Okay, not food. And okay, it's just one panel. I'm reading an Eno biography at the moment, whaddya want from me.
This Saturday the Film Society of Lincoln Center's having a panel on everybody's favorite subject, the future of film criticism, entitled "Film Criticism In Crisis?" on this Saturday the 27th, 1 p.m., at the Walter Reade theater. This panel, moderated by Film Comment's Gavin Smith, has a refreshing international perspective—in addition to its American contingent, the great Kent Jones, the great Jonathan Rosenbaum, the near-great Jessica Winter, and the mysterious Acquarello, the panel also features Emmanuel Burdeau, editor of the beleagured Cahiers du Cinema, Suung-hoon Jeong, one-time critic for the Korean film weekly Cine 21, and in a rare appearance in these parts, American-in-Berlin David Hudson of the estimable GreenCine Daily.
Should be fun. If you hear a guy heckling "Fuck you and Manny Farber" from the back of the hall, I'd expect that'd be Steven Boone. Okay. I really have to stop.
More info on the program is here.
UPDATE: A mutual friend of Mr. Boone and myself mildly chided my snark in an e-mail. He's right to. Truth to tell, Boone belongs on this panel; like it or not, he's bringing something new to the table, passionately. He'd get some sparks flying up there.
What about Detroit? What about Houston? What about Pittsburgh, PA?
Damn you for what you've started. The panel sounds interesting, certainly, I doubt I'll be in the area but if I am, I'll make time. :-)
Posted by: Dan | September 24, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Damn, I wish my friends weren't getting married Saturday. Idiots. Glenn, others attending, please fill us in on how things went...
Posted by: Josh Ralske | September 24, 2008 at 03:04 PM
Is it just me, or do critics spend more time talking about the state of criticism these days than actually, y'know, writing some. I mean, it's a navel-gazing sport by nature, but these summits--whether held virtually, on the page, or in movie theatres--are starting to become a form of satire.
Posted by: Bill C | September 24, 2008 at 05:01 PM
Just a caveat about the "greatness" of Kent Jones. He is clearly very knowledgeable but carries with him, especially on his posts at Dave Kehr, a smug sense of superiority to all us peasants.
Posted by: Herman Scobie | September 25, 2008 at 11:23 AM
I dunno Herman. Kent's critical voice is pretty assured, but I don't find him smug in the least—not as a critic, not as a blog commenter, not as a person. Then again, there are more than a few folks out there who consider ME smug, so maybe what do I know?
Speaking of Dave Kehr's blog, that Michael Worrall character has really been stinking up the place, alas. There are some things worse than smugness, genuine or perceived.
Posted by: Glenn Kenny | September 25, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Herman, you should read Physical Evidence, the collection of Kent's essays that Wesleyan published several months back. Besides the fact that it's essential reading, it's proof positive that his writing is anything but smug. Scholarly and assured, yeah; smug, not quite.
Posted by: dfear | September 25, 2008 at 02:45 PM
i'd go, but i have to hold down the fort at Grassroots.
Pro Tip: Grassroots Tavern is where you should always get drunk and discuss film before screaming at each other and getting into a fist fight.
Posted by: lichman | September 25, 2008 at 08:59 PM
Mr. Kenny, I do not wish to "stink-up" your blog, but apparently I am not the only one who takes issue with Kent Jones' hubris, as Herman Scobie noted. How is a critical voice "assured" when the person proudly proclaims not to look at his writing for consistency?
Posted by: Michael Worrall | October 09, 2008 at 03:50 AM