Critically Thinking, Kelechi Ehenulo
As Jefferson Davis once said in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, aka my favourite film from 2023, - “Look, life is a journey!” As comedic as that line delivery was (thanks to the artistic delivery by Brian Tyree Henry), the essence was certainly true when I became a Freelance Film Critic!
I’ve always been a film fan. I was a nerdy, sci-fi-loving kid who wanted to learn all about the force thanks to Star Wars (a love I still carry today). I would classify a cinema as my ‘second home’ thanks to Saturday trips to see the latest movies of the week. Watching directors such as Scorsese, Spielberg and Spike Lee captured my imagination on the possibilities of filmmaking and storytelling. And yes, Disney’s The Lion King was my most-watched animated film, introducing me to my first Hans Zimmer score. But little did I know, these treasured moments of my youth became the building blocks of my film journey.
It started in 2013, but the idea of becoming a film critic didn’t materialise. I was working at my day job when my friend - who always enjoyed our film chats - suggested that I should start a film blog. My response was a simple chuckle with the now immortal words whenever I tell this story: “Who’s going to read that?” Well, he had the last laugh! Months later, after catching a horrible flu and needing something to do while I recovered, I created a blog - Confessions From A Geek Mind.
My blog became my entry point into the film journalism industry. I may not have gone down the traditional paths such as a university course, but I was willing to learn the etiquette and practices and experiment with my writing. The more I wrote (whilst expressing my love of film), the better I became - and that opened doors to other opportunities. I started writing for other sites such as Set the Tape, got my first paid commissions through Film Stories, JumpCut Online and Movie Marker, wrote features for Digital Spy and The Daily Mirror, and reached a writing (and podcasting) pinnacle with Empire Magazine. In 2023, I was inducted into the Critics Circle, marking me as one of the top establishing critics in the country.
A big part of my goal is to inspire the next generation of film critics. The lack of inclusion is evident, especially when our life experiences have a unique insight into how we view cinema - and it’s important to acknowledge that. So, if you want to learn more about the journey and how you can be a shining light in the film journalism world, come and check out my class on Thursday 28 March at TNB XPO, and let’s make a change together.