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| The Entertainment Review |
| By: Jami Bernard Publisher: Da Capo Press |
work towards a longer title, but tries to answer the question of, “What turns people on?,” by assembling articles from
the top movie critics in the nation. The articles inside the book contain opinions revolving around the topic of sex and
passion in the films of the past and today. However, the book seems to work a little too hard at trying to seem risqué.
The book gives a feeling of trying to be a book with an edge, something that readers would not want to read around
their parents. However, the final product is nothing erotic or kinky, but seems almost to preach throughout the
majority of the book. Most of the essays seem a little ahead of themselves or the critics have though way too hard
about the topics being covered. Also, readers will notice that the book is filled with adjectives, as though it were a
contest to see who could include the most in their essay. At times the book can become quite frustrating and easy to
set aside.
By pulling from a variety of different sources, the book has no single voice on the topic. Though this is to be
expected in a book of this type, it would have been nice to have a little more flow between articles. Each critic gets
their moment in the spotlight, but it is hard to read more than one article in a sitting without getting confused as to
why one particular article is included in the book. A nice flow would blend the articles into a single document that
makes sense as a whole.
For those that normally judge a book by its cover will likely be drawn in by the black cover with a giant pink X across
the front, but the contents aren’t nearly as interesting as what the cover would portray to many glancing through
shelves of books. It will remind many of the book by Malcom X, which may be what publishers were hoping for, while
still having its own identity. Unfortunately, the cover doesn’t offer much for readers to base off of, and the inside
doesn’t offer much more.
“The X List: The National Society of Film Critics’ Guide To The Movies That Turn Is On” is not a book that can be
recommended to everyone who loves movies and film. Instead, those that have a specific reason for wanting to read
this book will get more enjoyment out of it than those who just want something about film in general, though it will still
prove to be a difficult read to work through. The essay format of the book makes it feel very disjointed and very
difficult to read more than a single article at one time. At times readers will feel like they are reading a thesis than a
book that was intended to be an enjoyable read about sex and passion in film.
the top movie critics in the nation. The articles inside the book contain opinions revolving around the topic of sex and
passion in the films of the past and today. However, the book seems to work a little too hard at trying to seem risqué.
The book gives a feeling of trying to be a book with an edge, something that readers would not want to read around
their parents. However, the final product is nothing erotic or kinky, but seems almost to preach throughout the
majority of the book. Most of the essays seem a little ahead of themselves or the critics have though way too hard
about the topics being covered. Also, readers will notice that the book is filled with adjectives, as though it were a
contest to see who could include the most in their essay. At times the book can become quite frustrating and easy to
set aside.
By pulling from a variety of different sources, the book has no single voice on the topic. Though this is to be
expected in a book of this type, it would have been nice to have a little more flow between articles. Each critic gets
their moment in the spotlight, but it is hard to read more than one article in a sitting without getting confused as to
why one particular article is included in the book. A nice flow would blend the articles into a single document that
makes sense as a whole.
For those that normally judge a book by its cover will likely be drawn in by the black cover with a giant pink X across
the front, but the contents aren’t nearly as interesting as what the cover would portray to many glancing through
shelves of books. It will remind many of the book by Malcom X, which may be what publishers were hoping for, while
still having its own identity. Unfortunately, the cover doesn’t offer much for readers to base off of, and the inside
doesn’t offer much more.
“The X List: The National Society of Film Critics’ Guide To The Movies That Turn Is On” is not a book that can be
recommended to everyone who loves movies and film. Instead, those that have a specific reason for wanting to read
this book will get more enjoyment out of it than those who just want something about film in general, though it will still
prove to be a difficult read to work through. The essay format of the book makes it feel very disjointed and very
difficult to read more than a single article at one time. At times readers will feel like they are reading a thesis than a
book that was intended to be an enjoyable read about sex and passion in film.
