Since 2007, Brian Eggert has taken a deep dive into the world of film. His content, featured on Deep Focus Review, ranges from reviews on the latest releases to full on essays.
Here’s more about Eggert.
How long have you been producing content about movies?
If I’m going to be technical about it, my first review (“Wag the Dog”) appeared in my high school paper in the late 1990s. Then I started writing about movies consistently in 2006 on a short-lived Blogspot page before developing and building my own site, Deep Focus Review, in 2007.
Where do you live and/or produce content about movies?
Hugo, Minnesota.
What type of content do you produce about movies?
I write a new release review once or twice a week. Two or three times a month, I write Reader’s Choice reviews suggested by my supporters. And usually once a month, I write a scholarly essay—a history, appreciation, theoretical study, or critical analysis about one of my favorite movies—in a series called The Definitives.
What motivated you to create content about movies?
It may sound like a cliché, but the honest answer is Roger Ebert. I grew up watching the Siskel and Ebert show and reading Ebert’s reviews. He was a gateway drug into other critics like Pauline Kael, André Bazin, and James Agee. They led to my interest in film theory and history. From there, writing about film became my passion.
What inspired your love of movies?
When I was around 11 years old, before I had the internet and discovered IMDB, someone gave me a Blockbuster Video CD-ROM. I always liked movies, but I didn’t yet grasp film history nor did I know the people who made movies by name. The Blockbuster disc changed everything. It featured an encyclopedia and database with clickable names and filmographies, which compelled me to seek out titles by a director or performer I liked. One thing led to another, and my cinephilia was born.
What do you enjoy most about living in Minnesota?
The cold weather. The culture of inwardness.
What is your favorite movie theater in Minnesota?
That’s a tough question. The Alamo Drafthouse stands out for its good food, excellent programming, and well-behaved audiences. The Uptown Theater often has the best movies. And for convenience, the Emagine in White Bear Lake is nearby.
What are some of your favorite movies from the past year (2019)?
“Parasite” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” top my list for 2019, and “A Hidden Life” is up there too. Among my other favorites of 2019 are “Transit,” “Little Women,” “Non-Fiction,” “The Irishman,” “The Nightingale,” and “Marriage Story.” But probably the most underrated title was Mike Leigh’s “Peterloo.” Almost no one saw it, and many who did found it boring or overlong. But I adored it.
What are your favorite movies set in Minnesota?
My favorite Minnesota-made title is “A Serious Man.” It’s one of my most loved movies, period. The Coens are always making movies about the futile search for meaning, and this one resonates with me more than their others, even the beloved “Fargo.”
Where can people find your work?
The main spot is http://www.deepfocusreview.com.
Are you on social media platforms? If so, what are your handles?
@DeepFocusReview on Letterboxd, Twitter, and Facebook.
The Minnesota Film Critics Alliance 