perspectives on art, entertainment, and social values through the lens of cinema. The collected works demonstrate the development of film criticism from newspaper reportage into a distinct literary form.

Readers appreciate the comprehensive selection of film criticism spanning multiple decades, with many noting the value of reading reviews from different eras back-to-back. The inclusion of lesser-known critics alongside famous names like Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert draws positive comments. Many readers point to the historical context provided by early film reviews as a highlight. A recurring comment is how the book demonstrates the evolution of both movies and criticism over time. Common criticisms include the length of some selections and an emphasis on New York-based critics. Several readers mention wanting more international perspectives. Some note the book can feel academic rather than accessible. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.25/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (21 ratings) Sample reader comment: "The anthology works best when read in small doses rather than straight through - there's a lot to digest here." - Goodreads reviewer Critics and film students cite it as a useful reference, while casual readers sometimes find the 750+ pages overwhelming.

For Keeps: 30 Years at the Movies by Pauline Kael This collection presents three decades of film criticism from The New Yorker's most influential critic, whose reviews shaped the discourse of American cinema from 1968 to 1991.

Better Living Through Criticism by A. O. Scott The New York Times film critic examines the purpose and practice of criticism through history, philosophy, and personal experience in the arts.

The Great Movies by Roger Ebert This compilation features Ebert's essays on 100 films he considered masterpieces, providing context, analysis, and historical significance for each selection.

Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris The book traces the production and impact of the five Best Picture nominees from 1967 to demonstrate the transformation of American filmmaking.

When Movies Mattered: Reviews from a Transformative Decade by Dave Kehr This collection presents reviews from the Chicago Reader during the 1970s and 1980s, documenting the evolution of both mainstream and independent cinema.

🎬 Despite being nearly 800 pages long, the anthology notably omits several significant film critics, including Andrew Sarris, whose "auteur theory" revolutionized American film criticism in the 1960s. 📝 Editor Phillip Lopate included several non-professional movie critics in the collection, such as poet Elizabeth Hardwick and novelist James Agee, showing how film criticism transcended traditional journalism. 📚 The book traces the evolution of American film criticism from the silent era of the 1920s through the rise of the internet, demonstrating how writing about movies shifted from simple plot summaries to complex cultural analysis. 🎯 Many critics featured in the anthology, including Pauline Kael and James Baldwin, went against popular opinion of their time - Kael famously panned "The Sound of Music" when it was breaking box office records. 🗞️ The collection reveals how early movie critics often wrote under pseudonyms to maintain their credibility, as film criticism wasn't considered a serious journalistic pursuit until the mid-20th century.