Site Bio

All site content is written and distributed by Brandon Valentine and may not be reproduced without expressed consent of the author.  Feel free to quote as long as author and website are credited.

My career in criticism is rooted in one of my father’s simple questions, “Well, what do you give it?”  By “what,” he meant a rating between one and ten, and by “it,” he meant the movie that we just watched.  Since I was a youngster, this question was repeatedly asked of me at the closing of a picture and will always be in the back of my mind every time I exit a theatre.

During my younger years, I never thought anything of these numeric grades.  However, once I reached college, my passion for cinema grew and I began to record my ratings and add a few words behind them. 

My written criticism began in a very limited and very elementary AOL subprofile.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with AOL subprofiles, this was the craze of the new millennium that functioned hand-in-hand with AOL Instant Messager.  In a AOL subprofile, you could store thoughts that defined your personality, quotes that inspired you, or (in my case) movie reviews for all of your AOL or AOLIM “buddies” to view.

After quickly racking up over 100 movie reviews, the subprofile became no longer up to snuff.  A less restricting forum, that would improve my reader reach, was desperately desired.  Yet, this highly sought-after site still needed to possess one key quality: free.

In 2004, I found my solution at www.blogger.com.  I created my first movie review website entitled, “B-Val’s Movie Reviews.”  Despite its cheesy name and journal-entry format, this blog helped to both house my words for the better part of two years and open up a few other doors.

Subsequent to the onset of this blog, I was hired as a writer/editer/consultant for www.movieclicks.net, which later became www.newinentertainment.com.  (Don’t bother clicking these links; the site has been out of commission for quite some time—on the grounds of the founder pursuing other interests.)  I then became a blogcritic at www.blogcritics.org, where my reviews have been chosen as “Editor’s Picks.”  What’s more, I gained the stature of being called upon to review motion-pictures, for two different production companies, as they are released.

In addition, I was a staff writer/film critic for La Vie Collegienne, the Lebanon Valley College newspaper, for three years, before I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree from there.  My reviews have also been featured in Harrisburg, PA’s The Patriot News newspaper, as well as on www.imdb.com.

In January, 2007, www.valentineonfilm.com was officially launched, with hopes of providing a cleanier, crisper, and more professional website for reader viewing.  Valentine on Film is entirely non-commercial and administered by Serio Designs.

I hope that this site provides intelligent, inspiring reviews and thoughts. If my writing provokes you to get up and see a picture, or discourages you from taking the time to see one, I have met my goal.  So, let the reels roll, and let us all enjoy the wonderful, and sometimes woeful, world of cinema.

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Thank you for being a reader, and happy viewing to all!