The recent retirement of long-time Omaha World-Herald entertainment writer Bob Fischbach had us thinking about how lucky our city is to have a newspaper that dedicates space for film writing – and how essential criticism is to film overall. Great criticism holds the medium to a higher standard, challenging artists to create better, bolder reflections of our world – from Truffaut and Godard, who were writing about film in Paris even as they directed the movies that spurred the French New Wave, to the towering voice of Pauline Kael, the bold New Yorker scribe who championed the New Hollywood generation. To celebrate the contributions of critics to cinema, we asked some of our favorite commentators – from Bob and his World-Herald successor Micah Mertes, to national voices like A.O. Scott and David Denby – to share some of the films that made them love the art form. Strong choices from folks with strong opinions, the selections in this series include indie gems, Hollywood classics, and treasures of world cinema.

Most films in the series will feature live or recorded introductions from the selecting reviewers.

Selections:

Pulp Fiction | Selected by Ryan Syrek , The (Omaha) Reader
The Third Man | Selected by David Denby, The New Yorker
Rushmore | Selected by Micah Mertes, The Omaha World-Herald
Brazil | Selected by Tasha Robinson, The Verge
Rocco and His Brothers | Selected by A.O. Scott
Blue Velvet | Selected by Dennis Lim, critic and curator
Badlands | Selected by Nick Pinkerton, Freelance

Discoveries:

Passion Fish | Selected by Leonard Maltin
Max et les ferrailleurs | Selected by Scott Foundas,  Former Variety Chief Critic