Meet Joanne Ross

Joanne Ross, our newest contributor to ReelTalkReviews.com, loves the cinema. I became aware of her passion for film while reading her assignments for my LSS School of Writing online class, “The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies.”

In fact, I could hardly wait to add Joanne to our roster of film critics. When asked to send in a short bio for the site, Joanne came up with a very witty submission. Here’s the opening paragraph:

Joanne Ross loves movies, and has loved them since she was a little girl—maybe earlier. There are times she’s convinced she was born clutching a pair of ticket stubs with one hand and holding a bucket of buttered popcorn with the other.

Joanne doesn’t just watch movies, she experiences them. As explained in her first assignment, she “lives vicariously through them.” Her love for movies inspired an equal love for acting and theater which led to studying acting and taking courses in film history and film studies.

About her philosophy as a film critic, Joanne says, “I'm not really sure I want to entertain readers so much as engage them to think about the movie and hopefully, help them see how the techniques and conventions of film making, as I understand them in my limited way, are used in any given movie to tell the story, convey meaning, and engage their emotions.. Of course, I hope I don't bore them in the process.”

After reading Joanne’s reviews of movies like No Country for Old Men, Stuck, Savage Grace, My Kid Could Paint That, it’s quite clear there’s no danger of her boring anyone.

An Awesome Testimonial

Thanks so much to Joanne Ross for her comments concerning "The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies,” my online course for the LSS School of Writing. Below are excerpts from her feedback e-mails.

Betty Jo, thank you for a wonderful experience.

I love the topics and the progression, the way one lesson builds on the other. For such a brief course, you manage to cover a lot of ground and in a way that makes perfect sense. I especially love starting out with first lesson on developing a reviewing philosophy… I'll only add a request that you don't ever change this lesson -- it is the perfect starting place and chance for each student to take his or her "reviewing pulse" at the outset.

The content is rich, yet delivered concisely. You somehow managed to impart a lot of information in each lesson in a clear, succinct, and enjoyable way, while keeping the lesson brief and manageable. That is a special talent. You have a humorous, engaging touch to your writing that is very appealing and made me feel that I could learn to write reviews. Your inclusion of links, recommended reading, and references to other critics was very helpful by way of illustrating the points you were making--not to mention just furthering our movie review education.

I’ve always wanted to write film reviews, and what I learned in this course has helped me make it a reality. I know I have a big learning curve in front of me, but I feel better prepared to meet the challenge.

To sum it all up: studying with you has been a real pleasure and a fruitful experience as well—I learned a great deal. Even more, it is a start for something new for me, so I can add “life changing” as well.

Joanne Ross, San Francisco
January, 2008