Leonard Maltin is a brand name—the genial face of film history. But as Leonard Maltin’s 2011 Movie Guide (Plume) shows once again, he doesn’t flinch from making hard assessments and taking to task movies for falling short.
Maltin’s annual alphabetical guide to movies—with listings of cast and directors plus a succinct critique of each film—long ago became the most popular reference for anyone walking the aisles of their neighborhood video store looking for something to rent. And in the brave new world of Netflix and countless cable channels, a guide for the perplexed is more valuable than ever. Maltin pulls no punches, calling out 3D for what it often is: a gimmick to lure suckers into the multiplex at a time when movies can be seen from so many platforms that heads begin to spin.
Alas, the Movie Guide’s tiny type makes it hard to read for pleasure—a shame, since Maltin’s perspective is more interesting than just a thumb’s up or down for consumers.
