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So Long
Apologies in advance if this post is a bit lengthy, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t share a few thoughts regarding your decision to hang up the pen. First off, a thousand thanks for your contributions over the decades. I’m beginning to realize how much I relied on your reviews to separate the wheat from the chaff. Who knows how much money (and frustration) you saved me over the years. Your critiques included more depth in analysis, more appreciation for the medium, than any other reviews I’ve ever read. I can honestly say that I became better educated about the art of cinema as a result of your work. You would invariably add to my appreciation of a film that I already cherished, say, for example, “Persepolis” - by crediting features that I had overlooked. And when I would fall in love with a film that you were ho-hum about (“The New World” comes to mind), I would actually enjoy reading how you felt it missed the mark. More often than not, you would point out flaws that I was willing to rationalize away. I think what I’m trying to say is that you were an exceptionally great read for anyone who wanted to learn more about the nuances of film. It strikes me as odd that readers of movie critiques so often want the author to simply validate the views they already hold, instead of approaching a review with the willingness to genuinely consider an opposing viewpoint. The Dark Knight illustrates my point. I’m not ashamed to admit that I fell for such mainstream fodder, yet I was hardly offended (as so many others were) at your black dot. Your analogy about the Tower records store hits home. I share your dismay at the commoditization of movies to an extremely low bar. Likewise with a begrudging embrace of technological advancements. But there are flipsides to those coins: inside that sterile warehouse filled with throwaway pop music you were able to find a bin devoted to Brahms; and the Internet introduced your work to individuals who would have never read you otherwise. Case in point: I lived on the tiny Micronesian island of Saipan for over 16 years – my best friend suggested your columns after he had visited San Diego. I, in turn, recommended you to a handful of like-minded friends, and so on… Which leads to a proposition. It takes nothing to start a blog, and you would be your own boss. No assignments, no deadlines, no pressure. If, and only if, you find the urge to comment on the likes of a “Cairo Time”, please consider sharing those thoughts – even if it amounts to only a couple of submissions a year. This might sound selfish – as if your purpose is to please readers like myself. I hope it does not, because I honestly believe such a side hobby would be immensely gratifying for you. You are, after all, a very gifted writer, and you might end up missing that more than you think. I will not be the only one doing an occasional Google search of your name, to see if you take such bait.— November 21, 2010 8:03 p.m.