Read on Twitter
Ughhhh. Ok. Here& #39;s what apparently passes for a Hot Take now on Twitter: CITIZEN KANE is my favorite movie of all-time. Not cuz it& #39;s gives me some kind of cinephile cred, but because I genuinely, honestly think it& #39;s one of the most entertaining films I& #39;ve ever seen. Thread...
So I& #39;m 11 yrs old and "Video Review" airs on Animaniacs where they mention CITIZEN KANE. I had just heard Roger Ebert talk about this movie somewhere and then, weirdly, it airs on TCM so I watch it. And I& #39;m mesmerized. 11 yrs old and this thing has me completely enthralled.
A few years later I get myself a copy of Robert Carringer& #39;s "The Making of Citizen Kane." That book stayed with me in my locker through high school. I was fascinated. I had to know everything.
A few years after that, I get a copy of the movie on DVD for Christmas. This is the first time I hear Roger Ebert& #39;s full commentary track and I fell even more in love with the film. I ended up watching it every year.
When they showed it in my wife& #39;s film appreciation class in college, I went with her so I could see the film in 16mm. If they played it in the theater, I saw it. I& #39;ve even seen it played with a full house with Roger& #39;s commentary playing at Ebertfest. I. LOVE. THIS. MOVIE.
Listen, you don& #39;t need to love it. I get that for years it was presented as the pinnacle of filmmaking and that& #39;s going to put a target on its back for a lot of people because film opinions are like ass holes. But it should be known that there are people that genuinely do love it
I am one of them. It opened my eyes to the narrative power of cinema. It showed me what was possible. It was one of the first *serious* films I remember being captivated by and was SO easily re-watchable. And as an 11-yr old kid it actually showed me what a director was.
When people ask me what my favorite movie is, I choke up and I don& #39;t know what to say because I know if I say CITIZEN KANE they& #39;ll roll their eyes and never take me seriously again, so this actually feels like a weird confession, but it& #39;s completely true. Sorry.
