EDITORIAL: Welcome to Red Eye

Seven movie reviews in and I haven’t said a word about myself or the site. How rude.

Why ‘Red Eye’? Well, as the subtitle of this site suggests, I watch too many movies, and I think my eyes aren’t exactly pearly-white. Who knows, though? Maybe I drink a ton of red eyes at Black Crown Coffee (if I ever go into cardiac arrest, I will spend zero time questioning the culprit). Maybe I really, really like that song ‘Red Eyes’ by the War on Drugs. Maybe all of the above. Maybe it just sounds cool.

I’m Jakob, the sole writer-editor-ruler of the site. I have recently rediscovered my love for writing, and I have lately been putting a lot of thought into a career in film criticism. With Microsoft Word, Internet access, money in my pocket, and time on my hands, I decided there is no reason not to start now. The editorial you are now reading is simply an introduction and an overview of what to expect from this point forward.

Other personal qualities and characteristics are for another time. 

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FILM REVIEWS

I rate films on a four-star scale. You’ve already seen seven of these, so I don’t think there’s too much introduction necessary. However, I do have a few notes I want to address:

I try to review movies as soon as they are released. However, this is a bit more difficult with the independent/foreign/art house scene goes. I am currently confined to Tucson, as far as seeing movies is concerned. This means that I don’t have access to the big film festivals (save for the local Loft Film Fest) and have to wait until they make it here, and sometimes that can take a while. For example: Michael Haneke’s latest film Happy End has been reviewed and discussed many a time already, but I can’t see it until February 9 at the earliest. I know everybody in the film world has already talked about it, but I haven’t seen it yet, and I intend on seeing it as soon as I get the opportunity, so at least I have an excuse.

The majority of the time, my reviews will be of new releases as I believe it’s mostly meaningless to review past films that have most likely been talked about time and time again. That said, I will give past films a review if I have good reason. For example; last August, there was a nationwide theatrical rerelease of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. It may be from 1991, but because it was such a huge film for its time, and considering there’s an event surrounding its rerelease, per se, that calls for a review.

These kinds of reviews are not exclusive to theatrical releases. I have Threads from 1984 slated for a review, as it is about to make its way to home video in the States for the first time ever. Once again, its impact/significance combined with a noteworthy release, I think it deserves a legitimate review.

Whatever it takes to talk about movies without it being too arbitrary.

EDITORIALS

These will most often either be some sort of update on the site, or some sort of musing on the art of cinema that I love so deeply (I know, I know, the latter sounds pretentious). Under normal circumstances, there will be one per month, and they will be published the first of every month - in the event that this isn't so, I will specify why.

GREAT FAVORITES

I have a list of films I call ‘Great Favorites’ – films I not only love with every fiber of my being, but also films that I genuinely believe are masterful achievements in the art of filmmaking. Every now and again, there will be an addition to the catalog with my thoughts on the film in question. There should be no question that every film among the Great Favorites is a four out of four.

THE UNSUNG

Many a time, I think we all see a film that absolutely blew our minds. Yet why does nobody talk or know about them? The Unsung is a series on, well, some the most unsung achievements in cinema. I am unsure whether or not to include movies I find to be over-criticized.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Entries of ‘Under the Microscope’ will be my most ambitious undertaking as far as the site goes. These will be my thoughts, theories, and in-depth analyses on choice films. As far as the type of films to expect, I have Kubrick’s The Shining and Tarkovsky’s Stalker in mind. These will not be common entries.

CRITERION FOR STARTERS

I am a religious devotee to the Criterion Collection. Anybody interested in the realm of foreign and art films need not to look further than Criterion, and in a catalog of 920 spine numbers and counting, ‘Criterion for Starters’ is a roadmap of Criterion’s quintessential titles for newbies.

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For most of these, except where specified, I don’t know how often these will be posted. Since I’m just starting this whole film criticism thing, I’m trying to take it one step at a time. I have a few more ideas for series’, but I haven’t fully decided if I want to do them yet. Maybe more to follow, maybe not.

So, with all that said, thanks for visiting, thanks for reading, and welcome to Red Eye.

P.S., never hesitate to drop me a line at jakob.redeye@mail.com.