Is film criticism dead? Kidding, right?

I spent the noon hour talking about film criticism on the show that Bob Glatzer does for KYRS. Our topic, to be specific, was whether film criticism is dead.

First of all, that’s a fairly arrogant point of view. It’s put forth mostly by traditional newspaper critics who, as that industry has tanked, have seen their jobs gradually disappear.

Second, it ignores the fact that criticism is more alive than ever. You can go to any number of Web sites and find smart, knowing commentary on all sorts of film.

And, third, it misses the point. The question is not whether film criticism is is dead. It’s whether good film criticism is dead. Which is a whole different question.

What with the democratization of criticism in all artistic fields, there are far more voices vying to be heard. Just a few years ago, there were far fewer critics with bona-fide platforms from which to pontificate. The rest of us were limited to reading, and sometimes fuming, or writing letters to the editor - which seldom got printed.

Now, with the proliferation of the Internet, everyone has a forum. And that means that everyone with an opinion - and you know what the wag says about opinions - can have his say.

My belief is that good commentary stands out. The best work speaks for itself. Same for the marketers , fans and posers.

So, is film criticism dead? Hell no. You just have to know where to look.

Oh, and it helps to know how to judge what you find.

Below : Does anyone pay any attention to this guy?