Nowadays, everyone seems to have an opinion about everything! Kylie Jenner’s new product, or the results of the sports game, or the production of a new musical. Everyone wants their voice to be heard, and in today’s day and age, it has never been easier, yet more complex to do so. People have been reviewing things since the Stone Age, it’s just that they may not realize that they’re doing it. Films are no exception: every time someone posts a tweet or creates an Instagram poll, they’re gathering or putting out data. Social media is our generation’s platform to convey our opinions to a wider audience, yet it lacks professionalism.

I believe that we could encourage the involvement of young people in film criticism by creating a safe space for people to heighten their skills of articulation. So many people have opinions, but have no clue how to form them into coherent analysis. They want people to hear, but don’t know how to make them listen. Critiques can be one of the easiest and one of the most challenging forms of writing forms. On one hand, everything you write is based on data you gather and information you used to form your opinions, but on the other hand, so many people challenge and discredit your beliefs.

To spark interest in critique writing, I think that teaching people ways to respectfully express themselves, without the usage of the slander or cancel culture, is of the utmost importance.

Many people exercise their creative freedoms through platforms of social media, which is great, but then the only people who will take their opinions into account are like-minded friends and followers. Creating a well-thought-out publication that had the capability of reaching people such as the creators of a work would be astonishing, and show the youth of our generation that their opinions are valid and can be heard—if they strive to get their points across in a professional and clairvoyant manner.

Youth can still write with a satirical tone, but they should be granted time to ruminate and reflect upon the pieces they’ve seen, so they can put forward the most true assessment of their experience.

Teaching our generation to talk with substance, rather than just rattling off their opinions, can help build a more intellectual community. Critiques can help provide positive and useful feedback to fellow moviegoers on whether they should see the film or not. They also can help communicate with the filmmakers on how they are making people of our generation feel, in a thoughtful and efficient manner.

I personally prefer communicating things on a mature level over screaming it out in the comment section of an Instagram post. Teaching our generation to be articulate and knowledgeable in communication will help them craft their own narratives and viewpoints.