Five Stars! How to Become a Film Critic, the World's Greatest Job

The founder of the Web site filmcritic.com offers his take on the business and philosophy of film crit, based on his experiences with the site. Null focuses on the Internet as ""the world's great media liberator,"" and argues that it's the best way for a beginner to get published. He then, over about 100 pages, takes the reader through the mechanics of actually writing a review. For someone just starting out this may be the most valuable part of the book, from sections on ""Judging Cinematography"" to internalizing ""The Point of a Movie Review."" Later chapters on the business aspects of film writing ease neophytes into a difficult market. Null also includes a list of ""300 Must-See Films for the Aspiring Critic,"" a good starting point for anyone looking to learn more about the movies. While this is a useful book for those who simply want to write reviews for a blog-sized audience, writers looking to break into prestige publications should probably seek advice elsewhere.