Life Itself By Martin Scorsese

the opening credits begin to roll. The anticipation leading to the film adds to the atmosphere, and the audience can barely remain in their seats. However, there are unfortunate situations where films do not meet expectations. Disappointed audience members are devastated at the less than desirable outcome of a film. For many people, movies are not just a form of entertainment; they’re an experience. Therefore, when a film is not up to par with the rest of the industry, it can have a lasting effect on an individual. The audience leaves the theater after the movie, wishing that someone had warned them about the poor production, just so they could have saved their money for something more worthwhile. Someone whose judgement and watchful eye could have steered them towards a more decent film. Thankfully, these “watchmen” of movies do exist, but they

Film critics can potentially save lives, or take them. Martin Scorsese, the renowned film director, is a prime example of this. In the documentary Life Itself, a film about criticism through Ebert, explains, “Scorsese, who fell in a period of depression the 1980s, said that it was Ebert’s words that gave him the will to keep living and to keep creating better movies” (Madanjian). Scorsese elaborated that Ebert saw promise in his directorial debut long before his first “masterpiece.” Many may find this hard to believe, as society considers him to be one of the most well-known directors of all time. Had Ebert said this differently, had the film been torn apart… Scorsese might not be around today. The power of criticism, regardless of the medium, is extremely underrated. Depending on whose hands it resides in, criticism can be a devastating weapon, or a powerful tool. When critics start constructing their reviews, the livelihood of all those involved with the project is at stake. One can only hope that things will end